Grading and earth moving with Case 1170. Which toys?

Long story short, sold my house and I need to expedite a new shop build at new place. On top of that, I sold my only running dozer and excavator so I am a little screwed!

I only have my Case 1170, which has been pretty reliable for me. I have spent many many hours on a smaller 3pt tractor with box blade for fine finish work, and I have a small Deere with 6ft box available for final work, but I need a little more "balls" for bulk work. I will have to work up a pad for the building, add aggregate, cut in some drainage work, etc.

I know that case is not an agile bird and I will cuss because I don't have powershift, but it has 135HP and some as weight to get something done. Question is what would I want to shop for? I might prefer to go for a 3pt box but I have never seen one bigger than 6ft, AND those 3pt arms are insane close to the rear tires that I have concern a box may not clear. Then there are land leveler boxes. They could probably work but getting in tighter spots will be tough.

I also need to figure out a bucket for the Case high loader I have on it. I was promised a bucket when I bought machine, but that never happened. I ended up building a very custom rack plate up there that is identical to a forklift and I use off the shelf forks on it. I did that so I can chop a fork down and make another bale spear for it.

Guess all I am saying there is I might have to custom fit a bucket anyway, unless the fitment is standard enough that I can drop the mount plate and just hook up a bucket. ?

How about a box blade with the teeth that have adjustable height settings? Or better yet, a high end box blade where the teeth rotate via a hydraulic cylinder.
Either one 7 feet wide (Yes, that probably will not be enough for outside of rear tire.) will move lots of dirt. By comparison I moved lots of dirt with a six
foot Land Pride behind a 35 HP tractor. With a little experience and practice you will get pretty good at cutting and filling as needed for your project to get
close to the desired final grade. With that much power and weight in front of the box blade don't get a cheap one that is built light. We have all seen those
results at farm and consignment sales.

Yes, I think most boxes would have adjustable scarifiers, or at least all I have been around. I think you are referring to a hydraulic scarifier.

Yes, as mentioned, I have plenty of experience with a box, just none with a tractor this big. In construction, we found a happy spot with New Holland 4wd shuttle shift tractors at 80HP. That would be ideal but right now my options are the big girl or a 45HP Deere.

But as mentioned, the 3pt arms are about right at the back of the rear tires so I would bet the scarifier, if not the whole box would make contact with the tires.

How about talking to the guy you sold the dozer to. He might either let you use it or come do it for a small fee. Would be more efficient than fooling around with the tractor. You could also put the money for the blade toward the cost.

I did all the site work for my 2 barns with an 8n and a 6' angle back blade. The grade for the small barn in front slopes 16"
rear to front. The back barn built 16 years later, is 1' higher and slopes 1' left to right. It wasn't fast, but it got the job
done.

Forgot to add, I would get a heavy duty 7' or 8' box blade with retractable and adjustable teeth (ie:Landpride HR35 or HRL35) if you use the Case.

I bought a new 8' box blade to use on my 970 when I built my house. I used it less than a day before mangling the A-frame on it. Dealer wouldn't do anything about it because I had greatly exceeded the HP rating. I fabbed up a new frame using An old Tool bar frame and it has been fine since(15+ years) including some time on a 1370.

Handy tool to have around, but it isn't a dozer or backhoe.

Do you have other things to do with your time and other uses for the new equipmentafter this project is completed? It could take you two to ten times as long to do the job yourself (labor cost) compared to hiring someone with the right skills and equipment.

As for your tires being close to where your box blade would sit have thought about adding a quick hitch to your tractor I have one on mine and it extends the hitch out about 4or5 inches. Randy

Not sure where you are located, but a pull type scraper, pull pan is an excellant tool for grading building areas, roadways, ditches, just about everything. Day and night differance between this and a rear blade. Should be able to rent one, as in my area there everywhere.

I have a much older version of this and it will move
a lot of dirt
Miskin scraper

Nice looking scraper. Age dose not really matter with these if they were taken care of, and not abused. Are you from Wyoming? In Iowa everyone uses them, you will still large contractors with high tracks and converted 631 pans. West of the twin cities there was a D10 and converted 651 pan. Scrapers are the handiest thing there is for this type of work.

I seen a fleet of bell articulated dump trucks pulling
goose neck hitch scrapes last summer on a
highway job