ABI Grader/ Landplane

[johnnyvol]

Anybody have any experience with these? It's one of the longest skid landplanes I've found commercially made. I'm either going to build or buy, can't decide. I'd need help on the welding if I made one and that's running my costs up to where buying is and option worth exploring.

The length I really like but would like it to be heavier. Easier to add weight than length I guess.

 

[Scooby074]

Ive seen that companies videos before. It looks pretty high quality.

One thing I wonder though, is do they make their stuff in house? Reading their website and watching their videos, I got the feeling they contract it out. Not that it matters, but sometimes you get a bit better QC when the company handles it in house.

 

[bcp]

Priefert's are about the same length. And, they appear to be the same grader, except for paint color

Road Graders

Bruce

 

[jim_wilson]

Priefert's are about the same length. And, they appear to be the same grader, except for paint color

Road Graders

Bruce

Those sure do look the same as the ABI grader. The construction of that grader is pretty distinctive (compared to most of the other ones out there) - so it's very likely that one company is making them and they're being rebranded. The Priefert one is a lot less $$ than ABI.

 

[Scooby074]

Id bet money that Priefert is the manufacturer of both those landplanes.

In the ABI video and website it shows an overhead of their manufacturing location, however when you go to their listed address in Google maps, their operation doesnt look anything like whats pictured. Actually ABI looks like they are working out of a very small warehouse location.

When you look up Prieferts location in Gmaps, it is the exact one pictured in the ABI videos and website. The same building is pictured on Prieferts site.

If you want that style attachment, Id buy the Priefert and save several hundred.

One thing is ABI says they offer "Free Shipping", As we know there is no such thing. Perhaps that is where the difference in cost went.

 

[johnnyvol]

Thanks ya'll. I had not noticed the ABI and Priefert were the same until now. Been looking at too many I guess.:confused2: I can actually order one through the local coop, they are a Priefert dealer.

 

[crazyal]

I wanted to build my own but I wanted ripping shanks and hard steel blades. Once I priced everything out there wasn't much savings. So I shopped by weight not length. I figured I could add an extension on the back easily. What I found out is that, for me, longer is not better on my driveway. My driveway is pretty long and before I got a GS I would pull a makeshift drag borrowed from the neighbor. I would start at my neighbor's house and pull it up to my house then to the bottom of the hill then back to his house repeatedly. I assumed that I would do the same with the GS. What I found out is I work each section separately. In some places I put the rippers down and really dig it up while others almost never need work. With the drag it was hard to work short sections but the GS is totally different. With the GS I'm often turning around and I don't always have the room. I came to the conclusion that a longer grader would actually make it more difficult so I never built extensions. But my drive is hilly and has lots of corners. My advice is the heavier the thicker the steel.