Tips on using a rear blade to grade a road

[Oldtink]

A tailwheel would be a big help.

View attachment 452442

Bruce

And with that link between the center link and the blade. Now you can knock of those high spots by raising the 3ph and rolling the weight onto that back wheel. With that center link rigidly connected it digs holes and you're constantly trying to keep up with the hydraulics of the 3ph.

 

[oosik]

Quebecguy - Yes, I have a Land Pride GS2584 grading scraper(land plane grading scraper). The nice thing about this implement - by adjusting the hydraulic top link I can change the way it "works" - on the go and I don't have to add additional weight. I've created many new trails right out thru the unbroken ground, sage & pucker brush by simply dragging this unit. When creating a new trail, I drop the scarifiers so they dig in about 1 1/2 to 2 inches. This allows the unit to accumulate and carry enough dirt to fill most depressions I might drive over. I will only have to stop to clear any brush out of the scarifiers.

 

[airbiscuit]

If you don't want to buy any more equipment just now, you should be able to do okay with your back blade. Just adjust your 3 point arms so you put a little crown in the middle of the road for drainage. Dig out some sumps at the bottoms of hills. I think it would be a good idea to make up a pair of tail wheels to keep things smooth, and save you a lot of operating your 3 point control. Those tail wheels would add a little weight and really help take out the whoops. You would like them.

I have attached pics of my implements of destruction for my 1/2 mile driveway.

Here's a video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URHteVfiYDI

 

[Egon]

Neat old grader. Needs a platform for the operator to stand on.

 

[airbiscuit]

Neat old grader. Needs a platform for the operator to stand on.

There actually is a platform back there, but the boards are old. A pony grader really does nice work. I also have a back blade and a box blade, but don't use them much.

 

[RoyJackson]

A tailwheel would be a big help.

View attachment 452442

Bruce

Yep, a tail wheel (or two...like a landscape rake) would be a big help.
As others wrote, any dips and rises, even minor, can cause the blade to dig in. Just forward movement will do the same and you end up with a washboard road.
If you need to actually grade the road, you'll need the cutting edge (concave side in the direction of travel), but for smoothing out the road, IMHO, you're better off using the convex side by either running in reverse or rotating the blade 180 degrees. Also, for road maintenance, I think a landscape rake (with wheels) could be a better method.

 

[Egon]

There actually is a platform back there, but the boards are old. A pony grader really does nice work. I also have a back blade and a box blade, but don't use them much.

With that grader available I surely would not be using them either.

Your grader illustrates the effects of using gage wheels on a backblade.

 

[MMagis]

Every driveway is different. I’d love to watch someone try to use a plane on mine.
My driveway has been maintained the last 38 years with the same small rear blade. It’ll take trial and error to find what works right for you, but it’ll work. As is typical, people love to spend other peoples’ money.
I you have a hydraulic top link, this is a good application for it. One thing that helps is working on the driveway when it’s got some moisture in the soil. Not muddy, but moist.

 

[kantuckid]

Hello oosik,
Thanks for the information on the scraper. Do you mean the Land Pride one?
GS15 Series Grading Scrapers | Land Pride

I'm gonna resurrect this thread as it tends to have -most of- the type information I was looking for.

My situation:
First of all, I'm in the market to buy a tractor as mine lacks a FEL which I've always had a need for.
My old tractor & the next one are/will be, compact, 4x4 w/40HP.
Secondly, I already own a decent 6' Bush Hog brand rear blade that does me well in the 35plus years I've maintained our nearly 1/2 mile, steep, gravel, private road to our home. There are times when snow removal is enough to use a loader & the next tractor's FEL will help do what my blade does not.
3rd-one of the tractors (all used, private sales) I'm looking at has a Landpride BB1572 box blade that comes with the deal. There is a link in the above quote to that specific item.
The question is will I gain something I can actually use? Like the commenters here that grade uphill, I am able to pull rock up grade and do a decent job of road maintenance. My roads steep enough that rock addition is a simple reality of living here-having a quarry 2 miles away does help! Honestly, I haven't seen a serious need for a box blade in the past as my roads nice & smooth.
If I have a road problem beyond rock costs, it's the small berm of rock left on the edges that 3pt hitch & blade adjustment won't reach w/o going into a deep ditch on the uphill side or over the hill into never/never land on an orange tractor... or doing the sideways dance to pull rock back into the roadway then grade it after wards-which is a PITA.
So, what say you folks on the if a box blade will serve me a purpose or not? One easy answer is try it, then sell it off if the answer is not.
Thanks for your time in reply.

 

[Soldier415]

If I have a road problem beyond rock costs, it's the small berm of rock left on the edges that 3pt hitch & blade adjustment won't reach w/o going into a deep ditch on the uphill side or over the hill into never/never land on an orange tractor... or doing the sideways dance to pull rock back into the roadway then grade it after wards-which is a PITA.

I had this same problem using a box blade and a LPGS.

Got a heavy rear blade with offset ability. Now I can drive 6 inches from the edge of the ditch while having the blade all the way to the edge, eliminating the ridges on the edge which keep water from flowing into the ditch.