What Size Scrape Blade

[MMH]

I need help picking a scrape blade size. The primary use will be snow removal although I will use it as a grader blade as well. I have a John Deere 4500 MFWD tractor. The tractor is 39 HP & w/the FEL weighs 4400 lbs. The rear tire track is adjustable ranging from 6' to 8' (from outside to outside of the tires). I normally have it set to 7'

I talked to a guy at Everything Attachments & he recommended a 7' blade saying that the 8' would be a little too big for my tractor. I am on the fence between 7' & 8'. For grading I would agree that 8' may be too big. The question is would it be inconvenient, or just plain not usable. On the other hand would 7' be too much of a pain for snow removal? With the blade angled it would really be 6' wide & I would have to offset to clear one of the tires. BTW, the specific blades that I am looking at is a Everything Attachments 6 way deluxe scrape blade for compact tractors for the 7' (weighing in at 342 lbs.) and the XTreme duty for the 8' (weighing in at 575 lbs.). Right now I am leaning towards the 7'.

Also, will I need chains? The tractor has R4 tires which are fairly worn. I am in western PA and have a significant slope (25%) on the driveway (which is 12' wide & 100 yds. long) that I would be plowing. If so, I was thinking about a duo-grip as I would also use for mud traction & not just snow removal off of asphalt.

 

[nybirdman]

I would agree with the 7ft.and chains in your situation.I use a 7ft.on my L4240(44hp) and its a good fit.I run AG's (R1) and fairly flat and have not had a problem with snow.

 

[orangeandgreen]

For snow removal, I would recommend a blade that clears a path at least as wide as the tractor, when the blade is angled. That would be the 8'.
I use a 7' blade for snow behind my tractor that is just a little less than 6' wide and it works well.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Typically with the weight of your tractor, I would recommend the 7 footer. But with the width of your machine you really need that 8 footer. So based on the physical size of your machine you really need to get an 8 footer. Now for the hard part, who's blade do you get? While I like how ETA's blade is built for the most part, (I do not care for bent moldboards, I prefer rolled moldboards) their blades are just not heavy enough for me to justify the cost of them.

Take a look at the Land Pride RB3796 and get a cost locally. The weight is better at 665lbs, the moldboard is rolled, has hydraulic angle capability, just a better all around unit IMO and costs about the same if not a little less. :thumbsup:

Good luck with your decision.

 

[LD1]

8' all the way. May not be able to run as aggressive in the dirt is all.

Lighter blades for snow is fine. But unless you have sand for soil, you need to be looking at blades near 100# per ft to be effective. NOT a 350# 7' blade. Just too light. My ground would just laugh af that blade as it chatters over the surface and pulls along maybe a shovel full of dirt

 

[MMH]

Typically with the weight of your tractor, I would recommend the 7 footer. But with the width of your machine you really need that 8 footer. So based on the physical size of your machine you really need to get an 8 footer. Now for the hard part, who's blade do you get? While I like how ETA's blade is built for the most part, (I do not care for bent moldboards, I prefer rolled moldboards) their blades are just not heavy enough for me to justify the cost of them.

Take a look at the Land Pride RB3796 and get a cost locally. The weight is better at 665lbs, the moldboard is rolled, has hydraulic angle capability, just a better all around unit IMO and costs about the same if not a little less. :thumbsup:

Good luck with your decision.

Seems as if one blade for both jobs will require some significant compromises. If I get an 8' blade, will the weight be too much for my tractor? Will 8' be unwieldy? Even for snow, if both tracks are not covered by the blade, multiple passes will take care of that w/ the blade offset make sure that one tire is cleared. Or, will the number of passes go up disproportionately?

 

[PILOON]

For what it is worth,

You should have a blade that covers your tracks when angled.

I, being leery, purchased the smaller blade as I doubted my tractor's capability and regretted it very soon.
As a result I later modified my blade by adding 6 ins to both sides and never regretted the modification.
But then I only use the blade to dress gravel drives, move snow etc but never to scrape virgin soil.
Between the FEL and back blade I can spread 16 yds of crushed stone in about 1 hr to a grader like finish to about 4" coverage, and that is with a 20HP gear shift tractor.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

The implement weight is not a problem, it is the force exerted by the blade. The weight helps the blade work, the work being done is what is or isn't to much for the tractor.

