@Tony's Tractor Adventure Homestead very true! I really use the hydraulic top and side links on my 1979 Ford 340 Industrial tractor. It has breathed new life into my old tractor. Tim
Wow, a hydraulic top link? Being able to change the pitch of the blade would make for incredible grading abilities! Back in the day, me and dad had a worn out Gannon rollover box blade we used in preference to new ones. This was because it would flatten the ground without taking any bite. This top link would allow me to dig in with a box blade or roll it back and only smooth with it.
Awesome video, I can tell you, I have been maintaining a long private road for over twenty years. With a small box blade, land plane, then modified my box blade to set further back and away from the tractor to control the spreading of material. Then I bought a large 6 ft box blade and finally installed a hydraulic top link. It is the best thing I've ever installed on my tractor, except my loader. Lol. The only negative thing I can say is I'm a damn fool for not installing this top link twenty years ago. I drop the box, and control all the material to fill holes with pitching the top link out, then back in to grab more material. I hardly ever lift the box now, unless I'm turning hard. It's just freaking amazing.
The box blade is really the reason I got my tractor...to keep up a mile long hard-pack gravel road. Results so far are good but I've got a lot to learn...I'm currently a RUclips tractor info sponge! This was super helpful, more great stuff Tony. Subscribed. Thanks! 👍👍
There's no substitute for actual seat time, manipulating the controls and making adjustments. There's more finesse to operating the box blade than most people give it credit for.
You dont know how much you have helped me. Thanks so much for a really great video that showed the many ways to use the box blade and the hot link also.
Hi Tony,,,, some good info there, for sure. I didn't read all of the feedback, yet, so forgive me if I'm rehashing thoughts. I'm busting up new sod ground,,, & would love to see you 'rip' that up,,, start to finish. With the top hydraulic cylinder the way you have it,, do you no longer have a 'FLOAT' position? My SIL has a Simplicity tractor, with a SUB-COMPACT class 1, 3pt. I just built a drag box for it. Problem is, there's no down pressure on the box or cutting edges. The turn buckle that goes to the trailing arm lift linkage, does not have a backup nut on it so it just free floats after dropping an implement completely down!? Is that right? Shouldn't a plow or box blade have down pressure on it??? FWIW,,, another thought,,, wouldn't it be handy to be able to hinge up or take off the back of your box blade,, specially when ripping? (Like a rear tine tiller has?) And something else that I'm considering building,,,, I'm going to take a 6' or 8' long, 8" or 10" wide H beam & attach a 3 pt class 1 tractor linkage to it. I'm thinking of using it as a WIDE leveling drag blade. Front edge, grader blade,,, back edge, ripper bolts every 6". i got the idea while watching a guy level a hard packed baseball field with a drag box,,,, WAY too narrow,,,, & WAY too slow & time consuming! What's your thoughts?
Tractors do not have down pressure on the 3pt hitch. Setting the angles up correctly will help, but at some point, an implement can be to light for the job. I have seen light box blades just scoot across the ground. This happens especially when it is very dry and the dirt turns hard. Run a tiller over the ground in a shallow setting and then use the box blade to level.
I been operating skip loaders with a gannon box preferably JD 210 for about 25 years in construction and i recently bought my first tractor and heard for the first time a gannon box which i know is just a brand name called a box blade. I had the the hydraulics installed and got a box wiith hydraulic rippers. Its basically the same as a skippy or fergy in construction only the 3 point hitch isnt as solid but i was able to do all the same stuff on my tractor i just had to baby it a little but piece of cake works awesome. One thing though you said using the back of the box isnt really for cutting but actually thats how you cut when you need to cut. Pitch it back roll it forward and back her in. Good video though itll help beginners no doubt
I have seen too many tractor 3pt hitches bent by pushing backward and hitting something on one side, collapsing the 3pt hitch. That is why I don't recommend it. A skilled operator can finesse a tractor without breaking it.
@@TonysTractorAdventure you re absolutely right. I have basically 10 hours using a 3 point hitch compared to probably 5000 ish hours using a direct setup on a skip loader and i certainly see the huge difference. Luckily i was able to understand this before doing any damage to the hitch. Its no problem though with less speed and smaller bites and the fact the im not pushing for high production at home its all good bro. Thanks. I have about a 460 ft long gravel driveway and my 1626 mahindra shuttle does everything ive asked so far. Looking forward to putting on the bush hog next thatll be all new to me. See if i can find some stuff on youtube to point me in the right direction. Ok im off to run the big iron you have a good day sir
@@67hundredthz just set your rear wheel low enough so that when the front blade tips are where you want them, they are about 1/2 inch lower than the blade tip at the rear. Or, so they say. Can do what you want, but that makes for better discharge of grass out the rear, instead of level or a higher front (would drag the clippings kind of, not releasing them as well). Counter weights, maybe 300#.
Is it possible I bought the wrong toplink I bought a hydraulic top link that was the same shrunk link sorry for the stupid English... it was the same size as mine reduced all the way in. Problem is is I don't know why I can't get my box plate to tilt very far? And I think this might be the culprit? I'm going to do a video on it and see if somebody can answer me to help me if anybody's got any of suggestions I appreciate it
Sold my neighbor an old box blade because I never use it any more. He refused to hear all my suggestions, so it is funny watching him dig up and ruin his driveway while he learns how to use it correctly.
We always called a skid steer a skid loader because the tires drag on a skid steer. It is funny how things are called differently in different part of the world.
If everything you have matches one setting on your quick hitch, then the quick hitch is better. If you have implements from different manufactures, Pat's are the way to go. Pat's work on everything.
My 474 hst has a bad spot on the 3 point .at 90 degrees dragging it is so jumpie go to pull up a fine adjustment it jumps . It sucks 160 hours 1 year old
You need to do a little maintenance.There is a spring in the linkage. Set the spring tension or spray oil penetrating oil on the spring. Tractors work in dirty environments. Maintenance is never done.
That looks really good. I'm a landscaper and I have a little bit of knowledge. Working ball fields once you've cut your high spots Do like you were saying leave your box blade to level, you can do A figure 8 pattern. that will help you also.
Be careful not to tilt the rear blade too far forward (digging in) by drawing the pin in. It changes the pivot point. I bent the top link rod into a J shape on a 75 hp tractor trying to rip a field. It also bent the heck out of the box blade top supports. You saw the torque when the back blade also dug in. Keep the box parallel to the ground and allow the rippers to do the work and you will not exceed the design of the box blade.
I appreciate the thought. I hate that for you and I know that hurt your feelings. I am pretty sure, I don't have enough tractor to bend either my top link or box blade. LOL. My box blade is rated for 40hp and so is the top link. I over kill everything if I can. It keeps me from tearing things up.
@@TonysTractorAdventure ??? I don't think Eron Iler commented to insult you, he made what I thought was a useful comment to aid people with less experience than yourself.
Thank you so much for this video. It's exactly what I needed to see before I tackle my hard packed field. It's also heartening to know how long I should expect it to take, how many passes it takes, and that the tractor will bog down here and there. So appreciated!
I am loving my T264. It is the Mighty Mouse of tractors. I just spread and leveled 40 yards of crusher dust to fill in an area of my yard. It was swampy. Now, its hard and dry. Throwing down some loam I'm stealing from one of my fields today.
Don’t stop with just a Hydraulic top link. I also have hydraulic for the rippers and one Hydraulic bottom link do I can angle the box to cut an almost 45 degree trench.. great for trench sling your driveway to divert water, etc… so I have 3 hydraulic controls in the cab that allows all kinds of flexibility with my box…
So, I got the word I can use a new tractor anytime I want for any reason. My Question is, Can i use this tractor to make some money? if so what are the trypes of services i can do in order to make some money. It has a brushog on it and a bucket on the front. Any information would be helpful as I am recently unemployed. thank you.
