6 Way Blade For Utility Tractor

[Daves3032E]

I'm on the verge of getting a 5045E (MFWD, no loader possibly) and I'm trying to research front blades (sub frame mount). What I really could use is a 6 way blade as there are many times when I need to push logs/brush/small tree stumps over and when I use the bucket or grapple with my 3032E it gets hung up on a root or digs into the ground on one side due to the ground not being level. I also want to be able to plow snow to open up areas/landings for my equipment/work area.

I found these which look decent, but they are 4 way only:

michironandequip

These are 6 way, but from quick searching are way too expensive!

Degelman | Dozers

Perhaps my best bet is making something up myself, but extra time isn't something I have much of, and I find it easier to just buy something and put it to work.

I'm also trying to figure out a FOPS/limb riser solution... haven't had much luck with that yet either.

I contacts these guys, but they don't offer anything for the 5045E:

5000 Series Agricultural Tractor

Perhaps Addington, but I haven't contacted them yet for pricing.

Forestry Guards, Addington Equipment

I really would have liked an OEM solution... Oh well, it's the way it goes.

Thanks.

 

[Jim Timber]

Deere makes a blade for these that is very common in India and SE Asia. I don't see why you couldn't just get it with your machine here.

 

[Daves3032E]

Thanks! I'll inquire about it today. Doesn't look like it's exactly what what I was looking for, but I'm curious now.

 

[Daves3032E]

Doesn't seem like they did much digging. Here is the response I got:

"No way to order that. I usally sell the loader mount blades. They are easier to mount and you push snow as high as the loader will lift."

 

[Jim Timber]

Find another dealer. Those are all over youtube, and that's a Deere marketing video I posted. They have a plant in Pune, so there's stuff being shipped over all the time. I'd email corporate and tell them your dealer wouldn't get you info about it. That might light a match.

Putting a blade on your loader arms is a great way to spring a loader (bend it). They're made to lift, not doze into things. All the real blade options mount to the rear axle and will not lift very high given that your front axle is in the way and you need that connection to the rear end for strength. Breaking your tractor in half pushing off the loader mounts is going to get expensive. All the stress goes into the engine and transmission castings. Industrial tractors have sub-frames for this very reason.

 

[Daves3032E]

Find another dealer. Those are all over youtube, and that's a Deere marketing video I posted. They have a plant in Pune, so there's stuff being shipped over all the time. I'd email corporate and tell them your dealer wouldn't get you info about it. That might light a match.

Putting a blade on your loader arms is a great way to spring a loader (bend it). They're made to lift, not doze into things. All the real blade options mount to the rear axle and will not lift very high given that your front axle is in the way and you need that connection to the rear end for strength. Breaking your tractor in half pushing off the loader mounts is going to get expensive. All the stress goes into the engine and transmission castings. Industrial tractors have sub-frames for this very reason.

Agree on the loader arm stresses. I sent an email through Deere's Contact Us, but it sounds like they want the dealers to handle those types of questions.

 

[MMagis]

Does anyone actually think the stresses to that thing are going to be any different than a loader? The dealer is right, it makes FAR more sense to just get a loader and put a blade on it. A blade like that will serve one purpose, and one purpose only. A loader has all sorts of uses.
And just because Deere makes it overseas doesn’t mean you can get it here. Just a guess, but I’d say it’s highly unlikely you can get that contraption in the US.

 

[nybirdman]

I have had both a sub-frame mounted and a FEL mounted plows.You will be disappointed with either if trying to push dirt.Can you push around a little dirt,yes but snow is where they will shine.
My current is FEL mounted for snow removal and much better IMHO than the sub-frame unit was..

 

[Verticaltrx]

Degelman is the only real option I know about, or find a used one. Degelman used to make front blades for Deere in the 70's-80's to fit a wide range of tractors from 40hp on up. You might be able to find a used one and adapt it. As I recall most did not have tilt and any that had angling were manual, ie only hydraulic up and down. We used a 4440 Deere with a Degelman/Deere front blade to spread gravel on a parking lot several years back and it worked well, but then again that is a whole lot more tractor and pushing loose material.

 

[Jim Timber]

Does anyone actually think the stresses to that thing are going to be any different than a loader?

Yes. With a loader, you're creating a horizontal thrust and twisting motion into the transmission tunnel causing compression and bending moments at the rear axle.

With a sub-frame mounted unit, the sub-frame is attached to the rear axle and forces pushed through the blade are transmitted as torque against the axle tubes and sheer against the mounting bolts at a much lower and straighter line to the plane of work. It's not all that much different than the loads placed on the machine when pulling from the draw bar, and we all know that's how tractors are intended to be used.

 

[Verticaltrx]

Yes. With a loader, you're creating a horizontal thrust and twisting motion into the transmission tunnel causing compression and bending moments at the rear axle.

