Box scraper blade?? - 3 point or sleeve hitch
 

I have a quietline 1450, I would like to be able to move a little dirt around and maintain my 60' gravel driveway. I already have an IH front blade but lately have been looking into some of the garden tractor sized box scrapers. Realistically, how useful would one of those rear box blades be? Will they break through sod or are they best for loose soil and gravel? Finally would you suggest the sleeve hitch or the cat 0 three point? I currently do not have either hitch.

A box blade won't break sod, no. You have to till first.

As far as a box blade..... yep they're pretty useful. Good luck finding a true cub cadet one. There are reproductions out there. If you go to a Cat 0 hitch, your going to have at least $1000 in the hitch and the blade. If that's a do-able price for you, I'd go with the Cat 0. That way you have more versatility with your machine.

It really depends on what all you may want to do with your machine and how much you want to spend, a cat O hitch has a really great "cool factor" but I don't know of any implements made for a cat O that they don"t make for a three point hitch/sleeve hitch adapter (not saying there isn't any, I just don't know what they are).

IIRC a cat O hitch system is about $500.00 then you will need an "A" frame adapter for around d $200.00 I believe that cat O implements are more expensive to buy than sleeve hitch adapter implements (new or used). I don't know anything about their availability.

A good used 3 point for your 1450 will cost about $100.00 to $125.00 plus shipping, then you will more than likely need a sleeve hitch adapter, another $80.00 to $100.00

A new Brinly box blade is around $200.00 and I don't know that used ones come up for sale very often (keep in mind that I haven't been on the lookout for them).

If you think you may want a tiller some day, I don't believe that you can hook an IH tiller to a cat O hitch.

FWIW, I have an OLD spring tooth cultivator that I use like a ripper. It's pretty heavy and does a good job tearing up sod or anything else that's packed down. In combination with the box blade it does everything that I ask it to. Like anything else, you have to know the limitations of your machine and you almost always run out of traction before you run out of power.

Either choice would be a fine addition to your machine, you just need to decide what is best for your needs.

I had a little brinly box blade for a sleeve hitch. Well, it was ok. Don't expect for it to do a lot of work. Might be good for a gravel drive. I have since upgraded to a 4ft box blade for my cat 0 hitch on my 2082. Having said that, I don't think my 1650 would do very well with my 4ft box blade behind it. I guess if you weighted down the 1450 really well it would work ok. This is the only picture I have currently, but you can kinda get the idea. I would run out and get you a better pic, but the 2082 is under construction.
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...psfdef7c1c.jpg

Now this is a sweet little box blade. This is a custom built box blade (not by me) I got this with a 1650 I purchased a while back. Here are a few pics.
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps37467f86.jpghttp://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps17f1826c.jpghttp://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps67f165b1.jpg

Mark, I'm not disagreeing with you. I just want to give out some of the info you weren't sure of. :beerchug:


There are almost literally hundreds. Cool thing about 3pt is that there are lots of companies that make implements for them. They can be bought used or new. You don't have to spend forever looking for them. Unlike if you want a true cub cadet box blade for example. You might look a year before you find one. Or a Brinly planter..... those are getting very hard to find. Plus, it's really easy to make your own equipment for a cat 0. Sleeve hitch is difficult because of it's lifting ability, and the angle to which the mounting system works. 3pt is way more versatile than sleeve hitch. Plus, with one adapter, you can mount any sleeve hitch equipment to 3pt. You just can't do it the other way around.


Way more available, and for the most part, for the same money, or less.


The #2B tiller is made for cat 0. The others can be easily adapted.


I think you mean a spike tooth. A spring tooth wouldn't rip ground. A spring tooth is just like a de-thatcher. :beerchug:

Mine is like this one... Only about twice as heavy.

That makes sense. :beerchug:
I understand what you mean by "spring tooth". IH always called those "vibra-tines". In my area they were called/considered Danish tines.

Here's what I though of when you said spring tooth.

Attachment 56489

All of the sleeve hitch versions I have seen seam to be very cheaply made and probably not at all effective. Now, the 3 point versions with real rippers and heavy welded steel are very pricey. I like the idea of building my own very similar to the one shown above. The question with the heavy versions is when does traction become an issue. I plan on using 10.50 ag tires with as much weight as i can get.