Honestly, I have no idea what I'm doing. I do have 40 acres of raw land where the trails/roads get muddy and I'm looking to create a more stable road for driving my truck and camper over. I want to create a road where I don't stand the chance of getting stuck.
The soil in the area is best described as sandy. It's NE Texas, where the spring rains will turn everything to mush and the rest of the year will be scorching hot and dry.
Others will probably respond and provide their input and maybe someone is familiar with your type of soil conditions.
The only way I could fix my mushy/muddy driving surfaces was to grade with a box blade and rake, let it dry out and then cover with larger diameter (2" - 3") gravel or crushed concrete which fixed the muddy surfaces seen in a previous picture I posted. I prefer the crushed concrete as it is less expensive. Most folks will recommend creating a road with a crown in the center and drainage (ditches) off the sides. At my place the best I could hope for was a fairly smooth driving surface a bit higher than the sides in most areas as any grading just brings up more large rocks that creates more grading problems to deal with.
In general, sandy soil would probably not require a box blade as heavy and robust as mine (72" and 710 pounds). However, it certainly would not hurt and the only downside is it would be more expensive. Personally I prefer to go heavier with any implement I purchase to make sure it is robust enough. However, there are cases when it can be easier to float a lighter weight blade over a surface than have a heavier weight blade that may dig in more than wanted. I know. Lots to consider...
It is best for a blade to completely cover your rear tire tracks so measure the tractor and purchase the BB width based upon this measurement. My width is ~ 68" and I purchased a 72" unit. I believe someone previously mentioned a KingKutter 500 pound BB (box blade) and this may be a decent choice for you but I would not go much lighter in weight than this.
A rollover box blade like mine can be easier to use as each position of the blade has only a single function and not multiple functions with one function potentially interfering with another, like in a "regular" BB. My ROBB has three separate positions. One for shanks only, one with a blade for dragging forward (or smoothing backwards) and one for a blade to dig going backwards or smooth going forwards. I use all three positions. In a regular BB the working surfaces are mainly controlled by the angle of the tractor's top link, making a hydraulic top link a near requirement, in my opinion. I highly prefer the simplicity of the ROBB. However, in general they are more expensive than similar non rollover box blades.
Hydraulic cylinder top link and side link options will be a godsend to a new user and is one of the most effective options available, in my opinion. I believe MtnViewRanch on TBN makes these units if interested. I purchased mine with the tractor from the dealer.
If you decide to get a landscape rake, it will need to be at least one size wider than the BB to account for the decreased width when angling the rake. My rake is 84" and barely wide enough when angled to cover the tire tracks.
