Box blade for the Garden Tractor or Compact?

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

Hey everyone,

I am looking to buy a box blade, I have not decided yet to buy one small enough for the garden tractor (455 John Deere) or buy one ONLY the tractor (4320 JD) can use.

Here’s the dilemma, the 455 is a ton easier to transport, currently I’m not set up to haul the 4320 around but will soon.

So will a box blade on the 455 be any good?

How big of a box blade could it handle with Ruegg 3pt?

My gravel driveway is around 100 yards, it’s not that old so my need for a box blade isn’t huge, would be nice to easily transport a box blade and tractor to friends house etc without having the need of a trailer with brakes. I will get there eventually.

My use of a box blade would mainly be to refresh driveways, maybe even smooth out some wooded trails or do some grading.

Let me know what you all think.

 

[Code54]

At around 1000lbs I would skip the 455. Box blades (especially with rippers) need a fair amount of traction to make a decent cut. Also the heavier the box blade the better it works but of course that also takes traction and power.
In our soil I use a 6' behind a 50hp and you can tell it is back there when you get into the clay or if you catch a rock with the rippers.

 

[s219]

I doubt it would be very effective on a garden tractor.

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

I have yet to find a video of someone running a box blade on a garden tractor

 

[4570Man]

My B7200 slightly outweighs the lawn tractor in question. Sometimes I use it for finish grade work that could be done with hand rakes and sometimes I use it so scrape debris up off concrete. It's nearly useless for any real work. I vote on the bigger box blade.

 

[bcp]

Some ideas:

John Deere 4 Garden Tractor with Howse Box Scrape - YouTube

John Deere 455 With Drag Grader1.MPG - YouTube

Grader Box Running1] - YouTube

JD318 with grader box - YouTube

Bruce

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

I just got off the phone with Travis, I ordered a 78in XTreme Box Blade and I’m having them paint it green with EA decals on the ends of the blade.

To say I’m excited is a understatement lol. It’s about 4 weeks out because I custom ordered.

The price I could get one for a garden tractor was 3/4 the cost of one for the 4320 since I don’t plan to buy both it was a no brainer.

 

[/pine]

Box blades that are sized for compact and sub-compact tractors can do anything a big heavy box blade can do...it just takes longer and a bit more finesse...
Even heavy box blades pulled by big tractors will be lifted up by big hulking roots and or boulders...

Lighter blades will require more passes and the use of the scarifiers much more often than a heavier blade for sure.

Those with only one tractor often have no other options...

 

[fried1765]

Box blades that are sized for compact and sub-compact tractors can do anything a big heavy box blade can do...it just takes longer and a bit more finesse...
Even heavy box blades pulled by big tractors will be lifted up by big hulking roots and or boulders...

Lighter blades will require more passes and the use of the scarifiers much more often than a heavier blade for sure.

Those with only one tractor often have no other options...

You mean.....some people have "only one tractor"?
That....should be against the law!

 

[/pine]

You mean.....some people have "only one tractor"?
That....should be against the law!

yeah...they're know as "rookies"