Box Scraper Help me understand TnT-how does it help grading?

[RealJimbo]

Though I know I want TnT, I want to understand it better B4 I go off looking for one. My mount is a Kubota M6040. I have a long unimproved road/driveway that was put in over 10 years ago. Basically, no one has maintained in much. So I bought a box blade, thinking I would resell it (was a deal with a flail) but I have started using it.

Last year I did some work on the road with a cheap rake, but I decided that without gauge wheels, it was minimally effective. The box blade digs up the big rocks and fills in holes, but it too seems to need gauge wheels when attempting to smooth/finish. It also seems to take forever to move stuff from the ditch to the crown, which was why I wanted a back blade. Anyway . . .

I am hoping someone can help me understand how TnT will improve Box blade performance without gauge wheels. Seems straightforward that Tilt will make ditch/crowning simpler, without getting on and off the seat. But how does the hydraulic top link help? Do they have a float position?

 

[blueriver]

I don't think TnT will improve the "blade" performance...Operating a box blade becomes an art. One learns the 3 point hitch and the float feature ... the more practice time spent the finer job you will do thus improving the blades performance.

Once the top link is set to achieve the right cut (depth) then use the tractors 3 point to keep the amount of dirt rolling in front of the blade.

On Edit ... I forgot to answer the question! The hydraulic top link is just as you say, keeps you from getting off the tractor to tilt the blade forwards or back to adjust the cutting edge.

 

[TripleR]

The TnT really isn't, in my opinion, going to do much on a straight run where the angle doesn't change. It helps tremendously in areas where the cut needs to vary or change sides such as in establishing a flat road through hilly land.

The hydraulic top-link allows adjustment on the go to feather edges, adjust cutting depth or change from cutting to dragging/leveling. For me the top-link is essential, but having used a TnT, it just isn't worth the cost for what I do.

Some people really like these for ease of use:Land Pride Grading Scrapers

We use one of these and like it for road maintenance, but don't have ditches on the side:Land Pride Drag Scrapers

Some see the TnT as invaluable and I see it as nice to have.

 

[Egon]

Without gauge wheels neither a box blade or a rear blade can do a proper job.

Put guage wheels on a rear blade combined with TNT and you have a pretty fair grading system.:thumbsup:

Now if you want it properly done it will have to be set up like a road grader.

 

[blueriver]

I have no gauge wheels or TnT ... I can level a building site and finish grade a driveway .. drag and move alot of dirt with a blade or a BB.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I have no gauge wheels or TnT ... I can level a building site and finish grade a driveway .. drag and move alot of dirt with a blade or a BB.

If you can do this well without "TnT", then you would be pleasantly surprised at how much easier it would be with "TnT"

 

[rrrkkk]

OK i'll bite what is TnT?

 

[MarkV]

OK i'll bite what is TnT?

TnT=Top and Tilt. It is achieved by using a hydraulic cylinder in place of the top and side links of the 3pt hitch.

MarkV

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Though I know I want TnT, I want to understand it better B4 I go off looking for one. My mount is a Kubota M6040. I have a long unimproved road/driveway that was put in over 10 years ago. Basically, no one has maintained in much. So I bought a box blade, thinking I would resell it (was a deal with a flail) but I have started using it.

Last year I did some work on the road with a cheap rake, but I decided that without gauge wheels, it was minimally effective. The box blade digs up the big rocks and fills in holes, but it too seems to need gauge wheels when attempting to smooth/finish. It also seems to take forever to move stuff from the ditch to the crown, which was why I wanted a back blade. Anyway . . .

I am hoping someone can help me understand how TnT will improve Box blade performance without gauge wheels. Seems straightforward that Tilt will make ditch/crowning simpler, without getting on and off the seat. But how does the hydraulic top link help? Do they have a float position?

It sounds like you understand the side link usage although there are other times that it may get used also, especially if you have float position with your side link control valve and you do not have a side link with the DPOCV check valve on it.

As far as the top link, you change the pitch of the box to work either the front blade or the rear blade of a std design box blade. Things are a little different if you have a roll-over box blade. So depending on if you want to actually dig-scrape up material or if you want to use the back side of the blade to smooth the ground. Some people use it to change the angle of the rippers for digging up material.

Since I use roll-over box blades, I find that I use my tilt cylinder far more than my top link when I am grading. If what you grade is basically flat, you may not use the tilt cylinder all that much. I have many curves and hills to deal with and because of that I tend to use my "TnT" more than a person that is on flat land.

 

[MarkV]

OK i'll bite what is TnT?

TnT=Top and Tilt. It is achieved by using a hydraulic cylinder in place of the top and side links of the 3pt hitch. That allows you to make adjustments without getting off the tractor and to change adjustments on the fly.

MarkV

 

[MtnViewRanch]

OK i'll bite what is TnT?

Here are a couple of pics.

