Box Scraper Box blade recommendations? Weight?

[Fallon]

I have a new Kubota l3200 (2,500lbs, 32hp) with a loader. No weights or loaded tires... yet. Haven't used it enough to figure out if I need the extra weight yet, but read up on ballast around here a lot.

Anyway, my next purchase is likely to be a box blade. I'm figuring a 60" or 66" one to go with the 60" width on the tractor. Is weight of the box blade going to be a decent proxy for its durability? How heavy of one should I go for? I've seen a hand full a bit under or a bit over 500lbs at the width I'm looking for. Debating on grabbing something local or possibly from ETA.

In addition to grading, I can see the BB being better more compact ballast than my rotary cutter, which was on the machine for the first bit of loader work I did. Will I likely want to end up filling the tires anyway?

 

[GeneD14]

I would highly recommend getting a box blade for ballast if you have a loader.
I would also recommend weights on the rear tires and or have them loaded. Not only for traction but also for safety when using a loader.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

My preferred box blade for your tractor. BLR55 is a perfect match for your L3200.

 

[stewg]

I would definitely get rears filled. I had mine filled with beet juice after a couple weeks with no rear weight just to try it out. What a difference...helped everything from stability while doing loader work and mowing on slopes. Will also give you more traction when using BB or other implements on rear.

I moved my tires as wide as they will go on my L3200 and I wish I would of purchased a 66" wide BB instead of the 60".

At 1st I had to use my bush hog for counter weight until I purchased a BB. Using the BB is much easier for me as a counter balance since it doesn't hang out so far.

 

[Fallon]

I've been assuming I'll end up with ballasted tires, but haven't gotten to it yet. My Kubota dealer is only a few months old & they didn't have any ballast yet (had the tank sitting there for it & I assume the rest of the gear, but just nothing in the tank quite yet). Otherwise I'd probably have just had it delivered with filled tires.

I hadn't really looked at any of the rollover box blades, because honestly I'm not quite sure how they work. Can you only use the blade flipped forwarded, flipped back, or the ripper teeth at any one time depending on how you unlatch & rotate the blade assembly? What is the advantage to this configuration compared to raising & lowering the ripper teeth on the standard box blade style? Are the rollover style notably more expensive?

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I've been assuming I'll end up with ballasted tires, but haven't gotten to it yet. My Kubota dealer is only a few months old & they didn't have any ballast yet (had the tank sitting there for it & I assume the rest of the gear, but just nothing in the tank quite yet). Otherwise I'd probably have just had it delivered with filled tires.

I hadn't really looked at any of the rollover box blades, because honestly I'm not quite sure how they work. Can you only use the blade flipped forwarded, flipped back, or the ripper teeth at any one time depending on how you unlatch & rotate the blade assembly? What is the advantage to this configuration compared to raising & lowering the ripper teeth on the standard box blade style? Are the rollover style notably more expensive?

They are more money. The HUGE plus to them besides being heavy and just work very well, is that with a pull of that lever from the tractor seat, you have all of your rippers in the ground. No stopping, getting off the tractor, putting 1 ripper down at a time. I can put all of the rippers in place in about 15 seconds. No one can do that with a std type box blade. You need to go to hydraulic actuated rippers before you get to a better box blade than a ROBB in my opinion.

Just my :2cents:

 

[TripleR]

I use a box scraper with Top and Tilt and hydraulic scarifiers, very expensive and I use it with a cab. If I was buying for an open station, I would seriously consider going with a rollover scraper, here is the only thing I could find on using one and the guy really is not familiar with it.

Free Gannon Earthcavator - YouTube

 

[Fallon]

Based on price, with my rather lower usage (5 acres of property, nothing particularly exciting) I don't think I could justify a rollover. Would I be on a decent track just going for the heaviest most reasonably priced one in the right width I can find locally? While cool time saving features are nice, I have yet to justify top 'n tilt yet when I can just do them manually for now. Looking for something of decent quality that I won't tear up & will perform reasonably well for a long time.

ETA
King Kutter Professional Hinged Back 60 Box Blade
520
$1,105

King Kutter Professional 66 Box Blade
435 lbs
$920

Everything Attachments 66" XTreme Duty Box Blade
439 lbs
$788

I've seen other local stuff in the $600-800 range, but assume it's towards the lighter (lower 400's) end of the spectrum.

The only rollovers I could find online were Dirt Dog RO65 5.6 Ft. Rollover Tractor Box Blade for almost $1,300 + and additional $400 or so for shipping. Or even more expensive on E-bay.

 

[TripleR]

Based on price, with my rather lower usage (5 acres of property, nothing particularly exciting) I don't think I could justify a rollover. Would I be on a decent track just going for the heaviest most reasonably priced one in the right width I can find locally? While cool time saving features are nice, I have yet to justify top 'n tilt yet when I can just do them manually for now. Looking for something of decent quality that I won't tear up & will perform reasonably well for a long time.

