Rear Blade Will a boxblade do this?

[S3man]

Hey all, wanting to know if a boxblade on a 40hp 2 wheel drive tractor will push over saplings "dozer style" in reverse? Soil conditions are N AL not sandy or red clay just standard soil. The saplings are actually small trees 1 -3 inch in diameter. I hate to spend $450 on an experiment and don't really have much need for a BB other than that. Thanks

 

[MESSMAKER]

It depends on the tree. Those with small root structure will pop right out but a 3" tree with strong roots will stop you in your tracks.

 

[KYDan]

Save your money and hire it done. 3 point hitches are not designed to handle reverse pressure forces and traction is questionable using 2WD.

 

[swick1]

I'd consider renting a mini excavator. It can do a lot more than push them over and it will only cost about $300-400 for the weekend.

 

[MrChris]

The 3pt is really designed for pulling not pushing. Your much more likely to bend or break something pushing.

 

[stingray1]

No,I'd try something else.

 

[S3man]

Thanks for the answers, never thought about the 3pt hitch and it not being designed for reverse work. How about forward as long as I don't have anything exposed on the under carriage? I agree there are better tools for the job. I just want to hit a few at a time as time allows so that rules out the rentals for now. Would a compact 4 wd with a front end loader fare any better?

 

[Deere Dude]

My experience with a BB. Backed into a fresh dirt pile with 4WD and really pushing and bent a lift arm. Backed into a big tree accidentally and bent another one. Was pulling forward with a big load of dirt and the 45 HP 3720 was grunting and I hit a 4" cut off stump just below the surface and bent the center of the Box Blade enough to where I had to get it straightened. So just be careful when pulling or pushing around that will stop you abruptly.

 

[nybirdman]

As stated;good way to break something expensive.Wrong tool for the job.Do you have a FEL?

 

[TripleR]

Thanks for the answers, never thought about the 3pt hitch and it not being designed for reverse work. How about forward as long as I don't have anything exposed on the under carriage? I agree there are better tools for the job. I just want to hit a few at a time as time allows so that rules out the rentals for now. Would a compact 4 wd with a front end loader fare any better?

As mentioned, it is just the wrong tool for the job and I love a box blade. I've tried this with our 2WD Fords and while I didn't break anything, it can happen and just isn't a good idea. Driving over them can work, but the trees aren't going to just pop out and a 3" is just going to stop you and on the others you are just going to mangle them. These results won't improve much with 4WD and FEL.

Our method is to cut them down with larger tractors and appropriately rated rotary cutters. When I was able, I just used a chain saw and used the box blade to push them into a pile.

Good luck.

 

[DKCDKC]

I've had great luck knocking down small trees using a Ratchett Rake on the FEL of my JD 3038. The rake catches small trees and allows you to literally push them out of the ground by the dozen. You can then rake them into piles. Trees 3 inches or better I try to pull with a chain - sometimes using a log as a fulcrum. Works well. Bigger than that go to a chain saw.

Have a box blade and agree that back pushing is not a good idea. I have bent the BB frame backing when I hit a rock.

 

[Gary Fowler]

In your case given the equipment, I would opt for a LONG chain and pull them over, at least that way for the bigger ones. Chain needs to be longer than tallest tree, dont want them falling on you. Hook the chain to the pulling drawbar, not to the 3 PH arms.
With small saplings, you might try pulling them up with the 3 PH arms by using a drawbar that fits in the lift arms. Back up against the tree and hook up your chain low as you can then lift the 3PH to pull them up by the roots I have done this using an old 8N Ford years ago. Lots of on and off the tractor, but it works. These are small ones that you can physically push them over after your pull them up so they dont fall over on you. Works better if you have a partner to chain up the tree each time.
I pulled out a bunch of sweetgum saplings 3" and less in diameter with my Kubota RTV 900 using a long chain. A lot depends on the root system, my sweetgums didnt have much root and usually snatched right out. I used the RTV as it was more maneuverable and easy to get on and off.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Additionally, now that I have my B26 TLB, I make short work of small trees using the backhoe. I can usually get up a 3-4" tree in one scoop of the bucket. Sometimes stubborn root systems require digging on each side to cut some of the roots prior to uprooting it but usually takes not more than a couple of minutes per tree. I will usually set up in the middle of a patch of them and work all I can reach the reposition. My hydraulic thumb makes it easy to grab the downed trees and stack them out of the way with the backhoe. I can then use the FEL to just push them all into a pile for burning.

 

[rScotty]

With small saplings, you might try pulling them up with the 3 PH arms by using a drawbar that fits in the lift arms. Back up against the tree and hook up your chain low as you can then lift the 3PH to pull them up by the roots I have done this using an old 8N Ford years ago. Lots of on and off the tractor, but it works.

Careful with the 3 pt as a puller. Either the tree comes up or the front of the tractor does. Also you don't want to be clonked on the head if the tree does come out of the ground. I've one of those who have bent a box blade trying to push with it in reverse - wrong tool for the job. It's amazing how a tiny tree will stop a big tractor. Now if I can't get them out with the FEL I don't mess with it. Just go straight for a backhoe and thumb.
rScotty

 

[k0ua]

I have pushed over a lot of trees larger than 3 inches with the FEL. It works pretty good but I have a lot of shallow rooted trees too and I do it a couple of days after a rain. But there is always some danger, NO dead tree pushing, good way to get a limb over your head.. anything the FEL wont push over easily, then get a Long chain, longer than the tree is tall, and pull it over with the fixed drawbar. It has worked for me for many years without damaging anything. There are many threads on here about guys damaging their 3pt components by pushing backwards with a box blade.

James K0UA

 

[jeff9366]

And.........anything over sapling size will uproot much easier after a soaking rain.

 

[PhysAssist]

And.........anything over sapling size will uproot much easier after a soaking rain.

After using our FEL without it, we have found that our Pirhana toothbar makes pushing over trees and or pulling them out much much easier.

Sometimes for the bigger or more well rooted trees, it does require digging at the perimeter to cut the wider roots off to free it up.

Our tractor is a Kubota B2320 4WD HST running (as best I can recall) about 27-27 HP.

Thomas
No matter where you go; there you are...

 

[sparc]

Use a chain tied low on the truck and feed it over a steel wheel or large diameter log then on to the drawbar and pull. The wheel or log will redirect the horizontal pull to a vertical one and create move lift force than just tugging on the tree with the tractor.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Careful with the 3 pt as a puller. Either the tree comes up or the front of the tractor does. Also you don't want to be clonked on the head if the tree does come out of the ground. I've one of those who have bent a box blade trying to push with it in reverse - wrong tool for the job. It's amazing how a tiny tree will stop a big tractor. Now if I can't get them out with the FEL I don't mess with it. Just go straight for a backhoe and thumb.
rScotty

Notice I said LIFT the 3 pH using the hydraulics. If the front end come up, you dont have enough weight. If it does, it isnt going anywhere as the tractor is setting still, just lower the lift arms and try something different like pulling from the stationary drawbar with a long chain as was my first suggestion. On a 40 HP tractor it should lift about 2500 pounds which should be ample to uproot a sapling. This is for small saplings that can be manhandled when they uproot ie 2-3" at the base.

 

[case245]

i would u a fel on a tractor i push over 12 ich trees with my fel of corse the grounds soft and the trees been dead for a while after i push them down i saw the stamp off i have a 70 horse with fel loaded rear tires