Box Scraper Box blade the right attachment?

[wmonroe]

I am getting ready to put a driveway in on a piece of property. I want to remove approx. 6 inches of topsoil and was not sure if a box blade is the right attachment. A dozer would be perfect and make this a quick job, but I have time and want to do this myself. Will a box blade work to remove about 6" of soil or am I way off.
Thank you

 

[sbakf]

I'm no expert for sure, but my experience is you can't move much dirt very far with a box blade. I use it primarily for smoothing (e.g., filling the dips over a short distance). How long and wide is your proposed driveway? Where are you moving that 6" of topsoil to (how far away)? 100', perhaps - 1,000', not practical IMHO.

 

[beenthere]

Don't know what equipment or attachments you have, but I would rent a tiller to work up the topsoil first, then scoop it up with a bucket. For me, much easier to control the depth and the top soil is in much better condition to use as lawn filler elswhere.

But don't know all you are faced with, or what you need. I wouldn't do it with a box blade. Others might however.

 

[KennyV]

A box blade will work ... not fast but will do it... I would disk or till it up first... not having either of those attachments I might go at it with the rippers. Then box blade to wherever you are placing it... as was mentioned if you are moving it very far you may never get it done. KennyV.

 

[wmonroe]

It will be a long driveway but I was thinking use the rippers on the box blade to tear it up and move the dirt to piles and then use the front loader to take it to wherever I'm going to put it. I don't own a box blade yet but was going to buy one for this and then for future driveway maintenance.
Oh and the current tractor is a Kubota B8700 4x4 with FEL.

 

[crusty 1]

It will be a long driveway but I was thinking use the rippers on the box blade to tear it up and move the dirt to piles and then use the front loader to take it to wherever I'm going to put it. I don't own a box blade yet but was going to buy one for this and then for future driveway maintenance.
Oh and the current tractor is a Kubota B8700 4x4 with FEL.

If you don,t mind the time factor it sure will work.I,d cut the sod up first with the rippers set fairly high and after the sods gone lower the rippers as deep as your tractor can handle and enjoy the ride:thumbsupave

 

[AndyG]

wmonroe, you have a good plan there. You don't need a plow, tiller, disk or anything else. What in the world do you folks think that those ripper tines are there for? Put the teeth down and go loosen the soil. After you have an area worked up move it with the bucket (long distance). If you are moving the dirt a short distance just drag and spread it with the box. When using the box blade, play around with the top link adjustment. You should find that shortening the top link will make the teeth and the blade cut more aggressively. If you lengthen the link you won't move as much dirt but the work will be smoother and a bit easier to control. Use this setting to finish the job.

BTW: Why do you want to take dirt away first? This will put you driveway below grade and it will become a ditch.

 

[wmonroe]

I want to take away the topsoil so I can put fabric down, then about 4-6" of a #3 stone, and top it with approx. 2" of 2B modified gravel.

I'm looking at box blades now, does anyone own a United brand? Everything attachments has one on their site for about $595. I'm going to stop at a local place after work tonight and see what they have.

 

[clemsonfor]

that seems kind of cheap for the size tractor you have. maybe not a heavy duty one. I have a cheap 4 ft model that has no replacement blade on it. I also have a 24 hp yanmar so i really cant twist it up and i dont really maintain a driveway. I have gravel that i smooth say one a year or every other year, and use the rippers for foodplots, and maybe every so often may hit the woods road with it, i paid $200 for it used and should last me a while. Make sure you get one with a replaceable blade if your going to work a long driveway everyyear. Also the heavier the better. i put 2, 22'' diameter oak firewood (unsplit) chunks on the back to give it weight (will need to find something else as they are too dried out this summer to be to good).

 

[wmonroe]

Here is the link to the one i'm considering. There are definately more heavy duty ones out there but I didn't think it looked too bad.

United 566HD Heavy Duty Box Blade 66"

See what you guys think. I'm looking at the 5 1/2', which is about 405 pounds.

 

[crusty 1]

Here is the link to the one i'm considering. There are definately more heavy duty ones out there but I didn't think it looked too bad.

United 566HD Heavy Duty Box Blade 66"

See what you guys think. I'm looking at the 5 1/2', which is about 405 pounds.

don,t want to rain on your parade but looks too light to me and the 405 # wieght wood suggest that too.My 5 foot blade is just at 560 pounds.Hope this helps Dave

 

[manganos]

Yes I have a 5 1/2' Woods BOXBLADE behind my Mahindra 2516 and let me tell you it is HEAVY. Much heavier then the agri-supply junk 4' BOXBLADE I had. This thing is built like a tank and would work great for your needs.