I believe that your tractor will handle the 8' blade in the snow without much problem. As far as grading, you won't be making any deep cuts and be able to handle those cuts very well. If you are only doing light grading, probably no problems. If you have heavy grading to be done, then maybe you would be better off with the 7'. We don't know what your actual needs are. Without being there to know, all any of us can do is give you an educated guess.

You have been given many reply's by experienced people to get the 8 footer. I don't know what else to add other than yes you can get things done with a 7" blade also. A 7" blade at a 35* angle makes a cut about 66" wide. An 8' blade is about 78" in width.

Part of the problem is the width of your tractor and the lighter weight that it is. Typically a tractor of the width that yours is, is several thousand pounds heavier and would handle an 8" blade much easier in all conditions.


Only you can decide. Good luck with your decision.

 

[MMH]

So I decided that an 8' blade will fit my needs better. I will get a heavy blade. Now the question is Land Pride RB3796 or Woods HBL96-2. I like the Land Pride better but it is more ($1803 vs. $1460), but is it $343 better?

 

[MtnViewRanch]

So I decided that an 8' blade will fit my needs better. I will get a heavy blade. Now the question is Land Pride RB3796 or Woods HBL96-2. I like the Land Pride better but it is more ($1803 vs. $1460), but is it $343 better?

Double check that LP cost. The link that I provided in post #4 has the RB3796 blades for $1465. :thumbsup: My understanding is that Rosy Brothers has very good LP prices.

As far as the Woods vs the Land Pride, I personally would not buy the Woods unit. So yes for me the LP would be worth more $$$.

 

[MMH]

...I believe that your tractor will handle the 8' blade in the snow without much problem. As far as grading, you won't be making any deep cuts and be able to handle those cuts very well. If you are only doing light grading, probably no problems. If you have heavy grading to be done, then maybe you would be better off with the 7'. We don't know what your actual needs are. Without being there to know, all any of us can do is give you an educated guess.

You have been given many reply's by experienced people to get the 8 footer. I don't know what else to add other than yes you can get things done with a 7" blade also. A 7" blade at a 35* angle makes a cut about 66" wide. An 8' blade is about 78" in width.

Part of the problem is the width of your tractor and the lighter weight that it is. Typically a tractor of the width that yours is, is several thousand pounds heavier and would handle an 8" blade much easier in all conditions...

The dirt is so bad here that sometimes it stops my tractor w/ a 5' box blade. For heavy grading I would break up the surface w/ the box blade w/ the scarifiers down & then smooth w/ the wider blade. Worst case I could double up on the cutting edge & bolt a narrower & lower cutting edge. That way the aggressive cutting would be done w/ a 'narrower' blade and the full width would be there to spread the loose stuff that the cutting edge kicks up. I know that this is not an ideal solution, but maybe it would work??? Worst case, if the 8' is too much, I can always trim it down w/ a gas axe! Far easier than trying to stretch a 7' blade.

I suppose loading the tires would help. How much weight would be added by loading 17.5L-24 tires?

Finally, I did find a better price locally for the blade - $1475.

Thanks to all that replied. Ultimately I know that only I can decide. Problem is that I will only if I choose wisely only after deciding - kind of a catch 22.

 

[LD1]

Loaded tires will certainly help, but them being R4s won't.

How much it adds depends on what you use. Beetjuice calcium, water and antifreeze, washer fluid, etc

Charts are online if you Google.it

 

[MtnViewRanch]

The dirt is so bad here that sometimes it stops my tractor w/ a 5' box blade. For heavy grading I would break up the surface w/ the box blade w/ the scarifiers down & then smooth w/ the wider blade. Worst case I could double up on the cutting edge & bolt a narrower & lower cutting edge. That way the aggressive cutting would be done w/ a 'narrower' blade and the full width would be there to spread the loose stuff that the cutting edge kicks up. I know that this is not an ideal solution, but maybe it would work??? Worst case, if the 8' is too much, I can always trim it down w/ a gas axe! Far easier than trying to stretch a 7' blade.