You can make money with these tractors. I have had several jobs over the last few years and made a good bit of extra change for projects. I did a video on costing work a while back. Check out our video list.
Another fantastic video, and I have been thinking about putting a hydraulic top link on my Kubota, and I think you have convinced me to do it. It looked like it really worked great on the box blade. Thanks for sharing!
How would you go about making a pattern if you had a house on one end and a wall 90 degrees to it, with several offsets. My problem is trying to make the turns by the house, having to make 3 and 5 point turns makes ruts and makes it worse than when I started. Any advice on this?
Without seeing what you are talking about, I would say feathering the controls, shovel and a rake. Some things just take time to learn. A combination of loader back dragging and box blade. A land plane is always a good option for leveling.
The hydraulic top link is like a genie on your tractor with a magic wand. That might be the single biggest value feature I have added to my 3039R. Excellent teach, Brother!
RUclips lets me see when they put something on hold. They will not let people put links in comments anymore. I put a link in the description of the video that takes them to the Ag Store on amazon.
@@TonysTractorAdventure That is where I got mine. Very helpful people. The first one I got was what was recommended for my tractor but, I had to get one with a little more extend to compensate for the Pat's Easy change on my lowers. The recommended one would not lift the front of my box blade enough to get the rear into an aggressive enough position. I sold the original on FB Marketplace. Two people were made happy by it all!! 😁
Nice video. I don’t know how anyone runs a box blade without the hydraulic top link. I am continually adjusting it like I adjust the height of the lift arms, depending on conditions. A box blade is not a box blade without the rear blade. The rear blade is not there to cut or push backwards. It can be, but it is not designed for that reason. You clearly showed what it is used for in the video. It is used to smooth the dirt if the top link is extended. The front blade is for cutting if you shorten the top link. The rippers are used to loosen up hard dirt or break up grass. After you break up the grass or loosen hard dirt you should remove the rippers. If the rippers are down, the top link is extended and the lift arms are raised, and you go forward, you can puncture your tires. I did and it cost me $450.
The back cut of the blade is the most important part of the box. If you want something flat or a nice flat grade(up or down hill) it is an absolute must. It keeps the tractor on a flat surface.
Good evening Sir ( thank you very kindly for your very nice words on last night live stream with Ed, My Cluttered Garage )👍😉 That is a great video description and great tips about Your Box Blade 😉🧐👍 Keep up your great sence of humor Sir 👍😉 Great Job from your camera lady 👍😉 Keep up the great Job and have a blessed Sunday 😉👍
Awesome job Tony. I have a hydraulic top link on my tractor. It’s a game changer. With a regular top link you do a job and think yeah that looks ok. Cause you didn’t want to stop and adjust it 50 times. Hydraulic top link when you’re done it looks perfect.and you never left the tractor seat.
tony!! I laughed my butt off at that TIK-TOK BIKINI JOKE!! VERY FUNNY!! I'm a new TYM tractor owner but love mine. best tool I have ever bought. just put a thumb on. ordered a tooth bar. have gotten more done in 30 days on my 3 acres than I have on 3 years of man-well labor. keep up the great work on these videos... is NEW-BEEZ are learning a TON!! THANK YOU!!
My dad and I just got a king Kutter 5ft tiller for our JD. After years of using a 22 inch walk behind front tiller not self propelled, the thing is as old as my father who is almost 71yrs old. We live in Illinois and right now the weather sucks and keeps on sucking which really sucks when you have a brand new toy you want to play with.
Why are all tractor videos on flat land, I live in the mountains with some rolling hills and never see how too level small hills. Although I've done a few spots for garden and sheds.
@@TonysTractorAdventure I have a JD subcompact w/back and front end loader also a box scarper still seating on the pallet, haven't figured out how to attach. LOL.
Thank you Tony, I have dual rear remotes and two detent valves on my tractor so all I need is a hydraulic cylinder for the Too Link, right? Can you buy these? Or do I just buy a hydraulic cylinder and have the ends fabricated to fit my tractor? Thanks buddy. You did a great job leveling up the yard.
Hey Tony, I noticed that your 3pt lower arms have an additional part on it. They look so much easier to use than a BIG U yoke QH other companies want you to use. Who makes those Quick Hitch attachments?? Kim S
Good video except that you should point out to prospective operators that there is a point that someone has to get off the tractor and pick up the sticks. Then you will get that baby bottom look. I have recovered neglected farmland from the overgrown woods and briars; so I been there.
@11:25 when you begin leveling, do you have the 3 point in float mode with the box tilted slightly up so the teeth don't engage? That back blade at a slight angle looks like it would feather in nicely.
72 now Tony and what time I spent on a tractor could be counted on two hands. Divide that hands by years an thats less than most kids ten year of age. I was born when it was you or a mule did it and we didn't have a mule. I worked on anything that would peel or haul or carry a blade of grass to trees and brush working as a mechanic in logging camps. I was working in a logging camp that the dust flew from spring to fall and then a blanket of snow an ice was the rest. So I got sick of it and went to a muskeg swamp and mucked me some mud that I mixed with sand an laid out to dry an rain on for a bit. Came back an loaded it up an hauled it to my own quarters where I spread it out and took the grader to level some..... before skid steers. I got my mail order from sears grass seed and some mixed flowers and some vegetables seed and just scattered the whole thing mixed so nothing was sorted. That was june an by july I had radishes all over the place and the cook was grabbing them for salads. Next come grass but not mowed or watered, just rain which southeast has plenty of and its doing fine but now you see carrots an stuff. It was a hilarious sight but I got what I wanted was no dust in my quarters. Before fall come the boss wanted me to do the camp only sober and some kind of direction/LOL and so grabbed me some goobers from camp and made yard maintenance people out of them. I did get away with murder. That camp was know for how nice it was and got to be one of the biggest. I was watching you angle the box for getting your chisels to work and to me thats a important one for getting rock and limbs out from what your doing so do they make a better chisel with a way to raise up the blade alone part? Let you get the chisels deeper or what cause that blade takes some serious power it seems
You have me in age by 20 years. I can only imagine the changes in those years. I have seen so much change in how people work in my life time. I figure at some point, people will control robots to do all work.
Very informative video sir you did a good job on this one. My balls where I work got physically angry with me today when I told him that I did not buy a John Deere 80 horse power tractor off of his friend at me tractor period about an LS tractor like the other LS tractor that I have and my daughter bought a Branson at the Branson tymlos dealer in Corbin
I have a ton of pavers, bricks, football size rocks in my field soil. Landscaper owned the property prior to me and made a mess of it. I have a 25hp Kubota tractor. What kind of implement will help me gather all of the pavers up? Some folks suggest I use a moldboard plow to flip the soil and pick up each paver by hand down each pass of the plow. It’s an option especially if I hire help. Could this also do that?
I have not. They are fairly heavy and they reduced lift capacity. I think they might be more useful in a bigger tractor. I am not set in stone either way.
Awesome work, ive got a new tractor a kubota l2502. Nice and compact vut big enough to get the job done. - One thing im struggling with is getting the healthy green weeds all the way out! It seems like the more i drag i just collect a bunch of dirt in the gannon and have a pile of dirt and weeds. Is it just not yet ready to try and drag these green ones? Im assuming i should wait till summer and the sun dries them out. I can make 4 passes on my 5acres and it looks like i did nothing cause the weeds are still standing :(
Great video it explained a lot! Also noticed you have the Pats quick hitch. Wanted to get your thoughts on those please when you have time. I almost bought a speco quick hitch which requires the width to hook up to the implement pins to be between 27-29.25” . Problem is all my implements are different and not one of them fall in these ranges which means I cant use the speco. Any help and advice is appreciated. Also about the hydraulic top link. Thank you
The biggest mistake I see people make with a box blade is moving too slow. It's important to keep up a good pace or else every little adjustment shows on the ground. Obviously you know this .
