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Dozer Blade for 1993 GT6000

12K views 23 replies 8 participants last post by  horseman1 
#1 ·
Looking on the Sears.com site I see a 48" by 16" high dozer blade #24412 which appears to be good for basically all Sears GTs from 1980 to present.

I have a 1993 GT6000 917.255970 on which I'd like to install the blade. Any views out here as to the match bade to my old GT and on the use of a dozer blade to "grade" a gravel driveway (as well as plow snow). Anyother advice welcome.

I do note the blade is listed at 117 pounds and wonder how hard it is to handle during installation on the tractor, and how hard it is to adjust up/down and left/right.

Thanks,

Jerry
 
#2 ·
Jerry

The first time is a bit of PITA. I'm sure you have tackled worse. Not anything hard just a lot of nuts, bolts, and brackets. The directions are long but in reality there isn't that much to it. The way are written makes it longer.

One tip I can offer is you will need to use the deck mount hangers for the blade. You will need to remove the adjusting nuts so make a note of about where they are now. When I reinstalled my deck it felt real low so I had to keep adjusting the nuts until it seemed it was at the right height.

Once you have the brackets mounted they stay on and you can swap the deck and plow rather easily. It's not hard to manuever the plow for mounting, but it might be a little heavy to carry around.

The controls work nice and so does the blade. One more thing. There is a big nut/bolt that goes through the pivot point on the blade mount. Be sure to tighten this as much as possible while still allowing the blade to pivot. If it's left a little sloppy the small spring will brake.

Once it's on, I think you'll like it.
 
#3 ·
I just today bought and assembled the Dozer/Snow blade. **** nice strong unit IMO. It is heavy to just carry but not to bad for short distances. Once the brackets are on it literally takes less than 5 minutes to remove/install the blade.

The lift and hand controls work really well (at least on my tractor they do). I did not tighten the main big pivot bolt as sixchows advised, I will have to look tommorrow.

I need to 'grade' my driveway as well and am hoping it will work well. I also added AG tires all the way around and hope that will be all the traction I need.
 
#4 ·
Splicer
Be sure to tighten that nut! If the plate rocks up and down it cuts the spring like a knife in butter. Of course it only happens when you're covered in snow, freezing on a cold dark night as you look through the snow for the spring! Don't ask how I know this!:fing20:
 
#5 · (Edited)
Thanks guys, this is real helpful in my making a decision to purchase @ $299, a bit of money but if the blade is heavy duty well worth it I'm sure. I can pick up at the store as I have a pickup truck.

I hadn't figured the mowing deck would have to be removed, but as noted once the brackets are mounted one can switch back and forth. As it turns out I purchased a new DYT4000 with auto this fall and it will be my main mower. Still I"d like to have both tractors equipped for mowing in May/June when the 2.5+ acres of grass (or grass-like) are really growing. With two tractors, I had an LT and my GT for a number of years - the LT is now junked - I can put my wife on one and me on the other during the spring mowing time.

I'll try to get by with just the turf tires and my big "but" for pushing gravel around. I am interested too how well the AG tires work and more experience using the dozer blade to "doze". I may also use it for snow, but I do have a walk behind snow thrower that does the job (albeit I do lose some crushed stone and shear pins when using on my grave/crushed stone drive - about 300' of it).

Final note: I do understand there is an agreement that the Sears Dozer Blade is one size fits all.. that is all Sears GTs. My 1993 is in fact a GT as defined by the main side rails that define the lenght of the tractor, as contrasted with the box platform associated with the LT and I guess the YT, I'll take a look at my DYT4000 just to check. The lable YT doesn't seem to mean much at Sears other than it is "step up" from the LT line, whatever that may mean.
 
#6 ·
Jerry

I assume by your name you may be from NJ .. If so where ?? I am from South Jersey and just may have a blade to fit your tractor... I have a GT 6000 and I have the blade which I have never used. I use my Bolens tractors to push snow, dirt, trees, boulders and houses. The Gt6000 only mows the lawn ..
 
#7 ·
Well I made my attempt at using the dozer blade as a grader :bonk: . While I did make a little progress, I would have to ultimately say I made a bigger mess than I started out with. I honestly believed the tractor would not get stuck in the grass-less area that was firm. Chains would NOT have helped in the least. Weight on the other hand, would have in my opinion.

The problem I encountered was that the blade does not drop below the front wheels so if you go over a hump the blade is just pudhing air :banghead3 . I will look into some sort of actual grader.

Trying to back drag was pretty unsuccessful also. The 'feet' or 'skid plates' or whatever, kept digging in the ground preventing the blade from doing much of anything.

I did check the pivot plate bolt and it appears to me to be as tight as it should be.

This is my experience and think as of right now I will concentrate on adding weight to the rear end and using the plow for snow. Until I start my garden railroad and then I will need a dozer blade to push rocks.

