$50 FDT Blade

[PhanDad 3,616]

If you check the "eBay & Other Ads" forum, you may remember I listed a $50 FDT Allis Blade for sale not too far from me. I said if it were for a RBT, it would have been mine already. Several responses said it was an easy conversion and even though the hitch is a little shorter, if you reposition the lift arm, it will work fine on a RBT.So..... it's mine now:

The wear plate is in good shape and hasn't been flipped. The sale also included the angle position rod as seen in the pics; no lift arm but I already have several so that's not an issue. The PO added an extra 3" to each side of the blade; he did an excellent job:

The added material is 3" wide the entire length even though the front side pic looks like the top is wider. The reason for the added blade width was he had the blade mounted on an old Case tractor that was 4 foot wide. The 46" blade didn't plow a wide enough path to keep the wheels out of the snow, so he modified it. I'm going to modify the hitch. Still debating about removing the extra 3" to return the blade back to 46"; the extra 6" may be a problem in the side-by-side "winter ready" staging position of the 42" blower and now 52" blade tractors:

 

Edited November 17, 2016 by PhanDad
Deleted extra pics

[yukon 331]

wow thats some serious snow use the blower.

[GregB 941]

Bill,

If you look up and old "Dutch" post he talked about this modification and also adding height variation for leverage.

[PhanDad 3,616]

Greg,

Which modification are you referring? The hitch or added width?

I did find Dutch posts about hitch comparison:

http://www.simpletractors.com/club2/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=14185&SearchTerms=blade

And the higher lift:

http://www.simpletractors.com/club2/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=38920

There's also a very old post (pics gone) about modifying the FDT 42" front blade hitch so it can be used for both the front and grader blades:

http://www.simpletractors.com/club2/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=6999&SearchTerms=blade

In my case, I think the high lift option won't work with the shorter length hitch. After reading Dutch's comparison, I hoping the only modification I'll need to make to the hitch is the lift arm.

BTW, all this is so I can keep my Homelite T-12 from being used in the winter. It was snow plowing when I broke an axle tube. It's my main mowing tractor (since the deck can mow higher than a Sovereign deck). Another option is to modify the Homelite blade hitch so it can be mounted on both the Homelite and Simplicity tractors.

[PhanDad 3,616]

Finally got the hitch converted to vertical so it'll fit an RBT. 

The hitch length is a couple inches shorter than my Homelite hitch (same as the newer Simplicity 46" mfg# 1690088/9 blade/hitch but with a different hitch pin hookup width).  The Homelite hitch is shown in the front of this 42/46" hitch comparison pic:  

 I believe my modified 46" FDT hitch is the same length as the hitch on the older 46" blade mfg# 9901009:

 Note the newer 46" hitche has an extra angled support (extending forward toward the blade).  The shorter length makes for a little tighter hood clearance, more so on my 75th vs 7016H, but it'll work.

 

Edited November 17, 2016 by PhanDad
Added pic of older 9901009 hitch

[Talntedmrgreen 1,978]

Great buy!  Ive modified a couple with good success.  I did find the arm would still contact a 7100 series hood if lifted and the axle rotates.  The RBT hitches had that arm extend outward a bit more.  Something to check when you install and test.  

[GrincheyOne 52]

Bill,

I got a 42" blade with the '88 4212, along with an adapter bracket to deal with the hitch pin widths. However found that I had to extend the length of the lever to clear the grill and front wheel on the 4212. I did this making a a bolt on piece  from the rear hitch on my '65 Big10, drill a few holes and use some old shot bearings from a weed-eater.. This then allowed me to mount my 46" trip blade on the 4212.

This link to the old club site might work for you, just tried it and it works for me...

http://www.simpletractors.net/club2/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=124801

[PhanDad 3,616]

Wayne,

I'll keep your suggestion in mind. 

The present plan is to use the blade on the 7016H and the blower on the 75th.  I don't think there is a clearance issue with the hitch and  7016H, but I'll see once I get everything mounted.