Whose Boxe Blade to get & What Size?

[MMH]

I have read in many threads on this site over the years, where guys will helpfully suggest that you HAVE to cover your tractor wheel tracks with the boxblade. My experience differs.
I bought a 48 inch boxblade for my first CUT, a JD 4100 with 21 Hp. It was wide enough to cover the wheeltrack, and the tractor handled it fairly well. I added weight to the boxblade to help it bite in. I probably had the only 48 inch boxblade that weighed over 700 pounds. I ran that neat little 4100 for several years, did a lot of boxblade work, then sold the 4100 and bought a JD 2520. The 2520 has 26 Hp, and weighed half again as much as the 4100, and was about half a foot wider than the 48" boxblade, which I kept. I started thinking that I was going to have to trade up the boxblade because you know "you have to cover your tracks with it". But while considering it, I started using it 'cause it was still a very effective loader counterweight, and I needed a boxblade. And I noticed something. It really didn't matter that it was narrower than the tractor for the landscaping work I was doing because you remove soil in layers anyway, and it turned out to be a big advantage that it was narrow when simply being used as a loader counterweight. So I kept that little BB. Two years later, because I bought 80 acres of farmland and had heavier work to do, I traded the 2520 for a JD 3720. The 3720 has 44 Hp, weighs a bit over 4000 pounds ballasted, and is 66 inches wide at the back with wheel spacers. Its almost two years old now. And you know what? I am still using that original 48 inch boxblade. Its still heavy enough for effectiveness as a counterweight since I added a whole bunch of wheel weights to the back tractor wheels. And I can pull that small BB like mad with the power and traction I have. Last year I made an asparagras bed. That requires first digging a trench a couple feet deep. I used the boxblade, and it dug real well until was down most of the way and then I couldnt put it any lower because the tractor would not drop into the trench 'cause of course the tractor is wider than the BB. Thats the first time I had any issue. A wider BB would have made the trench too wide anyway, so I would have had to find another way to make the trench if I had a wider BB. Other than that one job, my experience doing driveway maintenance, building site prep, stump removal with scarifier teeth, waterway creation, ditch creation, and similar jobs, all work fine with that same little BB that is now 18 inches narrower than the tractor pulling it.
On the other hand, if you are buying a finishing tool, like a landscape rake, then by all means get one that is wider than your tractor tracks even when fully angled. But the Boxblade is certainly not a finishing tool and in my opinion and experience over 5 years and two tractors that were bigger than the BB I own, you do not need to cover your tracks with a boxblade. In fact, its better if it is smaller and heavier, cause that way the psi on the ground is higher and it does more work, and it always works better as a counterweight if it is as small and heavy as possible.
My 2 cent's worth, good luck.

Great explanation. So, would I (THe OP) be better off w/ a 48" instead of even the 60"?

 

[RSKY]

Just what I was waiting to hear. This is what I like about this forum. People giving real experienced based advice.

 

[ovrszd]

But with that experienced advice one has to always think about your personal uses. For what I do, I have no use for a BB that doesn't cover my tires. And for the record I certainly consider a BB to be a finish tool. No offense to anyone meant.

 

[jdonovan]

But with that experienced advice one has to always think about your personal uses. For what I do, I have no use for a BB that doesn't cover my tires. And for the record I certainly consider a BB to be a finish tool. No offense to anyone meant.

Ok, if the BB is a finish tool, whats your preferred rough grade tool

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Ok, if the BB is a finish tool, whats your preferred rough grade tool

One in the same if you know what your doing.

 

[kf4uda]

I have a United box blade also and have been very pleased with it.

 

[SixHoeBob]

MtnViewRanch has the first half of the hinged blade answer correct.

That is; The rear blade floats along and the front blade can dig in. No skid shoe effect from the rear blade.

The second half of the answer is;

If you hold the BB up with the tractor you will see that the rear blade hangs lower than the front blade. This allows the rear blade to dig in, below the skid shoe effect of the front blade when pushing backwards. The rippers even in the down position, do not tend prevent the rear blade from digging in.

Hence, you can dig in both directions.

A fixed rear blade creates a six inch wide skid shoe the width of the BB.
Then you need the Top-n-Tilt cylinder.

The hinged blade goes a long way in eliminating the need for the hydraulic cylinder top link, and works the way BBs were intended to work.

I use a 72" box blade on my 1910 (30-35hp) The width beyond the tires allows me to grade tight up against buildings, driveways, etc.

I would fill the rear tires and the tractors performance will improve, also it will
reduce the strain on the front axle. Try working in 2wd vs. 4wd. You will find the front axle does most of the work, even though it is structurally weaker than the rear axle.

 

[SixHoeBob]

Ok, if the BB is a finish tool, whats your preferred rough grade tool

Skid-steer loader with smooth edge bucket for rough grading and finish grading.

1910 and Gill pulverizer prior to hand raking.

Box blade with attached leveling board for large areas, followed by the pulverizer

 

[Nissan197]

I have a 60" Bush Hog BB. It has been great. I have it attached to a 32 HP tractor.

 

[ustmd]

Sorry if I'm hijacking the OP's thread, but I thought it would be silly to make a new thread asking the same question. I have a 37hp, 2000 lb. (unballasted and w/o FEL) with a 59" track width, 4WD, R1s front & rear. I was leaning towards a 60" box blade as I think that's all I will be able handle traction wise. This just barely covers the track width of the tractor, but I'm just not sure I will have enough traction to pull a 72" box blade.

What do you guys think?

I know several people have scared you off this size and I hate to disagree with guys that have a lot more experience than I do, but I run a 66" BB on my 27 HP Kioti with no issues. I have done road repair work on compacted road base, ripped and leveled in our heavy clay soil plus many other tasks. I have had the box full to overflowing and never stalled the tractor, had it bog down or have other problems. I do always leave my FEL on for he extra weight and maybe I am missing an critical detail, but I would thing that with 10 more hp, you should be able to handle the extra 6 inches.