Go BottomBox Blade
 | Bo McCarty THE BO-MA
Join Date: Posts: 1 
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2001-06-06 29004
Okay I am a happy owner of a B7500 with Woods FEL. My mowing time went from 4.5 hours to 2 hours and I'm still a greenhorn on how to mow with the tractor so I know it'll go down further.I want a box blade! I had considered a normal rear blade until reading the posts on what a box blade can do and I see how handy they are. I have places to level up and a log trail I ride my ATV on that needs some TLC. What brands/size should I consider? Kubota? Landpride? Woods?
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley 
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2001-06-07 29014
You probably want a scraper that at least covers your tire tracks. I use a 6' scraper @ around 700 lbs. on my 24hp Ford 1710 with turf tires, but the tire tracks are just over 5-foot. There are traction problems, mostly in heavy soil or sod and using the scarifiers. However, I wanted the extra width for cutting side-grades, and the traction problems are manageable. In terms of brands, weight is the main thing in a scraper. They won't cut hard gravel unless they weigh a lot. If you're maintaining a gravel drive, you don't want to have to tear it up with the scarifiers or strap a bunch of scrap iron on top in order to get the blade to cut. In general, weight is a good proxy for quality. The heaviest scraper for its size probably also has the best quality. There are some quality measures such the use of reinforcing blocks, 3ph-mount design, replaceable scarifier points and scarifier adjustment method, but it's a little tough to judge quality without looking at one. Manufacturer web sites are of some help, and some even may describe construction details. Weight is still the easiest way to judge. For my purposes, a conventional box is best and cheapest--no roll-over, no hinged rear cutter and no hydraulic scarifiers. However, I consider a hydraulic top-link almost an essential. ....
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| FarmerWannabe
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2001-06-07 29019
Excuse my ignorance but what is a hydraulic top link?
Is it an accessory or is it standard?
Is it part of the tractor or part of the implement?
Thanks. ....
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| Paul Fox
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2001-06-08 29044
A hydraulic top link is an accessory. It replaces the solid or screw-adjustable top link on the three point system. The advantage is that it allows you to quickly adjust the fore-and-aft angle (which affects how well it "bites") on attachments like a box blade. You can do the same thing with a "solid" top link, but you have to stop, loosen the jam nut, screw the link in or out, hope you have it where you want it, tighten the jam nut, climb back on the tractor and try it, and if it isn't quite right, start over again. With a hydraulic cylinder used as a top link, you just tap the control valve (on the fly) until it's where you want it. Very handy for some applications, but expensive by the time you purchase the extra control valve, the hydraulic cylinder with the appropriate ends on it, and the plumbing. I wouldn't mind having one, but I don't do enough blading to justify it. If you REALLY want to have the neatest toy on the block, you can replace the adjuster on the lower link that you use to adjust side-to-side tilt with a similar rig. It's called "Top-n-Tilt". ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2001-06-08 29046
Hydraulic top-links aren't standard. They're just fairly heavy-duty hydraulic cylinders that replace the top-link and can be operated from the tractor seat. It does take a rear hydraulic pair, or a circuit stolen from a loader to use one. When using my scraper, I make a very large number of top-link adjustments to get just the right action. I don't think I'd consider my scraper very useful if I had to climb off the tractor each time I needed to adjust the link. In addition, I make many of the adjustments on the fly--to change from cutting to spreading action. I couldn't do that with a regular top-link. Some people also have hydraulic side-levelers (called tip n tilt). If I had such a setup, then I’d be able to crown my drives without getting off the tractor. The hydraulic top-link also operates the carriage tilt for my 3ph forklift, and there are probably other uses as well. ....
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| JeffM
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2001-06-08 29057
Bo, I have some of the same needs as you stated, but I decided to buy a quality landscaping rake instead of a box scraper. This was mostly because I am in fairly rocky terrain and felt that I would find the box blade ineffective for much of the trail grooming I would like to do. I bought a 7' Woods. So far I'm very happy with the rake. ....
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