I’ve been prepping yards for seed for two decades. I’ve never felt the need to run over an area after tilling it. Why did you feel the need to use the box blade over an area that had been tilled? Thank you.
i built golf courses in the 80s and 90s and a hydraulic center-link is mandatory , ive never driven a hydrastt ,, sounds funny i dont think id like it but my days are done, i cant look over my shoulder like i did as a young man all day long. it takes a eye they say , i was a natural then , made alot of money back then but it toke a toll on my body. its one of only two things i did when my beer would get warm and my cigarette would burn up without me taking a drag. The other is fishing a plastic worm
1st! Thank you, excellent demo, great explanation and awesome video. To be honest, I didn't learn anything new (this is just for me) but I did notice that so far of the multitude of "self help box blade videos" I've seen you are the only one that has explained everything I have learned and put together from ALL the videos out there. So cudos to you for a very good, well edited and shot demonstration. In my humble opinion this is "the best all around" box blade video for all the people wanting to learn how to box blade. Woop woop. A++ Lessons learned 1. Hydraulic top link a must 2. Angle of blade makes the difference 3. Rippers are your friend 4. Staying on the tractor makes the work go faster. Now if I may add 1 thing I learned (I hope this is ok)... add some weight to I your bucket or in you case here your grapple. The extra weight will help the 4 wheel drive "front tires" pull you through some of the harder dirt or "more full" box bladed areas instead of bogging down with rear tires and having dump the box just to keep moving, traction is our friend. So about 1/2 a bucket of dirt/rocks or a 2-300 lbs log/rock will do the trick. Keep up the good work.
Great instructional vid!!! I've added a hydraulic lift link to work with my hydraulic top link. The combination gives excellent blade control when handling material and shaping the ground.
First time tractor owner here - bought a 25 hp to maintain 11 acres and so far the box blade has been awesome. Now that I know about hydraulic top links, my 51 year old back will thank both me and you. I see that Tractor Supply carries a bunch of different brands/models, but what’s a good brand and length to shoot for? Are hydraulic lines and fittings usually included?
HAY TONY... WHAT DOES THE JOB BETTER ??? LEAVELIN WITH A BOX BLADE, OR PUSHIN WITH A DOZER??? OR IS THAT JUST A PREFERENCE??? LIKE ALWAYS NICE JOB... STAY COOL TONY... PEACE...
I have a question.. We had the property around the house logged out last year. We have been clearing brush with a grapple (we have a John Deere 2032r tractor) and just recently, our new stump grinder arrived and we have been having a 'field day' with that. But my question is this.. I have been grinding down the stumps to a few inches under the ground level.. which is not really level anymore as with logging and grappling brush, it is pretty rough. I had thought of using my box blade to some how deal with this because using the tiller as you showed, is not going to work after all these trees were logged out. In essence the prior owners built a house right dead smack in the center of a white and red pine row forest and sadly never took care of them so it was a bad mess to clear in the end. How do we level things now so that we can actually plant grass, without hitting all the damn roots and the stumps that still remain albeit a few inches now below what should be ground level? There are just too many roots and the stumps can't be ground down past about 4-6 inches below top level.. so my tiller is not an option to break things up and get a rough smooth ground out of things now.. Is my only option trying to use the box blade to level this entire area, probably 1/2 acre area to start with and another 2-3 acres that will also need to be done later as we get the stumps out of that section?
The short answer is this. You need to grind down the stumps 6 inches below the level you want. Grass roots are 4 to 6 inches deep. If you cover up the stump with one to two inches of soil, grass will grow in the spring months. Once it gets hot, it will dye out because there is not enough soil to hold water. Many times this is why I just dig up a stump with the backhoe. The stump grinder can get it done, but you will have to spend the time with it. I hope this helps.
Great video, guys! Love the process. It's amazing the amount of work you can do with a 20 hp tractor. My 1964 Yanmar 2000 isn't nearly as capable, what with no hyd remotes!!
When I till I always get a line of built up soil on the edges of my area I'm tilling and I noticed you didn't. Wondering if you have any tips for that??
I till based on how hard the ground is. I had rather not till, if possible, to keep the soil structure intact. This was a clay hilltop that had all of its soil removed. It was hard as concrete.
Tony I have a question. I recently bought a box scraper and I live in the mountains of Northern California and my property is covered in little cedar saplings and small trees ( under three feet). Can I use the ripper on the box scraper or teeth on my grapple to pull those small trees out. I want to get it to where I can plant some seed and have a lawn instead of red clay and over growth.
Gary, if you have the right box blade, then maybe. If you have a light weight box blade, it will most likely damage the box blade. The size of the tree also plays a role. I know this wasn't much help, but I hope it helped some.
Gary, what I did was remove rippers so I only had the middle one left, then I ripped the small trees/roots up.. by only having one ripper, your less likely to grab multiple roots at a time.. you’re better off grabbing one root at a time..
I have a JD 2025R with a backhoe attachment. When I disconnect the backhoe at the hydraulic lines, is there a way I can use those hydraulics and integrate a top link with it while I’m using my box blade?
You did a excellent job. Great finished product. But you rarely, if ever see any box blade/ tractor combinations around my area. Everyone around here would bring in a D3 sized Dozer for a job like this. Better? Worse? Who knows? It must be a regional thing. I'm a Hoe guy actually. I'm horrible on a Dozer.
I don't own a dozer, but I have two tractors. We don't see dozers around here that small. I have several friends with dozers, and the smallest owned is a D5. None of them would move their dozer for a job this small. Anyway, I didn't charge because I messed it up getting getting logs out with my bigger tractor.
@@TonysTractorAdventure either way, like I said it must be a regional thing. D3 sized Dozers are all over the place around here ( north Jersey), truth of the matter is you did a fine job anyway. Your tractor is much more versatile anyway. I prefer a crawler loader myself (cat 939 or a JD 450C ) to a dozer for anything but very finish trim work. Happy Easter.
Sure. But when you see how much hydraulic hose that long cost, you may just want to buy the kit. I purchased the rear remote kit and installed it myself. I did a video showing how too.
@@TonysTractorAdventure I’ll check it out, there is a hose place next door in our business park. I’ll see if they can price the hose assembly for comparison. Thanks
Box blades work very for some things, but I found that a land plane, can do most things that the box scraper can do, and do it better and easier, usually.
There is a lot of skill needed to correctly run a box blade or back blade. You are at the mercy of what the front wheels are doing and if you hit a high spot or a dip then that can mess up your day. Nice job staying on the positioning of the box blade because that's what it takes... focus on what you're doing.
That was very helpful my friend just got a box blade for his 3520 JD , I’m fired up after watching your video and can’t wait to show him what I have learned
@@TonysTractorAdventure I just got a big one, and they couldn't get the rams. It was really frustrating. I got the ram yesterday! Now I can run with this!!!!! I live in the mountains, so nothing is flat. You really need the tilt.
Tony….this was great information. I’m now going to get a hydraulic top link. Can you tell me was piston length your cylinder has or what will work the best? Much appreciated! Jeff
I spent many hours running a John Deere 1050 with a box blade for my dad as a teenager. It was always fun with him running his dozer, and me smoothing out the finished product when he had whatever project we were doing shaped. I always used to go in circles, and when the soil I was dragging got too full of trash I would drag it just outside my work area and make a pile. If there was a treeline I could often get away with piling the debris pile inside the trees. We did a ton of landscaping projects, home irrigation, and even built a couple of small golf courses with all Par 3 holes. Our tractor was cool in that we had big Goodyear flotation tires. They prevented marring up the final grade with tire treads.
