Front-End Loader How does a FEL rate for grading a driveway?

[Gordon Gould]

Another thing - and I may be all wet here, but it seems to me that a box blade can be self defeating when trying to cut a hard surface unless the rear blade is hindged. If the rear blade is fixed when you try to tip the box blade back to get a better cutting angle of attack on the front blade it rolls up on the rear blade and lifts the front blade so you loose more than you gain. If you tip the box bade forward so the rear blade does not impede the cut you are stuck with a steep angle of attack which might bounce and not cut very well. Most grading scrapers I have seen have there blades set at a shallower angle than you can get with a box blade when the rear blade is fixed.
Now in dirt or soft material none of this matters but from my experience trying to cut a hard surface works much better with a shallower angle. The blade angle of attack on my scraper is a little over 45*.

 

[beppington]

I am fairly sure that you would find that the people who have LPGBs have all but forgotten about their box blades when it comes to their roads and driveways.

That's me :thumbsup: Poor box blade just sits there now

Some things I can think where a box blade excels:

1) Digging a hole. The skids on the sides of a grading scraper would make it take longer to dig a hole because you'd usually be able to remove a shallower slice of material with each pass. With a box blade you should be able to lower it further & dig more per pass. This of course is not something you normally want to do when maintaining a road/ driveway. However, you could adjust the grading scraper's blades down so they dig deeper with each pass.

2) Pulling a load of material where none (less anyway) spills out the back while dragging. A grading scraper is designed/ intended for material to flow over the two blades to smooth out the surface, fill in holes, etc. You may not be able to drag a full load of material without some of it flowing over the blades, & then you'd have to get it on your next trip instead - The box blade probably usually holds the full amount for the whole trip?

3) The box blade is shorter front-to-back. Good for maneuvering. Not good for overall implement weight, if max weight is what you need.

All that said, I don't see me using the box blade again. Probably ever. The grading scraper is just the ticket for me.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Another thing - and I may be all wet here, but it seems to me that a box blade can be self defeating when trying to cut a hard surface unless the rear blade is hindged. If the rear blade is fixed when you try to tip the box blade back to get a better cutting angle of attack on the front blade it rolls up on the rear blade and lifts the front blade so you loose more than you gain. If you tip the box bade forward so the rear blade does not impede the cut you are stuck with a steep angle of attack which might bounce and not cut very well. Most grading scrapers I have seen have there blades set at a shallower angle than you can get with a box blade when the rear blade is fixed.
Now in dirt or soft material none of this matters but from my experience trying to cut a hard surface works much better with a shallower angle. The blade angle of attack on my scraper is a little over 45*.

One of the big pluses to a roll-over box blade. You don't have these problems. But I think that pretty much everyone has discontinued building them, so the hinged rear blade box blades are probably the best bet now days.

 

[Pete Judd]

Fel's are not the tool to use on a driveway most of the time, here are a couple of pics of the driveway grader I built for around 60 bucks. Works great for me. Just drag and it lifts up the gravel and the fines, cuts the grass crown off, and fill the pot holes.

 

[Gordon Gould]

I have a Cammond Grading Scraper that does a wonderful job on my road. The thing I have noticed is that the "churn" between the two cutting blades tends to leave the larger gravel nearer the top and the fines further down. I would rather have a more evenly distributed fines and larger gravel (1.25 inch minus.) Is there a technique that will help this? I wondered if my cutting edges need to be lowered or raised from where they are set (Adjustable from 0-1 1/2" below side plates) in order to effect the distribution I want.Any ideas from you experts?

You didn't say where your blades are set but I would say they need to be at least as deep as the biggest material on the road surface. Other wise your grader can just roll along on top without pulling up the fines underneath for a good mix.
Don't consider me an expert - just opinionated

 

[JDGreenGrass]

Looking to knock the crown down and level up some washed out areas with a near-future purchase (compact). Can the FEL loader do it moving forward or would it dig in too much? Drag it angled down and backward? Just trying to assess the FULL cost of what it's going to take to get things done around here in terms of tractor/implements/attachments.

