[KUBOTA B3200] Grader Blade / Box Blade Recommendation for Driveway Maintenance

[rScotty]

You're welcome. Some call them 3-way blades and sometimes 6-way because they obviously move to both sides.

There are a few videos. Here is one:

His blade would work a lot better if he had an end caps on the ends of the blade. Without them he is losing too much material into the field.... and it won't do snow at all without end caps.

Another major difference is that our old RB3572 - and all the old blades - have a taller & thicker blade and are at least twice the weight & more heavily built. Pulling an offset 3pt implement can put a heavy load on the blade. You want something heavy built. When the end in the ground hits a rock or root, it might throw you sideways a moment, and you want it NOT to BEND. In the video, he gets away with a lighter blade in a manicured field. But your driveway looks like tougher going. Weight only helps. 30 hp is plenty.

Blow up the photos on the spreadsheet in message #99 and look at how heavy those little six foot long 3-way blades in that sheet are built and reinforced. That is what you want. Extra heavy built.
My bet is you will find one on the used market & may have to scrounge or fabricate the accessory caps and such. Some of the best 3-way back blades had replaceable bushings.
Luck,
rScotty

 

[deezler]

Seems like it's been a pretty educational thread here, eh @Forest_Man ?

Can we get some more pics of the driveway and property? Maybe even a video of you sloshing your way through it all?

 

[Forest_Man]

Seems like it's been a pretty educational thread here, eh @Forest_Man ?

Can we get some more pics of the driveway and property? Maybe even a video of you sloshing your way through it all?

I am new here so I can't tell if the group is just all around always very helpful or if I was able to get knowledge extracted from guiding the conversation.

Either way, this has been extremely educational and informative. I will keep the thread with updates as I move forward and I hope it can help others as well.

 

[rScotty]

I am new here so I can't tell if the group is just all around always very helpful or if I was able to get knowledge extracted from guiding the conversation.

Either way, this has been extremely educational and informative. I will keep the thread with updates as I move forward and I hope it can help others as well.

Mostly the group is helpful. Differences arise because just like anything else there are dozens of equally good ways to do any dirt-moving job....maybe more. So each of us develops a favorite way based on their own machinery and their own place.

TractorByNet is mostly about machines, but the ground is equally important. Whether it is sloped, flat, clay, loam, sandy, wet/dry, rocky, or full of roots changes everything.

Your posting those photos of your driveway helped a lot. Makes it much easier to tell what has a chance of working.

For example, as I get older, the more I lean toward not doing so much myself. I tend to hire it done and just use my own equipment to do maintenance. That way works too.

rScotty

 

[paulsharvey]

TBN has a pretty helpful and friendly group, But you can and will get bad advice here too; often driven by the fact its a group of people spread cross several continents, with vast differences in experience, knowledge, finances, and all that.

We had a gentlemen from Romania, who is building a 400 acre row crop farm in Tanzania; and the advice, no joke, ranged from a riding mower to a D7 dozer to do his clearing.

Alway, the more specific information, the better the comments. Also, a guy from FLa, or New Zealand will probably have different materials/experience/advice than a guy 3 miles down the road from you; and you kinda got to filter through it, and see what works for your situation.

Except welding; those threads get down right nasty, and devolve into name calling, and hate crimes

 

[Forest_Man]

TBN has a pretty helpful and friendly group

You've been very helpful too, thank you.

Except welding; those threads get down right nasty, and devolve into name calling, and hate crimes

Noted... stay away from welding threads!

 

[Forest_Man]

Today I bought a Woods RB72 Rear Blade. It looks pretty neat and for about $700. I tried locating the documentation for it, but Woods only lists RB72.50, which I suspect it is a newer release. I intend to purchase the blade end cap from Messicks, just need to figure out what's going on with their microfiche, something is wrong with the part numbers:

Thanks everyone for the feedback and recommendations. I am very happy and satisfied with the purchase. And glad that a few users highlighted the importance of getting a fully adjustable blade. Here is my new RB72:

This is my very first time playing with the 3-point hitch and I need to confirm a few things:

1. currently I have NO pins locking the RB to the quick hitch. Is this correct, just locked in place by its 450 lbs?

