Seeders Driveway Maintenance - Box Scraper?

[MtnViewRanch]

Thanks for the all the information. I'm leaning towards a box blade simply because it's more versatile and the driveway isn't all that big, single lane with only a few spots that need significant / regular work. Plus I'd like it to level out some high spots and groundhog holes in the fields, which will be a regular thing because they will just get dug back out time and time again. I've tried using my loader and it's not terrible, but tricky to get just right. Any thoughts on the Tar Rover brand? I can get an 84" unit right down the street for $995.

If you can purchase a new 84" box blade for $995, I can 99.9% be sure that it will not perform as you would like it to. Any 7' grading implement to be used behind your M7060 needs to weigh at a minimum of 1000lbs to actually perform well.

For the price that you have posted, I'm guessing 500-600lbs tops.

All I can say is good luck with whatever decision you make. :thumbsup:

 

[JeffroL]

LOL, I had the same thought shortly after posting. I'm re-evaluating the plan

 

[coldsteelva]

I'm relatively new here and local to you, but just recently took delivery of a LandShark LPGS from EverythingAttachments. I only have a 25HP Massey, but this thing is awesome. Used my bucket to pull gravel back onto the driveway, dropped this down onto its skids and drove forward. It does all the work for you. Only thing to get right is the top-link so it rides mostly level. Didn't even need to use the included scarifiers.

 

[TripleR]

Yep, we have a Land Pride BB2584 that we use only rarely and have welded sections of RR tracks to add weight so it's OK for a counter weight, but it was replaced with a HR3584. If I could afford it, I'd buy a heavier 8' Woods for the M and just use the LP on my L5740.

 

[Fallon]

I do not understand. You created this thread seeking advice. Six T-B-N "heavy hitters" replied, with a Bazillion T-B-N posts between them, all recommending LPGS, and you are going with a Box Blade?

LPGS is the right implement.

Consider a $400 Ratchet Rake bucket attachment for the groundhogs and high spots. I use mine for filling Gopher Turtle holes and low spots several times each month. Much easier to mount than a Box Blade, much easier to use than a Box Blade. (I own a Box Blade.)

Ratchet Rakes are sold by the T-B-N store.

As often is the case, the TBN brain trust might have provided slightly off topic answers that answered the problem better than the OP question asked the question.

A good tool for the job might work better in the long run for many jobs than the best tool for a specific job.

 

[JeffroL]

I do not understand. You created this thread seeking advice. Six T-B-N "heavy hitters" replied, with a Bazillion T-B-N posts between them, all recommending LPGS, and you are going with a Box Blade?

LPGS is the right implement.

Consider a $400 Ratchet Rake bucket attachment for the groundhogs and high spots. I use mine for filling Gopher Turtle holes and low spots several times each month. Much easier to mount than a Box Blade, much easier to use than a Box Blade. (I own a Box Blade.)

Ratchet Rakes are sold by the T-B-N store.

I'm considering just holding off on any purchase at this point. The LPGS units are double the price of a Box Blade and that's for a lighter LPGS as well. To get into the 1000# range or higher, I'm looking at $2000+. I'm not quite ready to spend that. My fixed blade does a good enough job and is advantaged by already being in my shed

-Jeff

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I'm considering just holding off on any purchase at this point. The LPGS units are double the price of a Box Blade and that's for a lighter LPGS as well. To get into the 1000# range or higher, I'm looking at $2000+. I'm not quite ready to spend that. My fixed blade does a good enough job and is advantaged by already being in my shed

-Jeff

Waiting sounds like the right thing to do for you. 12 years ago I made the mistake of listening to my dealer and went with a couple of medium duty implements that my dealer said would be fine running behind my 75hp tractor. WRONG, bent both of them in the first weekend of use. Sent pictures to them showing the problems, I was told that I had abused them and that nothing would be covered under warranty.

That was a $2000 mistake, but I have NEVER made that mistake again and hopefully saved many others from doing the same.

 

[JeffroL]

Here's an honest question. I've read in multiple places that you should buy a heavier implement (blade, leveler, etc.) based upon your tractor size. It will work better. That intuitively doesn't make sense to me. Why would putting a lighter tool behind a heavier tractor work less well than the same implement behind a lighter tractor? Or is it just a factor that heavier tools will always work better regardless of the tractor and stand up to the abuse the heavier tractor can kick out?

Example, I have an ancient Bush Hog 406 which is just a workhorse behind my 35HP Deutz. But it works SO MUCH BETTER behind my newish Kubota 71HP. My Duetz doesn't like to run at it's full RPM so maybe the PTO RPMs are a little low, but the tool never binds up behind my Kubota and just overall works better. Why are things so different here?

-Jeff

 

[drdoolittle]

Here are some pictures of a small box blade I folded up because I used it with too large of tractor. You can use them but they give up long before you notice they've been screaming for mercy. I was back into a brush pile to quickly bunch it and found a stump. The tractor didn't slow down but the blade just started folding. The metal bending noise alerted me to the "problem" so now it's waiting for me to get some torch/welding time to fix.

 

[bcp]

Here's an honest question. I've read in multiple places that you should buy a heavier implement (blade, leveler, etc.) based upon your tractor size. It will work better. That intuitively doesn't make sense to me. Why would putting a lighter tool behind a heavier tractor work less well than the same implement behind a lighter tractor? Or is it just a factor that heavier tools will always work better regardless of the tractor and stand up to the abuse the heavier tractor can kick out?

The light implement won't WORK less well behind a heavy tractor than a light one, but it is much easier to OVERWORK (damage) it with the heavy tractor, therefore it is not as good. And you won't be able to accomplish as much as with a heavier implement.

As an extreme thought experiment, compare a tractor with a rear blade to the same tractor with a garden hoe hitched behind. The garden hoe won't move less dirt than pulling it by hand, but it won't last very long, either. It is no longer a good "implement."

Bruce