Boxblade and a PT

[Bob_In_MN]

A post in a different forum mentioned Power Trac as a viable alternative to a regular CUT. I follow the PT forum closely as I like the machine's versatility.

So--I was thinking--are there any projects I do (or did) that the PT would not handle. With the vast amount of attachments available, I have to admit the list wasn't long. In fact I only have one question.

Will a PT work to maintain a gravel driveway? I don't mean spreading out the occasional load of rock. I mean can it handle de-rutting (a new word perhaps) my 500 foot gravel driveway? I believe you can buy a scraper for the machine, so my question is does it really work?

Even though I spend a very limited amount of time using my boxscraper on my driveway, the ability to maintain that driveway was a major reason for my purchase.

So--any PT owners out there doing this type of work?

Bob

 

[bubenberg]

we maintain long natural driveways with our Cheap Snow Plow blade and the digging bucket without any problems. before we had to load a regular Kubota tractor and depending on the difficulty of the job possibly a second trip with more attachments.

i recommend the 425 for that kind of work and whatever attachment you are most comfortable with to grade etc /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

good luck

 

[bubenberg]

See this post under Cheap Snow Plow co/ power trac. Charlie took a picture of my home made plow (made from a bunton garden tractor blade)

Charlie_Iliff
Veteran Member
Reged: 06/13/01
Posts: 1208
Loc: Arnold, MD
Re: Cheap Snow Plow [Re: Bob999]
#230290 - 01/27/03 04:59 PM Attachment (62 downloads) Edit Reply Quote



You're right. It probably twists when it trips. Hans?

 

[johara1]

i use a 422 with a 4ft. bucket and the blade to keep my drive way rut free /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif you can put a crown on the drive with the blade also. in one afternoon i spred 66 ton of 2a modifed /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gifthat should give you an idea the kind of work these things will do.i really wanted a boxblade for this work but i found it isn't needed /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[toolz_not_toyz]

Can someone clarify for me? Is a rut a washboard ripple like you get on compacted dirt/gravel roads or is it just the occasional depression? I'm still trying to get a grasp on how well these things can actually dig into the dirt. Those washboard ripples are really compacted and I would think you'd need heavier equipment to scrape them, unless you were just going to dump aggregate on top of the entire surface and smooth it out.

Since they sell the 5cu bucket and teeth I would think that you could really dig into compacted soil with a PT. But can you? Is a PT heavy enough at 1300lbs (or so) to do that? And can you add more weight or will the wheel motors blow up? It might be handy if there was a bracket so you could pile suitcase weights onto the backend.

 

[johara1]

a rut ,could come from a wash out or from the track used by cars.it's a low area that needs filled.the wash board is tires sliding or spinning on a hill. this is found mostly when the road is a stright stone2's 0r 3's, the best way to end that, is 2a modified ths will pack very tight.
as far as the digging with a pt, to compare it compact a tractor of the same size is a joke they will not come close.all i have is the big bucket with out teeth,it will dig orignal ground.to dig something harder, i made a ripper,i rip first then load it.you don't need weight!!in the tires or on the back.you never have to run it wide open the power is there!!! if i load the bucket with dirt the orange and the green machines can't even pick it up, a 10 cubic ft. bucket loaded with 2a modifed,heaped up,the weight of a yard of 2a is 3000 lb. it's not hard to guess what that little thing will do /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[MossRoad]

Also, ruts tend to run the same direction as the driveway, and ripple tend to run across the driveway.

As far as the teeth on the small bucket go, notice that they are called rock teeth. I think they help when loading rock, but they don't seem to help digging in hard soil, like a tooth on a backhoe bucket would, as they are rounded, not square like a chisel. At least that's my finding. Knowing what I know now, I would probably not get the teeth from Power Trac, but either look for another brand toothbar that could be modified to fit, or just weld on some teeth from a backhoe bucket.

 

[PTRich]

I have a 1600 foot gravel driveway I maintain with a landscape rake. I bought it from Northern Hydralics with a wheel kit and it works great. A contractor in our area uses a power rake to maintain gravel driveways. He has bulldozers, excavators and rollers and this is his tool of choice.

 

[wasabi]

Bob,

I'm late to chime in but, yes, I use a boxblade to maintain our dirt/gravel roads. I tried using the buckets and the snow blade with less than optimal results and finally bought the 60" box blade. Now that I have it, I use it more than any other implement except the forks. Granted, I have the 3pt hitch so the box blade mounts in back like on a conventional tractor, but the 2445 is nonetheless a PT /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

sabi