Box Scraper Are my Box Blade expectations too high?

[tony123]

I've been using my box blade now for about a month. It's a 48" United. I've tried every setup adjustment I have, but can't find any way to get it to bite in more than an inch or two.

Specifically, I'd like to get the teeth to dig in several inches deep before the blade. Almost in a plow sort of fashion.

Maybe I need a really short toplink?

Am I trying to get it to do too much?

 

[wushaw]

You are not asking too much. It should dig real well if you just use the teeth while using the box as weight.
I had a 48" KK BB and it dug just fine with the rippers all the way down to break up the soil.

If the rippers are ridding up on the soil then you may need to add weight to the BB.

 

[SnowRidge]

It may simply be too lightweight a BB. As wushaw suggested, try piling weight on it and see if that makes a difference.

 

[gumtree]

I am not to familiar with your type of box blade, but if it is like mine the sides keep it from digging in to deep. I don't know were Travelers Rest is but if you have the red clay like I do, combined with the lack of rain, that could be a factor. The dirt around my house is close to being as hard as concrete.

 

[gordon21]

The rippers will probably be adjustable. Make sure they are in the lowest position. Shorten up your top link. You will be visually able to see that the rippers are angled correctly. Then the most important thing, add a minimum of 200# of weight on top of the boxblade.

You can probably rig up something temporary to verify this is your problem. Span a 6' 2x4 across the top and thread some concrete blocks on it. 5 blocks will give you over 200#. Now try going over a spot where you previously had no results. I can almost guarantee that you will be aggresssively digging.

Another way to test is to have two people stand on the boxblade top edge, have them lean forward and hold the ROPS. Then SLOWLY drive with them standing on it. If you do this, PLEASE be careful. Use 1st gear only. It will only take about 5' to verify that the lack of weight is your problem.

The typical 3PT does NOT apply downward pressure. Without enough weight, the boxblade will skitter across the top and not dig in.

Once you verify weight is the issue, then you can make some weights that can be attached as needed. I have six JD suitcase weights that drop over the edges of my boxblade. What a difference they make. I can add them to one side only if I am working on a ditch at the side of a road. That side will really dig and then you raise the rippers that would be out in the middle of the road.

 

[john_bud]

I think that box is about 250 pounds. For comparison, my 66" box is about 900". Yours has about 65 pounds per foot of width. Mine has 165. I still need more weight in some cases, especially on hard packed dry dirt or clay.

I don't think you could use my box, but you will do well to beef yours up to 4-500#. It will make a night and day difference. The down side is that the box may be damaged by the extra stresses. Typically the blade may bend or the 3pt connection will crack / bend.

Don't sweat it, it's a great excuse to buy a welder!!

The set up you are needing is to have the front of the box lower than the back by shortening the top link. You want the back to be about 3" high for a scarifier only application. Your light box might require more tilt to accomodate the lighter weight. Adjusted correctly, the scarifier's angle will help draw the box down. Well, once they penetrate the ground.

 

[Rara Avis]

I've been using my box blade now for about a month. It's a 48" United. I've tried every setup adjustment I have, but can't find any way to get it to bite in more than an inch or two.

Specifically, I'd like to get the teeth to dig in several inches deep before the blade. Almost in a plow sort of fashion.

Maybe I need a really short toplink?

Am I trying to get it to do too much?

When you give up on your bb...

The Absolute Innovations line of Arena Drags: Featuring the TR3™ Rake!

 

[sandman2234]

I don't know what my box blade weighs, but it is too heavy for me to move around when trying to hook up. It is a six footer, and I haven't managed to tear it up, so it must be at least heavier than light duty.
As everyone has said, weight is probably the answer. Try it with just one scarifier extended and see if that will break into the soil. If one goes through it, then it is just weight and horsepower to make the rest do it.
David from jax

 

[N80]

As mentioned, living here in the northern part of SC the soil, at least in Rock Hill and Winnsboro is like concrete. Weight will surely help, but rain will help more.

The difference is that you might get some weight but you're not likely to get any rain.

Also as mentioned, get the top-link as short as possible.

 

[Tig]

I found the top n tilt helps a lot to figure out what works. Like others have mentioned, a bit of rain may help soften things up. My BB is 48" and 350 lbs. If at all possible I wait until the day after it has rained.

 

[JRP]

My Gannon Box blade weighs 1100 pounds. The specs say it can rip asphalt. The teeth can dig in so well it will stop my M6800 in 1st gear. Most box blades look like box blades. I think most buyers don't realize the difference between a good Land Pride, Gannon, or Kubota box compared to the 400 pound models that sell quickly.

Stop at a building site and look at the box blade a box blader uses. A Gannon costs about 10% of the cost of a tractor but it gets the work done. This week I moved and spread 300 cu yards of dirt for my shop foundation.

You could try adding steel, like RR rail along the back top, just over the cutting edge.

If you shop for a new (I mean another, not a new) box, look for a used Gannon. They are hard to tear up and it won't depreciate once it is used. This is what I'm talking about: This box probably costs $1300 new.

Search ebay for item 150168847467

 

[tony123]

Great replies and info. Thanks.

I think I have a little bit of everything going against me.

1. Yes, the dirt is hard as brick right now.

2. I don't have a short enough top link

3. It is a less expensive implement, and could use some weight. Where does one go to buy old railroad rails?

JRP, I agree with your comments. However, realize that my $300 box is 10% of the cost of my tractor. I may at some point look to sell this one, if I find a better one at a good used price, much like the link you gave on ebay.

My original question is answered. I should expect it to really dig in and move some dirt!

 

[Redbug]

Hi Tony,

You need more weight on the box blade. I bought one of the King Kutters, (looking back, I should have researched more and gotten a Land Pride or Gannon), and discovered I also needed more weight on it to really dig in. I got some rail and welded on a tray of sorts to hold it. Now it works great! Standard size rail weighs 50 lbs per foot, and I added 6 feet of rail. You can get rail at a scrap metal yard. The naked box blade weighed 500 lbs and I added 300 lbs of rail.

If you have a front end loader, just keep your box blade attached all the time and it becomes your weight box to provide a counter weight.

 

[flusher]

I've been using my box blade now for about a month. It's a 48" United. I've tried every setup adjustment I have, but can't find any way to get it to bite in more than an inch or two.

Specifically, I'd like to get the teeth to dig in several inches deep before the blade. Almost in a plow sort of fashion.

Maybe I need a really short toplink?

Am I trying to get it to do too much?

Most 4-ft wide box blades are too lightweight. Add weight. I have three 120-lb concrete weights that I can load onto my King Kutter 4-ft BB that I use with my 21-hp Kubota B7510HST. With the extra 360 lb that KK BB works OK except in the summer when the soil is like a brick around here.

 

[tony123]

Weight it is. Thanks for the photos and ideas.

I'm going to try and track down some railroad rail. I'll start with one length and add a second if still needed.

One of my BB projects is to maintain 600' of gravel drive. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm going to assume the packed crusher run is going to take more "bite" than the dirt is.