Certainly, I used a standard Land Pride BB2584 before I bought my LP HR3584 and the finished product is the same, my brother uses an old "no name" scraper and does really well with it, I can just do stuff a bit quicker and don't spend a lot of time crawling in and out of a tractor. We have several farms and do a lot of dirt work, so it made sense for us.

 

[oldballs]

Just as you say....based on your usage and price, I'd go with the most heavy one that covers your tracks that you can afford. That's what I did. Although I'd prefer the Cadillac of everything, one has to balance his purchases when pouring money into the tractor pit. Working around my neighbors and my little three acres, I found that the soil condition has a lot to do with the effectiveness of the BB. Right now, the dryness has made our soil like concrete. Then too, learning how to set the rippers and the pitch of the blade is most important.....even though you have to do it manually. Cheers, Mike

 

[Ken45101]

There are different designs for box blades but weight is a good comparison between the name brand manufacturers.

Beware of fancy names. I was just noticing that EA's "extreme super duty" is made of the same thickness steel as my Bush Hog medium duty box blade.

The top manufactures (Bush Hog, Woods, Landpride) generally have three levels of implements and their naming is fairly clear.

Definitely go with something slightly wider than your tractor tire width. That allows you to get to edges that otherwise wouldn't be accessible.

Also, more weight usually means that it will cut into the ground easier.

 

[RBA50]

The owners manual that came with my Kubota has a table showing recommended maximum size and weight for most common attachments. Your's probably does too.

 

[Kenneth in Texas]

Always go wider than your rear tires and IMO most all cheap to medium priced box blades are all about the same give or take.

 

[Arc weld]

Most of the Frontier(JD) are made by Woods and much better built than the real low end box blades and reasonable in price. I know that sounds strange but I bought from a JD dealer because I didn't have to pay shipping to bring it in on a special order. The Woods dealer could get the identical blade but would have needed about $250 extra for shipping cause they didn't have it in stock from a larger order. Look for 3/8" side plates and you should see a lot better built box blade. To save $250+ I can live with green paint. LoL

 

[Ken45101]

Always go wider than your rear tires and IMO most all cheap to medium priced box blades are all about the same give or take.

No. The lightweight stuff at TSC is limited to 30-35 hp (as is many light duty blades). Look at the major manufacturers (Woods, Bush Hog, Landpride, etc.) and their medium duty units are rated for 50-60 hp tractors.

When I started out and didn't know better (and before TSC put hp ratings on their stuff), I was a frequent customer at the local weld shop even with a 43 hp tractor. I haven't been there since I started buying medium duty attachments from the major manufacturers.

 

[Baby Grand]

I just picked up a Cammond 66" 2C2 weighing in at 760# with the mechanical ripper shanks.
It has a hinged back blade and it's painted Kubota orange. $1426 shipped to the freight terminal.
Back to Photo Gallery

 

[Fallon]

I've done a bit more digging on blades I could pickup locally (no shipping time or $$$ to worry about) & could use a bit more advice. Or at least some confirmation.

Priefert 72"
452lbs
$759 (If the 1 in stock is still there on Friday its 15% off... $645 I think)

King Kutter BB-72-YK (Professional standard 72" I think)
Weight unknown
$770
(King Kutter BB-G-72 is 500lbs & $983 on ETA, same blade I think)

Brush Hog 72" (think it was a SBX)
550lbs
$1,100

Land Pride or Pioneer
Over 500lbs
Over $1,300 (The green & orange dealers just want too much for their paint job I think)

Brush Hog 72" rollover
$2,200 (out of my range)

Would the King Kutter likely best bang for the buck? At the moment I'm leaning towards the King Kutter, the hitch on it looks a bit beefier & I think is a t least 50lbs more than the cheaper Priefert. I could swing the price of the Brush Hog, if it was worth it, but my budget wouldn't like me as much. Or would one of the other (non-rollover) blades be worth the extra cash?

 

[Ken45101]

What is the maximum size and weight for your tractor according to the owner's manual?

I have the Bush Hog MBX-72, the medium duty model and I have been happy with it. It's 640 pounds and the end plates are 3/8" steel. I'm pulling it with an M5040 (50 hp). It may be beyond the ratings of your tractor. For your tractor (30 hp?), the lighter duty units would probably be okay. Note, the SBX-72 is only rated for 35 hp on a 4wd tractor.

The KK may be okay for your size tractor but personally I would stay away from them since that's what TSC used to carry and that stuff never held up for me (but it was on a 39 hp 2wd tractor.)

 

[MtnViewRanch]

The heavier the better that your implement will work. Without knowing exactly your uses and how much use it will see, It's only a guess for us to say what is the best unit for you and your budget. A lot of the time in these situations it is better to go middle of the road, so the Brush Hog SBX maybe? :confused3:

 

[trktrman]

I think you'd get more accomplished with a 66", especially if your tractor is only 60" wide.
With a heavy or wide box, what happens when it fills with dirt? Wheels spinnin....:confused3: