Land Plane

[dj1701]

Hello all,

I have a driveway that always needs attention. I currently have a box blade to work with,
and was wondering if a land plane would do a better job? I don't have any experience with them.

Also would a small one work better for a driveway than a bigger one? I have two sized tractors.

Thanks
Dave

 

[bcp]

Get one about half your driveway width. Much larger or smaller makes it harder to maintain a crown for water drainage.

Bruce

 

[MikeInEburg]

After using a box blade for years, we bought a land plane. World of difference in ease of use and end result.

 

[jeff9366]

If your drive is gravel or bare dirt a LPGS will grade flat, faster. If you have weeds/grass in your driveway an LPGS can plug, then it cannot work.

As you already own a Box Blade, you should not need a LPGS.

Box Blades have a fairly long learning curve. LPGS a very short learning curve. Both level and smooth. Box Blade require more operator control.

A Box Blade transports dirt limited distances, where an LPGS redistributes dirt, only transporting incidentally.

Far, far more Box Blades are sold than Land Planes.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Hello all,

I have a driveway that always needs attention. I currently have a box blade to work with,
and was wondering if a land plane would do a better job? I don't have any experience with them.

Also would a small one work better for a driveway than a bigger one? I have two sized tractors.

Thanks
Dave

Sort of depends on how good of an operator you are, if you are good, you can get the same results with either implement. But no matter how good you are, for general road maintenance the LPGS (land Plane) will cut your maintenance time by half. Without know anything other than from your post, I would get a 72" unit for your 4320. Get a unit as heavy and with as long of sides that you can find and afford.

Good luck. :thumbsup:

 

[EverythingAttachments]

Land Planes are simply magical, according to much feedback I've heard over the years. It's hard to believe something so easy to use can produce such professional results.

Here at Everything Attachments, we manufacture three different models, so you can choose the best one to fit your tractor(s), application and budget.

First is our Land Shark model for compact tractors, which comes standard with ripper shanks. It is available in 48", 60" and 72".
Check out the details, video and customer reviews here: Land Shark 5.1 Compact Land Leveler by EA
Travis

 

[EverythingAttachments]

Next up is our EA Xtreme Duty Land Plane. Simply put, it is heavier, taller, deeper and has a solid welded Cat I & II 3pt hitch. The blades are also at a more aggressive 10 degree angle vs 7 on the Land Shark.
Details, videos, reviews here:
EA Xtreme Land Plane with Ripper Shanks
EA Xtreme Land Plane without Ripper Shanks
Travis

You know I have pics..

Concerning the results...

 

[Smokeydog]

1/2 mile driveway with 300’ elevation change. Everything attachments land plane has made a world of difference. Agree yardbox is harder to learn to use effectively, but it can not do the job of a land plane. Same for a back blade. Land plane managing fines and redistributing base with minimum disturbance keeps the road hard and maintained longer. One trick pony but does the job well. Easy to crown or slope to maintain drainage. Appreciate the time saving and not buying gravel. Lots of complements the past couple of years. Blades and yardboxes have their place too...now their place is just sitting in the barn.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

1/2 mile driveway with 300’ elevation change. Everything attachments land plane has made a world of difference. Agree yardbox is harder to learn to use effectively, but it can not do the job of a land plane. Same for a back blade. Land plane managing fines and redistributing base with minimum disturbance keeps the road hard and maintained longer. One trick pony but does the job well. Easy to crown or slope to maintain drainage. Appreciate the time saving and not buying gravel. Lots of complements the past couple of years. Blades and yardboxes have their place too...now their place is just sitting in the barn.

It should be said that it depends on what material you have to deal with if the implements can get the same results. With certain materials, the same exact results can be obtained, just not in the same amount of time.

 

[old and tired]

A landplane would not work on my driveway since there are areas where lots of large rocks are... If you have plenty of (small) gravel to work with, it could speed up things. Hydraulic Top-N-Tilt would also help your box blade work better and faster (that's another can of worms!!)

