Box Blade Add-On's

[Anonymous Poster]

Box Blade Add-On\'s

Wondering about adding some more usefulness to my box blade. Is there any reason I couldn't weld a steel bracket on top of each cross member and fabricate a pole for light lifting duties? How about a mount welded to the back of the blade cross member to mount a trailer ball - for moving a light trailer. Or welding two on the back - one on each end of the back for tying on a cross tie to drag level. Looks like all would work okay but sometimes what seems right isn't. All advice appreciated. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: Box Blade Add-On\'s

If you normally keep your box blade installed, adding capability to it like you describe would be a good thing - it should be easier to mount a boom pole to brackets on the box blade, for example, than to remove the box blade and install a boom pole - unless you have something like a Freedom or Jiffy hitch. It would certainly be convenient to have a trailer receiver without removing the box blade first. If you have something else attached, like a brush hog, it might be more of a pain to attach the box blade first, then the boom pole.

You also mentioned the key word, twice - "light" duty. You'll have your lift capacity reduced by the weight of the box blade -- I'm sure you thought of this, and that's the reason you mentioned "light". Still, even my little TC18 has 1265# of lift, and even with the weight of a box blade, would handle the tongue weight of any trailer I have around.

Dragging something around behind the box blade - a cross tie as you mentioned, or a section of chain link fence, sounds like a good idea. The box serves as the spreader, and you can always raise the box and still drag something if you want.

You've given me some good ideas...now I know why I stopped my son-in-law from throwing away his old chain link gate.

Have you seen the TR3 rake that's been mentioned several times on TBN? It has scarifier teeth like a box blade, and then a stiff rake angled down behind, with wheels to hold the depth. Seems like the rake teeth could be cut from some steel plate, mounted behind the box blade with extensions of the box sides, and axles could be installed in the extensions to hold the level. The wheels could hold the box blades just above the ground and let the rake do its work. You might end up with a cousin of the TR3 for just a fraction of the cost of theirs - around $2600 if I recall.

 

[Bird]

Re: Box Blade Add-On\'s

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( How about a mount welded to the back of the blade cross member to mount a trailer ball - for moving a light trailer )</font>

LarryT did a real neat job of cutting a hole in the back of his box blade and mounting a hitch receiver there. You can read about it at this thread but unfortunately the good pictures he posted are no longer there.

In fact, he did a number of neat things with his rig, including a nice hydraulic top 'n tilt and I wonder what's happened to him since he hasn't posted anything in over a year and a half. He was a nice guy who passed on quite a bit of good information.

 

[Taylortractornut]

Re: Box Blade Add-On\'s

I added a peice of walk way gratin the width of the box blade at a 15 to 20 degree angle on theback. It helps hen light clearing vines and hney suckle and tree tops like a big see through brush guard. It helps with the shallow angle facing the back to roll the material such as tops or fence row vines. Itsw a real pain saver with sticks.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: Box Blade Add-On\'s

I'll have to look up the TR3 rake. Sounds somewhat like what I believe we called a chisel plow when I was a kid. I have thought it would be nice to have an extra set of scarifiers to experiment with. I should tell you here that I don't know all the 'lingo' of tractor stuff. Seems that you could put plows in the place of the scarifiers or even spring steel chisel points.
On the receiver hitch. If I could weld two receivers on - one behind the other - then find a piece of long box tubing to fit into the two receivers - could make a dandy light duty boom pole. The idea for fashioning a boom pole isn't exactly original. The guy that loaded my box blade onto the trailer had a piece of round pipe welded on the top of his FEL. The pole was stuck in it.

 

[CTyler]

Re: Box Blade Add-On\'s

I have been thinking of wether to weld a plate or receiver to my box blade, the receiver won. This way I can switch easily between moving the trailer, dump wagon and a packer/roller. The trailer uses a ball and the other two can use a spare with no ball on it. Will probably have it done by next week.

Having a second box tube welded at an angle for a boom is something I hadn't thought of. May have to do that /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Hoeman00]

Re: Box Blade Add-On\'s

I put a clevis hook on each side in back and use it to pull 2 8' wide spike tooth drags side by side.
Then I can trim the hi spots while leveling the yards.

 

[dourobob]

Re: Box Blade Add-On\'s

I was hoping that Larry might see this string and provide some of his photos again. No luck yet but, how about the rest of you folks that have done adaptations?? Any photos to share.

I just purchased a new MidWest Box Blade and am having some trouble thinking about cutting into the unmarked paint on the back of it to install a receiver hitch but I can sure understand some advantages as well.

Does anyone have an idea of the limitations for weight that could be trailered using a receiver with a 2" ball insert as part of a box blade add on?

I am also thinking that a receiver could allow you to have a mobile work table insert, a portable vice insert, a carrying platform insert etc. (ideas borrowed ~ stolen ~ from some earleir posts by wroughtn_ harv) so what about limitations regarding distance from the 3PH arms?

Bob

 

[rdln]

Re: Box Blade Add-On\'s

I just welded a 6" receiver tube on the rear top surface of my box blade, It was quick and dirty and I get a little flex of the flange due to the lack of a support bracket which i will weld on or grind the whole thing off and use it on combo ballast/receiver 3pt thingy.

I needed it quick to tow my trailer with pintle hitch around the farm to clean up from an ice storm a month ago.

manuevering (backing up mostly) becomes awkward when then pivot point is waaayyyy back there.

To get to the point it is a handy thing to have and worth a little burnt paint.

 

[dourobob]

Re: Box Blade Add-On\'s

Anyone going to share some pictures of these add on's???

Bob