Land Plane Modification

[bedrock61]

Guys, I was a little disappointed when I first used this land plan for my gravel driveway...its pretty hard packed and the plane bounced and it took forever to get the surface of the drive way the way I wanted it. I notice the land planes with teeth did a great job breaking the top layer of gravel so I added my own. Basically bought and welded on tabs, teeth are available from most tractor supply stores. I am anxious to test out, but as of this am, the driveway is still frozen.

 

[Tropical Jack]

Looks like a good setup for your little tractor. Nice work! I wonder if some added weight on the land plane might help, too?

Jack

 

[crazyal]

Timing is everything. After a few days of rain have soaked in helps. In the spring after the ground thaws also works well. But in the middle of summer when the sun has baked it hard as a rock there's not much that will break it up. In those conditions even the ripper teeth on my GS will not break it up. I now use my full size backhoe and dig down about 4" if the driveway gets really bad and packed hard.

 

[nyone]

You need more weight if your teeth cant bite..but then again by the time is baked hard you should have alreaty graded it.

I usualy drag my box blade in the spring when we are getting rains, like this month. Then leave it until just before the heat of the summer. By then any soft spots have shown and can be repaired before i let it pack in all summer/fall. This way its tight and in good condition for winter plowing.

I use a 6ft commercial box blade and a 40hp tractor. Box blade weighs roughly 400-500lbs and some times i add another 200.

Your really only moving material a few feet with these land planes and they are very light. I just dont see them working well unless you spend all day. I can regrade my 400ft P shaped driveway in about 10min. Its 1 1/4 crushed rock that packed into clay.