Box Blade Width

[mountain_man]

I'm looking to purchase a box blade for a JD 790 (30hp) for cutting a some new paths (1 lane roads) and general gravel/dirt driveway maintenance. The rear tires are 59" outside width. Originally I was thinking of a 60" box blade, but starting to think a 66" may make more sense to cover tire tracks. Any comments? Thanks.

 

[sewells]

I have a JD790 that I run a Tuffline 5' box blade on. I run R4 tires that are a little wider than the R1 that come standard. My 5' box blade covers the track completely. And, quite frankly, I think my little JD790 would have trouble with a 66" box blade when using it to rip. I have to make shallow passes with the ripper teeth as it is and the extra 6" on the width might be problematic.

Hope that helps.

Steve Wells

 

[mountain_man]

Thanks for your response which is very helpful. I have R4's as well. Are you using any rear wheel weights or loaded tires? Also, is your 790 MFWD? I take it it's a wheel slippage problem (not power)? Please let me know. Thanks

 

[Kelvin]

I look at it like this: The larger box blade will have a larger "Volume" capacity and possibly more teeth than the smaller box blade.

My opinion:

VOLUME: If your tractor struggles with the 66" box blade when it is filled to capacity, then you may have to stop filling the 66" box blade when it reaches the capacity of the 60" box blade. You'd still be moving the same volume as the 60" box blade, but the 66" will offer extra capacity with other materials that your tractor can handle. (Note: It could be argued that your capacity may be reduced by the weight difference between the two box blades, however small that may be).

TEETH: If the 66" has more teeth than the 60" box blade, you may be restricted to lowering the same number of teeth as the 60" box blade. Again, you really haven't lost anything, but have extra capacity when your tractor can handle it.

My recommendation:

If you are convinced that you tractor can handle the 60" box blade (I would think that it could easily), then get the box blade with the width that will be most useful for you (whichever one that may be).

I have a 60" box blade that I use with my 24hp Kubota, and have occasionally used a friend's 72" box blade with it. I used the 72" mostly for smoothing operations and didn't fill it to full capacity, but the extra width was more useful for the job that I was doing. I would not want the 72" box blade as my primary box blade because the extra width would get in the way more times than it would be useful.

I've never seen a 66" blade...now that may be something I may consider myself...

Kelvin

 

[yellowdog99502]

I have a 72" box blade that I use with a New Holland TC30 (also 30 hp).

Primary use of this box is dressing up about 2000 feet of gravel drive. Moving a boxful of gravel or scarifying the top 3 - 4 inches of the drive is child's play.

It is also used for some landscaping and grading. The only issue I have had to date is when I dug way too deep and too fast into the concrete, I mean summer-hardened Indiana clay. I had the teeth all the way out, pushed the 3ph all the way down and let my mind wander for a second. Never bogged down, just spun the tires; turfs filled with beet juice.

I did bog down once when hung on some tree roots in an area with great tire bite. Felt like pulling on a gigantic rubber band!

The tractor will handle a box full of anything as long as the teeth are not fully extended. Extend the teeth full out and the tires slip. I think it would be different with R-4's.

As far as I am concerned, even if I can't use the box to full capacity in the clay, I can with gravel and finish grading, and these are the things I really bought it for.

Good luck whichever way you go,

Don

 

[R_squared]

Either width will work. If you break traction when the 66" box blade fills, then dump it sooner. Filled rear tires will improve your traction. A heavy duty model would be essential if you plan on carving soil loaded with rocks and roots. If you complete your profile, it makes it easier to make recommendations.

 

[sewells]

Yes, it is a question most times of the wheels slipping and I do have MFWD. I have once bogged down the engine. I was on a slight slope that had things where the wheels weren't slipping and the motor pretty obviously bogged from my having the ripper teeth too deep in that particular configuration of slope and angle of descent.

Steve

 

[mountain_man]

Thanks mucho for the replies. I think I'm going to go with the 66" keeping in mind it has the same number of shanks (5) as the 60" but giving slightly more width. I have a local dealer with a new LandPride 2566 with some scratched paint willing to make a deal. Steve - do you use wheel weights or loaded rear tires? If so can you advise approx weight. Thanks

 

[JRP]

My Kubota manual has specifications for maximum implement size. If I had purchased a box that matched those specs it would be perfect. Does JD have an implement rating chart for your tractor in the manual?

Kubota put some time in determining what would be a good match. Perhaps JD is also a good company.