Don't forget that this is my first time using a blade and I am sure I did everything the wrong way :hide: .
 
#8 · (Edited)
Jerry, I have a Haban blade in almost new condition. 46"wide. It has a frame which fastens to the hitch plate in the rear and has a homemade weight platform on the rear. Hooks up in about 5 minutes after you pull the deck off.I'm only asking $75. for it. Located in SE Pa. Herb See post on 10/24 under For Sale tosee pics.
 
#9 ·
Ken, Herbs,

I'm located north of Flemington in NorthWest NJ, not real close to South Jersey (75 to 100 miles) or SE PA.

I have to admit I am less comfortable with the Dozer Blade ides seeing the rough start Splicer is experiencing. I do understand that a rear grader or box scrapper is the right tool to grade a gravel drive, but I was hoping a Dozer Blade would work and be good for other jobs such as cutting into a soil bank to cut out a level spot, say.

I did have a good example of how poor the traction is, I was moving up a hill from my lower medow, dirt/grass surface. I was towing a small trailer loaded with a chain saw. I was on my way to about mid-point were there was some blow down firewood. As I steered over toward one side of the trail, now a cross-way slope too, the left rear wheel just started spinning. I had to back up, not fun with a trailer and a short steering arm, to get a fresh run at the hill. I would guess AG tires would be a big help on dirt, and chains would be a great help on snow/ice. I'm suppose too that chains would have worked today, but it seems strange to put chains on when there isn't any snow. I don't yet have chains.
 
#10 ·
Guys keep in mind no snow/dozer blade is going tear off compacted soil. If you want to use one for this the soil needs to be loose. Right now the ground is frozen so not much will work. In the spring, summer, and fall most times you might need to use a tiller to bust up the ground first. Most GT plows float unless you have hydraulics and a fixed lifting arm that doesn't allow it to float. Even if you use a box scraper on a sleeve hitch you will need to add some weight to keep it from floating. On a front blade there isn't anyplace to add weight. You can grade with one under the right conditions and they will work.
 
#11 ·
Splicer,

I never had too much luck "gradeing" with the blade either. You do get better with practice though. I've used mine for years to clean up after horses, but I use it in conjunction with a little box blade on the back.

There is a simple modification one can make to that blade that helps in dragging material backwards. If you are interested, let me know and I'll post a picture or two. No welding required, doesnt seem to effect forward operation and is very inexpensive.

As a matter of fact, I was out fixing up all the tractors and implements today and I tightened that nut that sixchows mentioned on the GT 3000. I used a 3/4" drive rachet and 1-1/8 socket on the bottom and a 1-1/8 wrench for the top if I remember right.
 
#12 ·
Sixcows, Kurt: Thanks and I'd appreciate seeing Ken's modification.. in fact I am also interested in buying a small arc-welder, any advice on a "hobby level", something under $200 that would allow an occassional "welder" to make a few connections/repairs?

I see Sears does sell a boxblade or rear grader (forget which/what) and it requires a sleve hitch, another $150 or so, but may be worth it.

My expectations for moving the earth with a GT dozer blade are very minimal. My main drive to buy one is to push some loose crushed stone on a long drive, push down some humps, and move the push-out in curves back onto the tire areas. Again I suppose a rear grader would work better, but given I have a dozer blade I'll likely use for snow too. That said, are chains effective on dry ground, do the chains hold up (don't throw links and the like)? I'd guess AG tires would be better on dry ground, chains on snow/ice. I'm not likely to buy AG tires, I suppose they go for $100 or so each. I do have a small tire changing stand, so I could mount on my existing rims, but would prefer to buy mounted on rims if I were (unlikely) to buy. This AG subject is of a secondary concern, more just interest than any real plan to execute.

Sixcows, what is a GT3000? My 1993 GT6000 was not the top of the line back then, there was something else, maybe had an Onan engine for one thing with more HP and a bigger deck, 50" as I recall. One nice thing on my old GT is it says on the hood "MADE IN AMERICA". I haven't looked but I doubt that my new DYT4000 has such a lable.
 
#14 ·
You need to elongate the holes a little where the skid shoes attach to the blade. This will allow them to adjust the shoes "up" a little more.
Bolt the 3/16 X 2" flat steel into the existing holes in the shoes and you're done.

Adjust the flat bar so that it doesnt interfere with forward dozing, but catches material when backing up. It works fine for me.

