Box Blade

[BotaLoda]

I have a very uneven bumpy lawn. I'm thinking of getting a box blade to level it off but a couple questions. First, will my little BX2370 pull it when it's digging in a bit? Second, if I hit a very large rock, will it jump over it, stop the tractor dead in its tracks, or bend/break a scarifier? Or maybe all three depending on how it is set up.
No matter what the answer(s), I think it's too late in the season to do what I want to do so this would be next spring.
I've never tried my york rake in the grass, I sort of doubt it would do any real leveling, but would that be good for overseeding a different part of the lawn that is just weeds?

 

[armylifer]

I have a lawn such as what you describe and I was not successful in leveling it with a box blade. My property is on glacial till and I have a lot of big rocks everywhere on my property. When using the box blade with the scarifier blades set to the most shallow cut level, it still would get hung up on the rocks that were bigger than human head size. I found that the box blade worked excellent for grading my driveway and for leveling top soil over the lawn but it did not work well for leveling rocky soil.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

I'm in a similar position as @BotaLoda and have been using the bucket to cut high spots down and bring in ground for low spots. I ordered a Piranha Bar to cut through sod easier, and a landscaping rake for leveling (when I get to that point). Rocky soil is a challenge.

 

[BotaLoda]

I have a lawn such as what you describe and I was not successful in leveling it with a box blade. My property is on glacial till and I have a lot of big rocks everywhere on my property. When using the box blade with the scarifier blades set to the most shallow cut level, it still would get hung up on the rocks that were bigger than human head size. I found that the box blade worked excellent for grading my driveway and for leveling top soil over the lawn but it did not work well for leveling rocky soil.

Thanks! I'm on the side of a mountain, but not at too steep of an area. As far as the rocks, most of them would be under 6". Most sit low enough that I can mow over them. Then there are some that are of unkown size, but I've dug up a few similar ones that ended up being about 2'+ around (and that was pre tractor so they were dug by hand!) (shovel, lever and fulcrum) If I do hit immobile rocks, I would be happy if I could go around them on the next pass over. They sit low enough that I can mow over them.

So I suppose I need to know if I will break the box blade scarifiers in low gear at medium+ speed. I don't want to buy one and then not be able to do much of anything with it.

 

[armylifer]

Thanks! I'm on the side of a mountain, but not at too steep of an area. As far as the rocks, most of them would be under 6". Most sit low enough that I can mow over them. Then there are some that are of unkown size, but I've dug up a few similar ones that ended up being about 2'+ around (and that was pre tractor so they were dug by hand!) (shovel, lever and fulcrum) If I do hit immobile rocks, I would be happy if I could go around them on the next pass over. They sit low enough that I can mow over them.

So I suppose I need to know if I will break the box blade scarifiers in low gear at medium+ speed. I don't want to buy one and then not be able to do much of anything with it.

With the rocks that you describe I don't think that you will damage a box blade and I don't think you will damage your tractor either. If you use reasonable care with your implement and practice good common sense you probably will not have a problem. Just remember that your tractor is small for the task but it will work fine if you stay within the limits of the equipment.

From what you describe, I have much bigger rocks in my yard than you do and I have not harmed my box blade in any way. The scarifiers on my BB1548 are quite stout.

 

[GeoHorn]

I used my box blade to “level” an area which was cleared of mesquite by a skid steer…which left a few stumps from 2” shrubs just above ground level. I was going along about 3 mph scraping along when I was suddenly thown against the steering wheel knocking the breath out of me… the Stop was so Sudden!

I’m driving a Large Utility M-model…. so it was a bit of a shock this would occur.

I suspect (by your description) that if you hit large rocks with the scarifiers/box blade you may experience similar jolts. I wouldn’t count on the blade “riding over”.

 

[jyoutz]

Unless it’s just a few small spots, I think you would get a nicer outcome if you add some good topsoil over the low spots in the lawn and level it out. Unless the new soil is too deep, existing grass will grow up through it, and you could seed the areas where you added deeper topsoil.

 

[BotaLoda]

Thanks again. I was looking and maybe I could be better off with a

I used my box blade to “level” an area which was cleared of mesquite by a skid steer…which left a few stumps from 2” shrubs just above ground level. I was going along about 3 mph scraping along when I was suddenly thown against the steering wheel knocking the breath out of me… the Stop was so Sudden!

I’m driving a Large Utility M-model…. so it was a bit of a shock this would occur.

I suspect (by your description) that if you hit large rocks with the scarifiers/box blade you may experience similar jolts. I wouldn’t count on the blade “riding over”.

Yikes!

 

[BotaLoda]

Unless it’s just a few small spots, I think you would get a nicer outcome if you add some good topsoil over the low spots in the lawn and level it out. Unless the new soil is too deep, existing grass will grow up through it, and you could seed the areas where you added deeper topsoil.

