allowed pushing with box blade

[S_Sylvest]

How much pushing backward against a box blade is permissible? Most box blades, including mine, have a back blade. The one Mahindra sells does too. But I cannot find confirmation on how much the 3 point hitch can take while pushing.

 

[mwayne]

I have a tilt cylinder on my tractor and backed my box blade up to a small stump thinking to use the cylinder lift to uproot the stump. Instead it bent the lower lift arm quite badly. So I can recommend not doing that.

 

[hosspuller]

Not what you what to hear... It will push until it doesn't... Hit a root or a buried rock... The 3 point hitch is NOT designed to push... Consider it a chain. The links will collapse.

 

[jeff9366]

It will push until it doesn't...

If your tractor has pin adjustable, telescoping TPH stabilizers, as opposed to turnbuckle or "chain" stabilizers and very strong Lower Links you can push prudently.

Stabilizer types and strength of Lower Links varies by tractor model.

 

[nybirdman]

Good way to break something expensive pushing backwards.No trip or give.

 

[dennis103]

I was pushing brush and debris out of a new road I was making in the woods and the corner of the box blade caught a very solid root and bent one of the 3ph arms. At the time I had a JD 4310 turf tires with chains. Pushing evenly on the box the tractor will usually lose traction before bending things, but it can happen. Leave it to me to find a way.

 

[Gee Ray]

Good way to break something expensive pushing backwards.No trip or give.

What trips or gives going forward when you are using a box blade?

 

[s219]

How much pushing backward against a box blade is permissible? Most box blades, including mine, have a back blade. The one Mahindra sells does too. But I cannot find confirmation on how much the 3 point hitch can take while pushing.

The rear cutting edge is not for pushing backwards, it is for smoothing while going forward. You adjust the length of your top link to determine whether the front cutting edge digs or the rear cutting edge smooths while you are going forward.

You can *carefully* and *gently* smooth soft material in reverse by shortening the top link such that the rear cutting edge is off the ground and the front cutting edge is feathered and smoothing. But this requires experience and careful attention.

I have a couple neighbors that were completely ignorant about the top link's effect and importance with a box blade, and they wreaked a lot of havoc on their tractors when moving in reverse. The three point hitch geometry has little to no strength when pushing an implement in reverse. The geometry is only setup for pulling implements in forward.

 

[4570Man]

I know it’s not designed for it but I’ve frequently pushed with everything the tractor is capable of on several machines and never hurt anything.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

I know it’s not designed for it but I’ve frequently pushed with everything the tractor is capable of on several machines and never hurt anything.

And I have welded and straightened in a press, many a lift arm. Never mine, but for others. Pushing with a box blade backwards was the cause of the last few breakages.