[69project]

Any one have any recommendations for a rear blade? It will go on a JD 400.

I am considering a rear blade for mainly snow removal purposes. I have a 20 loader mounted on my 400 and do not really feel like taking it off for the winter to install my plow. If you have ever owned one, you will know why I don't want to remove it, it's a royal pain to remove and install. Also, I am not sure how a loader is at removing snow. I have heard they are not very efficient. I figure with the rear blade I will get some useable rear ballast for the tractor and I think the blade would be faster at doing the job if the loader proves to be too much of a hassle to use quickly. I like moving snow, but I don't want to spend all day at it.

The only Cat 0 blades I have found are at Northern, the Howse brand and Hawkline by Behlen country. Anyone used those brands?

Any recommendations on width? I am leaning toward the 60 inch blade by hawkline because it weighs about 250lbs, but I have no experience with these things so I am not sure what I should be looking for in the first place.

Thanks in advance, Lee:thanku:

 

[slkpk]

I've used a FEL for snow removal for years and it works just fine. On hard surfaces I lower the FEL put it in the float position and use it like a front blade. If you have a toothbar on take it off. When on gravel lower the bucket to the ground and then tip back the lip of the bucket about an 1" and keep it in the float position. IMO I would think the 60" blade would be fine for snow removal as long as you angle it. slkpk

 

[tmaynard]

Woods also makes a few cat 0 blades.

 

[jwill1776]

A have a Brinly CAT 0 60” blade, the nice thing is that it is proportionally the correct size for a GT as opposed to some of the other blades out there that are CAT 1 with CAT 0 pins pointed inward. I don’t think Brinly made that many of them but there are a few out there on Craigslist.

 

[MRiderLeon]

Cat 1 blades seem to be a bit more common. I found a Ford 5' Cat 1 blade for my 318 last year.

It's not perfect,
1) had to replace the pins with Cat 0, they needed to be shimmed for the Cat 1 holes.
2) lengthened the top link so it would stay level, this limits the lift to about 8 inches.
3) The 5' blade is wider than the Model 49 blower, so it knocks down some of the next pass if it isn't turned.

But, it does work well when there isn't enough snow to use the blower.

 

[69project]

That's a nice looking set up, but it sure looks long.

Do most folks use the blade going forward or do they reverse it and run it backwards? Any advantage either way other than if you go forward you do not have to contort your self to make sure you don't hit anything backing up?

Do most folks set the angle and leave it or are the constantly getting out of the seat and changing it?

The one thing I like about my 4 way plow is the ability to adjust the angle with hydraulic levers. I suppose if it is a big deal I could mount a hydraulic cylinder on it.

I have not found much on CL around here yet. I saw one, but I think it was a CAT 1 and I wasn't saving that much money from buying new.

Thanks for the replies. Sounds like the FEL will work as well for snow removal, but I will still probably get a blade since I have the COO convinced I need one. You can't have too many attachments can you?

 

[MRiderLeon]

That's a nice looking set up, but it sure looks long.

It's a problem when backing up against something and using the blower, but, dropping the blade along with the blower cleans it up better, so it works out.

Do most folks use the blade going forward or do they reverse it and run it backwards? Any advantage either way other than if you go forward you do not have to contort your self to make sure you don't hit anything backing up?

I use both. It will move more snow going backwards, so if pushing snow off to the side, go backwards. Angling the blade and plowing while blowing puts the snow that the blower missed the first time where it can be blown away on the second pass.

Do most folks set the angle and leave it or are the constantly getting out of the seat and changing it?
You can't have too many attachments can you?

Left-right doesn't take long to change, I've never had a blade that changed angle with hydraulics, so I don't miss it. Front-rear is more difficult--remove angle pin, remove the top link, lift the blade by hand, turn it around, drop it and put in angle pin and top link. The blade won't turn all the way around without lifting it, it hits the lower arms on the tractor.

I'm not sure about the too many attachments, I'd like to have a salt spreader that I can use with my 318, but I don't have a place to attach another item to it. Other options that don't work out include hauling another tractor from site to site, pushing a walk-around spreader and/or unhooking the blade to attach a spreader to the rear of the tractor.

 

[hgl1]

After using a rear 6' blade on my 420 I think you will find what happens is that with the loader on you will lose a bunch of traction once you set the blade down. It is great for ballast when it is up but down is the issue. It is great ballast for the loader but the loader works against the blade.
Unfortunately, too soon I will be able to test the loader as a snow (sorry for the four letter word) blade from some advice I got from a guy who uses his bucket as a blade in that do not try and push the snow with the bucket in the flat bottom position but curl it way back and use it more like a blade than a scoop and then just push the snow instead of trying to fill the bucket. I will still have the rear blade or something equally heavy on the back just the same. Also backing up with the rear blade is a huge pain as you have to be very careful around anything cause it swings out so far behind the tractor. Moving snow with the rear blade does not work very well either as you are already in the snow with the tractor and if it still moves then you are packing it down making it even harder to move the snow. I like it best for when I am nearly done and need to pull down the edges so they don't catch more snow and just cleaning up after the bulk of the snow has been moved. It cleans up all of your tracks and leaves a nice clean path. Having said all this my rear blade is one of the last things I would give up.

 

[Sergeant]

I use a Work Saver DC 4ft Rear Blade it's a Cat 0/1 first used it On My White GT2055 and Now Use it on my Deere X485 http://www.worksaver.com/product/trb-dc.html The DC worked Great for snow removal the first Year I had My X485 But finally went to a Front Blade Just a lot less Hassel But the Nice thing about a Rear Blade over a Loader You can still angle it. Loaders Great for Moving Snow Banks. I just Find a Blade is Better for snow removal over a Loader:thThumbsU