Getting myself a new rear blade

[LD1]

Been looking to awhile for a good used rear blade with hydraulics to match my mx5100. My 7' blade just wasn't wide enough to cover tracks when angled, and lacked offset. It was a kk HD blade, 7', 700# and had no problem cutting in. But it was time for an upgrade.

Deal not final, bit struck a verbal deal with an old high school buddy that I haven't seen in 15 years until just last month at a Tball game as his son is the same age as mine. Where I found out he worked at a pretty large Deere dealer in the area.

Not that I normally shop Deere equipment but was browsing c-list and came across an add for a blade they had. Struck a deal over the phone.

It's a frontier rb2308. Full hydraulic ,(angle, tilt, and offset), 8' wide, and clocking in at 1250#. Should make a nice counter weight too cause the 700# , 7' blade just wasn't enough when getting serious with the FEL

Deal not done until I get it, so no gaurentee yet, but will post pics when I get it

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Be sure to look at it close. I think that the angle and offset adjustments only work in one direction without moving the cylinders to the opposite side, and I'm not sure how the tilt works, combo of hydraulic and pin movement? :confused3: Also just how far does it offset?

It is not instant full adjustment at your finger tips. You have to reset things on the blade itself.

 

[LD1]

Yes you are correct. Offset and angle one way. If other way is needed, pull two pins and swap cylinder. Sure it would be nice to have full adjustment, but I dont often find myself going from angle left to angle right very often. Rather angle one way then back to straight. If I find I want full angle, I am sure I could make that happen without much effort.

I have no offset at all now. So that is a +.

But its all about budget. Have been looking for about a year now (since the mx5100 purchase). And just cant find much in the used market. And it seems new price on a 35 series landpride with hydraulic angle only is ~$3000. The 40 series jumps to $3500 and even though its spec'd at 850 vs the 750 pounds for the 35 series....everything reads darn near identical. Dealer didnt even know what the difference was.

And by the time you get to a 45 series full hydraulic (which is comparable specs and weight to the RB2308) the price is $5k. And $4k-6k for a full hydraulic blade is just out of my budget.

All I need is a nicely designed and shaped moldboard and set up for hydraulics. Modifications at a later date.....easy as pie.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

If you'll be happy with it, that's all that matters. :thumbsup:

 

[LD1]

If you'll be happy with it, that's all that matters. :thumbsup:

Gotta be better than the manual angle, manual tilt, no offset, 7' blade I have now.

 

[oosik]

I upgraded from a 8 foot manual Land Pride @ 566# to a manual 8 foot Rhino @ 1000#. I'm still amazed at the total difference the added weight has made. I did this upgrade because I needed a rear blade that could "penetrate" my summer concrete like driveway. Whoa - Boy, this new Rhino really does the job.

I'm sure you will be pleased with how the new heavier rear blade works.

 

[LD1]

I upgraded from a 8 foot manual Land Pride @ 566# to a manual 8 foot Rhino @ 1000#. I'm still amazed at the total difference the added weight has made. I did this upgrade because I needed a rear blade that could "penetrate" my summer concrete like driveway. Whoa - Boy, this new Rhino really does the job.

I'm sure you will be pleased with how the new heavier rear blade works.

I'm hoping. I wasn't unhappy with how the 100# per ft kk worked. But no offset and all manual and wouldn't cover tracks.

Alot of my blase work is up and down trenches that were backfilled. And with the 7' blade angled, in order to roll dirt over the trench the inside tires were running over what was backfilled. Which is uneven. Causing the outside edge of the blade to dig in, and raise up. Made it very uneven and for worse with every pass. Those with blade experience know just what. Talking about.

With an 8' that offsets also, I should be able to keep the tractor tires where it's flat

 

[jenkinsph]

LD,
Hope it works out for you.
I have a similar Deere 45 7' blade much like your existing blade. I could use an upgrade for my next job but there are other things I need first.

 

[oosik]

LD - know exactly what you are talking about. Angling just tears into working width like a kid into candy. People who don't "know", will see my tractor and that huge Rhino rear blade and ask "why". All I have to do is offset and angle it to the position I normally use - get them behind the tractor and then they can see why.

I think there must be a significant number of folks "out there" with rear blades that are too narrow. Your rear tires are 60" - outside to outside - so you buy a 5' rear blade. You soon find out that when its being used in a real life situation -ex, plowing snow - that a 60" blade when angled will cut a path something around 42" wide. It simply won't cover the width of the rear tires.

And the strange thing is - my Kubota OP manual recommends 72" max width for a rear blade. Talk about a miss match - trying to do something with a rear blade that's 72" wide when your rear tires are 80" outside to outside.

I'm starting to rant - so I will quit now.