Would an angle blade be better than box blade for this?

[wendlingknives]

When we had our place re-planted in pine this spring, they cut firebreaks for a controlled burn. I want to keep them as trails, but a couple are on a significant sidehill in parts. I used my box blade, with the blade tilted on one side to make them more level to drive on and keep mowed. It was working ok, but of course, being a box blade, it fills with dirt, mostly on one side. Ive never used an angle blade, but i was thinking it would do a better job of moving the dirt from the side of the hill being cut into to the other side to fill it in. Im hoping that make sense. I guess my concern/question is will a box blade cut into the dirt well? Its east texas red dirt. Which is really dry right now

 

[oosik]

How well a rear blade cuts depends a whole lot on its weight. I have a heavy rear blade and it cuts into virgin soil well. But this is a 1000+ pound rear blade behind a tractor weighing 10,000+ pounds.

If you can find a heavy enough rear blade - it will do what you want. You might need to loosen the soil first so the rear blade can perform better.

I have a roll over box blade with scarifiers. I can use it to chew up the dirt and grade. It's not as good or fast as the rear blade but it will get the job done.

Your Mahindra should be able to pull a fairly heavy implement.

 

[dodge man]

Kind of hard to describe but a blade that tilts might work well for you. That way you can angle it to get a corner to dig in and level the area.

 

[wendlingknives]

my box blade can tilt by adjusting the lower 3pt arms on the tractor. My thinking was that doing that, and having an angled blade would work better than just a tilted box blade. I dont know what my box blade weighs, but its a HD 6' so 5-600lbs? From what it looks like, most of the 6' angle/scrapers are 3-400lbs. I want to make the trails about 6-8' wide and id guess theres probably an 18"ish difference from the high side to the low side of the trail that id like to level out

 

[Citydude]

my box blade can tilt by adjusting the lower 3pt arms on the tractor. My thinking was that doing that, and having an angled blade would work better than just a tilted box blade. I dont know what my box blade weighs, but its a HD 6' so 5-600lbs? From what it looks like, most of the 6' angle/scrapers are 3-400lbs. I want to make the trails about 6-8' wide and id guess theres probably an 18"ish difference from the high side to the low side of the trail that id like to level out

A box blade can do it but a blade can cut and disperse it mush faster. Also, a blade will cut ditches far better. You'll want a small ditch on the uphill side of the trail your building.

 

[LouNY]

I would say that yes a rear blade "could" do a better job.

If it is a heavy blade with hydraulic tilt.
Unless your side slope is the same you need the hydraulic tilt to be able to adjust the angle as you are working.
With the blade tilted down on the high side and angled with the low side forward,
it would cut and roll the dirt to the low side.

Then when your trail is leveled out, more tilt and angle the same way will created a ditch on the high side.
Also when ran in this mode the full weight of the blade is concentrated on the portion doing the digging.
It will also turn your tractor into the cut side if it catches and hangs.

 

[WranglerX]

Personally I am looking for a scraper blade with both tilt and angle as my condition change as to where I am grading. If I am cutting into a slope to create a "level" trail. tilt is most important to me in a blade... Conceptually to me a box blade can only cut on same angle as tractor (no tilt option unless screwing endlessly with hitch) ....

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Road graders don't use box blades.

 

[California]

I had to ballast the end of the angle blade that I wanted to cut into this well-compacted gravel. Tilting the 3-point linkage (see photo) didn't provide any down force at all.

The builder tag on this ancient blade says 'Carrington Terracer' and online literature shows it cutting into the uphill side, but that must assume working plowed ground.

I have three more wheel weights I could add for more ballast. I'm thinking about welding 'ears' at the outer corners of the blade assembly to hang the weights on.

 

[nyone]

A rear blade will move dirt from one side to another good. For real dirt work you really need a very heavy rear blade. The ones with a more flat blade like the sell at tractor supply are really only good for snow. Dirt work where you can encounter roots I would look for nearly a cat2 blade for a cat1 tractor. At minimum would be 600lbs.

 

[Thomas]

I like Woods rear blade built well angels down wards,and for the finish touches I turn blade 180 degrees.

 

[Cycledude]

The curve built into the blade face makes a huge difference, many blade faces have hardly any curve built in so they don’t cut very well.

 

[/pine]

If you have a hydraulic top link...
...and your box is filling up with decent fill (cut from the high side)...just position the tractor and with the top link retracted just back up pushing the payload to the low side...the BB will actually do a decent job of smoothing...
Depending on the HTL raising the 3PH a tad may be required...

 

[wendlingknives]

I just bought a HTL, so I will have that next time I use the BB. I think, from what it folks are advising, most angle blades dont have the weight to cut into the side hill and Ill be using my BB.

 

[/pine]

The best way to get any type of grading blade to get a decent bite is (after setting to an aggressive angle)...make several false starts...slightly reversing each time until the the blade has sunk down for a good bite...

Little machines with light weight implements can do the same work as bigger heavier equipment...it just takes a little longer and a trek up the learning curve...

 

[/pine]

I just bought a HTL,..

you're going to wish you had a hydraulic side link as well...especially with your task at hand...!

 

[wendlingknives]

you're going to wish you had a hydraulic side link as well...especially with your task at hand...!

im sure, but that means adding another set of remotes so its not in the cards for now

 

[LouNY]

You can do a diverter setup which will act as a splitter giving you multiple outs from 1,
Summit Hydraulics has several complete kits to choose from and they are somewhat reasonable.

 

[oosik]

I have a hydraulic top link. Fantastic addition to any ground engagement implement. There are times when I wish I had hydraulic tilt & angle. But that would have been a significant $$$$ investment - even when I got the tractor new.

When I bought the tractor - I had no idea that I'd ever want/need hyd tilt and angle. I've been able to manage without. To add it now - probably $1500 or more.

My final choices boiled down to Woods and Rhino. I choose Rhino - there is a local dealer for Rhino.

 

[PILOON]

I have a hydraulic top link. Fantastic addition to any ground engagement implement. There are times when I wish I had hydraulic tilt & angle. But that would have been a significant $$$$ investment - even when I got the tractor new.

When I bought the tractor - I had no idea that I'd ever want/need hyd tilt and angle. I've been able to manage without. To add it now - probably $1500 or more.

My final choices boiled down to Woods and Rhino. I choose Rhino - there is a local dealer for Rhino.

Tractors usually have screw type adjustments on the lift arms so the answer is to lengthen the uphill arm or again shorten the down hill side arm.
Sure weight will help as well for bigger bites.