Gravel driveway groomer

[HEC]

Does anyone out there have a driveway groomer? I saw one advertised , they look to simple to be very effective but the reviews are great and they cost under $400.If any of you have one I would like your opinion and would like some pictures as the one I saw had no pictures of the underside of it.
Thanks,
Herb
Driveway Groomer for Do-It-Yourself Gravel Driveway Repair

[scesnick]

I have seen those before. I would think that if you have any welding skills at all ( or have a friend that welds) You could easily make one for about half the price and make it to your standards. I would think that the one advertised in the link you provided would take the crown right off your road.
Maybe if you would pull it at an angle it wouldn't tear the crown off the road.
I remember reading on this site somewhere about a pull behind grader style implement that is made Alot heavier than that one that will also crown the road.

[shvl73]

It does look interesting. Local too.
I had been using my grading rake with guage wheels but, I tried my box blade and I think it's a little better.

[HEC]

I have about 900ft. of gravel driveway to maintain which is mostly flat,very little incline.The driveway is in good condition I just like to keep it looking good as some areas I don't drive on much so some weeds come up and make it look messy.I do have a welder so I was thinking of building something to take care of it,just wanted some ideas.Some sections of the driveway are pit run gravel others are screened gravel.
Thanks,

[Dweeks]

Box Blade works best for me. Our driveway is 1000 ft and it worked just fine.

[Stoweski]

Originally Posted by HEC

Does anyone out there have a driveway groomer? ...and would like some pictures as the one I saw had no pictures of the underside of it.
Thanks,
Herb
Driveway Groomer for Do-It-Yourself Gravel Driveway Repair

Here ya go, Herb.

I bought my driveway groomer 3 years ago (before I bought my tractor). Think I paid $300 with a coupon posted in a local newspaper up there. I pulled it with my truck before buying a 2" receiver that hooks to my 3 pt hitch. The groomer works well with both the truck and the tractor although I now find it easier to manuver with the tractor. It takes some getting used to but after a few uses I figured out the best way to hook it up and lay the blocks on the groomer.
I don't have any pics of my driveway but this thing definitely does NOT remove the crown (unless you choose to knock it down a bit). My driveway is approx. 1400'. I usually hook it up at an angle and pull the stones from the edge of the driveway back into the ruts. It also works well for moving and spreading gravel from one area to another... although it takes more than one pass. I believe the last time I hooked it up it took an hour to do my entire driveway.

If I had my tractor when I was looking at it I might have gone with a rake or box blade. However now that I have it I'm going to keep using it since I have it and have been able to do other 'chores' with it. I have also used it on an area I cleared of trees. I was able to do some landscape work removing sticks, leaves, and other brush as well as moving soil to contour the yard.

Let me know if you need more info. I can always find the 'operating instructions' that came with it. They show the proper way to set up the groomer with the blocks for the most effective use. Oh, it does cut down the weeds on the side of the driveway quite nicely as well. No more weed whacker! Hope the pics work!

Keith
Kubota B7610

[HEC]

Thanks Keith a good picture is worth a million words.The unit looks much more rugged than the pictures on their web site.thanks for all the info also as it was very helpful.
Herb,

[Stoweski]

Yes, I'd say it is a sturdy & rugged unit. It probably weighs 50-60lbs.
After thinking about it I have probably used it about a dozen times so far. The teeth are still nice and sharp, no rounded edges.... even though it may look like one is in the pict. I went out to check after I took the picture just to make sure I wasn't seeing things. Oh, the teeth are reversable too meaning you could 'cut' more one direction or another.
Good luck!
Keith

[RonR]

I'd always figured that a good way to make a driveway drag would be to take two hunks of 3x3 1/4" angle iron about 6 ft long (or whatever you had lying around on the scrap pile. Place them with the open face down.

Lay them out so that the rear one would be perpendicular to the direction of travel and the front one would be angled about 30 degrees, so that any dirt/gravel it picked up would be moved to the left.

I'd make it so the straight one was about a foot past the end of the front one, so that it can smooth what is plowed up.

It could be drug, or attached to a box blade or to a 3PH frame.

Shouldn't cost much to build (once you have the material) and it shouldn't need cinder blocks.

My two cents. Wish I had a long driveway and I'd have one already..........

Ron

[NH_Dan]

HEC: about 4 years ago, before I owned a tractor, I purchased this groomer for my 400' gravel driveway. I have used it spring and fall since and love it. It works every bit as well as advertised. It takes a few hours to assemble but well worth it. It is well built. Althought I now have a tractor with a rear blade, I have purchased a trailer hitch adapter for my tractor (see Tractor Hitch-FLEXPOINT TRACTOR HITCH SYSTEM - Summit Fabrications,Inc. which is another great product) which I now use to drag the groomer. The groomer is less aggressive than the read blade for simply "finishing off" the top of a driveway and place a crown on it (which is a little more difficult with a blade) so I would reccommed it. NH Dan