If I Only Buy One Piece of Equiptment...

   / If I Only Buy One Piece of Equiptment... #1  

wpchrist

New member
Joined
Jul 11, 2020
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13
Tractor
JD 5420, JD 5425, JD 5075M, JD 310SJ, Hydratrek D2488B
I recently bought a business that has approximately 4 acres of gravel lot,a bout half of which is taken up by stored boats. The lot sees infrequent automobile use (5-15 cars/day), and less frequent use by a seventy-ton capacity Marine Travelift carrying up to 80,000 lbs of boat (up to 4 times a day). The gravel lot was in rough shape when i purchased the business and i would like to repair and maintain it. I know nothing about grading but can drive a tractor. If I Only Buy One Piece of Equiptment to fix/maintain this lot, what would you recommend? I've thought of perhaps a tractor/box blade, or a skid steer ("Bobcat"), or a backhoe, but am not experienced enough in grading to choose intelligently. If you have a recommendation, could you please include model and/or minimum horsepower. Oh, i should maybe mention the lot seems to have undergone some haphazard repairs along the way. There are spots with #57 slag, fine slag, fist-sized concrete chunks, #8 stone, sand, etc. Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
 
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   / If I Only Buy One Piece of Equiptment... #2  
WP Congratulations on your purchase. It's an exciting time to mold a company to the standards and ethics of the new owner.
That JD5075M ought to be able to pull a land plane just fine. Here's a link to one showing how it's used

As you decide to purchase, you want weight. An owner's manual from Deere ought to give you some guidelines on what weight you can pull. I'd say, about the same weight as their recommended box blade
 
   / If I Only Buy One Piece of Equiptment... #3  
Tractors are designed to smooth land, using Three Point Hitch mounted implements.

Moving boat trailers utilizing a ball hitch on e the front and/or rear of a tractor is a common 4-WD tractor application.

You can calculate how long it will take you to smooth eighty acres using a Land Plane/Grading Scraper by entering 4 mph + LPGS width into following Mowing Calculator.



For eighty (80) acres you should consider a commercial LPGS:


Four models requiring a spread of 60 horsepower to 150 horsepower.

LPGS has almost zero learning curve for the tractor operator.

If it is dry and dusty where you are, consider a cab tractor.

After you decide what weight and width LPGS you may desire, we can give you a tractor recommendation.


The lot seems to have undergone some haphazard repairs along the way. There are spots with #57 slag, fine slag, fist-sized concrete chunks, #8 stone, sand, etc.

Second recommendation for an implement is a rear/angle/scrape blade:

VIDEOS: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=compact+tractor+scrape,+rear,+angle,+blade



When considering a tractor purchase, bare tractor weight first, tractor horsepower second, rear axle width third, rear wheel/tire ballast fourth.

BUY ENOUGH TRACTOR.
 
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   / If I Only Buy One Piece of Equiptment... #5  
...Oh, i should maybe mention the lot seems to have undergone some haphazard repairs along the way. There are spots with #57 slag, fine slag, fist-sized concrete chunks, #8 stone, sand, etc...

Be aware...regardless of what implement you choose the physical characteristics of mixed gravel etc. and the differences of specific gravity cause different sizes to separate from the fines and collect together the more the area is worked...working when the lot/gravel is wet greatly reduces this effect...

If the 40 acres was of more uniform sized gravel...a land plane would be the ideal implement IMO...but I would consider renting or borrowing a landscape rake etc. and collect and remove (or bury) the "fist sized chunks"...

Adding fines to areas of loose gravel will help it pack down...
 
   / If I Only Buy One Piece of Equiptment... #6  
40 acres of graveled parking lot. Seems odd.
 
   / If I Only Buy One Piece of Equiptment... #8  
40 acres of graveled parking lot. Seems odd.
40 acres of parking lot would be larger than a huge shopping mall lot, wouldn't it?
A 4 (four) acre parking lot would be tremendous.
40 acres would be over 1.7 million square feet, enough room to park well over 80,000 cars!?!!!

I'm thinking out loud here.
 
   / If I Only Buy One Piece of Equiptment... #9  
40 acres of parking lot would be larger than a huge shopping mall lot, wouldn't it?
A 4 (four) acre parking lot would be tremendous.
40 acres would be over 1.7 million square feet, enough room to park well over 80,000 cars!?!!!

I'm thinking out loud here.

The biggest parking lot I can find is in Edmonton Canada and holds 20000 cars.

MoKelly
 
   / If I Only Buy One Piece of Equiptment... #10  
A large compact track loader with a commercial land plane as a bare minimum.
 
 
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