Rear Blade Rear blade sizing

[zslnk]

Hi,

I have a Massey 135 that I'd like to get working. I have a long gravel drive that I'd like to freshen up and some grassy area with ruts and high spots that I wish to break up and flatten out. I've purchased a GILL 8' blade at a good price and wonder what size would best suit the 135. The price was right and the option to cut the 8'er down would be available to me. With the 8'er at 45deg I would about match my track width of 6'.
Thanks

 

[94BULLITT]

I think for a 135 you would want a 7' blade.

 

[TomSeller]

That is how I would size it, maybe slightly wider. I'd make sure I cover my tracks while at the max angle I would be using. If I had a landscape rake, I would go wider yet.

 

[yelbike]

Give it a go the way it is. No harm done. Try it before you cut it. Its easier to cut than to add!

 

[JerryG]

X2
Give it a try. You will soon find out if it needs cut down.

 

[zslnk]

Sounds good, I was looking for a 7' blade but all the ones I found were puny until I saw this CAT1/2 beast. The others looked like if you backed up into anything they would fold. The tractor lift arms are the sacrifical item with this blade. Hmm... There is also a place for a hydraulic angle ram which would be a great option if I installed a valve on the tractor.

 

[yelbike]

PICTURE????

 

[Thomas]

As others said... that size good for ditching.

 

[Baby Grand]

1) Measure your rear tires, outside sidewall to outside sidewall.
Multiply by 1.4.
This is how wide you will need the blade to cover your wheels with it set at 45 degrees.

2) Measure your rear tires, outside sidewall to outside sidewall.
Multiply by 1.15.
This is how wide you will need the blade to cover your wheels with it set at 30 degrees.

3) Determine if you need 45 or 30 degree operation.

4) Go blade shopping.

 

[zslnk]

That puts me at 7-8' at 30 and 45deg. Looks like the 8'er will be a good start. Thanks for the input.

 

[zslnk]

So I ended up looking at a few blades but bought a Gill / Woods HBL-96 made in 1996. It has some wear on one side of the moldboard but I can hardface that back into shape if it bothers me. It was alot of steel for a few hundred bucks. Needs paint.

There is quite a bit of play in the pivot mechanism but nothing looks worn, just a large gap. Is this normal?

 

[94BULLITT]

That gap is normal. I have a Woods HBL84-2 and Monroe Tufline GB4-72. Did you get the lift arm pins?

 

[zslnk]

That gap is normal. I have a Woods HBL84-2 and Monroe Tufline GB4-72. Did you get the lift arm pins?

I didn't get the pins, I have some that I picked up at TSC that look like they will work. All the other pins are there.

 

[JerryG]

The nut needs to be tightened up some. It is on the backside of the blade and you have to look up under the rear bracing to see the nut.

 

[zslnk]

I used the blade for the first time after the big snow that we received (16") and the Massey will pull the 8' blade straight (no angle) with a huge load of snow down the drive. It's an awesome setup...

I need to figure out how to deal with the snow after I pull it into the road, I'm feathering up the 3pt to drop the snow but I've yet to experiment with angle to drop the snow into the banks. The Gill(Woods) HBL-96 was a good buy at $400. I reversed the cutting edge as the one side was worn but it had never been flipped. Perhaps a hydraulic angle is in the future.