Thoughs On JD 78 BackBlade

Anyone ever had one? I have been looking for an 8 footer for behind my SuperM for plowing snow, and I found this one. Guy is firm at $550, claims to have put a new cutting edge on it, and rebuilt anything that was loose.

I think it is a fair price, and it is seemingly built heavy, but after he got me a few measurments, it won't spin 360 on the tractor....

I see no reason I can turn the hitch part around, THEN hook it to the tractor, but it would be nice to be able to do that on the machine like normal.

The question is, 1, are they a good blade, and well built in your experience, and 2, is the not turning around thing an issues with THIS model, or is anything I find with an 8 foot blade going to have the same issue, as they want to keep the weight closer to the tractor, but with the width of the blade, it can't turn around?

Thanks!

I got into the spinning issues with a tractor of my grandpas I think if you tighten the top link and slide out the drawbar it should spin 360 in the full raised position but I think his was 7? either way moving snow you will probably just change angle and not actual direction of work. I?d price a new one from rural king or tsc and go from there

I have one, that my dad lengthend the hitch. I also use it with a quick coupler. Moves it back to 6 inches or so. The neat thing about them is the mowboard is curved right. Material rolls and flows. Doesn't just mush along.

That's a good thought... I hate to weld on a good piece of equipment, but I do like the idea of the coupler. 6"s might be all I needed?

I had that thought too, shorten the top link up, and that would tip the blade out a good bit, might make a lot of difference.

I started looking at new ones, but you can't get an 8 footer from any "farm" stores. Just 7's. Anything 8 foot is considered "heavy duty", and they START at like $2000!! I am still hunting though....

Our blade. But being used for a counter weight.

Have an 8' I bought specifically for snow removal to be used behind a Massey 165. Have the same issue. Can't spin blade around without toplink adjustment, swinging drawbar and a little luck (sometimes it seems to work, sometimes not).

That said. For snow removal, for the most part, I have no need to turn blade all the way around. If I do, I drop blade, unhook and spin the hitch and move tractor. It is a nicely balanced blade so doing that is very easy.

What I would look for in a blade, and would like to do but it sits wayyyyyyyy down on my priority list, is to add a Hyd cylinder for angling the blade. That would save me 5-7 climbs up and down off the tractor per plowing session.

Having previously plowed with a 6' blade that didn't cover wheels when angled. I would take the wider blade over the ability to turn around.

I can tell from looking at it that it won't spin 360. Just going by that short little frame.

For an 8' blade to spin, it has to be hanging almost 4' back from the 3pt pins, and that's a looooong way to hang for such a heavy blade. Your M's front wheels won't touch the ground.

IMHO back blades are fine if you don't get much snow, but if the snow gets more than a few inches deep you can't drive through it and pull it anymore. You have to push it, and looking over your shoulder and backing up can get tiring. I'd much rather be going forward and pushing with something on the front of the tractor.

A friends had an 8' JD back blade on their JD 2020 since new or a very long time. The 3pt mast might be different, I have a photo somewhere of it, but it's well built blade. It cannot spin around 360 degrees when mounted, but depending on conditions, you may not need to. Snow that will roll off the moldboard is nice but when it's a wet non powdery type, it may just bunch up. Fair price from the many I have seen around here of similar construction. I have seen heavier ones that people were asking a lot more for, but took forever to sell.

I have a old McConnell Cat II 7' blade on my Ford 4630. It just covers the wheel tracks, and in 30" of powdery snow, it rolled it off when angled. Deep snow you may want to make 2 passes to get to the bottom. I can easily spin it 360 degrees when mounted, and this one not only has pivot pin holes where the blade connects to the rear part of the frame, it has a matching set right at the 3 pt mast where it hitches to the tractor. You can angle it and swing it to an extreme angle to either side. This tractor is 4 wheel drive with tall front tires for its size and it runs through 3 feet of snow with this blade on with ease. I just like the geometry of the blade, 8' would be nice, but it's less of a cut in deep snow to influence the tractor like a front blade can do, fits in the garage when on the tractor etc. I have never seen another MFR build one like this, I think its a very practical and versatile design. The darned thing is heavy duty, more than the tractor's hitch should take, so you can't use it like a dozer blade, you'll wreck something on the tractor first and the lift arms are thick on this tractor. Paid $300 for it and went and got it in pouring rain so as no one else got to it before me. I needed a quick fix for snow removal, sure was a good buy and solved that problem easily. I ran all over the property clearing paths last March when we got that 3'0" snow, it worked well. I took photos and video of the snow rolling off.

I am with you Billy. Same part of the world. We get some snow here.

I have a big snowblower for use with tractor but rarely use it. Only during a winter where we get pounded with no relief and my snowbanks creep into my driveway. For general clearing, back blade is all I need.

I usually do 2 passes in almost all snows- first one to push the bulk, second to scrape and neaten.

Last winter blower and tractor sat unused.

If you can find the right cylinder to use as a toplink you could draw the top of the blade close and be able to spin it.Might not work with an M think it has one way hydraulics.

My neighbor has one. Good stout blade. It is always backwards on his tractor for snow. Don't think I've ever seen it turned around. Using it backwards and not being bent says something about how well it is built. Sounds like a very fair price.

I cannot see good enough to tell if blade is designed to turn or not. I have a 7' and on the 4000 Ford with 38" rear wheels unless I shortned the top link way up would not turn because of hitting tire. That could be the problem that he could not spin it. If that is the problem then you would just have to take it off as from those quick hitches they would not clear the blade if raised and tilted forward to give tire clearance. My 7' blade is an older TSC model. Rated for 50 HP but on 52 HP tractor renter busted it up.

Last 2 were mild, but '14 -'15 was a harsh one for sure.

We certainly do at times or in some winters. You and Jay are due West from me, I can see the Helderbergs off on the horizon from my kitchen window up on this hill.

I've used a rear blade on a few different tractors,and we had a 66" Loftness blower at the other place and I used that in the deep snow of '10-'11. Without that implement, winter problems revolving around deep snow, would have been so much worse given the number of horses we had that winter. I was able open up pastures to let them out in, that were just too deep with drifts and such. I'd like to have a 3 pt snowblower, (well a front mounted one with a cab tractor would be ideal LOL !), but it's hard to invest in the cost of new or good used and know it will sit most of the year, + I need a shed at this point for implements, so I've held off. It's like a 4x4 truck, you may not need FWD often, but well worth having when you do. The rear blade certainly worked well in the deepest of snow on this 4630, and I can drive the tractor out into it from a heated garage, and return when I am done, just hit the button on the remote.

I think we may be on for it this year.

Last year I was in the process of re-designing the 3pt mount in my snowblower to fit auch taller tractor (has a cab too!).

Can't remember if I finished. lol. Gotta dig it out and see

Where exactly are you? I grew up in Altamont- also at the foot of the heldebergs.