How to use a Grader Scraper

[Bendboater]

After almost three years of "thinking about it", I finally purchased a Rankin GS-5 Grader Scraper (aka; Landplane) for my Kubota L2501.
Yes, it is a lot easier than trying to use the bucket or rear blade. However, it isn't quite as easy as I had anticipated. But maybe I am not using it correctly. So I was hoping I could get some "tips" here.

My primary use is for gravel on my driveway. Indeed, I just had a load of gravel delivered today and I am in the process of spreading and leveling it out. I purchased the device because I was of the understanding that, without hydraulic top and tilt, it's easier to use than a box blade. So, I went with this far more expensive option.

My understanding is that I want the implement level front to back so that both blades equally engage the material.

I thought that it was meant to be "dropped and dragged". But when I do that, I just load it up with material (like it's flowing over the sides). So I have been ever so slightly holding it up. But then, whenever the tractor goes over a bump or dip, the Grader Scraper goes down or up respectively....just like my rear blade does. Rankin says (in their instructions) that the blades are set down 1/4" from the factory....which they seem to be.

I do not want a crown on the road (so I don't cut it off in the winter when plowing with my rear blade) so I set one side higher than the other and have been attempting to work the material out to each side. Seems to be getting there, but it's taking a lot of passes (many dozens).

I am unsure which way the blades should run. I sort of assumed that they should be angled off to the side of the road. But, because my gravel road turns into pavement at the end, if I keep dragging it the same direction I then get a pile of gravel at that one end, on one side. So, after a dozen or so passes, I then tilt the implement the other way and go the other direction so I can drag the material away from the paved road.

I enjoy tractor time, but it just seems to be taking way, way, too long to work this short (less than 200') section of road.

Maybe I am expecting too much from the tool (or gravel for that matter), but I sure would appreciate suggestions on how to use this (supposedly simple) implement.

Thanks

 

[oosik]

I have a Land Pride GS2584 grading scraper ( LPGS). I've never considered it as an implement to spread dumped gravel or dirt for that matter. I use mine to repair pot holes and riffles on my mile long gravel driveway. Mine has scarifiers which I use on the potholes.

Your description of the implements action sounds correct. Hook it up - make sure it's level - drop and drag. Material will build up ahead of the blades and then flow over the blades. Leveling and smoothing the surface.

It's not designed to move large piles of material and create a smooth surface.

If I have to move gravel dumped on my driveway and spread it out - either my rear blade or box blade.

 

[oosik]

Just to be certain we are talking about the same implement - my LPGS.

 

[ovrszd]

When you say it fills up and flows over the sides, you must mean over the cutting blades? Which is the intent. To prevent stockpiling at the pavement you may have to change the tilt of the blade and do one side at a time pulling away from the pavement. Practice makes perfect. Would love to see pics.

 

[JPRambo]

This one

 

[Gordon Gould]

When you say you had a load of gravel delivered - how did they deliver it? One pile you have to spread over the 200', several piles spaced out along the drive, or did they tail gate it so you have a roughly even layer the length of the drive ?

Trying to get a picture in my mind of what you are doing.

gg

 

[Bendboater]

Yes, same thing as the Landpride Landplane.

By spilling over the sides, I mean the sides of the implement. Not just the blades.

The driver spread the gravel as he drove. More was deposited in the center of the road than on the edges though necessitating I move it some laterally.

So question to whomever. Are you guys able to completely drop the Grader Scraper/Land Plane/whatever, or do you hold it up some with the three point? As I said, if I hold it up, any little up/down motion of the tractor causes the inverse on the Grader Scraper (as would be expected), making it very difficult to even things out.

Finally gave up and used a landscape rake.....a manual landscape rake.....to finish the job.
BUT, I have a load of finish gravel coming in later this week so I would really like to learn how use the darn implement before then as it will be twice the amount of this first load of dirty gravel I am using for the base.

 

[K5lwq]

If it is pulling that much material I would think the top link needs to be extended. I find having the front of the LPGS a little higher than the back pulls less material and spreads it nicely. If I need to move a lot of material I shorten the top link.

 

[Gordon Gould]

^^^^ What K5lwq said. Raise the front by lengthening the top link but drop your 3ph lever all the way down so it is working more like a drag. It is designed to cut into hard packed gravel so when the gravel is already loose it gets overloaded. If you end up with piles and dug out areas from the front of the tractor rising and falling fix them locally in a small area.

gg

 

[scootr]

I use a gannon or box blade mostly on the gravel road. This is the best tool for this job. Like you I bought the land plane thinking it would work on my gravel road. It does not work it well unless you need to dig up the road. And at that it does not carry material as a box blade will, it just digs up the road. Tilting the front up to minimize the dig lifts the front blade out of the work and reduces the contact on the side (leveling) runners allowing the attachment to follow imperfections more.
I have only found one thing it does well. That is weeding large flat rock free areas. Gravel is best spread by a gannon (box blade) or landscape rake attachment.
The landplane is an oversold attachment that needs to go back to the drawing board IMHO. More advanced designs include wheels and depth gauge control.

 

[workinonit]

I have no idea what you guys are doing that is different from what I do but I've never used anything better at spreading and leveling dirt and gravel than the landplane that I built. I've never seen one build up and spill over the sides. My blades are angled in opposite directions and material gravitates to the sides and spills over the blades.

 

[Bendboater]

K5lwq
Thank you for the suggestion, I will try that.
Do you drag it without any upward support from the three point?

Gordon Gould
What do you mean by "fix them locally ..."?

