Thoughts and Feelings on using a Woods RB6 blade on my B8200

GrassLakeRon

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B8200HST-DP , RC60-82h Mower Deck, Woods RB6 Rear Blade, Homemade Carry All
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Hi all,

I picked up a Woods RB6 blade for a song and want to know your thoughts and feelings on using it with my B8200. I read one thread but will i be ok in the long run? Thanks....

Ron
 

GrassLakeRon

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B8200HST-DP , RC60-82h Mower Deck, Woods RB6 Rear Blade, Homemade Carry All
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Grass Lake, Michigan
does the 6 in RB6 mean six feet wide ? If so it'll be a 'boat anchor' as a B8200 is ,what 20HP +- ???
Yes 6 feet wide and the 8200 has 19hp. The older thread here said run with it and a couple of youtube videos show 8200's running them, but I wanted a few more thoughts on this before I cut it down to 5 feet.....unless its just fine at 6 feet.
 

RCW

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A B8200 is a decent tread width to cover. I'd try it at 6 feet before I cut it apart.

When angled 45 degrees, you still want to cover your tracks.

At 45 degrees, my 5 foot blade covers my BX tracks, but there's not a lot of extra width.
 
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GrassLakeRon

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B8200HST-DP , RC60-82h Mower Deck, Woods RB6 Rear Blade, Homemade Carry All
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A B8200 is a decent tread width to cover. I'd try it at 6 feet before I cut it apart.

When angled 45 degrees, you still want to cover your tracks.

At 45 degrees, my 5 foot blade covers my BX tracks, but there's not a lot of extra width.
You think it would be ok for snow?
 

johnjk

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You think it would be ok for snow?
I think that would depend on a few things. How deep and how wet is the snow? I have a B3200 with a 4’ back blade and if it is wet and deep, I have to clear with the FEL first. Front weight and 4wd will be your friend.
 
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GreensvilleJay

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yeesh, I've had snow STOP my 40HP tractor with 6' blade on it.with tires reveresed....
I seriously doubt ANY '18HP' tractor can effectively pull/push 3PH 6' wide blade. Maybe 2-3 inches of light snow on pavement BUT push on gravel....dead stop real quick !
My 'snowrider'(23HP, 40" BERCO blower) will get stopped by 6-8" of white, and most( all ?) 'snow blades' for riders are 42" or less.
 

ken erickson

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Obviously milage may vary! LOL.

My B7100 HST with turf tires, no chains, and a 6 foot King Kutter back blade can do a serious job of pushing into snow and piling it up. Of course the air temps, water content in the snow are all factors, all with a whopping 16hp! :) My driveway is blacktop but I have been doing my neighbors gravel drive for the last 21 years , 12 or so with the back blade and B7100.
IMG_3547.JPG
IMG_3539.JPG
 
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GrassLakeRon

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B8200HST-DP , RC60-82h Mower Deck, Woods RB6 Rear Blade, Homemade Carry All
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yeesh, I've had snow STOP my 40HP tractor with 6' blade on it.with tires reveresed....
I seriously doubt ANY '18HP' tractor can effectively pull/push 3PH 6' wide blade. Maybe 2-3 inches of light snow on pavement BUT push on gravel....dead stop real quick !
My 'snowrider'(23HP, 40" BERCO blower) will get stopped by 6-8" of white, and most( all ?) 'snow blades' for riders are 42" or less.
I had a 99 Simplicity Legacy 20HP with the 60"(5 foot) front snow blade. 6" of snow was no big deal. That is the only experience I have with pushing snow with blades.
 

ken erickson

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Yes 6 feet wide and the 8200 has 19hp. The older thread here said run with it and a couple of youtube videos show 8200's running them, but I wanted a few more thoughts on this before I cut it down to 5 feet.....unless its just fine at 6 feet.
I will add a couple of observations.

Full disclaimer, while I have a front mount 50 inch blower , the pictures above was done without the use of, , all back blade. I prefer to keep the hours, and wear and tear off the blower. I only use it a few times a year when I move snow banks back around my driveway entrance/mailbox. I also will use it to blow built up snow from between my ramp and house that the back blade is too cumbersome. The blower I am sure does give me added traction on the front tires due to the weight.