Nice for landscaping. My cat III with an 8 ft. boxblade does it all. My category II with the 6 ft. blade is nice for most projects like foundation clearing and I have a plate that attaches that can excavate a foot trench all the way around.
Hi Tony, Great vid on the box blade & the Hydro top link is a winner :). Do these little tractor have a draft feature for the 3PL, if so, is it possible to show how this feature works?? Keep up the great work, Cheers from Aus ;)
Most modern tractor do not push down. When in the down position, they use the weight of the implement to pull them down floating up and down. The amount of cut is dependent on the weight and cut angle of the implement. I hope this helps.
@@TonysTractorAdventure great video. I have a kioti ck3510 and just installed my box blade. Can you explain what lever controls the raising and lowering of the hydraulic link? Do I need a special control lever?
I just bought a new TYM T264 w/ backhoe. Today I used the backhoe for the first time to dig up two dead brushes. When In put the tractor back in the barn I tried to adjust the boom an stabilizers to put the lock pins in, but the BH controls were dead (except I could move a lever slightly and the buck and or the stabilizers would slowly move down). I disconnected a reconnected the quick connects to the backhoe, but it had no effect. Do you have any idea what I can do to fix this?
I went to the TYM dealer on saturday and looked at the 574, not sure if I should get a shuttle or hydrostat? It looks so handy watching you run that hydryo, I was just under the impression the shuttle offered more power to the ground? In any case that top link is going to be on it when I get it, very nice.
HST it much better for power to the ground and precise work. The clutch will grab and jump a bit on all tractors. The HST is smooth at power transfer. The HST is also better at loader work. The T654 offers power Shuttle which is very smooth. Let me know what you get.
@@TonysTractorAdventure I looked at the 654 online( he did not have one on the lot) I like the size of that tractor and the hp. What really draws me to the 55hp is the Kukje engine, not so much that it has cummins related design but the fact that it's mechanical in it's fuel delivery and does not rely on a computer chip to function. In any case you've played a big role in my decision to choose TYM, I've watched about all of your vids 10 times and after going to see it in person I feel pretty solid about dropping the $$$ on one.
I think one of the keys is that the dirt/material has to be loose and dry enough to be moved around. Hard packed and wet dirt will not move around and level out.
Best buy tractor with automatic draft control is setting the dual control hight three inch an draft if your tractor has draft set at two to three an speed by rpm slower speed more level using draft and slower speed when rear wheels dip down in low spot box adjust the box up to fill in the low spot an it cuts a high spot off until hitting the next low spot so no needing to guess manually raising up or down a basic tractor without draft control not good for finish grading i grew up on no draft after buying my first tractor with draft you could fill an see the difference between the two automatic draft . When rear tires cross over high spots it lowers itself to the three inch level setting cutting high off and using when cross a lower spot when tires sink into dip raising box up to difference . Don’t buy a tractor without a draft lever
Yes it will. I have switched over to Pat's Quick Connect, because not all of my implements are from the same manufacture. Some have different top spacings. Pat's work on everything.
Check out one of our sawmill videos! ruclips.net/video/pjCJztvZ5es/видео.html
Can you show how to install the hydraulic link.
ruclips.net/video/emD_P_MlIxE/видео.html
That hydraulic top link is something I’ve never had but always wanted. I bet I get one now!
It is a game-changer. Once you get one, you will never go back.
I dug a nice little pond with mine. No backhoe needed.
@Tony's Tractor Adventure Homestead very true! I really use the hydraulic top and side links on my 1979 Ford 340 Industrial tractor. It has breathed new life into my old tractor. Tim
Wow, a hydraulic top link? Being able to change the pitch of the blade would make for incredible grading abilities! Back in the day, me and dad had a worn out Gannon rollover box blade we used in preference to new ones. This was because it would flatten the ground without taking any bite. This top link would allow me to dig in with a box blade or roll it back and only smooth with it.
As someone who is about to buy his first tractor, this has been a phenomenal instructional video. I learned a Great deal. Thank you!
Thank you very much.
Welcome to a satisfying and long learning experience
Awesome video,
I can tell you, I have been maintaining a long private road for over twenty years. With a small box blade, land plane, then modified my box blade to set further back and away from the tractor to control the spreading of material. Then I bought a large 6 ft box blade and finally installed a hydraulic top link. It is the best thing I've ever installed on my tractor, except my loader. Lol. The only negative thing I can say is I'm a damn fool for not installing this top link twenty years ago. I drop the box, and control all the material to fill holes with pitching the top link out, then back in to grab more material. I hardly ever lift the box now, unless I'm turning hard. It's just freaking amazing.
We could be friends! Thank you for your comment. It made me smile.
The box blade is really the reason I got my tractor...to keep up a mile long hard-pack gravel road. Results so far are good but I've got a lot to learn...I'm currently a RUclips tractor info sponge! This was super helpful, more great stuff Tony. Subscribed. Thanks! 👍👍
Hey, thank you. A tractor can be a Swiss Army Knife for sure.
DITTO Water....
There's no substitute for actual seat time, manipulating the controls and making adjustments. There's more finesse to operating the box blade than most people give it credit for.
Informative. Now add an hydraulic side link, so you can tilt one side up and down. 😁
I have thought about it. I am not sure there is enough room on this tractor.
That will double the price
You dont know how much you have helped me. Thanks so much for a really great video that showed the many ways to use the box blade and the hot link also.
Thank you.
Hi Tony,,,, some good info there, for sure. I didn't read all of the feedback, yet, so forgive me if I'm rehashing thoughts.
I'm busting up new sod ground,,, & would love to see you 'rip' that up,,, start to finish.
With the top hydraulic cylinder the way you have it,, do you no longer have a 'FLOAT' position?
My SIL has a Simplicity tractor, with a SUB-COMPACT class 1, 3pt. I just built a drag box for it. Problem is, there's no down pressure on the box or cutting edges. The turn buckle that goes to the trailing arm lift linkage, does not have a backup nut on it so it just free floats after dropping an implement completely down!?
Is that right? Shouldn't a plow or box blade have down pressure on it???
FWIW,,, another thought,,, wouldn't it be handy to be able to hinge up or take off the back of your box blade,, specially when ripping?
(Like a rear tine tiller has?)
And something else that I'm considering building,,,, I'm going to take a 6' or 8' long, 8" or 10" wide H beam & attach a 3 pt class 1 tractor linkage to it. I'm thinking of using it as a WIDE leveling drag blade. Front edge, grader blade,,, back edge, ripper bolts every 6".
i got the idea while watching a guy level a hard packed baseball field with a drag box,,,, WAY too narrow,,,, & WAY too slow & time consuming!
What's your thoughts?
Tractors do not have down pressure on the 3pt hitch. Setting the angles up correctly will help, but at some point, an implement can be to light for the job. I have seen light box blades just scoot across the ground. This happens especially when it is very dry and the dirt turns hard. Run a tiller over the ground in a shallow setting and then use the box blade to level.
I been operating skip loaders with a gannon box preferably JD 210 for about 25 years in construction and i recently bought my first tractor and heard for the first time a gannon box which i know is just a brand name called a box blade. I had the the hydraulics installed and got a box wiith hydraulic rippers. Its basically the same as a skippy or fergy in construction only the 3 point hitch isnt as solid but i was able to do all the same stuff on my tractor i just had to baby it a little but piece of cake works awesome. One thing though you said using the back of the box isnt really for cutting but actually thats how you cut when you need to cut. Pitch it back roll it forward and back her in. Good video though itll help beginners no doubt
I have seen too many tractor 3pt hitches bent by pushing backward and hitting something on one side, collapsing the 3pt hitch. That is why I don't recommend it. A skilled operator can finesse a tractor without breaking it.
