Thinking of a 60" Box Blade for the CUB !

[Ole90633]

The annual routine of plowing my 1,200' driveway of 2B crushed limestone; mixed with snow, off to the sides during Winter; from the sides back onto the cartway during Spring; has me giving serious thought to mounting a 60" Box Blade !

My faithful 1949 CUB, with the 54A blade; front mounted for snow; mid-ship mounted for crushed stone; does a very respectable job

About every 2-3 years though, the driveway needs a really good going-over. Using the 54A is too time consuming for the quantity of stone needing moved.

Plan is: to have my drawbar mounting with the bail to the front of the tractor, on the forward final drive mounting pads. Fabricate rigid extensions off the typical lower 3-point box blade mounts, going forward to the drawbar. Use a lift chain from the rear lifting point of my hydraulic lift, attached to the top-link point of the box blade, to allow for floating.

I'm wondering if anyone has done this already; might recommend a better plan, as well as, a suitable Box Blade with scarifiers of quality construction ?

It's looking like 2021 will be the year of the "good going-over" :tractor:

Don

 

[Rick Spivey]

A 60" might be more than the Cub can handle, depending on how loose the stone is. You'd possibly be better served with a 4' box blade, which might handle the stone when packed a bit, or even other light tasks. In any event, use caution, because I find a Cub is not an earthmoving piece of equipment, and a box blade is moving in that direction. But I've also never tried a box blade on a Cub, so hopefully someone with experience will speak up as well,

 

[Rick Prentice]

Hi Don. I tried that years ago with my first cub I owned. I built a 3 point hitch to mount the box blade. It was a TSC 5 footer with teeth. To be totally honest, the cub would pick it up fine, but getting a sizeable bite into the pile was too much, traction wise. I had to take smaller bites. Once you start dragging over loose stone, traction was even worse. The other hassle was trying to maintain a level dragging of stone. Taking smaller bites and driving over stone with cavities from previous spinning created a washboard effect and hard to make flat. A float setup on the 3 point would've made a big difference, I think I think a 4 footer would be more friendly with the cub. Jim Hudson used a 4 footer behind his cub but I haven't heard from him in several years.

Rick

 

[mcwinter]

I use a 60" DR power grader behind my cub, and it pulls fine. Probably won't move as much material at a time as a box blade, but does a good job of loosening up the surface and smoothing out pot holes.

 

[Nelson 634]

I have a 60" wide box blade behind a International 460 Utility tractor. 60 HP with 48 at the draw bar. It works that tractor. Drop the teeth down and it really works hard. And it does float. I agree with others look at the DR type, there are many that are made for ATV use and can easily used behind a Cub. I've see some for wildlife plots, driveways, horse rings. Problem is most of these are double the price of a box blade. I have used my box blade on my own drive way. I won't do it again. It pulled up too many rocks which where part of the base. I have also seen homemade devices which level and regrade gravel dives. Essentially a V of angle iron with C channel at top and bottom of the V. So one side of the V pushes loose stone to the left or up over the angle and the other part of the V pushes it to the right or up and over the angle iron filling in low spots and reducing high spots. I'll try to find a picture.

 

[Nelson 634]

I have not been able to find a picture of what I tried to describe. Do a search on your favorite search engine for homemade land plane or driveway drag. I used the photo search. There is a lot to see. May give you some ideas.

 

[Ole90633]

THANKS guys, for the numerous replies :hattip:

Rick Prentice, that's one cool rig in your reply !

I've always wanted to see how many implements you could mount on a CUB and, if a few of them might still be operational; not just a mass of rolling iron :lol:

In reviewing your experiences, complete with the pro's & con's, MCWINTER's included "DR POWER GRADER PRO 60" image might just be the ticket ! 1,200' X 8-9' is a bunch of driveway and Walter, the "drag" you mentioned came in at a solid second place.

Saw that DR POWER offers a 48" Grader but was concerned about the CUB's wheel tracks compacting, as well as, having to operate beyond the width to pull stone back into the drive. The overlap with the 60" might be just right ? The 54A at one position from straight ahead, puts me right on the edge but the CUB and I know how to handle it !

There's a local multi-line dealer nearby that offers DR POWER equipment; I'll have to visit them, while leaving my wallet at home, to have a cup of coffee and talk about a PRO 60 !

Thanks again... sincerely appreciated :hattip:

Don

 

[inairam]

I got this 48" fast hitch from Ag supply ( burchstoretractors.com was where I found the pic) It does will on a cub. I was surprised about how much material if could move/ carry. the one from ag supply has 4 teeth. I do think 60" would be too big for the cub

 

[Waif]

Only my thoughts...

That's a lot of ambition size ways for a Cub..
I agree 60" would cover rear wheel areas well if they are creating ruts you want to blend as you drag , but that is a heck of an anchor too. And what/where is it attached to?

