300 lb Rear Blade for BX / Skid Shoes Necessary?

[gmikem206]

Hi, I need help on deciding on a back blade. I just recently got my first ever sub-compact tractor, a BX2660 and the manual says it will handle up to a 350 lb rear blade.
So my question is would skid shoes be necessary for a blade that small/light for snow removal on my 600 foot macadam drive? The macadam is broken in places. Also, about a third of the driveway coming up from the road is a hill.

The two rear blade options I'm looking at is 1)the LP1560 @250 lbs, it has provision for skid shoes, but they are expensive @ $180 from my dealer. 2) the Everything Attachment 60" Value Blade at 290 lbs, but no provision for skid shoes.

As I have no other ballast for FEL work, I intend to use this blade for that purpose, at least initially, and therefore the extra weight of the EA blade is attractive. I suppose I could experiment (reverse blade, float the tilt adj) with the EA blade and bolt on some skid shoes at a later time if necessary.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

[Grandad4]

+1 previous comment. Most of the smaller scraper blades (5' and under) are pretty light and won't cause much harm on any solid surface. Believe it or not, I have a 4' blade for my BX... it would handle a 5 footer but the little one is perfect for transporting on my small trailer and does fine for the limited amount of snow we see around here. I highly recommend you at least add some ballast in your tires if this blade is your only counterweight for any heavy material handling with the loader. You'll be safer and get more work done if you can find something heavier for the 3 point... box blade is a good choice.

 

[jenkinsph]

I bought a cheap and light 5' rear blade from Tractor Supply for snow removal. It is light enough not to mess up asphalt, don't know about your surface. You might consider adding a heavy rubber edge if needed. The heavy blades might be a problem without skid shoes. Just looked it up and it weighs 191 lbs. I think you need quite a bit more for a counterweight maybe 600 lbs or so. This is for my garden tractor, easier to trailer when the roads are icy.

 

[msb1766]

I have also have the 5 foot Tractor Supply back blade and use it in the winter for light snow falls and for peeling up ice in the winter it works fine.
It is not very heavy, so for when I do loader work I keep the backhoe on or use the ballast box I make from cement.
To make the back blade easier on the driveway you want to replace one or both of your side links with some chain, this will allow the blade to float and will help the edge from digging in.
Here is the ballast box:

 

[gmikem206]

Thanks for the replies guys. I had 50 lb weights on hand that I mounted on my tires. I know loading the tires gives more weight, but I am also concerned about damage to the lawn or tire imprints if too much weight is applied. Then there is also the cost of doing that. And if I do go the ballast box way I think that in combination with my weights (and personal weight) would be adequate for me. I'd just take smaller bites if necessary. I only have 3 acres to work on, but it does include an overgrown hedgerow and one small over grown field, and fallen trees (Sandy). Since I really don't need the tilt function of a blade, for crowning a gravel drive, I might have to rethink this. There are other attachments that I would like and $$ are a consideration, maybe a lighter (less expensive) snow blade from TSC and an orange ballast box would allow me to get a couple other attachments I would really like, and sooner. I think I'd also actually be more comfortable using a heavier ballast box while doing FEL work as it would also set closer to the tractor. Other attachments would be the BXpanded clip on grapple hooks, and a Piranha tooth blade. I already got the under armor. I hope I am thinking this though properly, for my needs.
More comments would be appreciated. Thanks again.

 

[gmikem206]

Although, looking at the TSC blades it does not look like they offset (need to look at Professional version, but again that could eat up dollars). Is that offset an important feature, or not so much? I know a 180 degree turn would be important. Thanks, I really do want to get a good workable initial set up.

 

[jenkinsph]

I bought the TSC blade for $250+tax about two or three years ago, for that price I wouldn't expect an offset blade. Living in a higher density locale you might save some money buying the simple implements used, I recommend that when available. Easy to see if things like boxblades and rear blades are straight or have been welded on too much.

 

[94BULLITT]

The LP RB1560 would be a nice blade for your BX. Skid shoes would make things a lot easier. A lighter weight blade will still scratch concrete. The EA value Blade would also be a nice blade and has offset. You could make your own skid shoes for it. If you offset the blade much on that small of a tractor it will drag it sideways. If you have a FEL a blade on it would work better for snow removal.

 

[gmikem206]

Well, stopped by a Kubota/Case dealer to look at the Land Pride rear blades. The salesman I talked to said I probably would not be happy with the RB1560 for my subcompact. He mostly pointed to the width of the three point hitch connection as the reason, and said he thought I would be happier with the RB0560. There seems really to be very little difference in function. So does anyone agree or disagree? Why would the width of the 3ph make a big difference. Think the 1560 is about 250lbs, 0560 about 190lbs. thanks.

 

[bcp]

My BX2360 has no problem with standard Cat 1 implements.

If you get a Cat 0 implement, you can't use a standard one-piece quick hitch with it later.

Bruce