@@TonysTractorAdventure you re absolutely right. I have basically 10 hours using a 3 point hitch compared to probably 5000 ish hours using a direct setup on a skip loader and i certainly see the huge difference. Luckily i was able to understand this before doing any damage to the hitch. Its no problem though with less speed and smaller bites and the fact the im not pushing for high production at home its all good bro. Thanks. I have about a 460 ft long gravel driveway and my 1626 mahindra shuttle does everything ive asked so far. Looking forward to putting on the bush hog next thatll be all new to me. See if i can find some stuff on youtube to point me in the right direction. Ok im off to run the big iron you have a good day sir
@@67hundredthz just set your rear wheel low enough so that when the front blade tips are where you want them, they are about 1/2 inch lower than the blade tip at the rear. Or, so they say. Can do what you want, but that makes for better discharge of grass out the rear, instead of level or a higher front (would drag the clippings kind of, not releasing them as well). Counter weights, maybe 300#.
@@galehess6676 thanks for the tip
Is it possible I bought the wrong toplink I bought a hydraulic top link that was the same shrunk link sorry for the stupid English... it was the same size as mine reduced all the way in. Problem is is I don't know why I can't get my box plate to tilt very far? And I think this might be the culprit? I'm going to do a video on it and see if somebody can answer me to help me if anybody's got any of suggestions I appreciate it
It has to be a top link cylinder with the check valve built into it.
Sold my neighbor an old box blade because I never use it any more. He refused to hear all my suggestions, so it is funny watching him dig up and ruin his driveway while he learns how to use it correctly.
Some times that is how people learn. I am pretty hard headed from time to time. LOL.
What are the top 5 tips your neighbor shouldve listened to?
That's the best way to do it. I probably would do it the same way. 😂😂😂. God bless
How much you sell it for?
hydraulic top link !! that's cheating ....... my 1984 tractor is in need of an upgrade like that. our lot is literally a broken Rock.
In the day we called that setup a skip loader..Now every one has a skid loader.
We always called a skid steer a skid loader because the tires drag on a skid steer. It is funny how things are called differently in different part of the world.
That was a great demo of the box blade, probably the best I’ve seen. That property is beautiful. Is that a river or lake in the background?
Hey Tony, do you like the Pat's quick hitch or the more traditional quick hitch better? I see you the Pats's on here.
If everything you have matches one setting on your quick hitch, then the quick hitch is better. If you have implements from different manufactures, Pat's are the way to go. Pat's work on everything.
My 474 hst has a bad spot on the 3 point .at 90 degrees dragging it is so jumpie go to pull up a fine adjustment it jumps . It sucks 160 hours 1 year old
You need to do a little maintenance.There is a spring in the linkage. Set the spring tension or spray oil penetrating oil on the spring. Tractors work in dirty environments. Maintenance is never done.
That looks really good. I'm a landscaper and I have a little bit of knowledge. Working ball fields once you've cut your high spots Do like you were saying leave your box blade to level, you can do A figure 8 pattern. that will help you also.
Be careful not to tilt the rear blade too far forward (digging in) by drawing the pin in. It changes the pivot point. I bent the top link rod into a J shape on a 75 hp tractor trying to rip a field. It also bent the heck out of the box blade top supports. You saw the torque when the back blade also dug in. Keep the box parallel to the ground and allow the rippers to do the work and you will not exceed the design of the box blade.
I appreciate the thought. I hate that for you and I know that hurt your feelings. I am pretty sure, I don't have enough tractor to bend either my top link or box blade. LOL. My box blade is rated for 40hp and so is the top link. I over kill everything if I can. It keeps me from tearing things up.
@@TonysTractorAdventure ??? I don't think Eron Iler commented to insult you, he made what I thought was a useful comment to aid people with less experience than yourself.
I don't think you read my post correctly, I didn't take it as an insult. A big tractor can do big damage. I stand by my post.
Just a word of caution so others don’t make my mistake. It was obvious how it happened right after it did.
I appreciate the information. Good info is always welcome.
Thank you so much for this video. It's exactly what I needed to see before I tackle my hard packed field. It's also heartening to know how long I should expect it to take, how many passes it takes, and that the tractor will bog down here and there. So appreciated!
Glad it was helpful!
Getting my box blade today. Thanks for the great video. Huge driveway and road to do here. Have to cut ditches and everything. Fun times lol
Have fun! I am like a kid doing this stuff.
Can this implement handle rocks too big to pass through tines? If not, what is the proper implement?
Sounds like you may need a dozer. Tractors are suited to engage soil, but not rocks. They can handle small stuff like 4" rocks.
Hi, what is the spec of your tractor? I am going to be doing this for 16 acres land
All of the specs will be on the TYM website. It is a T25 25 horsepower tractor.
I've been looking for a gooseneck trailer that's the size of the one in this video.Who manufactured that trailer?
I bought this from a local manufacture. They went out of business during covid.
I am loving my T264. It is the Mighty Mouse of tractors. I just spread and leveled 40 yards of crusher dust to fill in an area of my yard. It was swampy. Now, its hard and dry. Throwing down some loam I'm stealing from one of my fields today.
They are solid work horses for sure. Let us know how the yard turns out. Tony
Don’t stop with just a Hydraulic top link. I also have hydraulic for the rippers and one Hydraulic bottom link do I can angle the box to cut an almost 45 degree trench.. great for trench sling your driveway to divert water, etc… so I have 3 hydraulic controls in the cab that allows all kinds of flexibility with my box…
You are asking a bit much for 25hp tractor.😁
So, I got the word I can use a new tractor anytime I want for any reason. My Question is, Can i use this tractor to make some money? if so what are the trypes of services i can do in order to make some money. It has a brushog on it and a bucket on the front. Any information would be helpful as I am recently unemployed. thank you.
You can make money with these tractors. I have had several jobs over the last few years and made a good bit of extra change for projects. I did a video on costing work a while back. Check out our video list.
Another fantastic video, and I have been thinking about putting a hydraulic top link on my Kubota, and I think you have convinced me to do it. It looked like it really worked great on the box blade. Thanks for sharing!
Once you have the hydraulic top link, you will never not have it.
How would you go about making a pattern if you had a house on one end and a wall 90 degrees to it, with several offsets. My problem is trying to make the turns by the house, having to make 3 and 5 point turns makes ruts and makes it worse than when I started. Any advice on this?
Without seeing what you are talking about, I would say feathering the controls, shovel and a rake. Some things just take time to learn. A combination of loader back dragging and box blade. A land plane is always a good option for leveling.
The hydraulic top link is like a genie on your tractor with a magic wand. That might be the single biggest value feature I have added to my 3039R. Excellent teach, Brother!
That is probably the best way, I have ever heard it put. Thank you. Tony
RUclips lets me see when they put something on hold. They will not let people put links in comments anymore. I put a link in the description of the video that takes them to the Ag Store on amazon.
@@TonysTractorAdventure That is where I got mine. Very helpful people. The first one I got was what was recommended for my tractor but, I had to get one with a little more extend to compensate for the Pat's Easy change on my lowers. The recommended one would not lift the front of my box blade enough to get the rear into an aggressive enough position. I sold the original on FB Marketplace. Two people were made happy by it all!! 😁
Nice video. I don’t know how anyone runs a box blade without the hydraulic top link. I am continually adjusting it like I adjust the height of the lift arms, depending on conditions.
