LPGS build

[CDN Farm Boy]

I've got about 1200 ft of gravel drive that has nicely grown up with the strip of grass between the tire tracks that my wife is rather fond of. I had been maintaining it with a rear blade just fine but this year the grass strip has really grown so the rear blade won't work any more. My wife's instruction to keep the grass was easy argument for me to build a LPGS to maintain the tire tracks.

I'm going to do things a bit different than most. Rather than building one the width of the tractor, I'm building it the width of the tire tracks in the lane -- 3'

Scrap yard is only 5 min drive from my house with lots of pickings to build from.

I'd wanted to find some 12" channel for the sides but could only find 8" or 9" in decent lengths or a 20' of 12". The guys can be a pain if you want them to cut stuff they'd rather try to get you to take the whole thing. Managed to find a 10' length of 15" that would work better than the 9".

660lbs and $260 later I was on my way home

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

6' cutting edge that has never seen dirt. The teeth on one side is a bonus and hopefully will help loosen things up better.



Cut the 6' down to two 3' sections and mocked up mounting angle for them.



The 10' length of channel was cut down to make two 5' long side panels. Also cut a 4x6 angle off the leading edge to keep it from digging in. Trying to cut thru the 1" flanges of the channel with the plasma was not fun. Then again, it was my first day using one.



Setup for drilling for the blade mounts. I'll be able to have the straight blades either flush with the sides or 1" below. If I got my calculations right, if I were to mount the blade with the teeth down, they'd be either 1.5" or 2.5" below.



4x4 cross tubes front and back set in place

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

Progress as of end of today: All welded up, just need to mount the blades and fab up some brackets for the 3 pt hitch. Need to figure out why my plasma isn't cutting properly before I can make them. Either operator error as I've never used one before this or my machine is a dud.

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

Trying to figure out the horizontal spacing for the lower link mounts...looking for input.

I want this to fit a quick hitch for when I finally get one but am coming up with different measurements. I have literature here for 2 different brands, one lists 25 3/4" between the mounts and the other says 27 1/4". My Kubota snow blower measures 27 1/8" while my rear blade is 26 1/2". On the EA site, Ted says 26 1/2" is the common width for lowers

 

[bcp]

Here are the ASAE specs:



26.81 to 26.94 inches

Bruce

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

Thanks Bruce, very helpful

 

[bcp]

Note that it isn't frame width, if the pins are mounted on only one end. The width includes the nut or shoulder.

Bruce

 

[Sodo]

I agree with the wife. A long two-track driveway is an indicator of the good life.

What the heck does LPGS mean?

 

[rswyan]

I agree with the wife. A long two-track driveway is an indicator of the good life.

What the heck does LPGS mean?

Land Plane/Grading Scraper I believe ...

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

Note that it isn't frame width, if the pins are mounted on only one end. The width includes the nut or shoulder.

Bruce

That's what I'd figured but clarification is always good. I had been thinking of single mounted pins but am now reconsidering for clevis mount

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

Land Plane/Grading Scraper I believe ...

Yes, that's right. Perhaps I should have been more clear in the title......

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

I agree with the wife. A long two-track driveway is an indicator of the good life.

What the heck does LPGS mean?

To make it better, it's lined on both sides with 80 yr old trees

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

The view out my windshield this morning leaving for work:

 

[jenkinsph]

That is a nice view from your windshield, obviously you take pride in your home. Wish more people would show landscape shots like this.:thumbsup:

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

Thanks. Its been a slow process. We bought the place 4 yrs ago from the bank. It had been neglected and run down by half a dozen different owners over the last 25 yrs or more. One of the main reasons we bought the tractor was to clean the place up. Well, that and I wanted one :-D

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

Got a little more work done today. Not on the LPGS itself but in preparation to use it. All I need it do to complete it is cut out the hitch brackets and weld them on but I have to sort out why my plasma cutter won't work first.

I don't have T&T, nor do I have a valve with float to run it. I needed a way to let the one side link float to follow the contours better so I made a telescopic one.

3/8 x 1 1/2 flat for the clevis ends
3/4 x 1 1/2 x .065 wall for the outer
1/2 x 1 1/2 flat ground to fit as the inner

Took 1/8" off the side of the inner



First clevis made. Left it attached to the length so I had a handle at the drill press. Lower clevis end was built the same way.



Top is the left side link
Center is the new link in its fixed position
Bottom is the original adjustable link



New link extended



New link retracted



There is a total of 4" travel, 2" either way from neutral. I have room to extend travel about 3/4" on each end if I felt I needed it. Simply pull the pin to let it float, insert pin to lock in neutral. This link will also make life much easier hooking up attachments, at least until I get a quick hitch.

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

Closer pic of the new link

 

[Xfaxman]

:thumbsup: Watching with interest, my need to copy your design.

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

After a few calls to the Everlast tech line and a bunch of continuity testing, isolated the plasma issue to one of the spring-loaded contacts under the torch cup. A big thanks to Jean at Everlast Canada for getting me replacement parts quickly. Put it back together tonight and sparked it up. Cut out the lower hitch mounts just to test it out. While I was able to get them cut, I've got a lot of learning to do to use the machine well.

Got to drill the 1 1/8" holes for the pins and clean them up a bit with the grinder but getting closer to being able to hook up and try it out

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

Finished up with the hitch brackets tonight. Realized I needed 7/8" holes not 1 1/8" after I'd done the first one with the plasma cutter. D'oh! Hole looked like crap anyway. Cut out a replacement then put the hole saw in the drill press.

Clamped them with 2 1/2" spacer blocks and a piece of solid 7/8" as an alignment bar. Tomorrow night I'll hopefully get them welded and can give it a try. Timing is about perfect, we got 1/2" of rain today which will soften things up nicely.