best tool for taking a bit of sideslope out of a farm trail

[flyidaho]

Last year I tried setting my back blade up with a good side angle, plus a forward angle, thinking I could drive down the 1/4 mile of no rock easy digging still soft in the spring anyway trail I have that is side sloped, and take some of that side slope out. I put about 250 pounds of scrap iron on it, and the results were not good at all, I never could get the blade to dig in, all I am trying to do is carve out a bit of space for my uphill tire to ride in, maybe 8" deep at most and about 12" wide. I can easily envision a small dozer with a 6 way blade making short work of this, but if possible I want to use my L3301. I have never chained or otherwise inhibited any implement from floating up, but am thinking this situation may make me try it. Maybe after running the tractor rear tires up onto a railroad tie, dropping the blade all the way, and then cobbling up some way of KEEPING it down, should be fun.?

I have a 4-500 pound solar array I move down this every spring and fall, and it's a bit hairy dealing with the side slope with the suspended weight, though slow and steady has got the job done safely twice now. I'm due to move it in a couple weeks, and if can't make a dent in the side slope, my first backup plan is to rig a side counterweight cantalevered out of the big tube in my loader frame. Being a crane operator, a 30 ton boom truck anyway, with a 1400 pound counterweight, I know they are effective. My second backup plan is to just go slow, real slow, like before.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

A box blade is a better tool for this.
You can do it with a standard blade, the key is to use little or no angle to the blade, i know it sounds contrary to what you want, but it works.
Now with the blade straight, or a small angle, tilt the blade so that one side is lower, you don't need a drastic amount, less is more in this case.
Now lengthen the top link by a lot.
This will cause the blade to dig in, I would suggest to set it up for down hill pulls, as it's just easier.

Yes you could also do this with some blade down force, but it's risky and can cause you to just lose traction.
If you want to try it, simple way that will give you some control over the down force, take a rope, from the blade and run it through a clevis on the draw bar and then under the tractor to the loader, set up up so curling the bucket pulls the blade down.
I suggest a rope, that way if something goes wrong it's just going to more than likely break the rope instead of damaging anything else.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

possible options ?
Subsoiler
Middle buster ?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

possible options ?
Subsoiler
Middle buster ?

Those are good helpers if it's packed hard.

 

[flyidaho]

I do have sub soiler, used last year with a home made attachment to lay over 2000' of 1" poly line, it did occur to me to make a run with it first. Straight blade or just a slight angle? Didn't try that....

 

[nbryan]

Boxblade, run at angle by adjusting the 3-point side link.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I'd run straight blade, probably 3-4-5 passes ,overlapped, to breakup the soil real good THEN use a rear blade,angled to the left, going up hill to pull material to the 'laneway'.
It may take 2 or 3 of these 'operations' to get it 'right' depending on soil conditions.
Be sure to drive over the loose material on the right side to pack it down a bit.
Then once a month, pull rear blade or bar with chains to 'maintain' the laneway. Mother Nature has a sneaky way of 'retaking' what was her back again !!

 

[flyidaho]

I now know the top link has a stop, as I ran it out all the way, with about a 4" drop to the side, and just a bit of side angle, too much was worse. What made all the difference was the second pass, that's when it started cutting in much better. Logic tells me more passes would result in more of the side slope being removed, but it started snowing and blowing heavily so I quit. All downhill worked. The one thing I really have to watch is creating an erosion scenario, so I don't want to make it level side to side at all. This will be a big improvement, as it took out some bumps also.

 

[mcmxi]

I now know the top link has a stop, as I ran it out all the way, with about a 4" drop to the side, and just a bit of side angle, too much was worse. What made all the difference was the second pass, that's when it started cutting in much better. Logic tells me more passes would result in more of the side slope being removed, but it started snowing and blowing heavily so I quit. All downhill worked. The one thing I really have to watch is creating an erosion scenario, so I don't want to make it level side to side at all. This will be a big improvement, as it took out some bumps also. View attachment 125732 View attachment 125733

This is where hydraulic tilt and a box blade with scarifiers would help. That's what I use to cut a level driveway. This is the perfect job for a bulldozer, but as you say, you want to use what you have.