A box blade is not a box blade without the rear blade. The rear blade is not there to cut or push backwards. It can be, but it is not designed for that reason. You clearly showed what it is used for in the video. It is used to smooth the dirt if the top link is extended. The front blade is for cutting if you shorten the top link. The rippers are used to loosen up hard dirt or break up grass. After you break up the grass or loosen hard dirt you should remove the rippers. If the rippers are down, the top link is extended and the lift arms are raised, and you go forward, you can puncture your tires. I did and it cost me $450.
It sounds like we could be friends. 😇I appreciate your comments.
The back cut of the blade is the most important part of the box. If you want something flat or a nice flat grade(up or down hill) it is an absolute must. It keeps the tractor on a flat surface.
Could you please elaborate on that?
Good evening Sir ( thank you very kindly for your very nice words on last night live stream with Ed, My Cluttered Garage )👍😉 That is a great video description and great tips about Your Box Blade 😉🧐👍 Keep up your great sence of humor Sir 👍😉 Great Job from your camera lady 👍😉 Keep up the great Job and have a blessed Sunday 😉👍
Thank you so much my friend.
@@TonysTractorAdventure 👍🙏😇
Awesome job Tony. I have a hydraulic top link on my tractor. It’s a game changer. With a regular top link you do a job and think yeah that looks ok. Cause you didn’t want to stop and adjust it 50 times. Hydraulic top link when you’re done it looks perfect.and you never left the tractor seat.
I got excited when I heard bikini 😜😜
That's right!😂 The things that come out of my mouth amaze me sometimes.
tony!! I laughed my butt off at that TIK-TOK BIKINI JOKE!!
VERY FUNNY!!
I'm a new TYM tractor owner but love mine. best tool I have ever bought.
just put a thumb on. ordered a tooth bar. have gotten more done in 30 days on my 3 acres than I have on 3 years of man-well labor.
keep up the great work on these videos... is NEW-BEEZ are learning a TON!!
THANK YOU!!
Thank you, my friend. We are building our dream one step at a time. God bless.
My dad and I just got a king Kutter 5ft tiller for our JD. After years of using a 22 inch walk behind front tiller not self propelled, the thing is as old as my father who is almost 71yrs old. We live in Illinois and right now the weather sucks and keeps on sucking which really sucks when you have a brand new toy you want to play with.
I understand, my friend. I am sitting in the house waiting for the rain to stop. Three days of rainy weather ahead.
Why are all tractor videos on flat land, I live in the mountains with some rolling hills and never see how too level small hills. Although I've done a few spots for garden and sheds.
The flat is better for farming and tractors, I guess. You don't see tractors much in the desert either. 😁😁😁
@@TonysTractorAdventure I have a JD subcompact w/back and front end loader also a box scarper still seating on the pallet, haven't figured out how to attach. LOL.
JD makes a good tractor. A RUclips channel called "Tractor Time with Tim" has many JD how-to videos on his channel. He is a great teacher.
Hydraulic top link now on my wish list! Already have the rear remote on my RK 24. May as well use it!
You will love it.
Thank you Tony, I have dual rear remotes and two detent valves on my tractor so all I need is a hydraulic cylinder for the Too Link, right? Can you buy these? Or do I just buy a hydraulic cylinder and have the ends fabricated to fit my tractor? Thanks buddy. You did a great job leveling up the yard.
There is a link below the video. Just make sure the measurements are right.
Hey Tony, I noticed that your 3pt lower arms have an additional part on it. They look so much easier to use than a BIG U yoke QH other companies want you to use. Who makes those Quick Hitch attachments??
Kim S
These are Pat's quick connects. We had good luck with them.
Great presentation if you are on flat land. How do you deal with uneven ground?
Make it flat!🤪
Good video except that you should point out to prospective operators that there is a point that someone has to get off the tractor and pick up the sticks. Then you will get that baby bottom look. I have recovered neglected farmland from the overgrown woods and briars; so I been there.
Get off the tractor! We can't be friends any longer! LOL. I appreciate you join us and your comment.
grapple tooth bucket with skid steer plate attachment set up... or way faster would be a skid steer with grapple
@11:25 when you begin leveling, do you have the 3 point in float mode with the box tilted slightly up so the teeth don't engage? That back blade at a slight angle looks like it would feather in nicely.
Tractors of this side don't have a float mode. The three point hitch has no down pressure. Just the weight of the implements
Sold on the hydraulic top link
I will never be without one.
72 now Tony and what time I spent on a tractor could be counted on two hands. Divide that hands by years an thats less than most kids ten year of age. I was born when it was you or a mule did it and we didn't have a mule. I worked on anything that would peel or haul or carry a blade of grass to trees and brush working as a mechanic in logging camps. I was working in a logging camp that the dust flew from spring to fall and then a blanket of snow an ice was the rest. So I got sick of it and went to a muskeg swamp and mucked me some mud that I mixed with sand an laid out to dry an rain on for a bit. Came back an loaded it up an hauled it to my own quarters where I spread it out and took the grader to level some..... before skid steers. I got my mail order from sears grass seed and some mixed flowers and some vegetables seed and just scattered the whole thing mixed so nothing was sorted. That was june an by july I had radishes all over the place and the cook was grabbing them for salads. Next come grass but not mowed or watered, just rain which southeast has plenty of and its doing fine but now you see carrots an stuff. It was a hilarious sight but I got what I wanted was no dust in my quarters. Before fall come the boss wanted me to do the camp only sober and some kind of direction/LOL and so grabbed me some goobers from camp and made yard maintenance people out of them. I did get away with murder. That camp was know for how nice it was and got to be one of the biggest. I was watching you angle the box for getting your chisels to work and to me thats a important one for getting rock and limbs out from what your doing so do they make a better chisel with a way to raise up the blade alone part? Let you get the chisels deeper or what cause that blade takes some serious power it seems
You have me in age by 20 years. I can only imagine the changes in those years. I have seen so much change in how people work in my life time. I figure at some point, people will control robots to do all work.
Very informative video sir you did a good job on this one. My balls where I work got physically angry with me today when I told him that I did not buy a John Deere 80 horse power tractor off of his friend at me tractor period about an LS tractor like the other LS tractor that I have and my daughter bought a Branson at the Branson tymlos dealer in Corbin
Thank you
I haven't been able to use my box blade effectively
yet. One day I will throw it on and mess with it again, but it just tore up my yard lol
We all get better with experience. The box blade is one of my favorite implements.
I have a ton of pavers, bricks, football size rocks in my field soil. Landscaper owned the property prior to me and made a mess of it. I have a 25hp Kubota tractor. What kind of implement will help me gather all of the pavers up?
Some folks suggest I use a moldboard plow to flip the soil and pick up each paver by hand down each pass of the plow. It’s an option especially if I hire help. Could this also do that?
I would recommend a grapple. You can go through skimming the ground with the teeth of the grapple and then pick up the pavers with the grapple.
TONY HAVE YOU EVER USED A 4 IN 1 FRONT BUCKET .
I have not. They are fairly heavy and they reduced lift capacity. I think they might be more useful in a bigger tractor. I am not set in stone either way.
wish could aford the hydraulic connect for a box blade makes change over so much faster and exyer.
It does make it nice.
Awesome work, ive got a new tractor a kubota l2502. Nice and compact vut big enough to get the job done.
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One thing im struggling with is getting the healthy green weeds all the way out! It seems like the more i drag i just collect a bunch of dirt in the gannon and have a pile of dirt and weeds. Is it just not yet ready to try and drag these green ones? Im assuming i should wait till summer and the sun dries them out. I can make 4 passes on my 5acres and it looks like i did nothing cause the weeds are still standing :(
Oh yeah Tony. Now that I have a hydraulic top link, I would never go back to manual.
