Grading--what am I doing to cause this?

[mechtheist]

I don't have a lot of experience doing this basic task. See the photo, I've used both a blade and box blade and keep getting these ripples and have no clue why. I've tried it with the lift arm float mechanism in and out and the slow-return lift adjustment loose and nearly off and nothing gets rid of the ripple. The tractor is a Branson 3520 and it doesn't have draft control, not sure if that would help. I'm in cenral Texas hill country, v hard ground, very rocky, I usually try to do any grading when the road is just a bit wet. Anyone have any ideas? Is it something obvious and I'm just too much a noob? Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[Have tractor did travel]

My guess - the grader blade is perpendicular behind the tractor. Change the angle to about 30 degrees.
Remember to keep the road crowned in the center. You want water to run off to the side, not follow the road.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

By only looking at the "after" picture, and not being able to watch the process, my first thought is that your blade(s) are too light in weight, and you are just bouncing along at every bump in the road.

Try adding some weight to the blade. Does your box blade have scarfiers? If so, put them down a couple inches below the blade depth and have at it again.

 

[Hay Dude]

Slowpoke Slim is right. Each time your blade encounters a rock, it jumps up slightly, causing the rippling effect.

A heavier blade will dig those rocks just below the surface out and make a smoother job.

Another thing you can do is get a pile of screenings or rock dust at the top of your driveway and drag it in front of your blade to fill in between the ripples.

 

[mechtheist]

Thanks, I'll definitely try that, not sure what angle it's been set at but I have varied that to some extent but not paying enough attention to it. That reminds me of another thing I can't understand, I try to set it so it's just barely touching the surface and take off, it's doing fine and then it's digging in enough to grab a lot of dirt, go back to where I was and it's barely touching the surface and go again and it's digging in again. Once it's reasonably flat, how does that happen, it seems like it ought to be a fixed geometry? It's like there's a gravity anomaly in one section of my drive.

 

[mechtheist]

That was to 'Have tractor will travel', didn't see the next two.

So add some weight, that's a good idea, makes sense, lower the resonant frequency kinda thing, thanks.

 

[Tx Jim]

What MPH are you utilizing for grading? My guess is too fast.

 

[LD1]

Blade too light for how hard the ground is.

You need at LEAST 100 pounds per foot of blade. And even that will still ripple if its really hard.

Heavier the better....and possibly gauge wheels or skid shoes to keep from digging TOO deep

 

[Egon]

Put on some gauge wheels or skids.

 

[Rockbadchild]

dragging a diamond harrow would help for making loose ... put all your loose material in a windrow then re spread it ... that's how graders do it. like don't try to make a nice job right away ... put all the loose material on the center of the road then spread it back to the side.

 

[bdhsfz6]

I get that ripple effect when using the grader blade on my York rake. Once I get the road crowned, I fold the blade up and make a few higher speed passes using just the tines. Smoothes everything out nicely. Using the trolley wheels also helps.

 

[dodge man]

You can try back dragging with your FEL in float also.

 

[npalen]

A box blade with ripper shanks would be a try also. The rippers would hopefully loosen up a couple inches of the surface ridding it of the ripples leaving it smooth. Gauge wheels behind the blade help tremendously also.

 

[deezler]

When you're doing that grading, is there a nice pile of material in front of your blade? Or is the ground too hard, and you barely pull anything along?

Agree with all the other suggestions that it is probably just too light. Bolt a couple hundred pounds onto that blade and try again. Your idea to do it when conditions are damp is wise. Go slow if needed.

 

[PuffyC]

This is why I don't like box blades, although considering where you are that actually doesn't look too bad. If you really want to get that road smooth maybe see if you can borrow a neighbors land plane. That'll do a far better job.

 

[old and tired]

My opinion is going to be different... It looks like you are cutting too much. Once the blade cuts into the ground, it wants to dig. What you got there is fine, NOW turn the blade backwards and drag the road forward, blade at an angle (it will smooth and not cut). OR use the box blade but this time extend the top link so that you are only riding on the rear blade (rear blade facing backward will not cut, but will only smooth the road out). It takes time and practice... post more photos of the road bed. If there are large rocks, you are going to have issues. Good Luck!

 

[Xfaxman]

That reminds me of another thing I can't understand, I try to set it so it's just barely touching the surface and take off,

I think that is your problem. The box blade needs to be set with the top link at the correct angle and lowered all the way down so it can float.

There are many threads here and YouTube videos showing how to do it.

 

[jaxs]

Once blade dig's in to create a ripple,more are created when tires go in and out on subsiquant trips. Slides long enough to bridge ripples help control blade oscillation as tractor tires go in and out of ripples. Additional weight on blade helps prevent blade riding up and over loose material.
From what has been suggested I agree with landplane or slides on box blade.
I strongly disagree with loosening additional dirt and rocks. There's enough loose matreial in your picture to fill low spots. If some ripples are present after soil is set up,shaving high spots for material to fill low spots is much better than ripping teeth. If your plane or box doesn't shave well,bring in material to fill low spots.

 

[mechtheist]

What MPH are you utilizing for grading? My guess is too fast.

That is possibly a part of it, I was often but not always going fairly fast. That, the weight, the hardess of the ground and likely the drop speed adjustment are all going to interact to some extent. I need to find the balance.

 

[oosik]

My first rear blade - Land Pride 2584 @ 575#. It produced the EXACT same results as the photo in post #1. Just way too light for my looooong gravel driveway.

Now I have a Rhino 950 - 96" & 1050#. Go SLOW and angle the blade.