 

[fried1765]

I now know the top link has a stop, as I ran it out all the way, with about a 4" drop to the side, and just a bit of side angle, too much was worse. What made all the difference was the second pass, that's when it started cutting in much better. Logic tells me more passes would result in more of the side slope being removed, but it started snowing and blowing heavily so I quit. All downhill worked. The one thing I really have to watch is creating an erosion scenario, so I don't want to make it level side to side at all. This will be a big improvement, as it took out some bumps also. View attachment 125732 View attachment 125733

I think my EA 6 Way Deluxe Scrape Blade would have made short work of that.
Sadly: There are no more EA scrape blades to be had.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Nice, looks like 3-4 passes and you'll have to find something else to do with your 'orange' !!

also... if you drag a heavy bar with big ,old chains behind the blade, it'll level,smooth, fillin as you go doing 2 jobs at once.

 

[airbiscuit]

A box blade is a better tool for this.
You can do it with a standard blade, the key is to use little or no angle to the blade, i know it sounds contrary to what you want, but it works.
Now with the blade straight, or a small angle, tilt the blade so that one side is lower, you don't need a drastic amount, less is more in this case.
Now shorten the top link by a lot.
This will cause the blade to dig in, I would suggest to set it up for down hill pulls, as it's just easier.

Yes you could also do this with some blade down force, but it's risky and can cause you to just lose traction.
If you want to try it, simple way that will give you some control over the down force, take a rope, from the blade and run it through a clevis on the draw bar and then under the tractor to the loader, set up up so curling the bucket pulls the blade down.
I suggest a rope, that way if something goes wrong it's just going to more than likely break the rope instead of damaging anything else.

Wouldn't you want the top link as LONG as possible so the blade has a more acute angle to cut into the soil?

This / vs this\ .

 

[flyidaho]

Yes, that's what I did, lengthened it to the max, the funny part is that's how I took Wolfmans advice, though now I see he said to shorten it! When this snow melts enough and it dries up a bit, I'll hit it again, while it's at it's max softness. I think last year I waited too long, it does get hardened up as spring progresses.

 

[mikester]

CAT D6 with a ripper would be a good start

 

[NCL4701]

Boxblade. If it isn’t cutting, drop the rippers. Hydraulic tilt makes it go quicker but isn’t required.

Before I got the Kubota I did similar with a backblade. Only issue was sometimes if the ground was too hard it wouldn’t dig in and cut regardless where the toplink was set. For that I had soften up the dirt with a three tine subsoiler, then switch back to the blade. Not very efficient. If you use a single tine subsoiler you’d have to run over it multiple times to scarify the whole width of your intended path but it should work given enough persistence.

If you can rent, borrow, or otherwise get your hands on a boxblade that’s what I’d do. If not, I’d rip it good with your subsoiler and then grade it out with your blade.

 

[hedgerow]

I now know the top link has a stop, as I ran it out all the way, with about a 4" drop to the side, and just a bit of side angle, too much was worse. What made all the difference was the second pass, that's when it started cutting in much better. Logic tells me more passes would result in more of the side slope being removed, but it started snowing and blowing heavily so I quit. All downhill worked. The one thing I really have to watch is creating an erosion scenario, so I don't want to make it level side to side at all. This will be a big improvement, as it took out some bumps also. View attachment 125732 View attachment 125733

Doesn't look like to good of soil. I would sure get that planted back to grass. Seen it to many times were someone cut a hill like that that wasn't going to be rocked and ended up with a huge ditch running down the fence line.

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

Cut a section to your liking with the box scraper. Get it flat. Go higher than you think on the low side because it will compact. Get the first section flat, large enough to get your tractor flat. Turn around and use the front end loader taking small bites and dumping to the low side. Keep your tractor flat and level.

Did it that way for years on very steep hillsides. The key is to not get to close to the edge, esp with a bucket full

Rear blades have no downforce and although they look like it's what you need. It isn't.

Or, rent a dozer and operator and he'll knock it out real fast.

You want to cut more than you fill. If you understand that. If it's real steep cut is everything. Keep your tractor on the cut only. Until it compacts.

Check this out. Minute 3:30 to 4:30 is the method.

 

[RCW]

100% I’d go with a box blade like @NCL4701 recommended.

A box blade is my favorite implement.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

but he's only needing a foot to remove...
his blade work is fine as the soil is moist
hard to justify a $500 purchase for one job.

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

100% I’d go with a box blade like @NCL4701 recommended.

A box blade is my favorite implement.

Box blade, or scraper, box scraper, etc. Is the graders best friend. Back in the day, we always just called them "Gannon". Because they made the most used scrapers.

Rear blades are good for clearing and smoothing out. No so much for cutting into soil.