Our 1/5 mile dirt road is a poor one.
I've borrowed a bigger tractor with a backblade , and would not subject either Cub to such work. Even if trying to skim with it.

One note I'll toss in for considering equipment/implements , putting a crown on a drive or road means an angle set in whatever is being used to work the surface. While there is a science or art to road/drive building , taking the crown off ,or not having one can create potholes, erosion and more.

Running on chipped stone/crushed concrete or other crumbly mediums takes a finesse. A soft blade edge might help too.
I run plow shoes/skids tall enough to keep my truck plow from cutting substrate.
Of course the ground needs to be frozen so not to dig in with the shoes.
The result is a layer of ice above the road surface most years. Gravel ect. on the sides occurs when ground is not froze , or blade is allowed to cut.
I'm clearing snow from above the road ,vs planing the road.
Kind of like putting water on dirt roads to create ice in the logging era when horses were used.

A friend who's drive I quit plowing had crushed asphalt put down. (He'd finally broke down and bought a tractor, relieving me of plowing there) He had to use more finesse than I on that oreo crumb type material.. Plow shoes were maybe his biggest help. Though he tried to stay off them where he could.

 

[dgrapes59]

Just a little more "food for thought"...

I have a 600' rock driveway and thought a 60" box blade would be a good implement for maintaining it. I have a JD 770, 4wd tractor (23 HP @ engine). Several years ago I found a used, looked like new, County Line 60" box blade for dirt cheap ($200 I think). The guy I bought it from had a ~25 HP tractor and said he only used it once and didn't do what he wanted (should have been a clue). Upon further research I found out that size box blade is recommended for 25-35 HP tractors "works effectively". I suppose it might have worked, but I never tried it, sold it last year for a small profit. Saying all of that, with the Cub HP, 2wd and the weight of the blades (415+ lbs ), in my opinion, rules out a Cub.
My driveway has a solid base and never had a problem with ruts. I have been successful using the front blade on my LoBoy dressing it up and maintaining a crown. It's about 5 years old now and I added about 22 tons of crushed limestone to it last year. I distributed with the neighbors JD 970 loader tractor then dressed it up with the LoBoy. I do plan to mount a middle blade on my F Cub and play with it as I understand the benefits of that type of mount.
Enough rambling, good luck,

 

[Ole90633]

Again, thanks guys for the additional input !

I've abandoned the 60" Box Blade as the consistent message has been: "quite the pull for the Cub !" In its place,
leaning towards continuing with the 54A mid-ship mounted with, a DR POWER PRO 60 power grader in tow.

The 54A angled on hole left or right; maybe with one hole on one side of tilt; to moldboard plow right to the edge of the driveway; while the tow behind grader does the screeding of the pulled back material.

I think I can manage to steer, clutch & brake, operate the throttle and hydraulic lift, keep one eye forward while keeping another eye down at the moldboard, with another eye on the power grader, while I manipulate the electric lift of the grader with the other hand... jeepers, could be a very busy situation :{_}:

Due to my location, I can't grade a crown; instead, at 300 foot intervals, there are swales at a 30* angle to the road that handle the run-off. Over that distance, the cartway gradually rolls from level across, at the uphill swale, towards the downhill side and lower swale, dropping a few feet across during that length.

This has worked well for years with the understanding that, the swales need regular cleaning as, the 'fines' tend to collect and fill them. The Cub with the mid-ship and full angle/full tilt mounting, works perfectly.

So... keep the inputs coming ! There are a few months left to ruminate before I have to deal with the aggregate :lol:

Don

 

[Jim Becker]

I think I can manage to steer, clutch & brake, operate the throttle and hydraulic lift, keep one eye forward while keeping another eye down at the moldboard, with another eye on the power grader, while I manipulate the electric lift of the grader with the other hand... jeepers, could be a very busy situation :{_}:

You really need to seriously consider what you just said here. You may find it much easier, maybe even quicker, to make more passes just with the Cub blade.

I'll throw in comment that occurred to me a bit ago even though the discussion has passed the point. A box blade does most of its work by dragging material the direction you are traveling. The task you have requires dragging material sideways, from the edge to the middle of your path. The least expensive (in equipment and time spent) way to do that is with a blade mounted at an angle. There are lots of choices on the size of blade, how you mount it, and how you control it. But the basic tool still is a blade at an angle.

 

[Ole90633]

Well Jim, if you think about it...

Plowing snow or crushed stone, the operator is already involved in multiple tasks: front mounted blade at full right throw, I watch the left corner of the blade for spillage, right corner for throw; left hand operating both the lift & throttle, ready for gear selection; right hand steering and constantly correcting for path and push-away by the media against the blade. Left foot on floor board, ready for gear change while right foot is frequently doing differential (split) braking; neither 'riding' the pedals.

