Grading Box Blade versus Back Blade

[cart99]

I did some searches on this, but found surprisingly little info. I'm still a tractor noob so here's the question... I have a 5' back blade for my B3030, but I find it difficult to work with for what I usually want to use it for, which is smoothing uneven ground and/or gravel roadway. I thought I would also use it for snow removal, but my front plow equipped lawn tractor is a much better tool for the job.

Anyway, is what I want to do something I should consider a box blade for instead? Now that I've decided I'm not gonna plow snow, I get the feeling I should have bought the box blade instead of the back blade. It would also give me more rear weight for FEL work.

Am I right? If so, any reason not to get a Wood's brand? What width should I get for my B3030? Ground here is generally dense virginia clay.

Also, is there any way to "float" the 3ph on a B3030? That seems to be a big part of the problem in trying to "smooth" with the back blade, and maybe the box blade won't be any better if the blade is always following the contours of whatever bumps and dips are currently passing under the rear tires?

Thanks in advance for any advice and/or links to other threads!

 

[proudestmonkey]

I am a noob too, so I may know less than you. Have you tried using your FEL in float mode, going backward? I do not have either a back blade or a box blade, so this is what I've been doing and it works pretty well for my gravel road. The only problem is that it still pretty much follows the contours that are there, which is because it is in float mode. I'd assume you wouldn't want float mode to actually make changes to the grade and contour.

 

[npaden]

You may have already read the thread that I posted on the same subject. Link to thread

There are implements out there specifically for grading and smoothing roads. I use a back blade and if you angle it and it has a sharp cutting edge it works pretty well.

FWIW, Nathan

 

[cart99]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( You may have already read the thread that I posted on the same subject. Link to thread

There are implements out there specifically for grading and smoothing roads. I use a back blade and if you angle it and it has a sharp cutting edge it works pretty well.

FWIW, Nathan )</font>

Thanks Nathan, that's exactly the kind of thread I was looking for, don't know how I missed it.

 

[KubotaOne]

I had a blade and went to a boxblade when i got my 3030. For me, I like the box much better. The side panels of the box actually help it "stay afloat", rather than gouge and bounce like the blade. Mine is a 5', cheap model, but I'm very happy with it. I simply drop it and drag it to maintain my gravel driveway. The 3030 is in float mode when the 3pt lever is in the full forward, or lowest position.

I'm not sure the box will necessarily weigh anymore than the blade, it depends on the overall ruggedness of each. My old blade was fairly heavy.

 

[Av8r3400]

I too have had much better luck with my box-blades than back blades. I'm not all that experienced, but, they just seem to work better for me. (grading 2500' of driveway and smoothing landscape - see my website for the driveway job)

 

[btolle]

The trick with a straight blade is the angles. If you angle the blade down on one side and turn it at an angle to the tractor you can pull the material up to the cented of the road so you have a "crown" in the center.

I guess you could do something similar with a box blade but it would be much harder to pull the material to the crown of the road.

The other advantage of a straight blade is most of them are able to be "offset" to one side or the other so you can form a ditch on the side of the road.

Power Top N Tilt is a real help when using a straight blade.

Bill Tolle

 

[john_bud]

Cart,

To get the best use from a box blade you need it to have some heft. The cheap ones are just too light to do a decent job on tough ground. You can probably use one that is 60" and 500-600 pounds. Don't cheap out and get a 250 pound one, especially if you want it to do a nice job with that heavy clay.

On the 3pt float. On some of the kubotas there is a knob under the seat that determines the speed of drop of the 3pt. Try fooling around with that.

For either the box blade or the back blade, the angle of attack makes a big difference. Try and play with the length of the top link. You can also ditch with a box blade (just not as easy as with a back blade). You have to drop one side with the leveler. Drop it way down, angle it nose down with a short top link and unbolt the back blade so it floats (on a higher end box there are 2 blades) and you will cut some earth!!

Woods is a good brand. There are many good brands and models to choose. The weak link is the attachment of the 3pt and the height of the scarifier bar. (Higher is better)

jb

 

[Franco]

I am using a 65 HD bush hog box blade. This thing is heavy and a carry over from my last tractor. The 3030 handles it fine in normal soil and gravel. The key to these things is the front to rear tilt. Nose down cuts and nose up to smooth.

 

[HomeBrew2]

All blades are good for what they do. I am not experienced nor do I plan to be and I like to drive my baby tractor while drinking beer and day dreaming about girls, therefore I have gauge wheels on enerything and life is GOOD