I wouldn't say it can't be done but, it is not the most efficient way to do it.

I have a 3pt. rake and rear blade and a FEL. I use them all when I do my gravel drive.

I have come to like back dragging with the bucket. I can "feather" it better than whatever is on the 3pt. hitch. And, the FEL has down pressure. Not a bad thing.

 

[NICKB304]

Anyone ever try to make some heavy skis to bolt on to the sides of your existing box blade? Maybe with a 2nd angled blade that ties them together behind the box blade? This would essentially turn a box blade into a land plane on the cheap if you have some fab skills. Maybe I will give it a shot when i get around to buying a box blade.

 

[pnconeal]

Looking to knock the crown down and level up some washed out areas with a near-future purchase (compact). Can the FEL loader do it moving forward or would it dig in too much? Drag it angled down and backward? Just trying to assess the FULL cost of what it's going to take to get things done around here in terms of tractor/implements/attachments.

I'm new around here. Just bought my first tractor. Kubota B7200. My driveway is about 150 ft of gravel and hard ground underneath. I graded it today with the loader on the B7200. Had to cut down the crown which also had weeds and level it and move gravel. Tractor worked fine. I've done it before with FEL larger tractors. Doing it is no problem but it takes a lot of time. I'm gonna get a Box Cutter or at least a blade before I do it again next year...

 

[GPintheMitten]

I grade my drive with the fel with a ratchet rake on it. Add a rear blade to the mix as well. Does a great job.

 

[Lumberdink]

Funny you mention the ratchet rake. I've been eyeballing them for clearing up the woods here at the compound. For $300, I might see if I can round up some HD angle iron and have another welding project.

 

[GPintheMitten]

Funny you mention the ratchet rake. I've been eyeballing them for clearing up the woods here at the compound. For $300, I might see if I can round up some HD angle iron and have another welding project.

Somebody else built something similar. Keep in mind, the steel is pretty thick. Maybe 1/2 ".

 

[SPYDERLK]

Yeah, driveway is 1/3 mile long. I had a dozer in here a year ago to get it angled so water runs off into a ditch along the side of the mountain. I've had a few loads of (base) gravel spread on it since but now we are getting a bit of a crown between the tracks and water runs down the tracks. I welded up a 4' x 4' drag with steel tubing and rebar and I can put two 25lb weight plates on it and pull it behind my ATV. It helps, but I really can't direct the gravel very well. My Pop has a small Kubota that came with a 4' blade that he's rarely used. I think it's a 3 point setup, so it may be compatible with whatever I ultimately buy. I don't have a lot of room here and no outbuilding, so I'm trying to avoid ending up with a collection of implements sitting behind my house that I may only use once a year. I think my local Kubota dealer has a lot of stuff I could rent. Thanks!

There should be no specific tire tracks in a driveway. The driveway should be wide enuf that you can get a wheel to run anywhere on it you choose. That way the driveway can be 99% maintained by driving on it intelligently. A FEL and a field drag can easily handle the 1%.
larry

 

[Lumberdink]

Agreed! But I have to deal with what the developer left me and certain geographic limitations. It's tight in some spots.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

It may just be me but a FEL sucks for road grading.

 

[Lumberdink]

Actually, I did a pretty good job on it a couple weeks ago with the borrowed rear blade and a rented landscape rake. It shaped it up and rearranged the stones pretty well. :thumbsup:

 

[PILOON]

The fact of the matter is to do a good grading job your 4 wheels need to drive on a flat surface otherwise you will have all kinds of 'ups and downs'.
That being said, driving backwards while grading (small cuts) is better than pulling a back blade.
Foreward with bucket using the heel also is efficient but wears out the bucked heel. I added a re-enforcement wear strip on my bucket heel just for grading and it works well.
A friend welded a HD 3 x 3" angle to his bucket and that is really efficient.