I suppose loading the tires would help. How much weight would be added by loading 17.5L-24 tires?

Finally, I did find a better price locally for the blade - $1475.

Thanks to all that replied. Ultimately I know that only I can decide. Problem is that I will only if I choose wisely only after deciding - kind of a catch 22.

Load the tires, front and rear. All the weight you can get will help out with the performance of the blade. I have all tires loaded with both my 12,000lb and 5000lb tractors.

What a GREAT performance enhancer that was for me. Better traction, better ride, oh and I have R4s on both machines.

$1474 sounds good to me, did you order it yet? Oh, when you place the order, add the skid shoes, makes a HUGE difference. Costly though, but worth every cent IMO. :thumbsup:

 

[MMH]

Loaded tires will certainly help, but them being R4s won't....

I will use chains. This will partially offset the worst traction of the R4s

 

[MMH]

Load the tires, front and rear. All the weight you can get will help out with the performance of the blade. I have all tires loaded with both my 12,000lb and 5000lb tractors.

What a GREAT performance enhancer that was for me. Better traction, better ride, oh and I have R4s on both machines.

$1474 sounds good to me, did you order it yet? Oh, when you place the order, add the skid shoes, makes a HUGE difference. Costly though, but worth every cent IMO. :thumbsup:

I have been meaning to load the tires for years. I loaded the tires on my Kubota right away. Granted, that tractor has R1s not R4s, but, I could be up to the axles in watery muck & the little tractor plows thru! I have experienced the benefits of loading tires, but just have not gotten around to it for the JD.

I will order in the next couple of days. I will get the skid shoes & hydraulic angling. $2K later unfortunately... And, that is before the chains & salt spreader. Add a pallet of salt & round up the price of snow removal to $4K.

 

[MMH]

So what is the difference between a RB3796 and a RBT3596? Seems like the RBT is set up for hydraulics for offset, tilt and angle, but the hydraulics themselves are options. It is about 80 lbs. heavier and but I don't know about the difference in cost.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

So what is the difference between a RB3796 and a RBT3596? Seems like the RBT is set up for hydraulics for offset, tilt and angle, but the hydraulics themselves are options. It is about 80 lbs. heavier and but I don't know about the difference in cost.

With no hydraulics, about $1000 difference I would guess. Take a good look at how the RBT is made. Waaaaaaay stronger than the RB.

Moldboards are not even close for strength. RBT all the way.

 

[LD1]

Both rated for lots larger tractors than the OP is asking about.

The simple difference other than hydraulics
RB = Rear blade.
RBT= Rear blade w/Tilt feature

 

[lostcreekranch]

I have been meaning to load the tires for years. I loaded the tires on my Kubota right away. Granted, that tractor has R1s not R4s, but, I could be up to the axles in watery muck & the little tractor plows thru! I have experienced the benefits of loading tires, but just have not gotten around to it for the JD. I will order in the next couple of days. I will get the skid shoes & hydraulic angling. $2K later unfortunately... And, that is before the chains & salt spreader. Add a pallet of salt & round up the price of snow removal to $4K.

MMH; You will save money and get better hydraulic cylinders buying them from Brian @ Fit-Rite Hydraulics (Mtnviewranch). He builds welded cylinders which IMHO are superior to the tie rod cylinders that LP will supply.

I looked at both RB3796 and the RBT3796 and went with the RB and it does everything I need in our sandy soil. I am ordering skid shoes for it. My tractor is an LS XR4046 HC and at 46 HP it handles the 8' blade easily.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Both rated for lots larger tractors than the OP is asking about.

The simple difference other than hydraulics
RB = Rear blade.
RBT= Rear blade w/Tilt feature

Actually the 37 series RB has the tilt feature also. Take a look at both the specs and the pin down low in the middle of the blade.