BOX BLADE COMPLAINT

Travis_R · Nov 15, 2005

Hey ya'll,

I bought a new Bush Hog SBX 720 box blade a while back. That is the WORST $630.00 I have ever spent. The teeth don't go low enough to actually dig into the ground. That is with the top-link adjusted too. The box is made very strong. But the problem with the teeth is going to force me to sell it.

I have a 5' Bush Hog Squealer cutter and couldn't be more happy with it. I would definitely buy another one. But I have to sell the box blade. I found another one I want made by United. The teeth go a lot farther down on this one. It is a couple hundred dollars cheaper too.

I would sell my SBX 720 for $500.00 FINAL if someone wants it. I paid $630.00 w/ tax. I will even show my receipt to a potential buyer. It will have to be picked up at my house.

Travis

johnk · Nov 15, 2005

Maybe you need a shorter top link??? How many settings do the teeth have?? Three is usually par for the course..

Kub0ta · Nov 15, 2005

Definatly get a shorter toplink

JRP · Nov 15, 2005

Try lowering the teeth.

You also can adjust your lower lift arms. One side has a crank. The other side may need a wrench or sometimes un-pin one end of the lift arm and unscrew the lift rod. Ince the rod without a crank is extended, use the crank to make the arms level.

If your dealer is not worthless he will help you figure out what you don't understand.

Sometimes when something does not work for me I consider that it might be I just don't understand how the thing works yet. What seems obvious is not always.

Call your dealer, and read your tractor manual.

dieseltoys · Nov 16, 2005

Yeah, I believe you when you say the teeth don't go low enough to be effective Travis. I discovered this myself when shopping for a box blade earlier this year. I almost bought a Woods unit until I decided to compare how deep the teeth would drop with a few others and was surprised that they were basically flush with the cutting edge of the blade at their lowest position. Not all box blades are created equal.

shvl73 · Nov 16, 2005

Is there room to drill an extra hole on the shanks to allow for them to go lower?

browns40 · Nov 16, 2005

Hey Travis,

I can't imagine Woods would make a box with teeth that won't "scarify"...

Must be a combination of toplink being too long, lower link arms screwed too far up the threads, and/or Woods engineer asleep at the drawing board!

Is it possible that your dealer put the wrong teeth on the box? seems as though the size of the square stock bar being different on the models would translate to different shank lengths for each... maybe not(???)

Have a look at your lower arms & see how much lower both can go before selling or running out to buy a new toplink... I bought a Frontier 2072--nice box, 534#, teeth extend ~3-4 inches below blad (when level), but if I had to do it again, I'd have gone with the heavier Woods... those Woods are some rugged looking boxes! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Hope it wasn't the engineer!

Happy tractoring! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

GATC35 · Nov 16, 2005

I use a Bush Hog SBX-720 behind a new Holland TC-35D. I could not be happier with it's performance. I used it Monday to level a lot that had been woods. The owner had all the trees removed and stumps ground. I came in behind the stump grinder and leveled the entire area. My scarifiers did a great job busting up the high spots. In some places I knocked off 1 foot high hills with 4 to 5 passes.

As suggested you may want to check your lift arms and top link adjustments.

Good luck...

have_blue · Nov 16, 2005

Travis,

Believe me, the teeth will go deep enough.

I borrowed a SBX 720 for a few weeks, and had no problems. I never had to use the deepest setting for the rippers. In fact, on the deepest setting, the rippers were so deep that it bogged my tractor.

Set the unit about level. I think you will find the teeth almost touch the ground on the shallowest setting. Now go to the middle setting and rip away.

It's a great box blade. Set it up correctly and enjoy it.

deere_x475guy · Nov 16, 2005

I would bet some how he was supplied teeth that are for a lower profile box. Such as one designed to go behind the subcuts.

SkyPup · Nov 16, 2005

I use both a Bush Hog SBX-720 and a Bush Hog SBX-840 all the time and they indeed are excellent, however I have the exact opposite problem with the box blade tooth scarifiers that you are having..

My only problems with these two excellent Bush Hog Box Blades is that the teeth are set too low, even on their highest settings I end up having them dig into the ground and scarifiy it when I am attempting to keep things smooth. I am forced to remove the entire set of scarifier teeth on each in order to keep them from digging into the road when I am finishing it up. I wish I did not have to remove the teeth to keep them from scarring the earth, but unfortunately, even on their highest setting this is possible.

Something is seriously wrong with your Bush Hog SBX-72, take it back to the dealer and get one like mine where the scarifiers have to be removed in order to avoid having them bust up the ground.

Farmwithjunk · Nov 16, 2005

( Yeah, I believe you when you say the teeth don't go low enough to be effective Travis. I discovered this myself when shopping for a box blade earlier this year. I almost bought a Woods unit until I decided to compare how deep the teeth would drop with a few others and was surprised that they were basically flush with the cutting edge of the blade at their lowest position. Not all box blades are created equal. )

The Woods box I have has teeth level with the cutting edge IN THEIR HIGHEST POSITION. Lowered, they'll drop to around 3-1/2" below the cutting edge. (That's with the box level behind the tractor. Tipping the box forward will send the teeth even deeper)

Farmwithjunk · Nov 16, 2005

Travis R and Skypup..... You two need to get together and switch ripper teeth. Sounds like you each got the ones intended for the other. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

SkyPup · Nov 16, 2005

I may have to correct the long shank ripper problem with my plasma cutter one of these days..... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

curt1 · Nov 16, 2005

My Woods box blade is excellent. Teeth are level with the cutting edge at their highest setting. In the lower position mine are also about 3 1/2 inches lower than the cutting edge with the box level.
Your dealer may have given you the wrong set of rippers. You may want to go to your dealer and explain the problem with him. See if he has a remedy.

Curt

CTyler · Nov 16, 2005

Like others have said, you need a shorter top link or another hole. I don't even drop the rippers, just tilt it forward a long ways and rip. A HTL makes this really easy.

jeepers94 · Nov 16, 2005

I,also have the Woods,and it has plenty of depth.As was pointed out,either the knifes are not lowered or they are the wrong ones for that blade!

ajenkins · Nov 16, 2005

I use the Bush Hog 720 boxblade on Kubota M4900. Works great. The point of the rippers should be just abt the same depth as the sides, when the boxblade is level and the rippers are in the top hole. You should be able to leave the rippers in the top hole and shorten the top link and make the rippers dig in the ground.

deere_x475guy · Nov 16, 2005

( I use both a Bush Hog SBX-720 and a Bush Hog SBX-840 all the time and they indeed are excellent, however I have the exact opposite problem with the box blade tooth scarifiers that you are having..

My only problems with these two excellent Bush Hog Box Blades is that the teeth are set too low, even on their highest settings I end up having them dig into the ground and scarifiy it when I am attempting to keep things smooth. I am forced to remove the entire set of scarifier teeth on each in order to keep them from digging into the road when I am finishing it up. I wish I did not have to remove the teeth to keep them from scarring the earth, but unfortunately, even on their highest setting this is possible.

Something is seriously wrong with your Bush Hog SBX-72, take it back to the dealer and get one like mine where the scarifiers have to be removed in order to avoid having them bust up the ground. )

Skypup, when you are trying to smooth things your toplink should be lenghtend so you are using the rear blade on your boxblade. We have a 1/2 mile private road I maintain and have many hours with the box blade. Using the rippers to get to the bottom of the potholes and then going over everything afterward to smooth.

SkyPup · Nov 16, 2005

Yeah, I know, I've got a 3pt T'N'T setup so I can adjust it properly for the varying 3 mile graded road conditions. Thanks! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif