Box Blade ?

[BotaLoda]

I'm looking to buy a box blade and wondering if anyone is familiar with the quality and effectiveness of these two? I have a new BX2370. I plan on using it for both landscaping (at home) and as a weight box. I have very rocky soil.

The BLEC50 here:
http://ab-eagleline.com/download/i/mark_dl/u/2005497/11938758/BLEC Medium Duty Clevis Hitch Box.jpg

Or this:
https://knoxville.craigslist.org/grd/6024691598.html

Would like to gather rocks as I go but the 2nd one looks like a rubber flap at the end. Suppose it would be easy enough to make a steel end to replace or interchange with the rubber one?
The first one is new @ $610. I'm a newbie but my dealer says the A&B quality is better than most (well they are the dealer). Did a search here and saw something someone called a "stump jumper" which I think would be great for all my rocks, then again I don't know how well the tines would hold up if they didn't jump over the rocks?

 

[SLIMSHADIE]

Bota 4' box blade max, it will fill up and stop your BX. My dealer has the Land Pride line and thats the one I bought, about 4 years ago it was $500 + tax new. There is 2 cutting edges depending on the direction of pulling/pushing the box blade, no rubber on there. You can save some coin by buying used. They make a good counter weight also.

 

[85Hokie]

not sure what you are referring to as a rubber edge......

On a typical box blade - you have basically three parts, tines (removable if need be), a front cutting edge, and a identical rear cutting edge. I think what you are looking at IS a steel cutting edge (on the second one)(Howse is a fine brand too)

The second one can be had for less than what he is offering - bring cash and show him the cash. Start at 400 and then ease up.....450 or less. I think that 5' is gonna be too much for the BX BTW

The stump jumper is something typical of a rear rotary blade(brush hog) - never heard of a stump jumper on a box blade - will tell you this, if one of those tines hits a "rock" - and the rock is big one, IT will either pull it out the ground, you'll spin tires, OR it will come up over the rock! Without the tines installed, the edge will only scrape the top layer of soil, not gonna really dig up rocks! The tines can be placed at a low, med or deep depths DEPENDING on what you are trying to accomplish. The top link can be set to dig, or level the soil too.

Box blades can do a hellva lot - with the right setup and operator!

 

[BotaLoda]

Thanks guys! My dealer said to get the 5', I just measured my loader bucket and it's an inch shy of 4'. I'm thinking that new 4' box blade is kind of a waste with only 3 tines, am I right? I'm not planing to go deep with it, just to dress up the top soil for planting grass. And back to the width, just so it's a bit wider than the tractor tires is all I need so it doesn't leave tire tracks... right?

As far as the rocks, there is a chance of hitting some big ones that are not going to move. Since I don't have a backhoe (a little buyers remorse there), I did get the dealer to throw in a single tine sub soiler (which I don't have yet). I thought that may help with some mean roots and rocks, even if I have to attack the rocks from all different angles. Or am I going to ruin it trying to get large rocks loose? I don't know how that sub soiler is going to be, but I'm hoping I can fabricate my own cutting edge on the tine that is sharp and will really cut, not tear through tough roots.

The only implement I have if you call it that, is a tooth bar for the bucket. Night and day difference there. After the deal was done but before I signed, I told them to throw in the tooth bar and sub soiler.

 

[Kyle_CMU]

I have a BX 1870 and just bought a 4' box blade from Titan Attachments. It came Friday and seems very well made. It does have 4 teeth. I'd think your machine could handle a 5 footer, but sometimes too much implement will actually take longer because you have to take smaller bites (so to speak).

 

[BotaLoda]

I have a BX 1870 and just bought a 4' box blade from Titan Attachments. It came Friday and seems very well made. It does have 4 teeth. I'd think your machine could handle a 5 footer, but sometimes too much implement will actually take longer because you have to take smaller bites (so to speak).

Thanks, yes I understand how bigger could take longer. Is that a tooth all the way on the left side in the picture? Is the whole thing off center from the tractor so you overlap your passes with ease? Just asking because of where I think that one tooth is, and on my little old tractor I have a rototiller that is offset like that so your tires don't compact what was just tilled. One more, do you happen to know its weight?

 

[trapperdrew]

Thanks, yes I understand how bigger could take longer. Is that a tooth all the way on the left side in the picture? Is the whole thing off center from the tractor so you overlap your passes with ease? Just asking because of where I think that one tooth is, and on my little old tractor I have a rototiller that is offset like that so your tires don't compact what was just tilled. One more, do you happen to know its weight?

I have a 60 in bb behind my 23s. Works fine for me.

 

[Kyle_CMU]

Nothing is offset, it is very symmetrical. However, as long as you're moving forward there shouldn't be any concern with compacting anything after it has been worked...as long as your tire width isn't more that the width of the implement.

Shipping weight was 397 pounds, but that included a 2" receiver hitch frame and the steel angle iron crate. Probably 325 pounds or so.

The one I bought is linked below. It looks well made, but I haven't used it yet. http://www.palletforks.com/three-po...des/titan-4-box-blade-tractor-attachment.html

 

[SLIMSHADIE]

My 48" has 4 rippers. It also stopped my BX25D in it tracks fully loaded(which is a BX2370 with a backhoe). It covers my tire tracks so Im happy with that.

 

[bcbull378]

Don't overlook the Gearmore box scrapers I bought ones used have had it 7 years now still works great

 

[BotaLoda]

One other thing that interests me in a 4' is that I was hoping to use it as rear weight. I don't really like the idea of it sticking out wider than the tractor. Or is using it as ballast weight not the best of ideas? My tires are filled but sideways on a slope of only 9° I can push on the roll bar and easily lift the uphill rear tire off the ground. Is 9° a lot or do I just need some serious weight? There are other parts of my driveway that are a few degrees steeper (up and down, not sideways) and as it is I wouldn't even want to try to turn around there.
I use to use an old neighbors large backhoe loader and in situations like that I just put the backhoe out pointing uphill and never had a problem.

 

[BotaLoda]

Don't overlook the Gearmore box scrapers I bought ones used have had it 7 years now still works great

They do look heavy for their size which I would guess is good in general, but many of the brands appear to be localized to cut down on shipping I suppose. I'm in east TN, not far from NC.

 

[Ramos]

Just brought home a Land Pride BB1248 on Saturday. This is a 4' wide box blade with four shanks. Put it on driveway duty and could not be happier with the performance and how well matched it is to our BX1870. I know you have a few more ponies than I do but I think the limiting factor will be traction. I don't know what a 4' box full of moist gravel and dirt weighs but, it has to be considerable. Give the LP a look, it's a nice unit. We paid $600.00 out the door and I see them listed elsewhere for $590.00, a five footer would be just a bit more. As mentioned, a box blade would make a great used purchase if you can find the right one. Everything is right there in plain site to judge its' condition.

 

[BotaLoda]

Just to mix things up a bit, my friend tells me that if I'm using the teeth on the bucket to loosen the soil, that a good york rake with trailing wheels would work better than a box blade. I do have a LOT of rocks and I do not need this to fix a stone driveway, just for landscaping.
Any comments on that? Thanks as always.

 

[Lil Foot]

Narrower box blades cut better, wider blades make it easier to level larger areas.
My neighbor's 60" box blade is much easier to grade driveways & spread gravel & such, but my 42" box will dig circles around the wider box. If you are cutting watercourses, widening a road, digging side ditches, or carving off a hilltop, a narrower box may be the better choice. Of course, whichever way you go, the more rippers the better.

 

[MainelyScott]

I just bought a Landshark from everythingattachments.com U.S. made and free freight shipping. Looks to be a pretty nice unit. Got it just a couple of weeks ago and have graded the road and used it to push snow, I'm very satisfied with it.

 

[flyidaho]

My Titan 5' box blade for my new L3301 showed up yesterday. They ship it in a 2" angle iron frame, ridiculously over protected for an item that's going to be dragged in the dirt and rocks! But it was impressive...., that they bothered, and the angle iron will be reincarnated as a frame for a rear ballast box (then filled with concrete).

I've used a scraper blade and a FEL many times before for moving gravel around, now I need to get up to speed in the proper operation of the box blade. So far I have about 7 tons of road base to practice on, with more coming today.

 

[Kyle_CMU]

Yup, I received my Titan 4' BB two weeks ago. It is really well made. I've been trying to decide what to do with the "crate" as well.

My Titan 5' box blade for my new L3301 showed up yesterday. They ship it in a 2" angle iron frame, ridiculously over protected for an item that's going to be dragged in the dirt and rocks! But it was impressive...., that they bothered, and the angle iron will be reincarnated as a frame for a rear ballast box (then filled with concrete).

 

[Grumpyjoe]

I bought the Land Pride with my tractor a BX25D. When I am ripping ot hitting rocks it is all it can do to pull the 48 inch box. I have all the time I need so I am not looking for speed. Happy with the 48 incher.

I find the most important is to learn how to adjust all angles. If installed wrong it is useless. When leveled and set square it pulls nice and keeps my driveway nice. At 900 feet it takes me a couple days of running running back and forth to get the results I want. Then it is like glass.

Practice and adjust a lot to see what each angle can do. I like to set it up on smooth concrete first so I know when both forward and back blades are really level with the front of the box. Then I set the side to side and the tilt. Now when I go out I can count turns and get back to square any time.