Right! I never knew what I was missing.
Great video it explained a lot!
Also noticed you have the Pats quick hitch. Wanted to get your thoughts on those please when you have time. I almost bought a speco quick hitch which requires the width to hook up to the implement pins to be between 27-29.25” . Problem is all my implements are different and not one of them fall in these ranges which means I cant use the speco. Any help and advice is appreciated. Also about the hydraulic top link. Thank you
Pat's are great 90% of the time, but not always.
Great video, I have had a box blade for a few months and used it a few times, this will help me immensely.
Thank you
Can you pass along any info on the metal tube frame building behind you at the beginning of the video. Thanks
I don't know anything about it. It looks nice.
The biggest mistake I see people make with a box blade is moving too slow. It's important to keep up a good pace or else every little adjustment shows on the ground. Obviously you know this .
It is still a good point and worth revisiting. Thank you.
I’ve been prepping yards for seed for two decades. I’ve never felt the need to run over an area after tilling it. Why did you feel the need to use the box blade over an area that had been tilled? Thank you.
To level, fill in holes, and to fill dips.
i built golf courses in the 80s and 90s and a hydraulic center-link is mandatory , ive never driven a hydrastt ,, sounds funny i dont think id like it but my days are done, i cant look over my shoulder like i did as a young man all day long. it takes a eye they say , i was a natural then , made alot of money back then but it toke a toll on my body. its one of only two things i did when my beer would get warm and my cigarette would burn up without me taking a drag. The other is fishing a plastic worm
1st! Thank you, excellent demo, great explanation and awesome video. To be honest, I didn't learn anything new (this is just for me) but I did notice that so far of the multitude of "self help box blade videos" I've seen you are the only one that has explained everything I have learned and put together from ALL the videos out there. So cudos to you for a very good, well edited and shot demonstration. In my humble opinion this is "the best all around" box blade video for all the people wanting to learn how to box blade. Woop woop. A++
Lessons learned
1. Hydraulic top link a must
2. Angle of blade makes the difference
3. Rippers are your friend
4. Staying on the tractor makes the work go faster.
Now if I may add 1 thing I learned (I hope this is ok)... add some weight to I your bucket or in you case here your grapple. The extra weight will help the 4 wheel drive "front tires" pull you through some of the harder dirt or "more full" box bladed areas instead of bogging down with rear tires and having dump the box just to keep moving, traction is our friend. So about 1/2 a bucket of dirt/rocks or a 2-300 lbs log/rock will do the trick.
Keep up the good work.
outstanding video!!! Can you tell me how to determine what size of hydrolic top link that I would need. I have a LS 68 HP. Thanks
Check out my channel. I did a complete video on that subject.
Thanks I will watch it
Great instructional vid!!! I've added a hydraulic lift link to work with my hydraulic top link. The combination gives excellent blade control when handling material and shaping the ground.
I love it. The extra control makes a big difference.
First time tractor owner here - bought a 25 hp to maintain 11 acres and so far the box blade has been awesome. Now that I know about hydraulic top links, my 51 year old back will thank both me and you. I see that Tractor Supply carries a bunch of different brands/models, but what’s a good brand and length to shoot for? Are hydraulic lines and fittings usually included?
Watch this video. ruclips.net/video/MCAjd3ZzPSc/видео.html
@@TonysTractorAdventure will do, thanks Tony!
There’s no better explanation on RUclips on how to use a box blade and I’ve watched a lot of videos...haha
Thank you. That means a lot to me.
Very nice job a lot of people don't understand that you could do almost anything with a box blade if you know how to work it properly
It is versatile.
HAY TONY... WHAT DOES THE JOB BETTER ??? LEAVELIN WITH A BOX BLADE, OR PUSHIN WITH A DOZER??? OR IS THAT JUST A PREFERENCE??? LIKE ALWAYS NICE JOB... STAY COOL TONY... PEACE...
I prefer to pull. Have a great week my friend.
I have a question.. We had the property around the house logged out last year. We have been clearing brush with a grapple (we have a John Deere 2032r tractor) and just recently, our new stump grinder arrived and we have been having a 'field day' with that. But my question is this.. I have been grinding down the stumps to a few inches under the ground level.. which is not really level anymore as with logging and grappling brush, it is pretty rough. I had thought of using my box blade to some how deal with this because using the tiller as you showed, is not going to work after all these trees were logged out. In essence the prior owners built a house right dead smack in the center of a white and red pine row forest and sadly never took care of them so it was a bad mess to clear in the end. How do we level things now so that we can actually plant grass, without hitting all the damn roots and the stumps that still remain albeit a few inches now below what should be ground level? There are just too many roots and the stumps can't be ground down past about 4-6 inches below top level.. so my tiller is not an option to break things up and get a rough smooth ground out of things now.. Is my only option trying to use the box blade to level this entire area, probably 1/2 acre area to start with and another 2-3 acres that will also need to be done later as we get the stumps out of that section?
The short answer is this. You need to grind down the stumps 6 inches below the level you want. Grass roots are 4 to 6 inches deep. If you cover up the stump with one to two inches of soil, grass will grow in the spring months. Once it gets hot, it will dye out because there is not enough soil to hold water. Many times this is why I just dig up a stump with the backhoe. The stump grinder can get it done, but you will have to spend the time with it. I hope this helps.
@@TonysTractorAdventure Thanks.. was afraid of that.. guess it's time to buy a backhoe for the tractor now... HMMMMM!! Toys!
Great video, guys! Love the process. It's amazing the amount of work you can do with a 20 hp tractor. My 1964 Yanmar 2000 isn't nearly as capable, what with no hyd remotes!!
Thank you. We try to get better with each video.
When I till I always get a line of built up soil on the edges of my area I'm tilling and I noticed you didn't. Wondering if you have any tips for that??
I till based on how hard the ground is. I had rather not till, if possible, to keep the soil structure intact. This was a clay hilltop that had all of its soil removed. It was hard as concrete.
Is it possible to change the angle of a box blade hydraulically, for like when crowning a road?
Something special would have to be made up for a small tractor. It is possible.
Tony I have a question. I recently bought a box scraper and I live in the mountains of Northern California and my property is covered in little cedar saplings and small trees ( under three feet). Can I use the ripper on the box scraper or teeth on my grapple to pull those small trees out. I want to get it to where I can plant some seed and have a lawn instead of red clay and over growth.
Gary, if you have the right box blade, then maybe. If you have a light weight box blade, it will most likely damage the box blade. The size of the tree also plays a role. I know this wasn't much help, but I hope it helped some.
Gary, what I did was remove rippers so I only had the middle one left, then I ripped the small trees/roots up.. by only having one ripper, your less likely to grab multiple roots at a time.. you’re better off grabbing one root at a time..
I have a JD 2025R with a backhoe attachment. When I disconnect the backhoe at the hydraulic lines, is there a way I can use those hydraulics and integrate a top link with it while I’m using my box blade?
It is possible, but you would need the rear remote kit. Talk to your dealer.
You did a excellent job. Great finished product. But you rarely, if ever see any box blade/ tractor combinations around my area. Everyone around here would bring in a D3 sized Dozer for a job like this. Better? Worse? Who knows? It must be a regional thing. I'm a Hoe guy actually. I'm horrible on a Dozer.
I don't own a dozer, but I have two tractors. We don't see dozers around here that small. I have several friends with dozers, and the smallest owned is a D5. None of them would move their dozer for a job this small. Anyway, I didn't charge because I messed it up getting getting logs out with my bigger tractor.
And, thank you. I appreciate you.