 

[ovrszd]

I've never seen one build up and spill over the sides. My blades are angled in opposite directions and material gravitates to the sides and spills over the blades.

I've never saw that either. A picture would be great.

 

[JohnnyMX]

How are you getting gravel up over the side top-rails? The gravel should gather in front of the cutting edges and begin to flow over to the next cutting edge or out the back. This assumes you are spreading reasonably dry crusher or just stone without grass or other debris mixed in that form clumps. I'm trying to picture if you are using this to move a 20-ton load dumped in a giant pile or something.

Landplances still need the gravel semi-spread out or at least in spaced piles that can be spread to an even thickness. You can move stone further in a box blade, but final leveling takes a bit more finesse. I've done it both ways.

I actually have a home-made (not by me) gravel spreader that I will make a couple passes (1/2 mile drive) that makes it really smooth when starting from larger piles, spaced piles, or if the stone was tailgated with a "whoops" pile somewhere in the middle. It won't fix a rutted driveway for anything, but it spreads new gravel like butter.

 

[ovrszd]

How are you getting gravel up over the side top-rails? The gravel should gather in front of the cutting edges and begin to flow over to the next cutting edge or out the back. This assumes you are spreading reasonably dry crusher or just stone without grass or other debris mixed in that form clumps. I'm trying to picture if you are using this to move a 20-ton load dumped in a giant pile or something.

Landplances still need the gravel semi-spread out or at least in spaced piles that can be spread to an even thickness. You can move stone further in a box blade, but final leveling takes a bit more finesse. I've done it both ways.

I actually have a home-made (not by me) gravel spreader that I will make a couple passes (1/2 mile drive) that makes it really smooth when starting from larger piles, spaced piles, or if the stone was tailgated with a "whoops" pile somewhere in the middle. It won't fix a rutted driveway for anything, but it spreads new gravel like butter.

Pictures of your spreader please? Thanks!!!

 

[JohnnyMX]

I'll grab a shot. It is a clever design as it reclaims gravel from the sides of the road which is great in the spring, brings it all back to where you need it and has the capacity to spread a lot of gravel. It is made out of an old I beam and scrap and attaches to the top link via a chain so you don't get the dips and bumps from the tractor going up and down.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

When you say it fills up and flows over the sides, you must mean over the cutting blades? Which is the intent. To prevent stockpiling at the pavement you may have to change the tilt of the blade and do one side at a time pulling away from the pavement. Practice makes perfect. Would love to see pics.

Ours will boil dirt over sides.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

After almost three years of "thinking about it", I finally purchased a Rankin GS-5 Grader Scraper (aka; Landplane) for my Kubota L2501.
Yes, it is a lot easier than trying to use the bucket or rear blade. However, it isn't quite as easy as I had anticipated. But maybe I am not using it correctly. So I was hoping I could get some "tips" here.

My primary use is for gravel on my driveway. Indeed, I just had a load of gravel delivered today and I am in the process of spreading and leveling it out. I purchased the device because I was of the understanding that, without hydraulic top and tilt, it's easier to use than a box blade. So, I went with this far more expensive option.

My understanding is that I want the implement level front to back so that both blades equally engage the material.

I thought that it was meant to be "dropped and dragged". But when I do that, I just load it up with material (like it's flowing over the sides). So I have been ever so slightly holding it up. But then, whenever the tractor goes over a bump or dip, the Grader Scraper goes down or up respectively....just like my rear blade does. Rankin says (in their instructions) that the blades are set down 1/4" from the factory....which they seem to be.

I do not want a crown on the road (so I don't cut it off in the winter when plowing with my rear blade) so I set one side higher than the other and have been attempting to work the material out to each side. Seems to be getting there, but it's taking a lot of passes (many dozens).

I am unsure which way the blades should run. I sort of assumed that they should be angled off to the side of the road. But, because my gravel road turns into pavement at the end, if I keep dragging it the same direction I then get a pile of gravel at that one end, on one side. So, after a dozen or so passes, I then tilt the implement the other way and go the other direction so I can drag the material away from the paved road.

I enjoy tractor time, but it just seems to be taking way, way, too long to work this short (less than 200') section of road.

Maybe I am expecting too much from the tool (or gravel for that matter), but I sure would appreciate suggestions on how to use this (supposedly simple) implement.

Thanks

Set that lift where it gets a little dirt and leave your hand off the lift handle. Road grader drivers do not constantly fiddle with adjusting the blade. Set it and forget it.

 

[ovrszd]

Set that lift where it gets a little dirt and leave your hand off the lift handle. Road grader drivers do not constantly fiddle with adjusting the blade. Set it and forget it.

I've ran a road grader since 1987. There's no "set it and forget it". Constantly adjusting.

 

[Bendboater]

Roustabout; By "set the lift", do you mean that I should hold the implement up a little with the three point and not let it ride on the ground?

To all who have asked for pictures; I have finished the first round (thanks to a hand rake) so if I go out there and screw with it again to get a picture, I'll screw up all my hand raking......

More gravel to spread on top of the first load and over the remainder of the driveway and parking area will arrive in a couple days, so it would be really helpful if I was armed with some hints as to how to use this thing before that.

So far I have heard:
- Raise the front up a little
- And (not verified yet) to hold it up off the ground a little....which is what I was doing but that causes bumps to turn into dips and visa-versa.

So if someone who is a long time user of one of these implements could write out how they use it, I would sure appreciate it (YouTube videos are not clear and show all sorts of different set ups....the people on those videos mainly just yak.)

Thank you.