Gravel Road Maint.....BLADE vs. BOS SCRAPER??????

[Boeing]

Would like some advice here......
I bought a box scraper several years ago to help with my gravel road and clear a field of rocks and roots. The road is in fair condition and the field is nice now. Would I be better off getting rid of the box and buying a blade that can be angled? The gravels seem to build up in the middle and the edges. When I scrape the middle down I get more rain ruts.....
I'm sure alot of you guys have experience in this. Thanks

 

[Egon]

Keep the box blade. It has scarifiers and can move material better than a blade.

Do get the back blade put gauge wheels or skid shoes on it. By angling the blade you can move a windrow back an forth mixing materials and it will leave a smoother road surface.

Each has it's uses.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

They also have land planes specifically for leveling. Its all how specialized/other uses you have for an implement. ETA.com has some good videos to help you decide.

 

[Renze]

You can adjust the length of the pullrod of the lower link arms to angle it. If the blade gets too full on one side anyways, you can drag to the middle, then back up and start from where you steered to the center and knock off the heap you left, on the go.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Nothing maintains a gravel road as easy and as well as a land plane grading scraper. Nothing.

Just IMO, the :2cents: that it may be worth.

 

[Sysop]

Would like some advice here......
I bought a box scraper several years ago to help with my gravel road and clear a field of rocks and roots. The road is in fair condition and the field is nice now. Would I be better off getting rid of the box and buying a blade that can be angled? The gravels seem to build up in the middle and the edges. When I scrape the middle down I get more rain ruts.....
I'm sure alot of you guys have experience in this. Thanks

A lot has to do with the soil under your driveway on what will actually work best. What you've described is similar to what we see here in WV. For that, I'd say keep the box scraper, just use it differently. Don't scrape the middle down as often, that softens the crown and helps creates your rain ruts. Offset the tilt at the 3 point, then make a pass or two up each edge of the driveway with the outer edge being the lower side of the tilt adjustment you made at the 3 point. Scraping the piles at the edge, with the box being higher toward the crown will direct and deposit the material from the edges into the water and tire ruts. Not every time you "touch up" the driveway will you want to do anything with the crown. On the occasions you do; do it after the edges, level the 3 point back out and straddle the crown with the tractor, lower the blade down so it can just smooth the very center of the crown while leaving most of the crown higher than the sides. Beyond that you may need to make an additional, very light "skimming" pass up each side of the crown to smooth the two sides out for a good final finish. Tilt the blade back for any final smoothing passes so it's using only the rearmost blade on your box. Here in WV a good firm crown is what keeps a road in place, keeps water running off instead of pooling, and makes it easier to drive.

 

[econometrics]

I'm a +3 for the land plane attachment. I'm looking into one right now because it seems to do a much better job than a box blade does, with a lot less passes and work.

 

[SPYDERLK]

A power rotary brush with angle feature will always move the gravel and base fines where you choose. Followed by a couple passes with a drag and youre done. ... Once a drive has been first estabished using the more crude implements you can put them away forever and use the brush to fine tune and a couple times a year to maintain.
larry

 

[RDrancher]

A lot has to do with the soil under your driveway on what will actually work best. What you've described is similar to what we see here in WV. For that, I'd say keep the box scraper, just use it differently. Don't scrape the middle down as often, that softens the crown and helps creates your rain ruts. Offset the tilt at the 3 point, then make a pass or two up each edge of the driveway with the outer edge being the lower side of the tilt adjustment you made at the 3 point. Scraping the piles at the edge, with the box being higher toward the crown will direct and deposit the material from the edges into the water and tire ruts. Not every time you "touch up" the driveway will you want to do anything with the crown. On the occasions you do; do it after the edges, level the 3 point back out and straddle the crown with the tractor, lower the blade down so it can just smooth the very center of the crown while leaving most of the crown higher than the sides. Beyond that you may need to make an additional, very light "skimming" pass up each side of the crown to smooth the two sides out for a good final finish. Tilt the blade back for any final smoothing passes so it's using only the rearmost blade on your box. Here in WV a good firm crown is what keeps a road in place, keeps water running off instead of pooling, and makes it easier to drive.

Yep...this.

A landplane is nice, if you want to spend the money for one. If you do decide to go the landplane route, be sure to get one with adjustable depth blades. For 3/4" gravel, the front blade set 3/8" below the skids and the rear blade set level with the skids works well.

 

[nc redneck]

I am sure many will disagree but I find a 4 in 1 is great for gravel road. Down pressure, float, move it were you want it . Just my thoughts.