Limitations of skid steer dozer blades?

[Logginsteve]

I have a 3240 with front hydraulics. I have a chance to pick up a Grouser brand 6 way 7' dozer blade for what I think is cheap money. I would use it mostly to plow snow and level gravel/dirt, but also a little ditching.

Assuming the weight is OK (I'm having problems finding a reliable number) for the loader, what do people think about doing light dozer work with a 3240?

Steve

 

[dex3361]

I have a 3240 with front hydraulics. I have a chance to pick up a Grouser brand 6 way 7' dozer blade for what I think is cheap money. I would use it mostly to plow snow and level gravel/dirt, but also a little ditching.

Assuming the weight is OK (I'm having problems finding a reliable number) for the loader, what do people think about doing light dozer work with a 3240?

Steve

Have to see the blade and how the hydraulics are plumbed. If it had a relief valve to let the cylinder move if you hit an immovable object. Otherwise you will potentially tweak the FEL arms. Most of the FEL mounted snow blades are set up this way if you need details peer at a few of those.:thumbsup:

 

[Logginsteve]

Whoa! Thanks for mentioning that. I had assumed (and we know how that works!) that it would have a relief valve. So I checked the PDF manual and found this gem of knowledge:

The 1300 Grouser blade is a heavy-duty dirt blade and does not contain a safety trip mechanism found in all snow blades. Using this blade as a snow blade could cause serious damage to the blade, the machine, or the operator when you strike an immovable object. Grouser Products will not warranty this blade if it is used as a snow blade.

Well, that kills this idea deader than dead. Thanks very much for the help and quickly putting this idea out of my head. It also puts a second idea out of my head, which was to buy the thing and remove the heavy cast blade and mount a cheap snowplow blade instead. I'd still be out less money than getting a 2 position plow, so that was a thought I had. I mean c'mon... who wouldn't want a 6 position blade for cheap money? Right?

Steve

 

[Ken45101]

I think there are two different issues here (someone correct me if I'm wrong). Typical snow plows have trip springs so that they tilt forward if the hit something like a crack in the pavement. It's not a relief valve issue, it's just a spring.

What I think Dex was referring to was if you push too much on one end while digging dirt, will the cylinder relief valve allow the cylinder to give, or will it be rigid, transferring all the stress to the one loader arm? This would be a one side only load (while ditching), rather than the blade tripping forward as is done with snow plows.

Many of the blades have a trip mechanism which for snow that can be locked out with a pin when working in dirt.

Ken

 

[20 20]

I'd also be afraid of hitting a non-movable object and tweaking something. A snowblade is designed so it will flip even if an object only hits one side. A snowplow tension can also be adjusted. Just remember a dozer is built for dozing.

 

[Verticaltrx]

A better option would be the Kubota front blade, probably in a 6' size for dirt work. It is sub frame mounted and is a 4-way blade (lift, and angle, no tilt). It is meant for both light grading and snow removal. None of the options discussed in this thread would be good for actually cutting a ditch with a tractor or dozing unbroken ground. They just won't have the right geometry/machine weight to do that. IMO a good combo would be one of those Kubota 4-way blades on the front and a box blade with top-n-tilt on the back (which would work for ditching.) You'd get the tilt on the box blade, angle feature on the front blade, and have the scarifiers on the box blade to loosen the soil as well. Only problem is the Kubota setup is about $4K new.

 

[Ken45101]

3240 = L3240? Oh. I assumed the 3240 was the Kubota compact track loader

No way would I try a Grouser skid steer blade on a tractor FEL. Most of the things I read, they are marginal for unbroken ground on a skid steer, much less on a tractor. Remember, it's a front end loader, not an excavator.

For a tractor, I think the rear blade (scraper or box blade) would be the more appropriate attachment.

Ken

 

[Logginsteve]

Thanks for the clarification about the trip valve vs. the spring thing. I figure in this case it doesn't matter since the Grouser product makes no mention of a relief valve in their manual. I don't see it in the parts list either. So it doesn't have a spring trip or a relief valve. My guess is because they assume this will be pressed up against the frame of a skid steer (not extended out in front of a tractor) the whole vehicle would stop dead and that would be your clue to take your foot off the gas. With a tractor you could potentially damage loader, frame, or hydraulics before the tractor stopped dead. Or something like that?

Yeah, I had a feeling it was a bad idea. But you know how it goes... you see something cheap that superficially fits a need and you begin to dream $1500 for a near new 6 way 7' dozer blade is enough to make me dream, at least! Thanks for keeping me awake on this one!

Currently I'm pursing the tried and true method of buying an old dozer, using it until the jobs are done or it breaks, then selling it. There's plenty of $3000 dozers around where I am.

Steve

 

[Ken45101]

Thanks for the clarification about the trip valve vs. the spring thing. I figure in this case it doesn't matter since the Grouser product makes no mention of a relief valve in their manual.

I'm not sure that the relief valve would be part of the blade hydraulics, or of the tractor itself. If you push too hard against a cylinder, the hydraulic fluid should flow back just as if you were extending the cylinder beyond it's ratings, the tractor should start bypassing.

My guess is because they assume this will be pressed up against the frame of a skid steer (not extended out in front of a tractor) the whole vehicle would stop dead and that would be your clue to take your foot off the gas.

I have heard of people damaging skid steers by stressing the arms sideways. I have mixed feelings about dozer blades and tilt attachments on skid steers. They are great machines....but not a dozer either...

Yeah, I had a feeling it was a bad idea. But you know how it goes... you see something cheap that superficially fits a need and you begin to dream $1500 for a near new 6 way 7' dozer blade is enough to make me dream, at least!

That's not fair! I have a skid steer and have dreamed about a 6 way blade for it, mainly for trail work. $1500 would be extremely tempting!

Currently I'm pursing the tried and true method of buying an old dozer, using it until the jobs are done or it breaks, then selling it. There's plenty of $3000 dozers around where I am.

Steve

A small dozer would be a great machine! From what I've read though, you had better be mechanically inclined if you pick up an older machine.

Good luck!

Ken

 

[Logginsteve]

Hi Ken,

As far as I know that sort of relief system is in my tractor, and probably most anything modern. Especially a skidsteer since they are basically built to be beaten on. I thought people were talking about a special system that would be more sensitive to sudden, violent actions instead of "dude, you can't expect me to lift that!" type actions. Like when I thought I was picking up a 2000# pallet and it turned out to be more like 5000#. I think Kubota should put a light in the dashboard that simply says "SERIOUSLY?" in red for events like that

I can see how a blade like this could damage a skidsteer. Hit anything on the outside edge that stops the blade cold and you risk damaging something. But if you drive the thing around like **** on Wheels, like my friend does, that risk is going to go up dramatically I should think.

The guy who has the blade is asking $2k, but I'm guessing that can go down quite a bit. Too bad it's sitting in Maine and you're off in Ohio.

I'm mechanically inclined enough for most problems and my neighbor is the local mechanic. Loves working on "interesting" stuff. The math works out well even if the dozer breaks completely as long as I've done a decent amount of work before hand.

Steve