 

[backdoor]

I have a United 672HD box blade. I have no problems loading it with our rocky dirt and pulling it to a spoils pile or dumping it to smooth out fields or yards. My tractor weighs about 4500 lbs., and has 33 PTO HP. I have never used it when the dirt was really dry, I usually can wait until there is enough dampness to help cut, but not so wet as to stick to my blade. My blade was $539 from my local Leinbach dealer, just a few months ago. I'm about 75 miles from the Lienbach store in NC, so I know shipping was no big deal.

 

[tsteahr]

I am getting ready to put a driveway in on a piece of property. I want to remove approx. 6 inches of topsoil and was not sure if a box blade is the right attachment. A dozer would be perfect and make this a quick job, but I have time and want to do this myself. Will a box blade work to remove about 6" of soil or am I way off.
Thank you

If you have the time it is possible. I don't know how long your driveway will be. Last week I cut into a strip of land next to my road to prep for a small retaining wall. It is about 120 ft long by about 6.5 ft wide It sloped about a foot in elevation over that 6.5 ft. I cut the slope down to level with a 4' box blade. It took me about 7 hours to break up the ground, grade and level the slope, move the soil into piles and move it to the other end of my property with the loader. Altogether I moved about 15 yards of dirt with the blade and loader. It was very slow going because of the tight quarters. I don't think I could have done it with anything bigger than my scut.

If you have room to maneuver it should go much quicker on a per yard basis. In terms of the blade I have been happy with the woods. It is very well made for its size and one of the heavier 4' blades designed for the scuts.

 

[KennyV]

Buying a box blade should be done like buying a battery...
(1) Get the largest one that fits your need.
(2) Get the HEAVIEST of those that are in that size. KennyV

 

[pitt_md]

A good boxblade will work fine if you have the time. I have done a lot of landscaping with mine. I built a 60' diameter round pen for working my horses into the side of a hill and just used the BB with the teeth set all the way down. Often when I use my BB I pull so much dirt around that its pushed up under the tractor. The problem is where to leave the piles so you can keep working and not have to stop to move a pile out of the way. If you can pull over to the side of your drive to dump the dirt you should be able to do this with ease.

I don't know what you have for a tractor but if you can get a hydraulic top link to use with the BB. Sure makes things go faster.

 

[wmonroe]

I found a used 60" Befco at a local Kubota dealer. It appears to be a well built unit, (going to stop tonight and get a picture) is $590 a good price? I have got quotes on new Befco's for around $975.
Thanks

 

[wmonroe]

Here are the pics.

Thanks for any suggestions,

 

[tubewelder87]

well with the removal of the topsoil the first thing i would do after you buy that box blade is go to dalton hydraulics website and order a hydraulic toplink this will save you so much time you can not imagine. That way you can have your rippers down all the time get dirt loosened then drag into piles OFF the driveway. That way you can get your driveway down and and come back at when you have time to move the dirt. In my opinion the box blade comes down to two things 1. use if you use it everyday like me i wood try to find a used gannon! but if all you have to do is this driveway then maintain it i wouldnt put a lot of money in something a less costly bb would do just as well. You made have to add weight but that is not hard. 2. changable blades and hinged back blade. The blade is what does most of your work and also makes your work look good. The hinged back blade can make it where you can tilt your boxblade way back. then the front blade knocks off all the big hills and back blade smooths everything down perfect. But like all things this is just my opinion. I have a question for you. What is the hp of your tractor? and also what kind of tranny? this will effect the size of the bb.

 

[wmonroe]

well with the removal of the topsoil the first thing i would do after you buy that box blade is go to dalton hydraulics website and order a hydraulic toplink this will save you so much time you can not imagine. That way you can have your rippers down all the time get dirt loosened then drag into piles OFF the driveway. That way you can get your driveway down and and come back at when you have time to move the dirt. In my opinion the box blade comes down to two things 1. use if you use it everyday like me i wood try to find a used gannon! but if all you have to do is this driveway then maintain it i wouldnt put a lot of money in something a less costly bb would do just as well. You made have to add weight but that is not hard. 2. changable blades and hinged back blade. The blade is what does most of your work and also makes your work look good. The hinged back blade can make it where you can tilt your boxblade way back. then the front blade knocks off all the big hills and back blade smooths everything down perfect. But like all things this is just my opinion. I have a question for you. What is the hp of your tractor? and also what kind of tranny? this will effect the size of the bb.

Thanks for the reply.
Doing this driveway is the main reason for the box blade and then just maintaining the driveway. Does the price seem to be about right for a used unit?