I have a ripper on my MX413 that I don't fully understand

[RenoHuskerDu]

I see three ripping teeth facing downward, and understand that. But up top are 4 more teeth, facing up and tied together with a bar that's crimped onto each tooth.

It's as if they have been converted from ripper teeth into a drag bar. And I don't see right away how I could deploy them downward to the working surface. Does anybody else have a similar ripper?

Here's a couple pics of it. You can't see the three downward teeth in the photos.

 

[Ronsii]

Looks they'd be handy for skinning sod... or cutting roots/weeds just below the surface???

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

I looked in the manual and found that the ripper comes with 7 teeth downward. I guess somebody added the connecting bar, or it was an option at purchase. Then they stored it up top. I'd have to take them off the top and put them on the bottom to use them. It just seems unlikely, but then this is my first grader so I'm on a steep learning curve here...

In Central Texas we have a boatload of hard soil. My own place has black soil to varying depths, then hard limestone underneath. But black soil is rare around here, many places have only limestone gravel, cactus, and big rocks. I can't imagine that crossbar lasting long were I to deploy it. Maybe you're right, it's for roots etc in softer soil. My Mauldin was first sold in NY.

 

[Bls repair]

You use the teeth with the bar facing down to grade in corners where you can’t reach with main blade.

 

[cuttin edge]

that blade looks home made. your bucket will do anything you can't get with the moldboard. I am thinking of getting the boys in the shop to shorten that flat bar, or make a shorter one to change the angle that the teeth engage the ground. but I use the bucket for up against buildings and corners. wish I had some videos of some of the projects I have done with mine. Driveways, parking lots, landscaping, streets, shouldering newly paved highways. we have 2 Mauldins now, a 1998 Alitec, and we had a 1988 Puckett. one thing I will say. I f it has AC, make sure it works. sitting on top of those 2 valvebanks, and the hydraulic pump, it gets some hot in the cab. there are times when you can't lay your hand on the metal beside the seat. I have left plastic water bottles in with me that I could make tea with

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

I've been working with it for a few days now. Temps are cool, and heat's no issue. But 8 months of the year are HOT in Texas, so I appreciate your advice.

Greased every zerk today, had to take a few out and clean the hollow behind. This machine didn't get used often, has only 1k hours on it, and the grease hardened in there. That weird zerk on the FEL is the first flush plug I've seen. Had to stare at it a bit to get the picture.

I also found a loose pin on the mouldboard lower rear conx to the frame. Glad I caught that before doing the road reshaping I plan for tomorrow. The dealer I bought it from claimed to have checked it out before trucking it down to me. Well....they missed this, and didn't grease it. I think I'll take their sticker off the cab. Revenge in a small way.

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

Finally got around to taking those cross bars off. They were simply WELDED onto the teeth. My little angle grinder consumed 4 cutting discs to do the job.

Pics when it quits raining...

 

[cuttin edge]

I got the guys in the fab shop to shorten the link from the lift piston to the ripper, well they made a shorter one. I wanted to change the angle that the teeth contact the ground. I have not tried it yet, the ground is still frozen, but I think it should work good.

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

I got the guys in the fab shop to shorten the link from the lift piston to the ripper, well they made a shorter one. I wanted to change the angle that the teeth contact the ground. I have not tried it yet, the ground is still frozen, but I think it should work good.

Got pics? That link is pretty darn beefy ... if I'm thinking of the same thing.

 

[cuttin edge]

Not going to be around the shop anytime soon. I haven't even seen it myself yet. I had put it on the to do list in the fall. One of they guys messaged me to see if I wanted anything else done. He was going to cut and re weld it, but figured it would be just as easy to make up a shorter one. Looking at your link, mine is just a flat plate with a hole in each end, no bushings. They must have changed the design.