DR Power Grader

[mechanic]

Anyone try pulling the dr power grader with a lawn tractor? Looks like a good machine if you have the equipment to pull it. They claim it will fix all ruts in a drive way.

 

[GaryM]

Looks really nice on their video they send out. But I do see a slight problem if you want to use it on a road. No way to put on a crown! At least it's not mentioned in the literature or video. On a road you'd want the center higher than the sides so water runs off.

Other than that it appears that it would work as they advertise. I just can't justify it for my personal use, and I can't get my subdivision trustees to buy it. And I'm one of the trustees!

 

[RonR]

I've looked online at those machines. WOW is about all I can say.

I can't imagine that you can't find someone with welding skills and using a few hundred $$$$ in iron, build something that you can use as a drag.

Heck, you could probably buy a welder and the iron and still be less than 50% of their price...........

But that's only me talking...........

ron

 

[turnkey4099]

I can't picture any grader that can be pulled with a garden tractor being heavy enough to do a good job grading. Fill in the ruts with loose stuff yes, cut down the hard stuff?

Harry K

 

[Fast2home]

I have bought the DR power grader and it does live up to it's billing. You do need something bigger than 16 h.p.... I too would recommend 20+ horsepower.
The actuator and remote control is well worth buying the real thing instead of making one in the garage. The company is extremely good at replacing any part that breaks...even if it was my fault.

 

[sarti]

My brother and I bought one last year to grade our lane. It does a great job of bringing the gravel up to the top and smoothing things out . After a while the fines come back again but it saves a ton of money on rock. I agree it doesn't put a crown in the road.. I use my 2630 to pull it and haven't tried a lawn tractor. One thing I do is drag the lane with a screen rake I made when I'm done grading to smooth out the ripple effect. I think it is well worth the money.

 

[ttkeeler]

I have been using one for a couple of years now and it works great. You are right about the crown of the road but if the road already has a crown you can still maintain that crown if you run the grader correctly, in other words do not run it down the middle of the crown. Mine has more than paid for itself in the savings of buying rock every season. I was also skeptical but with a 6 month money back offer what did I have to loose, if it didn't work for me it was going back...I still have it.

 

[ttkeeler]

Save your money, they don't work as advertised. Constant Battery problems and only work on loose gravel

Mine has more than paid for itself in saved rock purchases so I did save money.

A good battery charger like a 'Battery Tender' is left on mine anytime it's not being used and I have replaced the battery once in 4 years and that was due to my negligence in not keeping the battery charged. I don't recommend the charger that is supplied with the grader as its not intended for continuous unattended charging.

The grader works great for my application and just as it was advertised. I just used it on a driveway covered with 3/8 minus quarry crushed rock that was packed down like concrete, it works best if the ground is damp or wet.

At the time I got mine they offered 6 months trial with money back if not satisfied, I kept mine.

 

[budgie9]

I have had mine 4 years, and had to replace the battery after the original; charger fried it. Even so I have had excellent service from the unit and the company.
Having read all the comments here I think you would be wise to buy the unit.

I have used/ towed the unit behind my 21 hp JD Sabre and a my small engined quad.

 

[usnavyvet]

I've owned the grader for about 4 years. I bought it after my driveway rock had been down for about 3 years and was looking pretty ragged with several minor to intermediate washouts. The grader was being offered at the time with a 6 month trial, so I decided it would be worth a try.

The driveway is 400+ feet long and the grader, towed by a UTV worked like a dream. I loaded the weight basin with bricks and after about 10 passes, the drive looked like it did when the rock was first put down. No kidding, I was amazed.

Since then I've used it once a year for about 5-7 passes and until this year never had occasion to add additional rock. The scarifiers look new and there have been no frame, mechanism or tire issues. I did have to buy a new battery this spring, but only because I neglected to put it on the charger last fall. There is no cure for dumb.......

I am currently selling the grader, but only because I had asphalt laid this spring. I wish my mowers, which are not from DR, were as reliable.......