Help me design the best attachment for smoothing gravel

[bdog]

I have a gravel / crushed asphalt parking area. It is roughly 200遅100? I have zero problems with potholes, ruts, etc but the gravel constantly gets messed up from trailers turning and tracked machines moving around. We smooth it out almost weekly.

I have a LPGS and it is great for some things but not this. It likes to load up full of material since it is so loose. I have a box blade and similar results. A chain harrow drug behind the UTV works pretty good but doesn稚 take all the bumps out. By far the best thing I have found is backdragging with the loader bucket in float mode. The problem with this is you can稚 see where you are going. It works but as mentioned this almost a weekly thing and I want something that is quick and easy to use.

I want to build an attachment (or buy one if it exists) that is SSQA and will work essentially like a loader bucket backdragging but only going forward. I have a blank SSQA plate here. I am thinking maybe get a 4x8 sheet of 3/8 plate and have it bent with 3 in the middle and 6 at a 45 sticking up on either end and the full 8 wide. Then weld my SSQA plate to it with some reinforcements so it can run with the 3 portion flat on the ground and the 6 edges sticking up to prevent it from digging in. My thoughts are you could go forward or reverse with this thing flat on the ground in float mode and it would work like a bucket back dragging. It would not collect or move material which is what I want and should do a good job of smoothing gravel. Thoughts?

 

[Rustyiron]

I put a SSQA on the rear end of a LGPS for my SS, dragging it backwards works well for what you want. Also how about bolting on a 1/2-3/4" metal "strap" to the bottom of your runners to lift the blade?

 

[bcp]

Box blade you already have with top link fully extended. Maybe even a dedicated longer top link, if needed.

Bruce

 

[4570Man]

I usually just use the bucket to fix gravels that aren’t a bad mess. Why not use that?

 

[prichard]

Box blade you already have with top link fully extended. Maybe even a dedicated longer top link, if needed.

Bruce

This

I had to get a longer top link. I set front blade an inch or two above the rear and set 3pt to float. Rear blade smooths nice and front clips it real high stuff.

 

[JohnMacca]

If you are only wanting to give the surface a light smoothing, the implement commonly used in Australia is called a "smudger".Here is a link to an example - Dissy Machinery Hobby Farm and Farm Machinery Specialists Bendigo Vic.

This one is designed to be grabbed by a 4 in 1 bucket and run backwards and forwards with the loader in float, but you commonly see contractors with the same idea on the front of a skid steer or behind a compact tractor. I have also seen extra weight thrown on top of them to give them more bite.

 

[bdog]

I put a SSQA on the rear end of a LGPS for my SS, dragging it backwards works well for what you want. Also how about bolting on a 1/2-3/4" metal "strap" to the bottom of your runners to lift the blade?


View attachment 550501

My LPGS is a road boss and I have their skid steer adapter for it. The way it works it pins on to the top of the LPGS from either direction. Running it backwards definitely helps but it still loads up. I thought about putting spacers under the runners but I use the LPGS often enough for other things and this gravel smoothing is a weekly thing so I would prefer a dedicated solution instead of having to constantly bolt and unbolt things.

 

[bdog]

My box blade isn’t 3 point it is a pull type with gauge wheels behind it. The angle of the cutting edge really isn’t adjustable.

The smudger looks interesting.

As I said the bucket works great going in reverse. I want something that will work going forward. Ideally something where I can tell an employee to put it in float and drive in circles.

 

[bcp]

Have you tried a rear blade turned backwards?

Bruce

 

[bdog]

Have you tried a rear blade turned backwards?

Bruce

I haven’t. I don’t own one. I bet I could build my contraption for less than I could buy a 8’ blade for. I still think a blade even backwards might have a tendency to dig in and scrape away the gravel? I think why back dragging the bucket works so well is there is so much surface area contacting the round.