 

[Welshman]

I notice that some land planes have ripper teeth and others don't. How useful/necessary are ripper teeth?

 

[oosik]

I have a mile long driveway. It's a combination of gravel, sand, volcanic ash and large rocks, in some areas. I have a very HD rear blade, a LPGS & a roll over box blade ( ROBB ). The LPGS & ROBB both have manual rippers.

The LPGS is worthless in the areas with large rocks. The ROBB is used wherever I need to repair/maintain pot holes. First I scarify, then drag new material to this area to fill and repair. The ROBB with its rippers is my implement for pothole repairs.

The HD rear blade ( Rhino 950 - 96" wide & 1050# ) is generally my "go to" implement. General grading, ditch repair & maintenance, snow removal.

There are times when I wish my driveway looked like the "after" pictures posted by EveryThingAttachment. But it does not and never will. I have very shallow soil cover over basaltic bedrock in many places and this leads to saturated soils and winter pot holes. There are alway the same sections that will need pothole repair and grading after a winter of abuse. That's just the way it is here.

 

[mred2]

everything attachments, when I was working as a kid in Arkansas, we used a float to level the land for rice fields. A lot like a land plane, but a lot bigger and longer and the blades moved the dirt left to right and the next right to left. I always wondered if anything like this would level a pasture.

 

[EverythingAttachments]

everything attachments, when I was working as a kid in Arkansas, we used a float to level the land for rice fields. A lot like a land plane, but a lot bigger and longer and the blades moved the dirt left to right and the next right to left. I always wondered if anything like this would level a pasture.

Sounds like it probably would. Guys level all kinds of things with the land planes. If you guys want to see TONS of discussions, this links to quite a few discussions in the EA Facebook Group. I don't think you have to be a member of facebook or the group to see: Land Plane Discussions in the EA Channel Group
Travis

 

[Tomtint]

There are a bunch of threads here on the LPGS. I have a 72" with rippers. It is a fantastic tool. But will make your road or driveway flat..over time it will cut any crown that may currently exist..and make it pool table flat. One small thing about my LP that I'm sure will be similar with all of gh m is gnat the bottom front wear bars take a beating dragging on gravel. I have replaced my wear bars 3x now..and due to do it again real soon. Fortunately they can be spun around so you get 2x the wear out of 1 set. ..I know ..I know..you are "supposed" to keep the LP flat on the ground as you use it, but in the real world, it will fill with dirt and sink in as you use it. Maybe if you constantly look at it as you go, you can reduce this..but I don't. I just go back and forth a few times until I get a smooth road.

 

[Smokeydog]

You are right about fast wear on the side skids. Need to flip mine and maybe add some hard surfacing rod beads. Since they don’t say probably not made from abrasion resistant (AR) steel. Maybe Travis of EA could speak to that point?

 

[Professor Marvel]

You are right about fast wear on the side skids. Need to flip mine and maybe add some hard surfacing rod beads. Since they don’t say probably not made from abrasion resistant (AR) steel. Maybe Travis of EA could speak to that point?

Yep, I added what that to mine because my shoes wore out pretty fast. The hardface works great

 

[DKCDKC]

I think the land planes look pretty good, but I just can't afford over $1,300+ for a new tool when my box blade does essentially the same thing. I have a mile long gravel drive and am about to have new side plates welded on my second BB. I have a 3038e, so no adjustable top link - which would help me. But my used BB with subsequent touchup with a ratchet rake, has kept my hilly, curvy drive looking pretty good for years. I love to look at nice new equipment but the old farm-boy in me won't let me shovel out cash for something I'm doing with the used stuff I have.

 

[Tomtint]

You are right about fast wear on the side skids. Need to flip mine and maybe add some hard surfacing rod beads. Since they don’t say probably not made from abrasion resistant (AR) steel. Maybe Travis of EA could speak to that point?

I bought a new set of skids and had some hardened steel welded to the bottom and corners. It helps, but still wears faster than I would like

 

[ovrszd]

If I had a BB but no TnT, I'd add TnT before I spent any money on a different tool.