what should I know about using a box blade?

[normde2001]

Okie, I experienced what you are talking about at first. The cure is to raise (and lock) the box an inch or so off the ground on very rough or uneven terrain. That forces it to only cut off the high spots and deposit it in the lows. You have to keep making passes over the same area and be patient. The tractor will dip and rise less and less on each pass. When the box gets too full, gradually raise it and let it empty over a long area. I do this with scarifiers set at minimum depth.

 

[bgott]

The tractors I'm familiar with have the draft control built into the internal hydraulic controls. My TN 65 and most other larger tractors have two levers side by side, one for draft and one for position control. The 8N has a lever up under the seat that you use to select draft or position control. I'm not familiar with your Yanmar. The picture, not really clear, they show of the optional John Deere draft control assembly looks like it might be an external assembly. You might want to ask someone in the Yanmar forum if you even have draft control and if so, how to work it. Once we know for sure you have it than we can work on technique.

Another thing, some tractors only have draft control. The Ford 9N is one and there was a guy who posted not too long ago who had a Kubota that only had draft control. The way I've been able to tell that I'm in draft control on a tractor I'm unfamiliar with is the implement seems to float around with a mind of it's own when you try to set the height. That's not a very clear description, I know, but for me it's kind of a seat of the pants type of thing. Do you have the manual for your tractor? It should be in there.

 

[JATO_RaT]

I forgot to add OkieG that I also have a boxscraper called a barnyard scraper. There are no ripper teeth. There are shoes however that fit on either side of the box and adjust up and down. They are about 2" in width or the "sole". They run the length of the box from front to back. For spreading gravel or dirt, they actually work pretty slick. How high the box is held above the ground obviously is what allows a certain amount of material to get through and thus determines the depth of the gravel or what have you. Rat

 

[Ozarker]

I don't have a manual for my gray market Yanmar but I have a manual for the YN195 US model which is almost the same.

It shows me the feedback rod for position control. There are two holes to attach rods. One marked P for the position control and one marked D. I assume the one marked D would be for draft control but the manual doesn't discuss draft control and warns me not to use that hole.

Thanks for the info. I'll go to the Yanmar forum and see if there is anyone who knows about it there.

 

[OkieG]

Thanks Mark and Norm for the additional input. I'll keep working on technique AND patience!!

OkieG

 

[kch]

reference the Harley Power rake, I check with a local dealer and one of these puppies cost near $7,000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW!!! Is there anything similar that does not cost as much?? What about a TR3?? The dealer said it is a box blade, rake and blade all in one for $3000.

 

[JATO_RaT]

KCH, Harley is just one manufactuer. I beleive that Landpride makes powered rakes now as well. I'm not familiar with the one you mention, the Harley boxblade rake is the one that has the studded roller where mine is the double roller with 1" horizontal bars running the full width (mine is an 8' rake). Your right, $7000 is up there. Rat...

 

[kch]

Can you or any other landscapers out there tell me when they grade a new residence do they charge by the hour or by size of the lot or what? And what is the going rates? Thanks

 

[theboman]

Never ever get mad and haul off and kick a box blade.