2. It came with a red metal hook that I can't figure out whether even belongs to the blade. Any idea what this could be or where it goes?

 

[jyoutz]

I'm several days late to this thread, but may I suggest the Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies as a how to resource?

materials estimator tool: https://dirtandgravel.psu.edu/general-resources/dglvr-materials-calculator/

They also have a number of technical bulletins all focused on common issues with building and maintaining gravel roads.

As for the box blade/rear blade question, I have a Yammar 226d 2wd and a Kubota L2501 4wd. The Yanmar will pull a 5.5' box blade, but the Kubota does much better due to the 4wd.

IMO, the box blade is much more useful than a dirt blade for basic road maintenance because you can drag gravel to where it's needed, and it's more user friendly when it comes to getting a smooth finish without digging in.

The dirt blade is better for when you need to cut the grade down or clean a ditch, but I just keep my box blade on the L2501 all the time for maintaining our gravel driveway.

I'd lean more towards 5' rather than 6'. If it's too wide relative to your tractor, you won't be able to use it to its full capacity. It's not just the weight of the implement, it's also the weight of gravel, plus friction, and having to contend with hills if you have them. 5' will cover about half of a normal road bed in one pass.

If your box blade works well for you, great. I would recommend a rear blade over a box, due to the offset and tilt capability. Also the ability to angle the blade to pull material from the ditch or side of road to make a crown.

 

[paulsharvey]

Today I bought a Woods RB72 Rear Blade. It looks pretty neat and for about $700. I tried locating the documentation for it, but Woods only lists RB72.50, which I suspect it is a newer release. I intend to purchase the blade end cap from Messicks, just need to figure out what's going on with their microfiche, something is wrong with the part numbers:

View attachment 873087

Thanks everyone for the feedback and recommendations. I am very happy and satisfied with the purchase. And glad that a few users highlighted the importance of getting a fully adjustable blade. Here is my new RB72:

View attachment 873089

This is my very first time playing with the 3-point hitch and I need to confirm a few things:

1. currently I have NO pins locking the RB to the quick hitch. Is this correct, just locked in place by its 450 lbs?
View attachment 873090
View attachment 873091

2. It came with a red metal hook that I can't figure out whether even belongs to the blade. Any idea what this could be or where it goes?

View attachment 873092

The red hook looks exactly like some pieces I've found on old RR beds, just painted; other than that, no idea.

On the pin topic, get 2 (or 4, you'll set them down and loose them) standard snap pins from any farm supply store for the ends of the pins.

Moldboard end plates; Woods RB72 Rear Blade (Woods) Parts Diagrams

 

[paulsharvey]

Here is your parts diagram, it's grouped with the landscape rake two; but the top two diagrams are your blade

 

[paulsharvey]

For the end plates; it 'looks' like you need item 3, 4, and 5. I can't tell if item 3 (the actual end plate) comes as a pair or if you need two? For $222.54; I would home that is both ends, but I would call and/or email to confirm if I were you.

 

[jyoutz]

You're welcome. Some call them 3-way blades and sometimes 6-way because they obviously move to both sides.

There are a few videos. Here is one:

His blade would work a lot better if he had an end caps on the ends of the blade. Without them he is losing too much material into the field.... and it won't do snow at all without end caps.

Another major difference is that our old RB3572 - and all the old blades - have a taller & thicker blade and are at least twice the weight & more heavily built. Pulling an offset 3pt implement can put a heavy load on the blade. You want something heavy built. When the end in the ground hits a rock or root, it might throw you sideways a moment, and you want it NOT to BEND. In the video, he gets away with a lighter blade in a manicured field. But your driveway looks like tougher going. Weight only helps. 30 hp is plenty.