@@TonysTractorAdventure either way, like I said it must be a regional thing. D3 sized Dozers are all over the place around here ( north Jersey), truth of the matter is you did a fine job anyway. Your tractor is much more versatile anyway. I prefer a crawler loader myself (cat 939 or a JD 450C ) to a dozer for anything but very finish trim work. Happy Easter.
That hydraulic top link is definitely the way to go. Makes a tractor/ box blade so much more useful
I’m guessing I could run a set of lines from my third function connectors (vs having to add a rear valve) to run the top link?
Sure. But when you see how much hydraulic hose that long cost, you may just want to buy the kit. I purchased the rear remote kit and installed it myself. I did a video showing how too.
@@TonysTractorAdventure
I’ll check it out, there is a hose place next door in our business park. I’ll see if they can price the hose assembly for comparison. Thanks
Can a box scraper be used on gravel in a driveway or is that something more meant for soil?
A box blade can be used for moving and spreading any type of material. ruclips.net/video/LxZuzv-Xg60/видео.html
Box blades work very for some things, but I found that a land plane, can do most things that the box scraper can do, and do it better and easier, usually.
We would use two old box springs with two cedar poles tied to each and pull them behind a drag to level ground.
I have seen set ups like this.
This would be a great video for drone recording. That way you could show the directions a lot better.
You are not wrong. I have a very nice drone too. I forget sometimes
There is a lot of skill needed to correctly run a box blade or back blade. You are at the mercy of what the front wheels are doing and if you hit a high spot or a dip then that can mess up your day. Nice job staying on the positioning of the box blade because that's what it takes... focus on what you're doing.
Just bought a new tractor box blade and this was awesome...THANKS!
Thank you. I am glad it helps.
Those Hardee's are made in my home town. Related to the Hardee's on my grandmother's side.
That is neat. They make really well-made products.
I have a small BX tractor. It’s not as easy as one thinks when dealing with uneven ground surfaces. Takes some time and patiences.
That was very helpful my friend just got a box blade for his 3520 JD , I’m fired up after watching your video and can’t wait to show him what I have learned
Thank you so much
Hi where can I buy the hydraulic link from and I would I able to use it on Kioti 3520?
If you ever used a top and tilt, you'd wonder why anybody would do without.
That is a fact. I would love to be able to do it. The smaller tractors usually on have one set of remotes.
@@TonysTractorAdventure I just got a big one, and they couldn't get the rams. It was really frustrating. I got the ram yesterday! Now I can run with this!!!!! I live in the mountains, so nothing is flat. You really need the tilt.
Tony….this was great information. I’m now going to get a hydraulic top link. Can you tell me was piston length your cylinder has or what will work the best? Much appreciated! Jeff
I made a video on how to buy the correct top link
I spent many hours running a John Deere 1050 with a box blade for my dad as a teenager. It was always fun with him running his dozer, and me smoothing out the finished product when he had whatever project we were doing shaped. I always used to go in circles, and when the soil I was dragging got too full of trash I would drag it just outside my work area and make a pile. If there was a treeline I could often get away with piling the debris pile inside the trees. We did a ton of landscaping projects, home irrigation, and even built a couple of small golf courses with all Par 3 holes. Our tractor was cool in that we had big Goodyear flotation tires. They prevented marring up the final grade with tire treads.
I loved hearing your story. I have similar memories of my dad working. I miss him.
@@TonysTractorAdventure Thank you!
Nice for landscaping. My cat III with an 8 ft. boxblade does it all. My category II with the 6 ft. blade is nice for most projects like foundation clearing and I have a plate that attaches that can excavate a foot trench all the way around.
Thank you for doing this really helpful!❤
You're so welcome!
Awesome job Tony! Thanks for sharing! ☺
Thank you my friend. Fun day
Hi Tony, Great vid on the box blade & the Hydro top link is a winner :). Do these little tractor have a draft feature for the 3PL, if so, is it possible to show how this feature works?? Keep up the great work, Cheers from Aus ;)
Most modern tractor do not push down. When in the down position, they use the weight of the implement to pull them down floating up and down. The amount of cut is dependent on the weight and cut angle of the implement. I hope this helps.
@@TonysTractorAdventure great video. I have a kioti ck3510 and just installed my box blade. Can you explain what lever controls the raising and lowering of the hydraulic link? Do I need a special control lever?
@@jgrimberg1979 Thanks for that question. I just bought the CK3520 SE HST. Would like to know which lever to use also to raise and lower Top Link???
I just bought a new TYM T264 w/ backhoe. Today I used the backhoe for the first time to dig up two dead brushes. When In put the tractor back in the barn I tried to adjust the boom an stabilizers to put the lock pins in, but the BH controls were dead (except I could move a lever slightly and the buck and or the stabilizers would slowly move down). I disconnected a reconnected the quick connects to the backhoe, but it had no effect. Do you have any idea what I can do to fix this?
Yep. Turn the hydraulic flow back on. The lever between your legs. I have done the same thing. It is easy to do by dragging a pants leg across it.
Yes, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! That fixed it ........ If you’re ever in Williams AZ ..... dinner’s on me
I went to the TYM dealer on saturday and looked at the 574, not sure if I should get a shuttle or hydrostat? It looks so handy watching you run that hydryo, I was just under the impression the shuttle offered more power to the ground? In any case that top link is going to be on it when I get it, very nice.
HST it much better for power to the ground and precise work. The clutch will grab and jump a bit on all tractors. The HST is smooth at power transfer. The HST is also better at loader work. The T654 offers power Shuttle which is very smooth. Let me know what you get.
@@TonysTractorAdventure I looked at the 654 online( he did not have one on the lot) I like the size of that tractor and the hp. What really draws me to the 55hp is the Kukje engine, not so much that it has cummins related design but the fact that it's mechanical in it's fuel delivery and does not rely on a computer chip to function. In any case you've played a big role in my decision to choose TYM, I've watched about all of your vids 10 times and after going to see it in person I feel pretty solid about dropping the $$$ on one.
I think one of the keys is that the dirt/material has to be loose and dry enough to be moved around. Hard packed and wet dirt will not move around and level out.
You are so right about the dirt moisture content. I would rather work with dry dirt than wet.
My box blade won’t stay raised unless I physically hold the lever all the way up. Idk if it’s a hydraulic issue or what 🤷♂️
Sounds like the linkage needs to be tightened. There is a drag adjustment.
They should arrest people that sell tractors without a hydraulic top link.
That made me laugh.
Did you need to get a longer top link cylinder after installing the Pats quick hitch? I’m getting ready to install them on my tractor.
Same one
I use it on my bigger tractor also.
Best buy tractor with automatic draft control is setting the dual control hight three inch an draft if your tractor has draft set at two to three an speed by rpm slower speed more level using draft and slower speed when rear wheels dip down in low spot box adjust the box up to fill in the low spot an it cuts a high spot off until hitting the next low spot so no needing to guess manually raising up or down a basic tractor without draft control not good for finish grading i grew up on no draft after buying my first tractor with draft you could fill an see the difference between the two automatic draft . When rear tires cross over high spots it lowers itself to the three inch level setting cutting high off and using when cross a lower spot when tires sink into dip raising box up to difference . Don’t buy a tractor without a draft lever
Thank you for your opinion.
Great tips i can't wait to get back on my tractor and move some dirt/graval
Me too my friend. 5 days of rain ahead. 🌧
I need a hydraulic top link
I agree. So worth it.
Good video. Thanks for not wearing a bikini!
😁😇😁
Will the top link work with a quick connect?
Yes it will. I have switched over to Pat's Quick Connect, because not all of my implements are from the same manufacture. Some have different top spacings. Pat's work on everything.
I like it!!!
Thank you