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 | Oliver
Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 210 Massachusetts 
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2005-04-24 110271
I'm ready to buy a box blade for my 7510. Here's what I've found. At the local Tractor Supply Company I can buy a KK 48" (295 pounds) or a KK 60" (350 pounds). Each of these is right around $350 and I have a $250 gift certificate. I mention the gift certificate only because there isn't anything else I really need right now. Or, I can buy a Woods standard series 48" (400 pounds) for $525. This is new from the dealer, but the unit has been sitting outside for a year.
I'll use it to maintain three gravel driveways (the longest is about 750') as well as fill in some ruts and holes in the horse paddocks.
Any thoughts as to which of theses units will be the best match for my tractor?
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| mohican
Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 16 Poquoson,Va.
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2005-04-25 110309
I have a B7610 which is 3hp more than yours, but otherwise the same. A heavy 5', large volume box will be a bit much from actual experience. I have filled R4 tires and a front end loader and a 5' Bush Hog 60" box (490#) is all I can handle. Without front end ballast (FEL) and loaded rears tires, I couldn't pull it very well at all. You will lose traction before power, believe me. The problem is the 48" will not cover your rear tire treads. You need 54" unless you move in your rear tires, which I would not do for stability reasons. I know Land Pride makes a 54" and I heard JD does also. Or I would look for a lower internal volume 60" box. They vary so much in weight and internal volume, side plate thickness, moldboard ht etc.
The 48" Woods BB48 is a superior grade box, although pretty heavy. Load your rear tires and have at least 3 suitcase weights up front if you don't have a FEL. Kubota makes a kit to add two additional suitcase weights since the front end only holds three as is, you will benefit from that w/o FEL. Go in 4wd low range and grade away.
If cost is a consideration, I would use the $250 certificate and get the 5' KK box from TSC, it is fairly light and the box volume isn't as much as a comparable Woods. For light duty use, it should work fine. Don't forget the ballast! ....
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| Oliver
Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 210 Massachusetts
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2005-04-25 110316
Thanks for the input. I have loaded R4s and a FEL. I'll have to check the width of my tires -- I thought a 48" box blade would cover the tracks -- if not, I'll definitely have to go bigger.
I like the extra weight of the 60" unit, but am concerned that the extra volme might be too much. ....
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 | DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada 
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2005-04-25 110332
Land Pride and others make a 54 inch box. I just got one for my 4115 which has a 50 inch width across the rear tires. ....
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| akanapa
Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 28 Black Forest, Colorado
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2005-04-25 110336
I bought my first tractor, a JD4115, a tad under a year ago. Can someone please explain how a box blade differs functionally from a plain rear blade, and what applications you would use one over the other. Thanks! ....
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 | bvance
Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 280 The Great Pacific NorthWet, Olympia, WA
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2005-04-25 110345
Akanapa,
A box blade is just that...a 3-sided box. It will "carry" dirt where a straight blade typically will move dirt sideways usually on an angle. That's why a straight blade is often called an angle blade. A box blade also usually has scarifer teeth that you can lower to rip hard soil. You can raise the teeth out of the way or lower to several height adjustments. A straight blade can usually angle and also offset (moves the entire blade to offset in one direction or another.) Some can even tip on an angle to use as a ditcher. A straight blade is sometimes better for moving snow, because you can angle the snow away and on off the road in successive passes. A box blade can fill with snow quickly and be difficult to "dump" because you have to move off the road surface to dump it where you want it unless you use it in reverse and just push snow in a pile somewhere. A box blade is often used to move dirt from a high area and fill a low area....often used to shape and form a landscape, or just to put a smooth surface to a landscape. A box blade will have a two blades....a forward blade to cut and a rear blade to smooth. Depending on what you want to do, cut or smooth, you adjust the top link to a point the front blade will not cut but the back blade will smooth.
I have a Woods box blade and love it. Hope this helps.
Brian ....
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| Oliver
Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 210 Massachusetts
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2005-04-25 110347
I need 50" to cover my tire tracks -- glad I checked before getting a 48" blade. Do people think that there's a significant difference between a 54" blade and a 60" blade? Based on price and convenience, I'm leaning toward the 60" KK unit. I have a few days to decide... ....
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| hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3583 iowa
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2005-04-26 110353
I think you'll be lots happier with a box blade that is slightly wider than the tires. Just take lighter pases and you'll be fine. Frank. ....
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| DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2005-04-26 110354
No doubt the 60" KK unit will be considerably lighter than some other brands 54". One of the ways to make it cheaper is to use less steel.
As Frank said, the most important thing is to cover your tracks. If it will also serve as full time ballast an extra 100 pounds might be desirable.
Another consideration: your visual frame of reference for where your tractor fits are the rear wheels. The only time I scrape and bump into things (trees, fence posts, car bumpers) is when I have the 6' rear blade on.
Things are much safer when the whole assembly is roughly the same width. ....
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| Oliver
Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 210 Massachusetts
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2005-04-26 110355
Thanks for the input. Thee is a Landpride dealer 20 minutes away -- I have a call in to them to find out the price and availability of a 54" unit. ....
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 | Iowafun
Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 955 Central Iowa 
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2005-04-26 110358
Oliver, I run a 60" boxblade on my JD 4310. I do run out of traction if I take too big of a bite of gravel. So I take smaller cuts with it. You'll know when you run low on traction. It's not often, but when I take a big cut and the box is full of rock, she'll spin the tires.
I like the idea that you are finding one that will cover the rear tires. You should be fine whether you purchase a 54" or a 60". ....
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 | beagle
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1333 Michigan 
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2005-04-26 110359
I have the 7800, and wouldn't go any bigger than a 54" box. I have trouble with the 48" box I have if it fills up enough. For a box blade to perfom properly, you need to have a good amount of material in the box, and that is where your traction problems come from. For back smoothing, the 60" would be fine. For cutting and grading where you want the box loaded, don't go bigger than a 54". ....
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 | grf2k4
Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 19 NW Washington
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2005-04-26 110366
Been looking at a boxblade. Never used one before, so info found here has been helpful. Ran into the same issues that many of you have... quality vs price, amount of use it will actually get, size of tractor, etc. Of all I looked at the Landpride seems to be the best (the Woods was a little more expensive and similar quality, but the dealer pissed me off). Not sure the jump in quality is worth the jump in price, but I do want to buy just one. I have a TC40A and will be getting the 72". ....
Link: CustermtnFarm
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| Oliver
Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 210 Massachusetts
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2005-05-01 110577
After much struggle I ended up ordering the regular series KK 4 foot blade -- it weighs 55 pounds more than the XB I initially looked at as well as has a greater volume. I hope I don't regret that it doesn't cover my tracks (which are 50"). The 5' blade just seemed like it would be too much for my 7510 -- and the 54" units I found were twice the money (at least).
I'm excited for it to arrive so I can see how well it works. I'll let people know if it was the right choice -- or if it's for sale because I need the bigger one! ....
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