Blow up the photos on the spreadsheet in message #99 and look at how heavy those little six foot long 3-way blades in that sheet are built and reinforced. That is what you want. Extra heavy built.
My bet is you will find one on the used market & may have to scrounge or fabricate the accessory caps and such. Some of the best 3-way back blades had replaceable bushings.
Luck,
rScotty

Agree with all points 100%

 

[paulsharvey]

Here is the end assembly detail. There is also a skid shoe assembly available, I believe for snow plowing? For the price of those skid shoes, I would only order if you find yourself needing them, they aren't cheap.

Anyways; once you pick up a hand full of hitch pins; play/practice with the new blade to get a feel for it. They do require patience...

 

[jyoutz]

I would 'guess' we are talking right around $40,000 to hire it done.

So, if we wanted to break this down as a bid job, I'm looking at approx $27,000 in Material; $6400 in a dozer/operator; $3000 mobilization; $1600 for a vibratory roller; or $38,000 cost; now, 18.75% profit; we end up at a contract price of $45,175. That's a Lot of money for a driveway that our OP has successfully used for years; when we can add some base material in areas, dress it up, do some water control, and all; for $4500 or so.

I think your costs are way high. About 3 years ago I had 1000’ of my road reconstructed. Several belly dump loads of rock, road grader, water truck, and rolled. A little over $7k. Distance to the rock pit is a variable cost factor for sure.

 

[paulsharvey]

"1. currently I have NO pins locking the RB to the quick hitch. Is this correct, just locked in place by its 450 lbs?"

Yes and no; you do need the pins I showed above to prevent it side shifting and falling out. If you haven't used any 3 point attachments; you'll need to play with your top link, right side adjustable link, and your side sway turn buckles. You want to start out with both bottom links equal length (you'll play with this later maybe); the main "beam" roughly parallel to the ground when lowered, which you get my playing with top link length; and some "flex" in the side to side swing; But not much. Maybe 1-2" of total play or so; not locked down solid; but not flopping in the breeze.

 

[paulsharvey]

I think your costs are way high. About 3 years ago I had 1000’ of my road reconstructed. Several belly dump loads of rock, road grader, water truck, and rolled. A little over $7k. Distance to the rock pit is a variable cost factor for sure.

Well, he's 3000 LF, x 10 ft wide, that gives you 660-680 tons of material, and at his quoted prices, that's $12,500 in just rock; then I figured 40 total operator hours, machine price, mobilization, ect. Maybe a bid price could get down to $25,000 at the absolute lowest, and that wouldn't include pipe. Any contractor who is going to bring out something in the D5 size dozer is going to need mobilzation built into his price. Profit; frankly, 18.75% on top of material and labor is fair. If you want to get technical, depending on how the rock mine writes their bills, you could have sales tax (7% locally) on top of that $12,500.

Honestly, if you can get 4" of roadbase hauled, placed, finished and rolled, 1000lf long,x10ft wide, for $7500; that's an amazing deal.

As an example; @Lineman North Florida not asking for a bid; but what sounds reasonable for a 3000 lf drive, 10 ft wide, haul, place and finish, 4" of limerock roadbase, including mobilization? I'm thinking $10/sy at the extreme low end; but probably closer to $12.50/sy or maybe more?

 

[California]

I don't use linch pins in those lower implement pins, because the quick hitch spacing between its lower hooks is just wide enough to match the implement and the implement can't shift sideways.

There are sleeves available to bring the implement pins up to the diameter that fits snugly in the quick hitch hooks. I don't use them.

That's 2 less categories of things to fuss with.