Like you , when I bought my used 6 footer, I intended to try it out and cut it to 5 foot with my capable plasma cutter. That was 12 years ago or so and still running the the full 6 foot. :).
 
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GreensvilleJay

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yeah DRY fluffy white on pavement is EASY..... come on over and TRY to push the 2' tall WET heavy road snow 'donations' off the gravel driveway ... IF you can, I'll give you my BX23S and BNIB 3PH kit.
 
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GrassLakeRon

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B8200HST-DP , RC60-82h Mower Deck, Woods RB6 Rear Blade, Homemade Carry All
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yeah DRY fluffy white on pavement is EASY..... come on over and TRY to push the 2' tall WET heavy road snow 'donations' off the gravel driveway ... IF you can, I'll give you my BX23S and BNIB 3PH kit.
Oh, no doubt! I can remember a 10" wet snow a few years ago became a 3 plow event.... 3 times at 3" just to move it. I guess here is another question: My experience was a 20hp, shaft driven,hydro-static drive which was half the weight of my kubota. Will a 19hp diesel, hydrostatic drive, 4x4, twice the weight do better?
 

ken erickson

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yeah DRY fluffy white on pavement is EASY..... come on over and TRY to push the 2' tall WET heavy road snow 'donations' off the gravel driveway ... IF you can, I'll give you my BX23S and BNIB 3PH kit.
Of course I can find situations where I would not be able to handle with my B7100 , but in over a decade of moving snow , both on pavement and gravel, I have not been stymied yet. Both wet heavy snows and powder.

My point being that the OP asked if the 6 foot blade would be too much for his B8200, a more capable machine than the B7100 . From my experience if he decides to leave it 6 foot it will be much more than a "boat anchor". If he has the capabilities to cut it down to 5 foot, what is the harm for him to try it at 6 foot and see how it does?
 
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trial and error

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I took a 6 foot truck plow and made it into a 5 foot front plow for my b7100 last year. Didn't really get enough snow to do full trials but with the limited heavy wet snow we did get I didn't notice much difference with the tractor between that and the original 4 foot factory plow. Our gravel drive didn't ever freeze last year so I plowed as much gravel as I did snow and the tractor runs out of traction before running out if h.p. if you can get that 19 h.p on the ground it may...handle a 6 foot blade but your mileage may vary depending on snow density and water content.
Two things to note both the 4 foot and 5 foot blade will push my tractor sideways when angled and that is where I struggle and use the steering brakes which obviously slows my forward momentum and thus makes me break traction. Second note is that I have a 400' bowl shaped gravel drive that goes up hill on both ends thus making it a challenge no matter which direction I'm going. Street end is a 55mph road.
 
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Bearcatrp

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Turn the blade around if it bogs down with blade facing forward. May have to plow twice to get it all. Just picked up a 6 foot blade for my 1880 Relatively cheap. If it becomes an issue, will trim it down to 5 foot.
I do plan on adjusting the pitch in hopes it works out. Will have to try different pitch angles to see what works best.
 
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GrassLakeRon

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B8200HST-DP , RC60-82h Mower Deck, Woods RB6 Rear Blade, Homemade Carry All
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Grass Lake, Michigan
So maybe another question, if I go out every 4" and plow would it negate the sideways motion or bogging down. We rarely see more then 4-6" at any one time.
 

trial and error

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So maybe another question, if I go out every 4" and plow would it negate the sideways motion or bogging down. We rarely see more then 4-6" at any one time.
If you can get enough forward motion to roll the snow off when angled you should be fine. My main issue is when it piles up while angled instead of rolling off which in turn slows my forward momentum and pushes me sideways. A rear blade will probably have less affect on steering then a front blade does
 
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GrassLakeRon

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Grass Lake, Michigan

I watched this video. 2wheel drive, looks like a 6' blade in 8+" of snow. I'm hoping I do just a bit better .....
 
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D2Cat

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I read post #1 a couple of times and never saw anything about snow. A 6' rear blade that weighs 140# on the back of a B8200 will do a lot of work. Buy the blade and use it as you choose. It will not overload the tractor frame. If your tires spin or it won't drag as much material as you'd like, take less material !!!

I used a 5' blade on the back of a B6100 two wheel drive for years!

 
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