 
#15 ·
Kurt,

Thanks, seeing your closure notes a Farmall M, I will tell I owned a Farmall, suppose it was a 1946, some early date after WWII. I had a 60 inch wide hammer knife cutter running off of the rear PTO. I blew out the PTO about 5 years ago and sold it for a few bucks ($400 as I recall) to a guy I know who likes to restore old tractors. Sadly he gave up on the one I had, selling it to someone else and I've lost track of it. I was looking forward to going over to see it one date, running like a "top" and with new paint. I don't remember the series, it had two front tires, the rear tires must have been about 4-5 feet high/tall. It was 4 cylinder, gas, water cooled. I was sort of attached to it and hated to see it go. But then I get attached to all my tools, machines. I also had something like a LT1000, it was a 12 HP 38" machine with a five speed manual, as I recall. I purchased it in about 1988. It was near the low end of Sears line. It did a lot of work for me until I purchased the GT6000 in 1993. Thereafter it did some of the lawn around the house, and the GT did all the field work, including the work I used to do with the Farmall.
 
#17 ·
jerry_nj & Splicer -

The Snow/Dozer Blade (24412) is not really meant to "grade". It is meant to push/move dirt and snow. The Rear Grader Blade (24239) is meant to "grade". Further, the Box Scraper/Leveling Blade (24241) is also meant to "grade". Now, that doesn't mean that you can't use the Snow/Dozer Blade to grade; however, as with most implements, you need to develop a knack for it's use and it is not as efficient as the grader blade or box scraper.

I have approximately 600 feet of gravel (Class II) driveway that I maintain with my GT5000. My GT5000 is outfitted with a JBJr and a rear grader blade. I move and push dirt/gravel with my JBJr and do my grading with the rear grader blade.
 
#18 ·
Pictures please Ed. PICTURES :bannana: !
 
#19 ·
Here is a pic of my rig. This pic shows it with Turf Tires, Chains and Wheel Weights.

I have a separte set of wheels with AG Tires for the tractor but have come to prefer Turf Tires and Chains. I do not load the tires with fluid for weight because if you get a puncture, it can be quite a pain to dismount the tire and repair the leak/puncture. What I do instead is to put "Slime" in the tires in case of a puncture and use wheel weights. I've never had a flat tire when I've had "Slime" in the tires. Chains are NEEDED on ice and hard-packed snow if there is even a slight incline on the area you are plowing. Chains are also VERY effective in loose dirt.
 
#21 ·
Now that is a good looking working machine :bannana: !
 
#22 ·
USN Ed, thanks and I may go for a grader blade, but I think it requires a "sleeve hitch" another cost. I'll have to check the Sears listing.

You also answered my concern about chains on dry ground. While I'd like to have a set of AG tires, if the chains work well on dry ground, and I'm sure they are the best on ice and hardpack snow, then they fill all needs.

As for weight, I'd assume a person such as me at 240 pounds needs wheel weights less than someone who weighs under 200 pounds, most people.

I'm also interested in a yard rake, it may also need the sleeve hitch, not sure on that either.
 
#23 ·
I also don't think the dozer blade will "grade" gravel. When I plow snow, the blade floats over my gravel driveway. It may push around a few loose stones, but that's it. The Johnny Bucket, though, with the electric actuators has plenty of digging power and will lift the front end of the tractor off the ground. The dozer blade also floated over compacted horse manure. I used to push my foot against the hand control to try to give it downward pressure. My frustration with the dozer blade led me to the Johnny Bucket Jr.

I also use v-bar tire chains on dry gravel/ground with no problem. In fact, if I get stuck, the tire chains will dig a hole quickly, spewing dirt and gravel out behind the tractor. I leave the chains on year round. It doesn't seem to hurt the tires or chains any. I also use fluid-filled tires for additional weight. It makes all the difference in the world. Haven't had a leak yet.

I think anything ground engaging implement needs an electric actuator or you're depending on weight to push the implement into the ground. If you have, say, a dozer blade heavy enough to grade gravel, it's probably too heavy to disengage or remove easily. If I ever have to use ground engaging implements on the back, I'll probably add an electric actuator to the sleeve hitch. This would be for things like a plow, grader blade, etc.

The dozer blade does fantastic for snow, I haven't had any luck with any other materials. The Johnny Bucket is fantastic and worth every penny.

I also haven't tightened down the center bolt/nut on the dozer blade and am waiting for the spring to go flying. Call it laziness or tempting fate, but it hasn't broken yet, and I've used the dozer blade a lot for horse manure. Some day I'll buy a wrench large enough to tighten it down.
 
#24 ·
Welcome Realist!

On the outside chance that you didnt know about this adjustment...

If you fool around with the pitch of the front blade, it will dig in a little more for you if thats what you are looking for. The trouble is, the next time you want it to float, you have to adjust it again. There are 3/4" head (I think) bolts on each side and the bolt heads push up against the blade to change the pitch. Bringing them out a little will made quite a difference. Tightening that 1-1/8 bolt in the middle keeps things from flopping around some too. Since you have the JB. you probably dont use the blade now all that much anyway.
 
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