 

[jyoutz]

Well, he's 3000 LF, x 10 ft wide, that gives you 660-680 tons of material, and at his quoted prices, that's $12,500 in just rock; then I figured 40 total operator hours, machine price, mobilization, ect. Maybe a bid price could get down to $25,000 at the absolute lowest, and that wouldn't include pipe. Any contractor who is going to bring out something in the D5 size dozer is going to need mobilzation built into his price. Profit; frankly, 18.75% on top of material and labor is fair. If you want to get technical, depending on how the rock mine writes their bills, you could have sales tax (7% locally) on top of that $12,500.

Honestly, if you can get 4" of roadbase hauled, placed, finished and rolled, 1000lf long,x10ft wide, for $7500; that's an amazing deal.

As an example; @Lineman North Florida not asking for a bid; but what sounds reasonable for a 3000 lf drive, 10 ft wide, haul, place and finish, 4" of limerock roadbase, including mobilization? I'm thinking $10/sy at the extreme low end; but probably closer to $12.50/sy or maybe more?

Well, I had 4” of road base 15’ wide x 1000’. But two factors: no dozer was used, just a grader, roller, and water truck. It only took about 10 hours. And the the rock pit was only 7 miles away. I’m guessing a lot depends on how much road reconstruction and shaping is needed. In my case, that section of road needed to be elevated, but the grader operator was able to pull enough dirt from the ditches so no soil material was needed. We did install one 20” steel culvert.

 

[rScotty]

Congratulations on the back blade.

The two end caps are weirdly expensive. For blading I often only use one.
But having two end caps is nice because they turn your back blade into a very versatile box blade for moving bulk material. Looked at that way, the end caps become a lot more reasonable.

I found the rake option doesn't work all that well without adding a tailwheel. Maybe save that for the future.

That 3pt quick hitch looks like someone put a category 2 size quick hitch onto your category 1 tractor. Is that possible or are all quick hitches that way? I njust use the original 3pt on the tractor, myself.
Anyway, our big tractor is Cat 2. That size is made for larger tractors and implements. I guess the one you have will work ok if the quick hitch isn't too wide for the sway adjustments on your tractor.
However, a Cat 2 size will definitely put the top link too high. Read up on how the Ferguson 3pt geometey is supposed to work, and you will see that the whole point is that the implement and arms stay close to parallel when it is operating. That allows changes in depth to be made without making changes in angle of attack. Ol Harry Ferguson really was a genius
It looks like the top link connection on your quick hitch is adjustable, so put it closer to correct.

You can buy 3pt bushings at any tractor store to make those category 1 pins on the blade to properly fit the oversize caegory 2 hooks on the quick hitch. 3pt bushings are cheap and you need them to fit much better than they are now. Check if the top link bushing is the same as the lower arms. Often it is not.

Oh...and that RED HANDLE?? Glad you got one. Mine is missing. Put it in the tractor tool box. You'll see what it's for when you adjust the blade.

Go slow. Using a 3 way blade has a longer learning curve and more subtle adjustments than you think. The first few days you will likely just make a mess. Stick with it.
At the least, get the right pins & bushings for that quick hitch so that the blade doesn't slop around. The blade needs to be tight to the tractor because that way you are using tractor weight to hold the blade in cutting position instead of just the implement weight. I wonder if it will work at all if sloppy....

Here's an idea: If you have problems, try running the blade without that intermediate quick hitch; I bet it's easier to learn how to control it that way. Yours is not a big heavy category 2 ag field tractor, and mounting the blade closer closer to your tractor increases the leverage that the tractor has available to hold then blade without being pushed sideways. You can always add the quick hitch once you get it working right. The weight might even be an advantage once you get it fit up right.

Enjoy,
rScotty

 

[California]

The oversize hooks at the bottom of that quickhitch are the same as my HF QH, an early one I bought as soon as HF offered it. I agree that a sloppy fit there makes operating the implement less precise, not a concern for me, I'm not blading snow on a driveway.

My post #88 above shows the ballast I added to the downhill corner of this light blade to help it dig. Before that it just hopped along.

Many people had to widen those early HF QH's with a HiLift jack before it would fit their implements.