To glance aft to monitor the trailing equipment and trigger an adjustment, involves mere seconds of additional tasking; operating in first gear, typically quarter throttle.

Multi-tasking is not new to me: while in my late 'teens', I flew lift and light attack helicopters in Vietnam; continued during my college years, with the Guard, advancing into heavy attack and eventually, heavy lift helicopters. Ultimately, those very involved skillsets were tested in armed combat situations, in the Persian Gulf.

Jim, I choose the emoji to visualize the busy situation, which is really just day-to-day activity on the Cub, with another minor task added. Certainly, I appreciate your input and agree that an experienced operator on a very familiar machine, myself, can be quite productive with the basic implements.

As you and others have mentioned, and which I've duly considered, the box blade is out of consideration. I am still interested in something being towed, that will provide a leveling action without much operator input: a floating drag of sorts.

Thanks for your thoughts and, I'm looking forward to several more as I work on this problem...

Don

 

[SONNY]

Dont try mounted blades on the back ----- get a pull type unit and no more than 4 foot on a cub. --- you will need some wheel weights to go with it , ---- BUT dont get too many hangin on there. A little is good----a lot will destroy something in the tractor.
Dont try anything more than the equivalent of the moldboard plow and you will be fine.
I move a lot of stuff with the mid mount of the cub blade. Anything demanding serious grading I use my Allis D motorgrader. You might be money ahead to hire a grader to do the major shaping for you. ---usually a LOT cheaper than buying equipment that might not work.

 

[Waif]

Well Jim, if you think about it...

Plowing snow or crushed stone, the operator is already involved in multiple tasks: front mounted blade at full right throw, I watch the left corner of the blade for spillage, right corner for throw; left hand operating both the lift & throttle, ready for gear selection; right hand steering and constantly correcting for path and push-away by the media against the blade. Left foot on floor board, ready for gear change while right foot is frequently doing differential (split) braking; neither 'riding' the pedals.

To glance aft to monitor the trailing equipment and trigger an adjustment, involves mere seconds of additional tasking; operating in first gear, typically quarter throttle.

Multi-tasking is not new to me: while in my late 'teens', I flew lift and light attack helicopters in Vietnam; continued during my college years, with the Guard, advancing into heavy attack and eventually, heavy lift helicopters. Ultimately, those very involved skillsets were tested in armed combat situations, in the Persian Gulf.

Jim, I choose the emoji to visualize the busy situation, which is really just day-to-day activity on the Cub, with another minor task added. Certainly, I appreciate your input and agree that an experienced operator on a very familiar machine, myself, can be quite productive with the basic implements.

As you and others have mentioned, and which I've duly considered, the box blade is out of consideration. I am still interested in something being towed, that will provide a leveling action without much operator input: a floating drag of sorts.

Thanks for your thoughts and, I'm looking forward to several more as I work on this problem...

Don

Thank you for your service. Welcome home again.

You read as busy as a racoon sawing away at the wheel of your Cub. L.o.l.. It can get busy....

I got rid of it before I acquired Cubs.
But built a sort of grader/leveler to drag.
Not my concept of a capitol letter A with the point forward , but I ran with it. Original idea was from a wood one used to clear snow off dirt road someone illustrated somewhere..

Two worn wear blades off tractor buckets about four inches tall X 4ish foot stood on edge , I welded a hinge on the nose/point of letter A. Then added a half eye to attach a chain to drag it with.
A couple foot from the nose I welded large nuts one on each blades upper edge flush to receive a piece of round stock with ends bent to drop into the nuts as a cross piece.

It did alright. Till I broke welds . Hard steel of blades got me there in my welding skills.. Blowing holes with a cutting torch might have been a better idea to use fasteners through some kind of gusset to join blades up front.
The nose could have used a skid shoe/plate too. It could bite a little on uneven terrain.

 

[Don McCombs]

Multi-tasking is not new to me: while in my late 'teens', I flew lift and light attack helicopters in Vietnam; continued during my college years, with the Guard, advancing into heavy attack and eventually, heavy lift helicopters. Ultimately, those very involved skillsets were tested in armed combat situations, in the Persian Gulf.

PM sent.

 

[seamajor]

I got this 48" fast hitch from Ag supply ( burchstoretractors.com was where I found the pic) It does will on a cub. I was surprised about how much material if could move/ carry. the one from ag supply has 4 teeth. I do think 60" would be too big for the cub

Ditto. I use the same box blade on my cub and 140. It's plenty for the cub. 60" is way to large IMHO.

 

[welderrx]

I like the DR my brother has one that he pulls behind a little Mitsubishi 2 cyl diesel 2wd tractor, He has almost a 3/4 mile driveway its like a little pan, earth mover. He has a stone rake he leaves on year round and makes a pass or 2 every time it rains heavy as he is on the side of a slope and gets washouts, but hooks up the DR when he needs it its a nice little attachment. TJ