 

[boggen]

you might want to take a look at everythingattachments ((see below for clickable link)) has a good amount of videos and details to explain things.
Everything Attachments | Skid Steer Attachments, Tractor Attachments, 3 Point Hitch Attachments, and Farm Tractor Implements.

i generally see the following 3 items (3pt scraper, 3pt box blade, 3pt grading scraper) as a good want when dealing with trails, dirt and rock driveways. each has there own specific uses and features. also having a FEL (front end loader) can be nice as well. (back dragging for example)

i can do a descent job on the 1/2 mile dirt lane back to a lake just using the FEL and back dragging. but it is a requirement to have left and right back steering brakes (separate brake peddles) way to easy to get the front tires off the ground. more so do to i tend to constantly change bucket angle and height of the FEL arms.

when i say descent, manly just pulling dirt back into ruts. and if need be moving some dirt into an area here and there. the dirt lane is not an all weather lane / driveway. ya need to stay off of it during rains. or bad rutting happens. that or need a truck or tractor to drive down it when it is muddy.

it still needs ditch on both sides. and one more culvert to get near a point were deeper mud spots would be reduced a good amount, and would just need to be rocked for a gravel driveway.

TNT (top and tilt) would reduce my time considerably 1/2 it if not more. i have a lot of hills, curves, etc... i need to deal with. and at same time the crown instead of being in middle in one spot. may need to be slopped to one side, then around next corner slopped to another side. getting on and off tractor, to just do a large adjustment is one thing, but that fine tuning would be to much chore work and time consuming to get on and off tractor. and would more likely half way do it with box blade and call it good enough. or less some big party happening and wanting to all look nice and good. with TNT one more pass and constant adjustment with a lever would be to easy not get a fine tune smoothness.

do you need the TNT? no. but boy can they make life easier. and help you get a better smoother driveway that is more towards all weather driveway vs. only driving on it during dry times.

 

[Gordon Gould]

I find my TnT immensely helpful in maintaining my mile long gravel roadway and my woods road network. If I am using the rear blade it is the height and tilt that is most used. As the tractor is traveling over the ungraded or rough part of the road, being able to constantly adjust the blade angle and height to compensate for the tractor motion as it pitches and dips makes it possible to do a better job easier. When I am using my land plane grading scraper or box blade it is the top link adjustment I use most to control the cut.

Before I got my TnT I very seldom changed my blade tilt angle during a pass. I would just change it when I was setting up for the next pass. Now I am constantly changing the tilt angle as I go. Same holds true for the top link.

 

[tmajor]

OK i'll bite what is TnT?

Don't feel bad .. I've been using a tractor for 60 years and had no clue. I thought, maybe I needed a "TnT". Now that I have found out what it is, I realize, I've had it for 60 years! ... "top link" and "box leveler". Just isn't hydraulic. Guess, I didn't miss anything.

 

[BandRRanch]

Maybe a dumb question, haven't had to maintain too long of roads before this new place I bought this year, but I have seen DR's road grader on a few sites. The 48" and 60". Couldn't you box blade to a semi-rough level, than go back over with the road grader. I realize it is more money to start, but than you should be able to grade as often as you like to maintain the road from there on out.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Maybe a dumb question, haven't had to maintain too long of roads before this new place I bought this year, but I have seen DR's road grader on a few sites. The 48" and 60". Couldn't you box blade to a semi-rough level, than go back over with the road grader. I realize it is more money to start, but than you should be able to grade as often as you like to maintain the road from there on out.

If you have a tractor, this is what you want to maintain a road-drive IMO.

Home | Road Boss Grader

GradeMaster Grader Blades

Land Pride Grading Scrapers

 

[massey990]

Having T&T will allow the operator to make both major and minor adjustments from the seat greatly increasing efficiency.

Here is my take on re-working existing gravel lanes.


Using a box blade, extend the scarifiers to their deepest setting and set the aggressiveness to the max and use the lift as needed, this will disturb the existing material and also cut high points and fill low points. Make as many passes as needed. It will look very rough but have faith. >

Next.

Raise or remove the scarifiers and set the aggressiveness to the min. Make as many passes as needed. This will smooth the surface to an acceptable degree, traffic will do the rest of the work. A rake will improve what the box blade left.

Working when the material is wet gets much better results than when very dry.

As for using the tilt cylinder, as soon as one side of the implement is no longer making the same contact as the other use the tilt adjustment to compensate.

 

[boggen]

quick google image search, and quick ugly editing to give idea of TNT *shrugs*

other info for road building that may be of help.

http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/stewardship/accessroads/accessroads.htm

 

[ovrszd]

I don't even have TnT,,,,, but if I did,,,,, I'd use it like this on a BB. Set the scarifier teeth slightly below the grade of the cutting edge. Then if I wanted to cut material I'd shorten the top link which would lower the scarifier teeth below the blade height. If I wanted to smooth material I'd lengthen the top link which would raise the scarifier teeth above the level of the blade. If I wanted to change the lateral slope of the project I'd lengthen or shorten the side link accordingly.

Lastly,,, I always thought TnT = Tip and Tilt, meaning to TIP the attachment forward or rearward with the top link and TILT the attachment to the left or to the right with the side link. But what do I know since I don't have that option.

 

[tmajor]

Lastly,,, I always thought TnT = Tip and Tilt, meaning to TIP the attachment forward or rearward with the top link and TILT the attachment to the left or to the right with the side link. But what do I know since I don't have that option.

That would certainly make more sense, wouldn't it?