dragging my driveway

[Ricn]

No stocking dealers here for Land Plane and if ordering from them they charge as much or more than buying off the Net plus add the high priced shipping. I talked to the JD guys last week and they gave me a price so high I just laughed. Because all this kind of equipment and more, are no longer made here, we out west must pay these very high trucking fees now. It has not always been like that but just the way of it now as most manufacturers of steel made products have moved to the east coast, Texas, Alabama or to china and for cheaper labor and land is all I can figure..Just like the Tec companies and housing needs for their employees are eating up our small cities and farm land here at a rapid rate...I too want the 60" model. I might try making a deal with Kubota on their Land Pride model as they partially own them now. Might be they will include one with a larger order to the dealer saving me some shipping costs. Land Pride cost more though so maybe a push on over all costs.

Ricn

 

[Ricn]

RANCH- You are correct! When looking at Everything website, I took the shipping costs from that, but after calling they quoted me less than half the Net price for shipping! There is a credit for the 1st one thousand miles evidently..Delivery though is 4-6 weeks out due to sales being so brisk but I may order one anyway and wait..They did try and talk me into the 72 inch model like yours so maybe I have some thinking to do first. The guy said having one wider than the tires is better than the same size. My L-2501 is 59 inches plus wide with loaded industrials on back plus my other tools are all 60 inch stuff. So if I may ask, can I run this tool up one side then the other then up the middle? Or, is it better to split the driveway width in half with only two passes?

Thanks for jobbing my pea brain to make the call.

Ricn

 

[MtnViewRanch]

RANCH- You are correct! When looking at Everything website, I took the shipping costs from that, but after calling they quoted me less than half the Net price for shipping! There is a credit for the 1st one thousand miles evidently..Delivery though is 4-6 weeks out due to sales being so brisk but I may order one anyway and wait..They did try and talk me into the 72 inch model like yours so maybe I have some thinking to do first. The guy said having one wider than the tires is better than the same size. My L-2501 is 59 inches plus wide with loaded industrials on back plus my other tools are all 60 inch stuff. So if I may ask, can I run this tool up one side then the other then up the middle? Or, is it better to split the driveway width in half with only two passes?

Thanks for jobbing my pea brain to make the call.

Ricn

In my opinion, you will be better off with the 60" unit. That is what I run on my 3215 and at times is all it wants. As far as the technique that works best for you and your conditions, I honestly can't say what will be best for you. I do up, down and in the center without any problems, but that is with my conditions and type of material on the road. (DG)

 

[JRobyn]

What is vitally important for grading a road with a grading scraper is that one side of the skids stays close to the center of the road as you travel. If it "hangs over" into the wheel track on the opposite side of the road from where you are grading, you will wind up scraping off the top of your crown. It will work fine if your scraper is a bit narrower than the road. You can make multiple passes if needed.

The way most scrapers are made, you want the right side skid to be right at the outside edge of the road, or just slightly past that if you have any ditch or your road surface is elevated a bit from the base. I set my blade carrier so that the right side blades are just a bit (3/8"-3/4") below the skid so that it just takes a moderate "slice", and so that the left side blades are just slightly above the skid, meaning NO cut to the center/crown. Since my scraper is a foot too wide for most of my road, I have to be very careful to set adequate tilt on the lift arms and just have the tractor mechanically hold the left side up. Confused yet?

 

[Ricn]

Nope, it makes good sense to me so thanks for those points. This afternoon I talked to my Kubota dealer, someone I trust and have done business with for lots of items like tractors and excavators. As I like giving them my business when possible, my salesman checked their orders and found they have a big order on box scrapers, rakes and grapples into Land Pride. He called asking if they could get me a scraper on board and the answer was yes! I still pay some freight but much, much less than a single order, all a matter of weight on the truck so I will have the 60 inch unit end of next week! Land Pride cost is higher but saving on shipping plus a little dealer discount for being a long time customer, and not having to wait long I felt it was worth it. Also the dealer will bring it out free of charge to the farm where I can unload with my new forks. When talking with their driver, he said his Dad has the same unit and really likes it! So, looks like my driveway will be much improved soon, I hope!

I did talk to Everything Attachments guy and he said 4-6 weeks plus $310. shipping to my place but if going to a freight terminal I could deduct $100. then, I would have to drive 100 miles to get it and come home..In the end, I will be spending a little more but have it much sooner and before the October rain gets here...

TBN is the best, I have been helped a bunch! Thanks to all for the suggestions and guidance, much appreciated!

Ricn

 

[airbiscuit]

Remember to post pics of you using it.

 

[JRobyn]

Good deal!!

Do be aware that you will need to "set" the "blade carrier" on a LandPride to your liking. They have 3 large bolts/nuts on each side that attach the carrier to the frame. I found that the easiest way to set mine was to loosen all 6, then set the whole scraper down on a nice flat smooth surface with strips of wood the correct thickness underneath each skid. Or under the outer edge of the blades themselves if you want them above the skid. Then securely tighten all 6 back down. An impact wrench is nice as they take about 100+ ft-lb.

 

[joeyd]

Ricn,

I find a simple old back blade works very well for this. I find that there are really two issues, the washboarding caused by vehicles spinning as they come up the hill, especially on corners, and the tires throwing the gravel to the sides out of the tire tracts. So you need to both move gravel back on to the roadway and cut of the bumps. A properly angled back blade works well for me, though it does take a bit of practice.

I first grade the gravel back to the center from both sides, grading only on the uphill direction. The I knock the ridge off the center, often by turning the blade around backwards so it doesn't cut in.

I work the driveway only after enough rain to dampen the top few inches. Not only does this make it easier to cut the bumps off, but it makes it possible to re-pack the graded surface with the tractor first then with other vehicles so it doesn't so readily wash with rain.

For some photos of the result see this post.

X2 I drive forward with the backblade reversed so the curved side smooths the gravel and doesn't dig it up.

 

[MoArk Willy]

Perhaps a ratchet rake with a bit of metal work could be used as a 3 point implement. As it is I think it would give you the results you want, but unfortunately it's intended to be back dragged.

 

[Ricn]

These are good points. I hope to set the front blade just above the skid leaving a small gap, maybe 1/2 inch or just a little more. Also reverse the rear to smooth out the gravel like Joeyd suggests...My goal is smoothing out the gravel but not dig up the base as it is made of heavy pit run material. Also have some trails for wood cutting to be smoothed out a bit after years of dragging out trees with the 40C JD

Ricn