Building a Pull-Type Road Grader

[BobInMN]

I've been reading the forums here for some time. Lots of great and interesting information! I'll be laid off for a couple months this winter and have been looking for a project. I've been thinking of building a pull-type road grader.

My driveway is 1/2 mile long and I currently maintain it with a box blade, back blade and york rake. I just think I would get better results with a road grader.

I checked with a local machine shop and I can get them to bend a piece of 1/4" X 15" X 84" plate steel for $100 to use as the moldboard. A local metal supplier has 3/8" X 3" cutting edge for $1.90 a foot.

I'm thinking of modeling it after a HyGrade Grader:
[url=http://www.npend.com/salespoe%20hygrade%20grader_jm020295.htm

I have a Kubota B2710 I plan on pulling it with, so it will be considerably smaller than the Hygrade.

I plan on using the 3pt to control depth of cut. I want to build a pintle hitch bracket for the 3pt.

Instead of putting hydraulics on it I plan on using top links, available from TSC for $20 each, to control tilt and fine tune the cutting height.

For the main frame I plan on using 1/4" X 3" X 4" box tubing.

Any suggestions on this plan would be greatly appreciated. Sorry for the long post.

 

[avorancher]

Here is a small grader that I had considered purchasing for my ATV before I realized that I needed the weight of a tractor. It has some interesting ideas that might be incorporated into your plans.

Beaverpro Grader

 

[GaryM]

Looks like a neat unit, but at only 300 Lbs. I think many folks will say it's too light weight. It needs to be heavy to cut. Otherwise it will just bounce around.

 

[Slamfire]

I saw pictures of one that used a double walking beam arrangement so it would stay level when the tractor ran over small irregularities in the ground. I can't seem to find them though, maybe it was on another site.

 

[Egon]

Only comment I can make is to ensure the grader is as long as possible with the blade centered between the hitch and rear wheels.

A greater length makes it easier to make a flat surface. It may initially take some time to get the road grade to what you wish and it will not happen after the first grading as the holes filled in will compact with traffic.

Nice choice of project.

Egon

 

[OkieG]

<font color="blue"> double walking beam arrangement so it would stay level </font>

Would a regular ball hitch work as well?

OkieG

 

[Justaplain]

I think there is an outfit in the midwest that still makes the truck {horse} drawn grader. Check with a town[county] highway dept for a source. bcs

 

[Dozernut]

Heres a link to another pull grader for your consideration.

http://www.doublebrepair-mfg.com/grader_e48.htm

 

[CJDave]

I have often thought of doing exactly what you are thinking about doing......building a small road grader. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif TWO THINGS....that I knew would be a consideration: ONE is the hitch setup. I would have to make a three-point hitch adapter that had an invagination to it which set the actual hitch point forward and sort of low under the tractor so I could get as close to the rear axle as I could; TWO was a way of handling the side thrust. Motor graders and the big pull type had wheels that could be leaned over to counteract side thrust. I reasoned that if I had enough weight at the rear axle and up to the blade area, that it MIGHT hold itself, but that is a "maybe". /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[CTyler]

I think it was WroughtnHarv(?) that built one and that a lot of weight needed at the back. This was to keep the tires from lifting up. The blade creates a good leverage point to start lifting the back.

I would like to build one myself next year time permits.