What's best for grading driveway

[Grouse Feathers]

I agree with MRV on the weight of the implement. A 3 point hitch has no downward force so all the grading comes from the weight of the implement. I also have a BX and I just replaced a lightweight generic blade with a LandPride RB1560. The RB1560 is about 100 pounds heavier than the generic and it makes a world of difference for grading.

 

[aeblank]

I have a Kubota grand l 40. Probably could have been fine with a B series, but for the same basic reason, I went big (at least for me). Love the 6' blower. Can do the driveway in 1/2 the time as my plow.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[Tallahassee Kubota Man]

I've been looking at the land planes or graders since reading this thread. I priced a Dirt Dog model for $1250. It's a 7' model coming in at 650 lbs. I've got a Dirt Dog disc harrow; one of the best built implements I have, so would be confident buying it.
Here's a link to it: http://dirtdogmfg.com/categories/3/products/38/GRB

 

[lakebota]

... A 3 point hitch has no downward force so all the grading comes from the weight of the implement.....

There is resultant downforce generated by the blade as it "bites" nto material being cut.
These small tractors are able to move quite a bit of dirt with a properly used box scraper.
An overview:
first angle up the rear of the box and drop rippers
Next pass raise rippers all the way and keep box set with the rear up
Move forward and watch as the blade cuts down into the scarified material from 2 to 4" deep. Keep the 3 pt control lever pressed down until you reach the depth you want, then release it while the tractor is moving forward.
Continue through your "cut" and raise the box by "bumping" the 3 pt control to the lift position in stages until the material is diposited where it's needed.
Finally with the box set as it is (rear up) set the box on grade (that is at acceptable height) and back over the deposited material. The back blade will "strike off" highs and lows and the fore blade will finish off the surface.
Repeated passes will leave a smooth finish. Alternately one can adjust the top centerlink to lower the back of the box (to be lower than the front of the box and do the final grading by driving the tractor forward, HOWEVER, reverse from a known "good" piece of drive or road will keep the tractor (and blade) positioned to keep the desired grade.
If cross slope or crown is desired, set the angle by adjusting the lower lift arm.
I believe the rakes and back blade will shape a road and get rid of ruts, but the tractor is always running on uneven ground so the implement follows the tractor.
I'd like to see the rakes and back blade in action next to a box scraper (all run by knowledgeable operators). I feel (and am biased) that a box scraper would do the work faster and better.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

There is resultant downforce generated by the blade as it "bites" nto material being cut.
These small tractors are able to move quite a bit of dirt with a properly used box scraper.
An overview:
first angle up the rear of the box and drop rippers
Next pass raise rippers all the way and keep box set with the rear up
Move forward and watch as the blade cuts down into the scarified material from 2 to 4" deep. Keep the 3 pt control lever pressed down until you reach the depth you want, then release it while the tractor is moving forward.
Continue through your "cut" and raise the box by "bumping" the 3 pt control to the lift position in stages until the material is diposited where it's needed.
Finally with the box set as it is (rear up) set the box on grade (that is at acceptable height) and back over the deposited material. The back blade will "strike off" highs and lows and the fore blade will finish off the surface.
Repeated passes will leave a smooth finish. Alternately one can adjust the top centerlink to lower the back of the box (to be lower than the front of the box and do the final grading by driving the tractor forward, HOWEVER, reverse from a known "good" piece of drive or road will keep the tractor (and blade) positioned to keep the desired grade.
If cross slope or crown is desired, set the angle by adjusting the lower lift arm.
I believe the rakes and back blade will shape a road and get rid of ruts, but the tractor is always running on uneven ground so the implement follows the tractor.
I'd like to see the rakes and back blade in action next to a box scraper (all run by knowledgeable operators). I feel (and am biased) that a box scraper would do the work faster and better.

What are the actual conditions and what tractor and size? These 3 conditions themselves can make a HUGE difference with your statement. Best thing to do, have multiple implements. Each implement excels at what it was designed to do, after that it becomes what else can be done with a particular implement to be able to gain more use from it. Again this varies by implement. Pretty hard to beat a box blade for an all around implement, and put a good operator in front of it and that implement can really do some serious grading. But the same can be said of other implement also.

 

[Grouse Feathers]

I think a box blade is a great tool for grading on a larger tractor with a longer wheel base, 3 point draft control and hydraulic top link. With a smaller tractor like a BX the motion of the tractor over uneven ground is much choppier due to the shorter wheel base. The greater up and down motion of the box blade on the BX will require a lot more adjustment on a tractor without 3 point draft control and in most cases without a the hydraulics for the top link. A land plane, grader scraper, over comes the shortcomings for a BX as no adjustments are required while grading. There may still be a use for a box blade on a BX if a lot of material needs to be moved for leveling.
I have less than 5 months of tractor experience, but I am a retired engineer. I can usually understand the how and why things work and the forces involved. However, understanding and doing are two different things and being a good operator requires skill developed from experience. If the operators think my analysis is all wet let me know.

 

[gpreuss]

I'd really consider a "B". Traction is a function of weight and tire size - and the B has both. And you have an uneven 15 acres, and an 800' drive to maintain. You will soon be wishing your BX had bigger tires and more weight... Just MHO.
I put a tail wheel on my rear blade - the blade is suspended between the 3ph lift arms and the tail wheel, so it works like a road grader - knocks down the high spots and fills in the low ones. Works great! I generally use a piece of chain for the top link, unless I really want the rigidity.
Since I took this picture I've moved the wheel farther back -- as shown, the wheel is too close to the blade, and wont allow you rotate the blade fully around.

 

[lakebota]

I figured my bx2230 w/60" and b1550 w/48" would do comparable work as the op's bx2670. I learned most of what I know about using a box grader by watching and using contractors mounted on tractors of the case 580 caliber.
As another retired engineer whom designed projects including roads and drainage, I spent about 1/4 of my time inspecting and watching operators good and bad. This accelerated my learning curve when I embarked improving our property. The goal of being able to roam the entire parcel without getting bucked from the seat of either of the tractors or a riding mower that can now mow approximately 1/3 of the property on the lowest deck setting. I started with a large sloping parcel (4 ac) hummocky littered with brush, trees and several stumps. The box scraper has been a great assist in removing these, with a single ripper dropped and working around to loosen the root ball and then break it free or burn after a year of exposure to drying. Can't be in a hurry with these small tractors. I have also used the single ripper method, with the right hand side of the box set as low as I can get it to successfully rip ground allowing me to hand trench for short distances for underground conduits and for foundations for small out-buildings.
Probably the biggest thing about successfully grading is looking at the entire "scope" and to try to avoid excessive "packing" of material. That is to deposit cut material into areas needing fill as close as possible to where it originates.
As others have mentioned it's practice, practice, with the caveat of thinking about the goal first. I also think if someone is starting fresh with no or little experience the videos previously mentioned in this thread may help increase the learning curve.
I know that I have been able to not only level large plots of land, I have been able to create mid-slope roads by cut and fill on a major cross slope by setting the box, ripping, then distributing fill material all without using the fel other than to back drag the end of runs to make a "flat even surface" to begin my back blade-ing process (operating the tractor in reverse).
I've been able to do most work without resetting box angle (front to rear), and only side to side when I want to cut or develop a crown or ditch along the road or fence-line.
Lastly I have not used a rake or blade behind my tractors, yet know the capabilities of a blade (grader) that are not great at packing material, are good at making finish grade with lots of blade adjustment and am pretty sure a rake is used mainly for maintaining existing roads by dressing up gravel drive to get rid of wash boards, ruts or wheel tracks. I may be way off base, but can't imagine it.

edit-> gpreuss great setup with the wheel and chain to allow the blade to work independent of the tractor angle. I have not seen that set-up in the past.

 

[Grouse Feathers]

lakebota, I hope my post didn’t imply a box blade would not work on a BX. Your experience and use of the box blade shows the greater versatility over a grader scraper if the operator puts in the time and work to develop the needed skills. From your two posts you had a lot of work and plenty of opportunity to develop the skills to use the more versatile implement.
My property is defined as glacial till, sand, rocks, with two to four inches of top soil, and I do as little as possible to disturb the top soil as once disturbed the soil is gone. Without topsoil and vegetation I can get into an erosion problem especially near the trout stream in front of the house. This limits any blade use to the driveway. Since the driveway is flat and level except for one long hill, the only material moving I need to accomplish is filling potholes. In my case I will not have the opportunities to develop your level of box blade skills. A grading scraper designed specifically for road grading should work as well for me as a box blade does for you.

gpreuss, I also like your setup and wish I had the welding skills to put together a similar setup.

 

[lakebota]

grouse feathers, not at all, we're good! I bought property that is composed of volcanic debris overlaying good sandy loam soil that lies from 1' to 3' below. It is so well drained that a hose laying on the ground running at half open makes a puddle a couple feet around and perks in. The top material is full of obsidian from pea to volley-ball size (can be hard on tires if I work equip so I don't push it).
What I was hearing the op say seemed to parallel my intended use and needs. The box scraper may not be the best implement for everyone, I would not own a tractor without one. When I bought our property in '12 I bought the 2 wheel drive b1550 along with the place, the 4' box proved useful, but having to borrow and transport borrowed jd loader/scraper lead me to buy the bx2230, I'm on the fence about selling both of these and stepping up to the next category tractor.
The learning curve was accelerated by previous experience, and lack of any hyd control other than the 3 pt made me become resourceful in minimizing adjustments, rather developing a "working plane" or platform to work away from. I seldom change settings unless making a cut on a slope, a ditch or trench.
I think anyone with room, a little foresight and able to devote time can quickly develop box scraper skills for property development and maintenance.
Edit-> I searched youtube.com and found a video (terrible sound) by searching "how to use a box blade" and found one from a manufacturer about 10 minutes long. I'm not endorsing them in any way, it shows some of the concepts I described.