Box blade vs straight blade

goldenpsp

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Equipment
BX 23S
Nov 25, 2017
69
0
6
Baltimore MD
Hey everyone. So I'm falling into the classic trap of a new BX owner. Since it can handle lots of attachments I want them all!

Obviously I cannot do that, as I couldn't afford or have the space to store them.

One large project over the next year at least is reworking my backyard. There will be a certain amount of grading I'll have to do.

From my noob research a boxblade seems to be the best option for this sort of task. My hesitation with this is that while I'd use it for this project, I don't forsee needing a box blade for regular tasks once I am done.

So I was also looking at straight blades (back blades). They are also advertised for grading, however they also seem useful for snow removal. Here in MD snow can be very unpredictable. This year we only had one decent snowstorm which I cleared with the FEL. Some years we get dumped on. My driveway isn't huge but it is longish (135 ft). That being said we don't get enough snow to justify a dedicated front blade or snow blower, as really the FEL suffices, but a back blade would be icing.

So after this long winded post, I'm leaning towards the back blade. It may not be as good for basic grading as a box blade but will have far more ongoing usefulness even after I am done grading. So am I on the right track or delusional?
 

bcp

Active member

Equipment
BX2360
Apr 20, 2011
644
77
28
SW WA
If you add end plates to a rear blade, it will be almost as good as a box blade without scarifiers.

:)

Bruce
 

85Hokie

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BX-25D ,PTB. Under Armor, '90&'92-B7100HST's, '06 BX1850 FEL
Jul 13, 2013
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bottom line.....
if surface is hard, scraper blade will not work as well as box.
box with the "teeth" will loosen soil as it passes...
a rear blade will rise up and over those hard areas.

Box blade not good for snow as well as rear straight blade.

Used them both - IF you must pick.....the I think the straight will be used more often.
 

pauly

Member

Equipment
2014 B2650, LA534A FEL,B2781B Snow Blower, Land Pride RCR 1260 Land Pride RB157
Sep 23, 2014
150
4
18
East Troy Wisconsin USA
Look for a used box blade, or buy new and sell it after you are done. The box blade is the better choice for your task.
 

goldenpsp

Member

Equipment
BX 23S
Nov 25, 2017
69
0
6
Baltimore MD
Thanks for all of the replies so far. I will add that in the areas that are getting changed up, I will first be working through digging out stumps etc with the backhoe. So in most if not all cases I will be working with dug up loose soil vs hard packed.

Buying a cheap used one is certainly an option. I could probably then clean it up and sell it for the same once I am done.
 

lordulrich

New member

Equipment
BX 2370, 60 MMM, Loader, Front Mount Snow Blower, Landpride 3 pt blade, Tiller
Jul 28, 2016
82
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0
SE Minnesota
I've got a straight blade for my BX. I use it for gravel driveway maintenance and winter snow removal. I don't keep my loader attached in the winter and my blade is a supplement for my blower so I don't have a reference for how a loader works on a BX. I find the blade good for small snow falls but big heavy snow falls the blade is not really that good. I also use the blade in a similar manner to how the plow trucks (big plows not the guys with pickups) use a underbody blade to scrape ice. What I'm getting at is I'm not sure a blade would be a good supplement to a loader for snow.

Finish grading with a blade comes out nice, but takes some skill.
 

eipo

Active member

Equipment
L4060
Dec 1, 2015
693
81
28
MI
Box blade can be used as a plow running backwards. Shorten the top link so the rear cutting edge isn't digging....

Grading with a rear blade can be tricky if you've never done it before. A box blade is far more forgiving.... The top link is your friend with a box blade. Adjustments can have you go from cutting to laying material down with the rear cutting edge smoothing things out....

Box blades are the swiss army knife of rear implements. They almost demand a hydraulic top link they're so useful.
 

Russell King

Well-known member

Equipment
L185F, Modern Ag Competitor 4’ shredder, Rhino tiller, rear dirt scoop
Jun 17, 2012
4,606
975
113
Austin, Texas
There are also plows similar to the rippers on the box blade to loosen the soil. The you can level with a back blade.


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goldenpsp

Member

Equipment
BX 23S
Nov 25, 2017
69
0
6
Baltimore MD
I've got a straight blade for my BX. I use it for gravel driveway maintenance and winter snow removal. I don't keep my loader attached in the winter and my blade is a supplement for my blower so I don't have a reference for how a loader works on a BX. I find the blade good for small snow falls but big heavy snow falls the blade is not really that good. I also use the blade in a similar manner to how the plow trucks (big plows not the guys with pickups) use a underbody blade to scrape ice. What I'm getting at is I'm not sure a blade would be a good supplement to a loader for snow.

Finish grading with a blade comes out nice, but takes some skill.
Yea i think the blade would be fine here for snow. i'd use it instead of the FEL. I think the worst years I had to clear the driveway maybe 4 times a winter. And usually a BIG snow in MD is maybe a foot.
 

Beaudeane

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Equipment
MX5800, LA1065, BH92, BB72X, RT72.40, EA 60 in grapple, county line auger
Mar 9, 2018
128
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0
Dalton, Ga
My experience is unless I had top n tilt, I can’t do any different with a box blade than I can with the FEL. Surely I’m the minority on this as most talk on the forums list box blades as the best land leveler available. I have used a box blade & a strait scrape blade that can pivot & lock at different angles. I was just faster & it was easier for me to use the front loader for gravel driveway maintainance. My driveway is a little over 5 acres long, half flat, half hill that washed from heavy rain pretty bad. After I got the tiller, I’d sometimes run it shallow then back drag with bucket tipped down to smooth it better. No scarcifiers doing it without a box blade but was just the easier faster way for me. Same on dirt leveling when I had fill brought in or rough areas to smooth in the yard. I’m Getting a new bigger tractor & a box blade is still not gonna be in my tool box unless I end up with t&t later on. Think I’d buy used on a box blade as no moving parts & I have a welder
 

D2Cat

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Mar 27, 2014
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You mentioned working up the back yard, but will will be mostly loose soil.

A rear blade will not move any material that is not loose. So 80% of your project can be loose, as if you just had a truck of top soil dumped, but the remaining 20% will be a never ending project.

You need a box blade to dig up that portion, or rent a tiller, or get a disc.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/King-Kutte...365549&hash=item4d149a6caa:g:WXkAAOSw1cNaHCRo

Just looked on Cl in your area. This is the first thing that popped up. You could buy it, use it and sell it if you didn't like it. https://baltimore.craigslist.org/grd/d/5-foot-box-blade/6555063852.html
 
Last edited:

DuckDog

New member

Equipment
B2650
Jun 23, 2017
72
3
0
Laotto, IN USA
I can’t think of anything I haven’t used my box blade for. 650’ driveway maintinence, new parking spot off the drive, leveling the yard, pushing snow, pulling snow, Weight for loader/grapple work, pulling small roots. I could keep going. Pretty much never leaves my tractor unless I’m running the bush hog.

I’ve used rear blades no where near the capability and usefulness of a box blade. Honestly apples to oranges there.

Takes a bit to figure out where to have the top link for certain situations but once you get the sweet spots you can manage any grading work.


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RKUB2

New member

Equipment
L3400
Apr 26, 2018
3
0
1
Rural east Texas
Depends! Everyone has given the pro and cons of each. One job no one mentioned is dragging dead trees etc. When I have to do some dragging I loop a chain around the ripper teeth(raised and facing the front) on my box blade to store chain. Then hook up and drag with chain. Been doing it far years & works great. In fact the chain stays on the box blade unless I need the rippers.