Lawn Roller: Fill w/other than H20?

[YogiBear79]

Have an older lawn roller, bought used. Looks similar to those sold at TSC. This one is leaking pretty good around where the frame connects. I was considering filling it with sand, gravel or dry concrete mix.

Is this a bad idea? if so, do they make relacement seal kits? At first glance it doesn't seem to come apart readily.

 

[Deere Dude]

Fill it with wet concrete or readycrete. Possibly cut a small hole in the side, fill it and then weld the hole shut. It will be heavier by far than water but you won't empty it anymore. I filled an old water heater with concrete, 18" x 48" and it pulls well behind a 18 HP garden tractor. I don't regret it.

 

[YogiBear79]

Did you fill it completely? I'm guessing with concrete you would have to, to enusre it doesn't slide around

 

[Deere Dude]

Did you fill it completely? I'm guessing with concrete you would have to, to enusre it doesn't slide around

Yes, I filled it right to the top. If you left some big open gaps, the concrete wouldn't slide around anyway but it might dent in that place. I drove mine over rocks and gravel or whatever I felt like and it may have put a few very superficial dings in but that's it. And that was 30 years ago and I still use it every year and so do my neighbors.

 

[YogiBear79]

Thanks! Last thought. I have a Kubota BX2660, I "think" the roller is 5' x24" Think I can pull it succefully?

 

[leonz]

Thanks! Last thought. I have a Kubota BX2660, I "think" the roller is 5' x24" Think I can pull it successfully?

If you have clean sand you can fill it half full standing on end as each bag is 2/3 of a cubic and will wiegh 80 pounds and it will work very well for you

As long as you have dry sod or loaded rears you should be fine with towing it.

If your grass is wet to the point you sink while walking is better to wait a bit.

The problem with a roller or any roller for that matter is simply one of compaction as the ground will not be able to absorb water unless you have used a dethatcher/overseeder with steel knives to open the sod to allow water to enter and escape pooling on the sod.

if its wet its better to wait and if possible rent a towed plug aerator (after you roll it each time) with hollow aerators with spring plug pushers to pull plugs out of the soil to aid it in breathing and allowing water to enter the sod.

A lot of using a lawn roller depends on the terrain you have and any slopes where you need to drive up and down the slopes versus driving across the slope to avoid issues of the roller wandering down hill while towing it.

Unless a "slope" is very dry and under 15 degrees in slope I suggest you travel up and down the slope.

 

[SHORT KID]

I have a small one that is filled with used oil and antifreeze and works for small rolling.

 

[Deere Dude]

Thanks! Last thought. I have a Kubota BX2660, I "think" the roller is 5' x24" Think I can pull it succefully?

I pull mine now with a 2 wheel drive JD X740. 24 Horse I think. I wait until after a wet period and just after that I wait until can drive on it without rutting everything all up. Your Kubota would be heavier than mine and depending on the tires you might have to wait a little longer. I don't know if that is the right approach or not but I have done it when it was a couple weeks later and it didn't seem to do anything. If it starts rutting up, just park it and wait a few more day. Let me know how it works out. I am looking for a bigger one and yours seems the right size :licking:
I like the other posters idea about aerating later on.

 

[YogiBear79]

OK, so if I have this figured right. The roller is 2' x 4' So that equals 12.57 cubic feet. There is 0.6 cubic feet in an 80lb bag, so 12.57/0.6 = 20.95 or 21 80lb bags!

 

[Deere Dude]

OK, so if I have this figured right. The roller is 2' x 4' So that equals 12.57 cubic feet. There is 0.6 cubic feet in an 80lb bag, so 12.57/0.6 = 20.95 or 21 80lb bags!

That seems right to me. I think it may take a little less because you will have to add water to mix it to get it to run in the hole. When you buy it make sure you can return the unused portion.

I bought what I thought I needed for a weight box but ended up throwing stones and things in so was able to take a couple bags back. :thumbsup: