buying a "land grader"/"leveling blade"/"bionic blade"

[MtnViewRanch]

Re: buying a "land grader"/"leveling blade"/"bionic blade"

For the average tractor owner, I side with the LPGS guys. You can be a pro with a box blade in a few hundred hours. The LPGS takes a couple hours to get the hang of...maybe less.

I will take this a little further, probably should not, :mur: but we really need to be realistic, and this may or may not apply to the OP.

Some people, no matter how many hours of working with a box blade will simply NEVER be proficient with that implement.

Just about anyone can be pretty good with a LPGS. Yes some people may be better than others just as some implements are simply "better" than others, but pretty much everyone can be "good" with a LPGS.

Just another :2cents:

 

[RDrancher]

Re: buying a "land grader"/"leveling blade"/"bionic blade"

I will take this a little further, probably should not, :mur: but we really need to be realistic, and this may or may not apply to the OP.

Some people, no matter how many hours of working with a box blade will simply NEVER be proficient with that implement.

Just about anyone can be pretty good with a LPGS. Yes some people may be better than others just as some implements are simply "better" than others, but pretty much everyone can be "good" with a LPGS.

Just another :2cents:

I'll agree with that. The additional length is what makes the LPGS so forgiving. If you made a box blade that long, most tractors couldn't pull it full of material anyway.

As we've discussed before...I use my box blade a lot more than my LPGS, but that's because most driveways I work on are in pretty sad shape. On my own driveway or on a simple regrade, I use the LPGS. After running the box blade all of the time, it's like taking a vacation! In fact, it works so well that I'll be getting the Roadrunner hydraulic model for my CTL.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Re: buying a "land grader"/"leveling blade"/"bionic blade"

I'll agree with that. The additional length is what makes the LPGS so forgiving. If you made a box blade that long, most tractors couldn't pull it full of material anyway.

As we've discussed before...I use my box blade a lot more than my LPGS, but that's because most driveways I work on are in pretty sad shape. On my own driveway or on a simple regrade, I use the LPGS. After running the box blade all of the time, it's like taking a vacation! In fact, it works so well that I'll be getting the Roadrunner hydraulic model for my CTL.

Exactly, not a whole lot of thought HAS to be put into the process. I have what I consider to be fairly good-heavy duty implements. I am fairly good with all of them and can get the same end result with any of them on my roads. It's just that the LPGS is easier and faster than the others when it comes to general maintenance of those roads.

 

[1bush2hog]

Re: buying a "land grader"/"leveling blade"/"bionic blade"

I debated purchasing a box blade and a LPG and ended up ordering a Roadrunner. I picked it up today and got it hooked up and ran it for a little while. It is a beast. Very we'll built and heavy duty. Mine came with the hydraulic tilt function. While I think the Roadrunner will be a great implement I will still need my scrape blade to work the water breaks on my roads. Pics will be later after I get it adjusted

PS. Check what size hitch pins you need if you do order. I had to make a trip to town to pick up 2 5" and 1 7" for the toplink

 

[Thomabear]

Both implements have their purpose and each will perform better when used for what they were designed. Personally I prefer the BB for cutting ditches and moving material and the Land Plane for smoothing and dressing. While similar they are two different pieces of equipment that covers a range of jobs. If it were me I would purchase the land plane and keep the box blade. You will use both.

 

[Monster5601]

Re: buying a "land grader"/"leveling blade"/"bionic blade"

I have about a mile of gravel road I need to maintain and I'm really butchering things up trying to do it with my box blade so I've decided to purchase what everyone in my area refers to as a "bionic blade," although I understand that the correct name is a land plane or leveling blade.

Anyway, I don't have a lot of knowledge with this implement and I really need some guidance on what to look for, brands, etc. before I buy one - they aren't cheap!

The one obvious difference I see between the different brands is that some blades are straight across, while others are anged. Is there a difference in how the straight and angled blade versions perform? Is one better than the other?

Also, I know that with a box blade heavier is always better- is it the same with graders?

Any guidance or advice would be greatly appreciated!!

I had the same results as you, when I got done grading out the gravel/dirt road with a BB it looked nice, looked flat, and drove smooth. First rain, all the same pot holes and contours would come back. After reading about LGs here I bought a Bush Hog RG72 (my dealer sells Bush Hog). During my learning curve I found that it takes a few passes before getting results. The first two passes, I have the top link pulling so there is more weight shift on the front of the LG, then I balance out the LG and start distribution of the materials. I have had to re-do the road several times before it started to hold its shape after a rain.

I understand the angled blades help building the crown. I suggest you choose a model that comes with scarifiers, they do a good job of knocking down the small humps reducing the number of drags you will make. I have hydraulic top and side link and they both make running a LG (other implements too) much easier. The best benefit, my bride no longer complains about the road condition making a happy wife and better life for me

 

[crazyal]

Re: buying a "land grader"/"leveling blade"/"bionic blade"

Everyone's opinion and experiences are different. For me I wouldn't own a GS without ripping shanks. I try to wait until after the drive has been rained on and is still wet but that's not always possible. When it's hard packed and dry the rippers will quickly break it up. The drive also tends to get potholes in certain areas so I go through and tilt the scraper to change the angle on the rippers to get deeper. I also like having the blade height being adjustable. Usually I leave the blades even with the skids but in the spring when the ground is soft I raise them up about 1/2" above the skids as the skids tend to sink into the loose gravel. When I want to rip up sod I lower the blades to about 1/2" lower than the skids. My 6' Befco is a little light but I haven't any weight (yet).

 

[mangus580]

Re: buying a "land grader"/"leveling blade"/"bionic blade"

I just bought a Woods Grader

Product Details

I have had it since Friday - and I love it!

 

[FTG-05]

Re: buying a "land grader"/"leveling blade"/"bionic blade"

I have a Land Pride Grading Scraper - GS2584 - that I use to maintain my mile long gravel driveway. I tried for years to do the job with a rear blade but could never get the hang of it. The GS has allowed me to level and smooth the driveway so it is almost like new. With the scarifiers the unit weighs 800#. I've not found that I need additional weight. I have a 400# concrete casting that I can set on the GS if I ever do need additional weight.

Oosik, I'm in the process of building my LPGS and I don't think I'll make the magic 200 lb/foot mark even though I'd like to.

Can you please post a pic of your 400 lb concrete casting and especially how you attach it to your grader?

Thanks,

 

[john40981]

Re: buying a "land grader"/"leveling blade"/"bionic blade"

Oosik, I'm in the process of building my LPGS and I don't think I'll make the magic 200 lb/foot mark even though I'd like to.

Can you please post a pic of your 400 lb concrete casting and especially how you attach it to your grader?

Thanks,

I used a 44gal plastic drum full of water on mine to add extra weight

 

[FTG-05]

Re: buying a "land grader"/"leveling blade"/"bionic blade"

I wondered what those little wings shown in the post #6 were for, now I know! Thanks,

 

[lostcreekranch]

I have been looking at the Grademaster FR-8 with scarifiers for driveway and road maintenance. The 8' is 1100 lbs. according to web site but not sure that includes the weight of the scarifiers.

Anyone have any experience with the brand?

farm_ranch

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Re: buying a "land grader"/"leveling blade"/"bionic blade"

I have been looking at the Grademaster FR-8 with scarifiers for driveway and road maintenance. The 8' is 1100 lbs. according to web site but not sure that includes the weight of the scarifiers.

Anyone have any experience with the brand?

farm_ranch

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

Never seen them first hand, but they sure look good to me and are usually the first units that I recommend.:thumbsup: Have you check the prices yet? For some reason I have-had the idea that they were sold at a reasonable cost. :confused3:

The Road Boss is a very nice unit, but have a hefty price that goes along with it.

 

[boggen]

Re: buying a "land grader"/"leveling blade"/"bionic blade"

drainage is a big thing for roads. if ya don't have any sort of ditches, and rain just pools up on the road way. you are in trouble from the get go.

a TNT (top and tilt) one hyd cylinder for the top link, and another hyd cylinder one of the side links. can really help "shape" a long drive way more so one with turns. not every location on the drive may require a center high spot so water runs off from center to each side, but you may need water to drain off all to one side. say in a corner.

trying to mess around with generic 3pt hitch links that are not hyd, can be a hair teaser. will you can flatten the road out. and get it to look nice, once that rain hits. it all goes to waste. without dealing with how the rain runs off the road.

weapons folks generally have with a mix and match set...
3pt rear blade. (angle left or right) to bring dirt to and from center and can help maintain ditches or even make ditches
3pt box blade, with scraficers (teeth) that you can lower up and down.
3pt land plane
3pt harrow (basicly scraficers on a box blade to help break up the drive way)
not really a 3pt attachement, but a drag harrow or chain link fence with some chains wrapped back onto draw bar of tractor. smooths things out and drags large chunks out
large heavy piece of lumber, example portion of a old telephone pole. smooths things out
3pt rake *i forgets the actual type of rake* tines on it that scatter the rock and smooths things out. can help remove rock from yard, after snow plowing the driveway.

drive way rock, atleast the white crushed rock i have on my own driveway. relies on the rock interlocking together over 1" plus depth to create a good driving surface that does not sink into the mud. a land plane acts kinda like a dirt/rock sifter. to let the dirt fall down and bring the rock backup to the surface.

if you have bad compaction of crud under the driveway, then you may have issues till ya get the compaction problem dealt with.

==============
water, water, water... stay off the road if you can when it is wet and soggy, that will destroy any rock or dirt country road quickly. slow it down in all vehicles.
once ya get things in shape. load tractor up or truck up what ever you have that is heaviest. with extra weight and drive on the road a few times to compact it. let it rain. and after it dries out some run over it again with some weight to compact it some more.
ruts in road, = to much water in and around the road, perhaps ya need to do better grading to let water run off the road and some better ditches.

if you drive on the road "TO FAST" you can create pot holes, and/or old wash board effect. as your shocks and leaf springs of your vehicle pound the living daylight out of the road, yet you don't feel a thing in your vehicle. slow it down. if your own your tractor and you feel it in your rear. and you don't in your vehicle and your are going faster down the road in your vehicle. *coughs* slow it down!