With a sub-frame mounted unit, the sub-frame is attached to the rear axle and forces pushed through the blade are transmitted as torque against the axle tubes and sheer against the mounting bolts at a much lower and straighter line to the plane of work. It's not all that much different than the loads placed on the machine when pulling from the draw bar, and we all know that's how tractors are intended to be used.

Indeed, the older Degelman units actually used the draw bar mount/pin as the rear attachment point and where the pushing force was applied. The front mount simply held the sub frame up. Dozer blades on a tractor loader, especially ones that angle/tilt are a bad idea IMO.

 

[MMagis]

It's not all that much different than the loads placed on the machine when pulling from the draw bar, and we all know that's how tractors are intended to be used.

It's night and day different. But not worth arguing about.

 

[MORRISONSTEEL]

If you really want a 6 way on a compact piece I would look at skid steers. As far as forestry items for an entry level 5xxxe series tractor you are probably hosed, that chassis really wasn't designed for that environment so you probably wont find sweeps to fit that model (but should be easy enough to build on a oos tractor). As far as the blade pictured earlier from India or wherever you will probable have to go there to get one, does not appear to be a US marketed item. Another option could be a front mounted three point hitch with a fully hyd rear blade with the moldboard turned around, but I don't know if there is an outlet for front three points for this chassis. LaFaorge is probably the biggest outlet for them (also marketed through Deere).

 

[Daves3032E]

If you really want a 6 way on a compact piece I would look at skid steers. As far as forestry items for an entry level 5xxxe series tractor you are probably hosed, that chassis really wasn't designed for that environment so you probably wont find sweeps to fit that model (but should be easy enough to build on a oos tractor). As far as the blade pictured earlier from India or wherever you will probable have to go there to get one, does not appear to be a US marketed item. Another option could be a front mounted three point hitch with a fully hyd rear blade with the moldboard turned around, but I don't know if there is an outlet for front three points for this chassis. LaFaorge is probably the biggest outlet for them (also marketed through Deere).

Well check it out, they have a front 3pt, look here:

Laforge Front 3-Point Systems | GreenLink St25/5E

 

[Daves3032E]

Combine the front hitch, pto kit, and a 3 pt snow thrower and you could do some pretty quick snow removal.

Laforge Front 3-Point Systems | Front PTO

 

[Daves3032E]

Just wanted to share that Leon Mfg makes a 6 way blade that will fit my 5045E (delivered on 11/14) for the price of.... List price: $17,386 +freight. Cash price: $15,900 delivered (promotional pricing is what the quote listed). That was with a 10' blade which I think is way over sized for my machine.

So, there are options out there if you wanted to spend the money.

 

[lungdoc]

What else do you need the tractor for? Just wondering if a different type of equipment might be better if forestry-type work is what you have in mind. eg skid steer, skidder, or dozer? Backhoe with a thumb to use hoe to move/dig stumps/debris maybe? I know from some experience as we built a lot of roads and clearings in terrain probably fairly similar and although a big dozer in rocky/stumpy terrain can be useful an excavator is a much better tool - if you push on a stump ad it doesn't move with a blade your options are limited but with an excavator or backhoe you can attack it in different ways.

 

[Daves3032E]

What else do you need the tractor for? Just wondering if a different type of equipment might be better if forestry-type work is what you have in mind. eg skid steer, skidder, or dozer? Backhoe with a thumb to use hoe to move/dig stumps/debris maybe? I know from some experience as we built a lot of roads and clearings in terrain probably fairly similar and although a big dozer in rocky/stumpy terrain can be useful an excavator is a much better tool - if you push on a stump ad it doesn't move with a blade your options are limited but with an excavator or backhoe you can attack it in different ways.

I use my tractors for snow removal, yard cleanup, log handling, pulling stuck vehicles, load/unload pickup truck, garden work, rough mowing (a buddy lets me borrow his flail mower), move my firewood bins, minor land clearing, light logging, and I'm sure there is a bunch more that I'm forgetting.

Not even remotely interested in a skid steer or CTL. Just this past weekend I was driving the 5045E through mud/water that was up to the axles.

Skidder... would love to have one, but I think the uses would be pretty limited to pulling bigger trees. Then there is the transporting of it as I don't have a trailer wide enough to haul one (at least they all seem fairly large). My trailer is 80" wide and 16 ft long (gooseneck dump).

Dozer... Would like one of these as well. I think I would take a dozer over a skidder. A 350C would be nice I think.

Backhoe... Not too interested, but would like a mini excavator. I watched a guy go through some woods in a medium sized excavator and I was impressed with how he could clear a path and sort/clean up the tops (this was a year after it was logged).

Right now the stump bucket does an OK job at getting the few (about 20 stumps so far) out that I needed out of the way so I had room to work.