It's not a few small spots. It's many hundreds of spots that could be cut off or filled in.
I think it would take a couple tri-axle loads of topsoil even though the area is only about 1/2 acre.

 

[BonnySlope]

I've never tried my york rake in the grass, I sort of doubt it would do any real leveling, but would that be good for overseeding a different part of the lawn that is just weeds?

I'm planning on over seeding and introduce another seed, soon, I hope. I thought about using my rack and decided to go with my Chain Harrow, which will help break up any driven over packed bare mole hills and poop.

 

[BotaLoda]

I saw another type of equipment similar to a box blade. it has the scarifiers but instead of the square box end it has two "ramps" that the soil flows over and falls down from. It would pull easier because it doesn't fill with dirt. I understand the scarifiers can/will still get stuck on some things. Hard to explain and darn I forgot what it's called. It also said it's easier to use since it doesn't get filled with dirt to where you have to lift it to let some out. The area is also mostly a hillside, but also with little hills and valleys. I am not planning on taking any of that out of the area, that would take a bulldozer. More importantly, I like the look of the rolling hills.
I lost the link to this thing, does anyone know what I mean and/or what it's called?

 

[BAP]

Are you planning on tilling up your lawn first? If not, it’s going to be pretty hard to get a box blade or any other kind of leveling device to work on the sod. If you can get it to dig into the sod, you are going to end up with clumps that are hard to get level.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

If I assume the BX2370 , is like my BX23S, it doesn't have draft control' so the 3PH implement follows the 'lay of the land' and doesn't 'level'. 'Mountains' don't get cut and fill in the 'valleys'.
'Lawn' ? OK, how big ? 50x100 ,1 acre, 5 acres ? If 'small', put buckets of top soil in the valleys,roll,then seed.
For large areas you'll need big machinery or a LOT of time. best to mark low spots with 'locate' flags. Some divots are hard to see depending on time of day and height of grass.

 

[GeoHorn]

I saw another type of equipment similar to a box blade. it has the scarifiers but instead of the square box end it has two "ramps" that the soil flows over and falls down from. It would pull easier because it doesn't fill with dirt. I understand the scarifiers can/will still get stuck on some things. Hard to explain and darn I forgot what it's called. It also said it's easier to use since it doesn't get filled with dirt to where you have to lift it to let some out. The area is also mostly a hillside, but also with little hills and valleys. I am not planning on taking any of that out of the area, that would take a bulldozer. More importantly, I like the look of the rolling hills.
I lost the link to this thing, does anyone know what I mean and/or what it's called?

I believe you are describing what is commonly called a “Land Plane”.

In the scenario I described above…where the box blade threw me against the steering wheel…. That was the Second Tool I selected….because the little 2” stumps had already brought me to an abrupt Stop and threw me against the steering wheel… and BENT (put a “bow” into) the front blade-and-bar of my LandPride Land Plane.

The box blade was an attempt to use a heavier-duty scraper to level that area. It didn’t bend….it just nearly broke ribs against the steering wheel. (This is when I borrowed a mini-excavator…and found out that mesquite shrubs…have extensive root-stump-systems which are “show stoppers”.)

 

[BotaLoda]

Are you planning on tilling up your lawn first? If not, it’s going to be pretty hard to get a box blade or any other kind of leveling device to work on the sod. If you can get it to dig into the sod, you are going to end up with clumps that are hard to get level.

Hmm, good point but I sort of have a plan. I'm hoping the clumps will fill in the holes and I'd be going over it a few times. And if it's all clumps, I'd wait for a small amount of rain and drive over it to smooth it out. Or a lot of rain and then let it dry some before trying to smooth it out. Althogh it's not a cheap attachment when not knowing if it will work as I hope.

I don't know how fast most go when mowing, but the way it is, if I mowed near full speed in LOW gear, I'd fly off of the seat.

I believe you are describing what is commonly called a “Land Plane”.

In the scenario I described above…where the box blade threw me against the steering wheel…. That was the Second Tool I selected….because the little 2” stumps had already brought me to an abrupt Stop and threw me against the steering wheel… and BENT (put a “bow” into) the front blade-and-bar of my LandPride Land Plane.

The box blade was an attempt to use a heavier-duty scraper to level that area. It didn’t bend….it just nearly broke ribs against the steering wheel. (This is when I borrowed a mini-excavator…and found out that mesquite shrubs…have extensive root-stump-systems which are “show stoppers”.)

Yes, I searched for land planes and found what I was talking about. Thanks.
I think I'll just have to put up with the yard the way it is, for now anyway.

I had a heavy duty tiller on a garden tractor (really, it was heavy duty) and I don't know how many tines I broke on rocks. I sold it along with the garden tractor.