Rear Blade Land Leveler/Grader Blade/Land Plane

[bookman51]

I am a newbie here and getting ready to pull the trigger on a land leveler/grader blade/land plane (or whatever they are called). I have about 3/8s of a mile of gravel road to maintain, and I end up adding rock or crushed concrete to it about every year. The soil is clay and the gravel, etc. eventually sinks in, even with a bigger gravel base under it. For some reason the land levelrs are not common around here (central Nebraska). I have looked at several brands and probably have it narrowed down to Everythingattachment, Land Pride, and Befco. Any experience with those?

The Everythingattachments is probably heavier duty but about $300 more for the same size. The Land Pride has a local Case-IH dealer and is made in nearby Kansas. Befco also has a local dealer and might be somewhere inbetween Land Pride and Everthingattachments as far as both price and heavy duty. I think the Everythingattachments is 3/8 steel side and weighs most. Bef

I have an older 35 horsepower tractor (Farmall 340) and have a 6 foot box blade. Within limits, the tractor handles it okay. So, I am torn between a 5 and 6 foot wide land blade. In spots my road is probably more than 10 foot wide but not by much. So, any recommendations.

I have read some of the older threads but maybe there is more recent experiences out there.

I see Land Pride is now owned by Kubota. Looked at Road Boss and GradeMaster via the Internet and quite a bit higher price and I assume perhaps made for higher use than I would have for it. Looks like most manufacturers (but not all) are located in the Southeast and shipping to my area bumps the price up. Thanks in advance.

 

[bcp]

Welcome to TBN.

Does the road have a crown, or side slope or flat?

Bruce

 

[bookman51]

Bruce, It does not have much of a crown but some. I usually work it with a little Farmall A with a belly blade. I do a couple of pass pushing the gravel to the center of the road and then I will back the length of the road running the blade backwards over the center of the road. If I need to do more, I do have a rear blade for my Farmall 340 and a rear blade for my Farmall Super C. Both will dig in more than the Farmall A but it is easier to get a smoother road with the belly blade on the Farmall A. Don't know if this is helpful or not.

 

[bcp]

With a crown, the maximum blade width would be half the road width. A blade wider than half will gradually remove the crown, which the blade "sees" as a ridge between the side skids.

Bruce

 

[coldsteelva]

Welcome. I use a Land Shark (EA) land plane grading scraper (LPGS) which is 60-inch wide (half road width) and it is super easy if you need level (uncrowned) road where runoff/drainage is not an issue. You just drop it down and drive. The twin offset blades move material right-hand to left as you pull forward. Scarifiers are available/included, but I generally don't need to use them.

If you need to maintain a crown, then a pitch-adjustable rear blade is a good investment and hydraulic control is even better.

Can you post some pics of your Farmalls? I love their style.

 

[bookman51]

With a crown, the maximum blade width would be half the road width. A blade wider than half will gradually remove the crown, which the blade "sees" as a ridge between the side skids.

Bruce

I measured the road just now. On my property (couple hundred yards) it measures about 10 to 11 feet wide. Off my property to the county gravel road, it gets as wide as 14 feet wide. I am kind of thinking that 60" is wide enough. Whatcha think?

 

[bookman51]

The Farmall 340 is not painted up, but the engine has been overhauled. While not rare, it is not common. I think they only made 7,000 or so of the Farmall 340 and International (Utility) 340s. It is my "modern" workhorse tractor.

 

[teg]

Nice bulldozer, too...

 

[bookman51]

Nice bulldozer, too...

Yep, it is 1958 John Deere 420. It came down through the family. It has been completely overhauled, including new pins in the tracks. Kind of a money pit but it will do some work. Not a D7 or even a skidloader, but with patience and knowing its limits it will move dirt....and lots of snow. Someday I need to paint it and decal it.

 

[bcp]

I measured the road just now. On my property (couple hundred yards) it measures about 10 to 11 feet wide. Off my property to the county gravel road, it gets as wide as 14 feet wide. I am kind of thinking that 60" is wide enough. Whatcha think?

I would be very tempted to widen the narrowest part just a bit, then get a 6ft scraper. If that wasn't practical, A 5ft would work.

Bruce