Grader blade

[Akestner 36]

Well spring is here and I was just curious I have a 95 520h and I'm looking for a way to grade my driveway and level out my garden from time to time mostly gravel duty what would be the best mid mount blade to get I don't fully understand the difference between the 2 styles or exactly how they hookup I would also be curious as to what a decent price would be for one of them

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[WH nut 553]

I would go belly blade. I love mine. have never mounted the front blade

[clip 185]

The two I know of are a mid-mount and a rear-mount blade. The rear-mount is basically like a short snow blade that mounts under the rear axle. The mid-mount blade mounts on the mid attachment point, where mower decks attach. I'm looking for a mid-mount myself, but hear both do a good job.

[JAinVA 4,623]

If you want to grade a gravel drive the mid mount is much better suited than any other mount in my experience.The front or rear mount amplify any pitch up or down of the supporting axle.The mid mount will only transfer half of the pitching motion of either axle.There is a good reason road graders have the blade midways.I've had one for many years and I really like the job it does.Luck,JimA

[rick 235]

I have both front and mid mount blades. I use the front blade for pushing snow, and brush, leaves & etc. I use the mid mount blade for grading and leveling on the drive way. JAinVA  hit the nail on the head! 

[clueless 3,012]

What JAinVA, said.

[cheesegrader 433]

I use a front push blade, a mid-mount grader blade and a rear box blade on my gravel roads.

The push blade is best for snow, or moving a large volume of loose material--gravel, sand, mulch..

Direction control is easy, but it does not level well, and is so-so for hard pack, even with the downforce bar.

Best for the first pass if I have a new pile of gravel to spread.

The mid mount is great on hard pack, and levels things wonderfully, but it won't move much volume, and maneuvering can be fussy.

The only fast way to change grade or drainage on a hard existing gravel road, and best for final pass leveling and compacting.

GIves the best, longest lasting finish.

The back box blade is easy to control in tight areas.  You can get right up to the garage edge, into pens, around trees, along walkways...

It can move medium volumes of material, and weight can be added to do some work on hard pack.

Good for filling in wash-outs on the drive, spring leveling, and tight work against buildings.

[Butch 194]

I tore up some ground and used that mid-mount grader blade with excellent results. The area had a couple feet

of height difference in sections plus many high and low spots. I let the blade kinda float and used the raising handle

to control the depth I wanted. You get the feel for it. It's easy. I also have the snow plow and it can come close to doing

the job of the grader. The grader was on a C85 and had no problem pushing dirt.

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

I mounted a rear scraper blade on my JB sleeve hitch for pulling snow away from garage doors this winter. It can be set to float or be solid. I also have to regrade a stretch of a ditch and plan on using this when I get the cab off. So I can see what I'm doing.

 

[wh500special 2,237]

I think we're answering the question a little differently from what the op is asking. I assume he's asking about the differences in the two mid mount blades: the older 40" pull type that mounts in the mower deck hitch, and the newer 50" push type that mounts to the same rear axle mount as the snowplow and tiller.

In my opinion, the larger 50" pusher type is better suited to the large 520 tractor. They are heavier and are heavier duty as well. Easy to mount, can be angled from the seat (sort of) and ought to cover the full tractor width when angled.

Front mount snow blades aren't good for leveling. If you have loose material and drop the blade then drive in reverse they do a fair job. But I think they're a bit limited in what they can do for grading and grooming.

Steve

[Red-Bovine 316]

In 1994, when we built our second house, I used our 520H with the 50" mid mount blade to finish grade our yard. It mounted with two quick release gizmos on the rear axle and a push/pull bracket on the lift mechanism. I did a lot of gravel and soil moving with that rig. We had huge piles of top soil (soil was stripped from building site and sat for over a year) to move around that we were able to level by skimming off the top and sides of the piles and spreading it around. It took a few days to get all our finished grading done, but saved us $5000.00 over what a landscaper wanted to do. He wanted to do all the work with a D9 and we would have lost several trees in the process only because his D9 couldn't get around them. We also used it to keep the gravel drive smooth and spread new gravel and TB until it was paved. Really a great set up. After years of not using it, we sold it to Cheesegrader.

 

Red

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

I'm not questioning the correct application in this case of the mid-mount. The problem that I have seen with the mid-mounts is the cost and lack of availability. Just offering an alternative.

Edited March 25, 2015 by shallowwatersailor

[dennist 139]

Well spring is here and I was just curious I have a 95 520h and I'm looking for a way to grade my driveway and level out my garden from time to time mostly gravel duty what would be the best mid mount blade to get I don't fully understand the difference between the 2 styles or exactly how they hookup I would also be curious as to what a decent price would be for one of them

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Your question "what would be best mid-mount blade" and "difference between the 2-styles" and "decent price"?

I personally like the 50" push better with my manual lift tractor(never tried with hydro).

The difference WH500 answered well IMO.

Decent price $50-$150, BUT good luck for that price. Once someone uses one "correctly" they know how valuable and capable they are and don't just give them away. I have sold 6-8 over the last bunch of years and they have always sold between $350-$400 with no problem. I have one listed on here FS at $400 and if no one buys and I really WANT to sell I will put on eBay and it will be gone very fast.

Good luck-

[Butch 194]

I think we're answering the question a little differently from what the op is asking. I assume he's asking about the differences in the two mid mount blades: the older 40" pull type that mounts in the mower deck hitch, and the newer 50" push type that mounts to the same rear axle mount as the snowplow and tiller.

In my opinion, the larger 50" pusher type is better suited to the large 520 tractor. They are heavier and are heavier duty as well. Easy to mount, can be angled from the seat (sort of) and ought to cover the full tractor width when angled.

Front mount snow blades aren't good for leveling. If you have loose material and drop the blade then drive in reverse they do a fair job. But I think they're a bit limited in what they can do for grading and grooming.

Steve

 

 

It's very rare that I have any input on Wheelhorses so telling me I'm not responding correctly to the true question does

not surprise me. One day I'll have some valuable, CORRECT, Wheelhorse info!

[dennist 139]

Butch, I do not think that was the intent of his statement. You gave great input on the grader as did everyone else.

[cheesegrader 433]

Red,

 

That 50" mid mount blade looked almost new when I got it.  I had no idea you used it that much!

It really is a great implement.  I've been able to restore the crown and fix drainage on almost a half mile of gravel road.  

The more I use it, the more I like it.

[Red-Bovine 316]

We basically just used it that one summer to do our finished grading and maybe once or twice after that. It was a real work horse and money saver for us. It was stored inside the hangar until you bought it. Now that we have the yard all set, we use the 520H for aerating, lawn sweeping, fertilizing, and snow blowing. We purchased a Ferris IS2100Z to do the mowing. Very comfy with it's nice seat and four wheel independent suspension. Much nicer on the back of this old lady than the 520H. We mow about 1.5 acres plus help out on the runway mowing. Pretty cool going down the runway at 15mph cutting grass.

[camryn 2]

I would highly advise the belly mount blade.

I tried the front mount plow blade and kept making the existing dips and hills worst.

 

I ended up buying the last NOS belly blade the local dealer had, and what a difference!

 

It leveled everything out and would continued to dig down evenly as much as I asked of it.

 

Hope this helps,

Dave

[Forest Road 594]

I have a 50" mid mount grader blade. Our vacation home has approx 1/4 of gravel driveway. Which on occasion has needed some maintenance. This blade has been indispensable! By far my favorite attachment. It attaches at the rear axle with the snow plow hitch. I've tried tow behind York rakes, "driveway groomer" and WH snow plow. NOTHING has given me the clean results of the 50" grader.

Expect to pay $200-450.

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