Front blade versus grader blade

[mailman 1]

I am looking for opinions on which one is better suited for leveling and why. I am planning on using one or the other, (if I find a grader blade) for knocking down raised beds in the garden and general leveling of my garden. Should I quit looking for the grader or just try my snow/dirt blade?

[Rollerman 290]

Eric the mid mounted grader blades work really slick for just what you are intending on doing with it.

Being at the center of the tractor the blade can smooth things out much better or efficiently than the front mounted plow...they tend to dip or or come up & down as the tractor follows the grade.

Either will work...the front blade will hog more material I think...where the mid blade will leave you a more finer grade.

The mid grader blades are pretty handy...if you can find one for a price your willing to pay...go for it....another option would be to make one.

[Jim_M 179]

The front mounted blade is better for moving material and the mid mount is better for leveling material.

[WheelHorse_of_course 100]

Have have a front blade and a rear box blade.

I have never used a mid grade but I agree with Tickster, mechanically it has the advantage in terms of leveling off high spots.

On thing to consider is if you have obstructions such as walls or trees. My application has been regrading along the foundation of my house, as well as changing the slope in parts of the yard (all to slow/stop basement water incursion).

The box grader works better to dig up and move soil, but there is no way to get the soil where I want it. SO I will go back with the dozer blade to redistribute what I have piled up with the box blade.

Needless to say, in this application the mid mount would actually be a disadvantage.

One thing I will say about the rear box grader - it is a lot of weight hanging pretty far back. I get an instant blister lifting it.

I hope this helps!

If you already have the Dozer blade I'd go ahead and get started and see how it goes. :horseplay:

[WheelHorse_of_course 100]

One more thing

The front blade works really nicely for pushing around piles of leaves. I rake em into piles and push the piles around. I use the height stop to prevent the blade from hitting the ground and away I go.

[linen beige 15]

The front mounted blade is better for moving material and the mid mount is better for leveling material.

Simple, spot-on answer!

If you think about larger construction sites and the equipment used, Dozers are brought in to move the un-needed material out of the way and for rough back filling, but road graders are used for the final finishing ("Pans" are sometimes used for both, they are actually large grader boxes.).

I have a dozer blade (No trip springs, and lift bar mounted for down pressure.) on a 702 that I use for rough dirt moving and a small Brinly grader box for my 1054a I use for fine leveling. The grader box can be used to dig up and move dirt fairly well, but the dozer blade will move ten times as much material per pass as the grader box. Both of these tractors have hydro lifts so no blisters from a lift handle!

I would love to have a mid mount blade because they turn a 'Horse into a mini road grader, perfect for leveling. Any of the three can be used to dig, move, or level but each one has an area they shine in.

If I had to choose just one, I'd start with the dozer blade. At least for me, they seem to dig better, faster, and deeper. They will move more material per pass, and can be used in reverse to level fairly easily. They are also far better for moving snow in most situations.

One word of caution! Before you start digging, make sure you have plenty of fuel. You will have so much fun playing in the dirt you won't want to have to stop for a trip to the pumps!

[Teddy da Bear 11]

I have that box blade as well....never liked it.

Once it is full of material....it kinda ceases to function.

Either it rides up and over remaining material or it pours

out the sides leaving 6 to 8" material (gravel/dirt) trails.

[linen beige 15]

I have that box blade as well....never liked it.

Once it is full of material....it kinda ceases to function.

Either it rides up and over remaining material or it pours

out the sides leaving 6 to 8" material (gravel/dirt) trails.

Just a thought. Sounds like you're taking too big a bite? These things are also called distribution boxes in some circles. They are meant to take material off the high spots and distribute it in the low spots. Try raising it 'til it just scrapes the top of the high spots and as you move forward it will automatically drop material into any low spots. Or, if you are leveling a pile, fill the box at the pile and raise it slightly above the area where you are moving it to. The material should flow out evenly as you drive across that spot. Play with it for a while, the least you will do is have some fun with a 'Horse.

[Nick 13]

I much prefer the mid grader for leveling/grading work over a front blade. After building my first mid grader blade I rarely use a front dozer blade for much other than snow removal. As Stephen and the others said a mid grader does a nice job. They seem to have much more depth control making it easier to spread material out for a level surface.

As for moving more material with the mid grader Ive been tempted to make wings or side plates that could be easily bolted onto the sides when needed. That would make it similar to a small box blade but still have the mid mounted advantages. I believe Ive seen pictures of it done by others but not sure where I had seen them. :banghead:

[MaineDad 87]

Can you stand on the mid grader blade for more depth?

[Nick 13]

Yes you can. But it might be harder to do on some tractors though. On the 857 I stand on the blade for more depth or on one side when I want to cut a bit more on that side.

[WheelHorse_of_course 100]

You can have a helper stand on the rear blade too (adults only please).

Hard to do on a front blade though. :banghead:

[traktorkidd7/30/93 1]

In my own opinion I prefer the plow/ dozer blade... :banghead:

[Teddy da Bear 11]

Just a thought. Sounds like you're taking too big a bite? whtractor/dunno.gif These things are also called distribution boxes in some circles. They are meant to take material off the high spots and distribute it in the low spots. Try raising it 'til it just scrapes the top of the high spots and as you move forward it will automatically drop material into any low spots.

My box blade just doesn't work like that. It is either up (on wheels) or down (whole weight of the impliment). It also angles from side to side. Maybe I need to fab on it until it is adjustable. It is an Agri-Fab.

[mailman 1]

Ok, I want to thank everyone for their replies. I will try my dozer blade and see how it does. BUT.......

Now I wonder what a rear blade will do.

Any ideas on that? :banghead:

[WheelHorse_of_course 100]

My box blade just doesn't work like that. It is either up (on wheels) or down (whole weight of the impliment). It also angles from side to side. Maybe I need to fab on it until it is adjustable. It is an Agri-Fab.

So yours is a drawbar attachment?

The ones I have seen are Clevis Hitch attachments. Heavy, but you can adjust how much the cut by using the depth adjust on the lift are of the tractor...

OH! - my 854 doesn't have a depth adjustment, not sure why, most seem to have one ....Anyone have one for sale

cheers :lol:

[WheelHorse_of_course 100]

I bought my rear box grader this summer. It has more weight per inch of blade. Between that and the scarifier bar it digs through the packed soil and sod better than my front blade. Also cuts through sat least some roots. The front blade never cut much unless I angled it.

[linen beige 15]

So yours is a drawbar attachment?

The ones I have seen are Clevis Hitch attachments. Heavy, but you can adjust how much the cut by using the depth adjust on the lift are of the tractor...

Just what I was going to say!

My grader box was made by Brindley and is really not all that heavy, so it doesn't bite into hard ground very well. I use it on a clevis hitch on my 1054A, but being a cable lift it won't give down pressure other than what is there from it's own weight. TDB, you might try hooking yours up with a clevis hitch if possible, that should at least allow you to control the height between full up or full down. Or you could rig up something for a three point on your GT-14. That would give you full range adjustment and down pressure.

[WheelHorse_of_course 100]

Jim,

Mine is a brinly too. It is supposed to have a bracket to hold a cement block, but the PO took that off and attached some giant chain to it for a weight.

Part of my problem is that I use a slot to brinly adapter so that moves it furhter out and makes it heavier. I did move the cable to the upper hole and that helped, though I need to adjust the cable length now.

It does work better with someone standing on it, but if I use it when the ground is moist it does more than the front blade ever did.

I don't think I can get my wife to stand on it for me though....

:horseplay: :banghead: