Best implement for grading?

[Charlesaf3]

Yeah, I could see the blade doing that if handled well. I know in the process I will turn my drive into something that NEEDS to be worked on though! Tempting to play around though, if I didn't have so many other projects, as I have a nice woods blade with a gauge wheel I don't actually find much use for - end up using box and rake in places I would have thought I'd use the blade.

My worry about scarifiers on a road grader is improperly buried cables... I've already found the phone wire with the box blade scarifiers, lets just say.

 

[RAF]

Here is one with some rippers on it ..
Grading Scraper

That one looks like a Land Pride painted red. The way that it adjust for depth is the same. The land pride scarifiers are an option though.

The LP was about $1500 shipped to the store ( With out scarifiers ) this one is about the same price (with scarifiers) delivered to the house.

The price I got for a 7' Dura Grader fixed blade was $1175 free shipping special, scarifiers option is $108 more. Have to wait for a job before ordering

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Yeah, I could see the blade doing that if handled well. I know in the process I will turn my drive into something that NEEDS to be worked on though! Tempting to play around though, if I didn't have so many other projects, as I have a nice woods blade with a gauge wheel I don't actually find much use for - end up using box and rake in places I would have thought I'd use the blade.

quote]

Charles, is your blade for your 3030, or the 59? I could see a possible problem if it is a small setup. Remember that weight is your friend when working with these things. I love my Land Pride rear blade, day & night difference from my MidWest rear blade. But then so was the price.

 

[tractorski]

I grade gravel driveways and parking lots with my Harley rake, works great. Since I got it I really don't use my box blade, or york rake. It grinds it up and lays it out nice and smooooth! If I really want to buff it out I rent a vibrating roller after and pound it solid.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Thanks to all for your insightful advice. I am about to pick up a 30-34 hp tractor - The brand / model are not set in stone but I am leaning towards the L3400.

This is my recommendation, but obviously it will make a difference on how much $$$$ you have to spend, and I'm sure that others will have their own ideas.

Landscape rake is good for finish grading IMO, can be hard to control if trying to create a set grade or contour.

Box blade is very versatile and can do what you need done, and very well by some, but again IMO there are better implements to do the job.

Rear blade is great for creating a road and side ditches, can be used for finish grading as well.

Road grading blade works well and is easier to use than a rear blade. Does not work as well to build a road as a rear blade, but is great for maintaining one IMO.

The sizes that I am going to recommend should be the heaviest duty that you can afford.

6 or 7 foot Landscape rake

60 or 66 inch Box blade

6 or 7 foot Rear blade

5 or 6 foot Road grading blade.

I hope that some of this information can help you, and in no way am I saying that what I have said is the only or best way. All is based on what I have seen or done.

Let us know what you end up using, good luck.

 

[AchingBack]

If I ended up doing local roads, I'd have a great excuse for a grader. Just my driveway is tougher.

I can see how they'd be outstanding on a dirt road, but has anyone used a grader on a gravel drive? The landscape rake with Gauge wheels workds well, but it keeps expanding the driveway as gravel flows off the edge - figured the sides of the grader might stop that?

The solution is to get a rake you can set on an angle just wide enough to cover your tire tracks. My tractor is roughly 60" wide. When my 7' rake is angled at the width of my tires, it captures the rock for redistribution toward the crown of the road. If you just go down the road with the rake set at a 90 degree angle, it will flow toward the ditch, instead of the crown. You just need the correct size rake. The same applies to grader blades. If incorrectly set, they too will distribute materials to the ditch side.

 

[2manyrocks]

After building a set of gauge wheels for a rear blade, I still prefer a box blade. The gentleman who mentioned that his dug into his driveway might try adjusting his top link to take less of a bite. With practice, it will get better.

 

[Gold Teef]

Regular use of a landscape rake with gauge wheels should work well.

This Woods brand rake is what I have but I don't have the flip down grader blade with side boot attachments which should keep material from flowing out the side too much. I think someone should buy this setup and report back to us with the results

Woods Equipment Company - 72'', 84'' & 96'' Medium-Duty Landscape Rakes - LR Series

 

[Reg]

I just did a stone/gravel parking area (volunteer job) for a club.
Due to the fact that I had the back-hoe on at the time and the distance from home I didn't have the luxury of being able to take the box blade, rake, rear blade, etc with me.
Basically I was stuck with the FEL and in a couple of hours improved my grading and back dragging skills about 700% (-:
The trick seems to be to float the bucket and initially use the heel (bucket curled all the way back).
As the bucket approaches where you want to "feather out" roll the bucket to level and watch the rolling mound diminish.
Don't "over work" it, just spread it thin and even, then leave it alone.
Per bucket load, maybe 3 back dragging passes, 2 as I improved.
The best I could do for compacting was to just drive over it, but those 18 inch wide tires make for a low ground pressure, so despite the weight of the hoe I'm not sure that it got compacted at all well.

For subsequent work, bearing in mind the journey from here to there.....
I will probably just take the tractor and FEL with toothbar.
A back dragging pass with the teeth at a SHALLOW angle should bring up enough material to redistribute, then bucket heel dragging to smooth it.

Yeah, I know it would wear out my bucket if I was doing this 40 or 50 hours a week, but it was 2 or 3 hours and will probably be 1 or 2 hours each year for maintenance.

I might buy some hard facing rod anyway - gotta light up the bright blue wrench once in a while.

 

[Charlesaf3]

I've got a big woods rear blade for the m59.

On the rake front, yep, full angle to width of tractor. Still a bit curls out the front, and it adds up over the years.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I've got a big woods rear blade for the m59.
.

I'm surprised, that should make for a nice grading setup. Do you know how much your rear blade weighs?

 

[PILOON]

Shucks, I run a 20 HP Mitsu with a standard 5ft back blade and do a drive that you'd swear had been hand raked.

My trick is to reverse the blade and grade backwards using my 3pt level control.

I say backwards (yeah, achy neck) as if your wheels are on a flat surface your blade has no choice but to do a 'flat job'.
If you pull fwd, every bump will cause the back blade to dip and dig, but backwards your wheels are always on flat surface as your blade already flattened it.

Then to finish off my drive I speed up driving forewards and DRAG my blade facing backwards, but in a float mode.
That kinda skims the loose gravel around and sure makes for a pretty finish, just like it was hand raked!

Works for me!

 

[Charlesaf3]

I'm surprised, that should make for a nice grading setup. Do you know how much your rear blade weighs?

6-800 pounds at a guess. I'm worried about gouging though - hadn't thought of spinning the blade

 

[bill333]

I'm relatively new to tractors but my Kubota 3540 is similar in size to what you are looking at. I have a Landprice blade with 3 hydraulics that is really great for grading. (I also have the bolt on sides that make it into a poor man's box). The 3 hydraulics allow for tilt, pivot,and offset of the blade. Of course you need to be able to get 3 sets of haudralics to the rear, but this is the best part of the investment I made on the tractor. (You'll really appreciate it plowing snow in the winter, not having to get off and manually pivot the blade!)

I have a steep, twisty, 1/2 mile long gravel drive. With this set up I can do a 'clean up' grading in less than 1/2 hour ,and a really good re-do (like after a big storm) in about 90 minutes.

For a clean up/tidy up, follow Piloon's excellent suggestions above (reverse the blade, drive backward). If you have a heavy blade like the landpride it will smooth things up.

If you are doing a regrade, do half the drive (i.e. left side) at one time. I set the blade forward, offset it by about a foot, and drive forward, with the tilt set to match the crown. This will dig up some of your gravel, which will allow any ruts to fill in. Then do the same for the other side of the drive. If you angle the blade to the center of the drive, your loose gravel will not run off the sides.

Then finish up by doing the clean up approach above , plowing backward.


Tip -- it really helps to do either type of grading just after it rains.

Tip 2: to test if you have it really smooth, lift your blade and just run your tractor a bit fast over your drive with your FEL attached and set in the low/safe position. The tractor will bounce lightly on any unsmooth spots which need more grading.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

6-800 pounds at a guess. I'm worried about gouging though - hadn't thought of spinning the blade

One of the advantages of having skid shoes on the blade. I can adjust mine up or down, up to 2" so that there is no serious gouging. Using the blade in reverse makes for a very smooth finish. Either running the tractor in reverse, (This makes for a very good surface) or turning the blade around backwards and driving forwards. Both ways make for a very good finished surface.

 

[Steve C]

Shucks, I run a 20 HP Mitsu with a standard 5ft back blade and do a drive that you'd swear had been hand raked.

My trick is to reverse the blade and grade backwards using my 3pt level control.

I say backwards (yeah, achy neck) as if your wheels are on a flat surface your blade has no choice but to do a 'flat job'.
If you pull fwd, every bump will cause the back blade to dip and dig, but backwards your wheels are always on flat surface as your blade already flattened it.

Then to finish off my drive I speed up driving forewards and DRAG my blade facing backwards, but in a float mode.
That kinda skims the loose gravel around and sure makes for a pretty finish, just like it was hand raked!

Works for me!

Thanks for the tip! My little tractor has a short wheelbase and is prone to make thing worse rather than better when going forward with the rear blade. Your method makes good sense, I will give it a try the next time I need to smooth things out.
Steve C.

 

[DennisArrow]

Have used the FEL, box scraper/blade, and rear blade to construct and maintain my 1/2 mile of gravel, crowned, steep and winding road. Each has it's own particular use or function. I.E. the rear blade for ditching, the box for spreading, the FEL for moving or smoothing by going in reverse with it flat.

For maintenance what works best for me is 2 simple tools. An 8' section of 10" I beam towed at an angle to produce a crown in the middle of the road really works well for filling in small holes and leveling out washboard. I keep it flat on the road and pull it with chains that are adjusted to maintain about a 30 degree angle as I go down the road.

For easy smoothing, is a weighted piece of chain link fencing and using it to drag the surface a couple of times...............Works for me..........Dennis

 

[bill333]

Another thing that might impact your approach is what kind of gravel you have and what shape your drive is in. If you have a good layer of nice 21A stone (the one with the dirt mixed in, which gives it that hard packed look) on top of larger stone, you can get by with much less, because the 21A loosens up easily (especially when wet) and it is relatively easy to shape it and fill in ruts with a simple running of the rear blade or even the FEL edge.

If however you only have a very thin layer of 21A, or just 21, or a larger stone, it gets harder to get a smooth surface because the larger stones tend to come to the top. In this situation you need tougher implements and may need to do more 'digging in.'

Having dealt with many driveways (and I"m sure this is somewhat location dependent) to me the best looking, easiest to maintain drive is one with a healthy layer of 21A. It is however very expensive.