Section 4: Operating Procedures
11/27/18
20
Rear Blade Functions
WARNING
!
To avoid serious injury or death:
Never operate hydraulic cylinder(s) with blade in the ground
or under load. Improper use can result in loss of control and
damage the Rear Blade. Always lift blade up before operating
Grading
Place grade stakes if you intend to develop a specific
grade or soil level. Pivot moldboard to desired angle,
lower blade to ground, and set tractor’s draft-link height
control to desired position. Proceed forward at a speed of
no more than 2 to 4 mph. The blade should immediately
begin shaving the surface. A blade full of material can be
raised slightly so that material can flow out evenly under
the blade to effectively shave off high spots and fill in
potholes or depressions. Loose soil can be smoothed out
by pushing soil with back of moldboard while backing-up.
If single or dual gauge wheels are included, set tractor’s
draft-link height control to maximum preferred cutting
depth. Raise and lower blade with gauge wheel(s).
Edge work
Material that is close to fences, buildings, and other
obstructions can be graded by offsetting moldboard to
the right or left beyond the tractor tire. Always make
certain end of blade is offset far enough to be visible to
the operator. Always keep a safe distance away from
obstructions, drive slowly when passing by them and stay
clear of them when turning. Always be aware that the
blade will make a wide swinging pattern in a turn and
always be ready to stop immediately to keep from hitting
an obstruction. Never hit an obstruction as this can
damage blade and/or obstruction.
Ditch Work
The Rear Blade is good for making V-type ditches. Tilt
one end of moldboard down to desired ditching angle.
Offset that end to be in line with tractor’s rear tire and
pivot opposite end of moldboard back. The combined
angles, pivot, and offset, should be between 45
o
and 60
o
.
Operate tractor at slow speeds when cleaning a ditch or
removing snow. Be careful not to hit hidden solid objects
that can damage the Rear Blade. Always be ready to stop
immediately. Remember, the lighter the blade load, the
easier it is for the tractor to damage the blade.
Fill ditches by offsetting blade beyond the tractor wheel to
keep tractor out of the ditch. Angle blade to move dirt
toward and into the ditch while traveling forward. Set
blade depth as needed (see
when setting blade depth).
IMPORTANT:
The warranty shall not apply to
damage caused by misuse, abuse, or contact with
obstructions.
Backfilling
Backfilling is a process where the operator turns the
blade around 180
o
and pushes product while backing-up.
Be careful not to overstress the blade while backfilling as
load forces on the blade and frame increase when
backing up. To help protect the blade from damage,
lengthen tractor’s top center link until the blade will move
across the top of the ground without forcing itself into the
ground.
Adjust offset to be straight behind the tractor and set
blade angle at 90
o
(perpendicular to the Mainframe).
Keep load in the center of the blade and not on the end of
the blade. Don’t ram load with the blade and always
operate at slow speeds when backing-up. Be ready to
stop immediately if a solid object is hit.
Removing snow while backing-up is especially
dangerous as snow can hide solid objects and there is a
tendency to drive too fast to get the snow removal job
done. High speeds multiply forces exerted on the Rear
Blade.
Unhooking 3-Way Rear Blade
WARNING
!
To avoid serious injury or death:
When using the park stand, make sure it is fully down with wire
retaining pin fully inserted and wire retainer over end of pin.
If not, the implement could fall.
Unhook 3-Way Rear Blade from tractor as follows:
1.
Park on a level solid hard surface. Place tractor gear
selector in park and set park brake.
2. Lower park stand and secure with hitch pin.
3. Lower blade and park stand onto level ground or onto
blocks supporting unit just above ground.
4. Shut tractor engine off and remove key.
5. If coupled to hydraulic cylinder(s), move hydraulic
control lever(s) back and forth several times to
reliever hydraulic pressure at couplings.
6. Unhook couplings from the tractor and store in
coupling storage slots to keep couplings out of the
dirt. See Figure 1-2 on page 9 for location of coupling
storage slots.
7.
If necessary, adjust length of upper center 3-Point
link until hitch pin can be removed from hitch frame.
8. Remove hitch pins from lower 3-Point arms at the
hitch frame.
9. Reinstall hitch pins, linchpins, and hairpin cotters in
the Rear Blade hitch frame for storage.
10. Refer to
storing Rear Blade for a long time.
