L48 Hydraulic question

[_RaT_]

For whatever it's worth, the prices you quoted on the Rhino box blade with hydraulic scarifiers and the 72" mower both sound pretty decent. I have recently priced Landpride box blades with manual retractable scarifiers and I was quoted $2700 for an 84". Way too much, IMHO. And I bet the hydraulic version would be several hundred $$ more.

My 72" Gearmore box with hydraulic rippers (approx. 1000lbs) was $1600

 

[curtisfarmer]

Regarding road grading and the like, I build, grade, repair, and yada yada yada many gravel roads. I use a box scraper once in a while but usually use my Landpride 35 series 7' blade (don't own box scrapper yet, but will soon). I like the blade for 3/4" to 1-2" crushed gravel (mixed with stone dust, some call it dense pack, crush run, ect.) cause you can crown, move faster, lightly push organic debris such as leaves and what not away, and use the blade in reverse when finishing to give it that perfect look. Also, the blade installs lawns great, again using the blade backwards as it creates a little down pressure and spreads sifted loam (and gravel) like butter. The 35 series has the wing function which allows you to offset 2' to either side, which is verrrryyy handy. Also pivots for angles as well. I would love the TopnTilt feature, I guess I am explaining the poor mans version. I use my blade for plowing as well. Didn't realize how much the Landpride bow was. Ouch. Any gravel road that doesn't have 3+" of 3/4" to 1.5" gravel is difficult to work as your scarifiers will bring up the sub grade, and if it is the usual bank run 8" minus fill, it just pulls the stuff to the top and makes a mess. When building I usually put down 4"+ of finish 3/4" so you can work the road properly and not worry about the sub grade. I can spread 10 wheeler loads in about 5-10 minutes all day long when doing long roads, and big lawns using loam just as fast. The L48 can push right thru a 15 yard pile of whatever and then backdrag once or twice and be done quick when you have trucks stacked up waiting. Very impressive for a 10K lbs. machine. A pile that size would stop a L5030 cold.

 

[witel]

If I weren't at altitude I think an L39 might do it for me. At my altitude the 48hp of the L48 gets downgraded to 32hp or less. In use I've found the L48 adequate.

Just out of curiosity, how/where did you find the HP-vs-altitude curves for the L39 and L48? I'd be interested in seeing that type of information for my own research.

 

[ElBarranco]

Nothing terribly sophisticated, I'm afraid. At 8500 we have about 30% less "air" than at sea level. So normally aspirated engines have about 30% less power. Very roughly, the amount of air at X feet above sea level is e^(-X/25000). (That's from memory, the 25,000 is close, I'm pretty sure.)

Any pilots on the list can probably give you more exact figures. I think pilots figure that pressure is down 50% at 17000 feet.

I'm sure the relationship between air pressure or density and engine power is not exact, but around here we pretends like it is.

-robert

 

[curtisfarmer]

How about a blower/ supercharger??? 1/2 joking, but that would be impressive. More air for sure. It would look like Mel Gibson in Road Warrior with a huge supercharger sticking out of the hood. When he needed to catch criminals in his cruiser he would turn on the supercharger....and instant high speed. Please dress accordingly.

p.s. A supercharger may overcome our problem of 4.7MPH in medium HST!!!!

 

[ElBarranco]

I would love to add some kind of blower or turbo, but not sure how much would be involved. My local dealer sells a turbo kit for my RTV 900. I really want it, but it's $3000. But I do keep in mind that maybe somebody will make an affordable turbo kit for the L48 someday.

-robert