Looking at getting either a JD27D or 30G here within the next year l. However I’d love to have an angle blade but it’s not available on the smaller machines. Has anyone added one to any mini ex just curious on the process. Welding and fabricating the brackets I can manage however at this point my knowledge of hydraulics is minimal. Thanks for any input and have a good Sunday
This is not a knock on you or angle blades. As far as I’m concerned they are not worth all the extra hydraulics or extra wear points. It’s an excavator, the angle blade doesn’t turn it into a dozer and it really doesn’t help much more than a straight blade when backfilling. My advice would be to save your money on trying to add an angle blade and put it towards a thumb, 36”grading bucket, 16” trenching bucket, ripper tooth, and a general purpose 24” digging bucket. Use the blade to stabilize the machine and back blade after backfilling. This is all just my opinion, I’ve had both and wouldn’t want an angle blade again.
I agree with the above; very good advice imho…. We do a fair bit of deep digging and an angle blade would tend to interfere with this (projects further in front of machine)
Welcome to the Forums Gw3! Glad to have you.
Iĺl 3rd that. I have a JD35G with angle, and I just don´t use it that much. I do more grading with the cleanup bucket than I do the blade.
I’ll concur with the others. There are a select few times when an angle blade can boost productivity when backfilling, or be used for some light touch up work when grading, but honestly they don’t angle enough to effectively side cast dirt very well. They kinda work but not great, certainly not worth the time and trouble to retrofit.
I am also not going to beat my rubber tracks to death using it as a dozer. They take enough abuse jumping over footings and working on rocks, etc.
I've got a KX033-4 with angle blade. I will say that I have found it useful for some of the stuff I do. It's not a must have, but now that I have it, I use it. So bottom line is, if you want an angle blade, buy a machine with an angle blade or live without it. Trying to add one after the fact is more work than you'll ever get back using it.
Well appreciate the advice. If you guys say its not that big of a deal then I'll take your advise and just live with out it. The more I've looked into it it was going to be quite a bit of work and not that much of a gain. - anyone have an opinion on 30G vs 27D?
the hardest part would be the rotary manifold replacement to get one with enough ports to run the extra ram. I agree with all those guys, its a neat thing if you have it but I wouldnt pay extra for that feature, which is why they are rare. my buddy has a fully optioned bobcat with angle blade and extenda-stick, buying used you basically get those options 'free' as most people dont want them.
The only way that I ended up with an angle blade was that was what was available with the cab. When I ordered this machine up. I did not want the extra stick and a little bit of counterweight hanging off the back and all the cab machines had that. I work in such tight quarters that I'll have a plumbing stack right against my track, and that little bolt on counterweight would break it off!
bigger is better