Landplane/Grader and HP Questions

[dmacdaddy]

Please post photos of your 45 degree driveway.


Tough crowd :laughing: :laughing: Thanks so much for all the responses so far. True...I've always disliked math and 45 degree was a bit much. I do feel it is around 30 though. Apologies for the embellishment.

No doubt, it is a bit steep and the fact remains that it looks like a smaller attachment is in order. As far as tractors are concerned, I was looking at a used Kioti CK3510 that is running about $17,000. I was also looking to something bigger like a Kubota L4701 and they are around $27,000. Any thoughts about if I can pull a 5' landplane up steeper grades with a 35 HP machine? Any recommendations on other tractors that might work? I have Kubota, Kioti, JD, and Mahindra dealers somewhat close.

Thanks again!

 

[LD1]

Anything will work. Have to match the implement to the tractor, and the tractor to the terrain/land.

Even 30 degrees is alot more than what you probably have. Any pictures? 30 degrees is still about 6' of rise for 10' of run. Or about a 60 % slope.

Things start getting harry at 20 defrees for most tractors.

 

[zzvyb6]

I would not worry about power so much as getting 4wd to keep you from sliding downhill if you run that direction. And, I would buy a blade or a plane or a landscape rake that's wider than the tractor. I use an 8' rake, and mine, angled out to 45 degrees is still wider than the rear wheels. You'll have plenty of gears to choose the power level it takes to run up the hill.

When my driveway is wet, I often use my rototiller in the driveway to loosen it up and repair the gravel conditions. Then I rake it and crown the center.

 

[jenkinsph]

I agree that tractor weight is more of a consideration than horsepower within reason. I agree that it will leave a better finish if the implement is wider than the tractor tire width. Unlike a box blade it isn't necessary for the land plane to be wider than the tractor tires to work. The skids control the smoothing and averaging of the drive and the tractor is simply a method to pull it.

 

[tman1020]

Those pictures are when I very first got that tractor, only a single rear remote was available on those models, still that way with the smaller 38hp and down Mahindras. I installed a 2 spool valve and used that for a couple of years and then needed 4 sets of remotes so went with 3 diverters. Controlled by the single OEM valve. Fairly clean installation I think. :thumbsup:

Much better.

 

[Gordon Gould]

I have a hilly drive. It is hard to get a good picture of steepness. This is much steeper than it looks. Approaching 10%



I grade this with a 30 hp tractor and a 5' landplane w/o any trouble. Traction not hp is the key as said before so you want a heavy tractor. I probably make 3 or 4 passes up hill for each one down. As Steve said you want to move the gravel up to offset nature moving it down.

gg

 

[crazyal]

Traction will be your biggest problem, not HP. Your first pull will not be bad because the gravel will be well packed but as you loosen it up you are going to struggle to pull the GS up the drive. You will want to pull the gravel back up too. Rain and gravity will have no problems bring it down the hill. Your job will be to bring it back up. A GS will drag gravel back up the hill, not as much as a box blade though. You're going to want ag tires to get the best traction possible. You will also get use to the rear diff lock.

 

[Fallon]

My 32hp 3,500lbs Kubota L3200 pulls a 72" box blade pretty well & does a great job maintaining my driveway. I've been collecting parts to build my own LPGS here at some point. It will probably only be 60" wide though. I doubt my tractor would pull much more well.

If driveway maintenance is going to be your biggest task, I'd go with a smaller tractor & smaller ompliment. Just make a couple of passes & save some money on the tractor & impliment.

 

[wcampbell47]

Can't speak to the elevation issue or grade issue of the drive. I pulled a 5 foot grader with a 32hp successfully. I traded for a 37hp little larger tractor which handles the grader much better. I can still load the grader up with loose material to the point the tractor will spin out. When working with loose material I will usually load the bucket on the FEL to make the front wheel drive have more traction.

 

[Helitech]

I have a 14% grade that would choke down my little 1030 MF with a 5 foot box blade. No problem with the 5520 Branson and a 6 foot land plane.