Box Scraper Bushhog SBX72 vs. Woods GB72 box blade

[canoetrpr]

I've been pricing out some box blades recently. Both these blades look pretty good to me.

I'm partial to Woods stuff. I have a Woods rotary cutter and I appreciate that they have always responded to any question I have posed via. email - very quickly.

However, locally the best price I can get for the Woods GB72 is $1100.

I can get the Bushhog SBX72 for $870 or so - which is quite a bit cheaper.

Kind of irritating because along with tractors implements are quite a bit more expensive up here in Canada then you all pay.

Something cheaper would be preferred for $ savings. I'm guessing I'll only be using it 3 to 4 times per year for the driveway and the odd other thing. So you can understand why I don't want to spend more than I have to. But I also don't want to have to fix stuff.

I've also looked at a Walco heavy duty (672HD) . This would do the job I imagine but I'd prefer the 100 lb pounds of the Woods or the Bushhog. The seemed quite a bit better built. The Walco was $600.

I'd appreciate any thoughts the rest of you might have on these options.

 

[AndyMA]

If the Bushhog and the Woods are of similar construction and the same weight I would go for the lower priced one. I bet you won't be able to tell the difference in use. Support for a BoxBlade is minimal at best.

Andy

 

[IslandTractor]

Canadian dealer prices may be distorted at the moment due to the relatively recent fall in the US$. If a dealer bought the Woods BB in the spring while the Bush Hog dealer bought just this month, that would explain their price differences.

For what it's worth, I have the Woods GB72 and it is very well built. I've also owned several Bush Hog implements and they are top notch too.

 

[N80]

I've always been impressed by Wood's stuff but I found a Bush Hog SBX720 for a good price at a dealer a few years ago and bought it. It is well made and is considerably more beefy than the KK and Howse units. Specs compared well to other name brand standard duty units.

I use mine on a 45 hp 4wd Kubota and its been used hard. No problems whatsoever. So, if the BH and the Woods weigh the same, go for the cheaper BH and I think you'll be fine. If the Woods was considerably heavier and better built and you needed the extra strength, then go for the Woods.

Edit: The weight is nearly the same. Go with the Bush Hog.

 

[Travis_R]

Bush Hog makes about the best products out there in my opinion. BUT....
I had a Bush Hog SBX 720 box blade a couple years ago. I bought it new for $630.00(?) but didn't keep it too long. The only reason I got rid of it was because the teeth (scarifiers) didn't go low enough. They just barely went into the ground when dropped in their lowest position. Other than that, I think it was built to be indestructable.
I wasn't the only one who had this problem with the SBX 720. Another subscriber on here had the same problem. Do a search here on TBN for this model box blade and see what you come up with. I wouldn't buy another one.

I currently have a 5 1/2' King Kutter box blade and couldn't be more happier. I bought it new for $450.00 a few months ago. The teeth drop WAY down.

Travis R

 

[N80]

The only reason I got rid of it was because the teeth (scarifiers) didn't go low enough. They just barely went into the ground when dropped in their lowest position.

That was a concern of mine as well. The teeth on the BH do not drop down as much as some of the others. But, I have not had the same experience. On the highest setting the teeth are a tiny bit higher that the cutting edge when the BB is level. On the middle setting they are right at or maybe a tiny bit belowe the edge. On the loweet setting they are and inch or so below the cutting edge.

On the low setting they engage the soil just fine with the BB level and, for me, works very well at busting things up in front of the edge.

I was a bit worried about the teeth because I wanted to use my BB as a poor mans tiller/plow for food plots and I wanted teeth low enough to 'plow' without the edge cutting at all. Well, with the top link shortened sufficiently I can get the scarifiers 4-5 inches in the soil without the edge engaging and it worked quite well.

So yes, the teeth are shorter, but on the other hand, it has not limited me in any way. Now, if I could find a similar unit with teeth that dropped down lower, I would go for it, but I wouldn't get a lighter unit nor would I pay an extra 200-300 bucks to get the longer teeth.

 

[canoetrpr]

Thanks all for your thoughts.

I decided for now to just get a Woods RB72 rear blade - something that has been on my shopping list for awhie. Got a good price on it - $595 CDN. I'll give the driveway a shot by running my chain harrow over it a few times and then the rear blade when I get it.

Chances are I'll be picking up a box blade in the spring and so far the Bushhog is looking like it.

 

[Laurel Hill Man]

Hello, I'm looking at a used BH SBX72 for sale at $550. Seems a good price from what I've researched. Would a SBX72 be ok with a kubota M6040 or do I need to look for a bigger one?

 

[N80]

Depends on your use. I've been pretty hard on mine with a 45 hp tractor, but a 6040 is not only more powerful than my L4400 it is also a lot heavier. I've snagged imovable objects with mine, I've banged it into a lot of stuff and there have been no problems. The hitch mounts are clevis type and very strong. If you intend it for light to medium duty I'd say go for it. But if there is a chance you'll be using it for heavier duty applications then I'd step up to a heavier BB....which will have a heftier price.

 

[IndyIan]

Thanks all for your thoughts.

I decided for now to just get a Woods RB72 rear blade - something that has been on my shopping list for awhie. Got a good price on it - $595 CDN. I'll give the driveway a shot by running my chain harrow over it a few times and then the rear blade when I get it.

Chances are I'll be picking up a box blade in the spring and so far the Bushhog is looking like it.

I suspect you won't really be impressed by the rear blade, I've got a 7' 320lb walco and its good for snow but it doesn't do much to packed gravel. Loose gravel it can move around pretty good though.

With your tractor you could get a 1000lb+ box blade and do small jobs that you'd get a small dozer in for. I move a couple hundred yards of heavy clay top soil around our pond with mine. With a good blade you can move a yard of dirt at a time. Just for driveway maintenance though it is overkill.