Min tractor size for repairing long gravel driveway with potholes?

[airbiscuit]

Some men learn by reading
Some men learn by watching
Some men only learn by peeing on the electric fence.

Been there done that on the electric fence!

I think I read about that, but it would have been more fun to watch

 

[Hay Dude]

I think I read about that, but it would have been more fun to watch

 

[bcp]

You can find failure stories with any tractor that is using implements too large for it.

A subcompact tractor with properly sized implements won't be bogged down by them and fail to perform. It simply takes longer than with larger tractors and larger implements.

My BX will drag a full box blade uphill with no problems. But it is a Woods COMPACT model 48 inch blade. It's the right size for the tractor. It may not handle a standard Cat 1 48 inch blade that holds about 30-50% more dirt with its higher sides.

Bruce

PS My compact boxblade is far larger and heavier than that thing shown with the garden tractor. Four scarifiers, 285 lbs, and 6.8 cubic feet capacity.

 

[the old grind]

But should we also explain that a rear blade is much better than a box blade for driveway maintenance?

I use a landscape rake or angle-blade for grading and/or scratching because angling either will minimize 'ripples' that a box blade will surely leave .. w/o position control AND gauge wheels. (BTDT too )

btw, Marty got a great deal on a low-hour 4WD HST 25hp NH SCUT with FEL, MMM, 4' blower, 4' back-blade, and back-hoe. He mows < 1 ac with it, says it's by far too light for anything else with the other attachments.

 

[paulfun9]

Why do you think my little JD stays in the garage?
It can’t pull a full box blade of material up the driveway please note the driveway is a long one like you describe.
It was lackluster at best for plowing and did a great job at getting stuck when it got deep and you needed to push the snow back in preparation for the next storm.
Yes it could spin a snow blower and blow the snow back some but it was a long process compared to a 40 or 50 HP tractor. It also isn’t a small wheeled BX because ai learned that lesson the hard way also.

The tree that came down out back it was completely worthless at yanking it out into the open (out of the poison) where I could cut it up without getting it.-the 40 HP just yanked one out almost twice that with ease.
What do you think made so many go buy bigger tractors? We are long past our failures and the shortcummings of having a BX stuck in the driveway and having to pay the plow guy because we were out of time, patients and frankly tired of being cold and just would rather let it sit there till spring thaw than shovel it out!
Tired of having to take so much extra time to get the jobs done
Tired of having to get the nieghbors tractor to unload that pallet of building materials you just got a good deal on out of the truck or off the trailer because our your machine can’t lift it.
Sorry but yes you did hear it, you just don’t recognize the words because they won’t go into details the way you want them too.
Can a small tractor get many of those jobs others talk about done if they are patient, take small bites, buy extra tools to aid it in its job functions? Yes will those tools time actually outweigh the extra cost of a bigger tractor? Yes they will

Are you not understanding that eventually many of the things you think will be fun and relaxing tractor time, will actually turn into real work and start to suck? Yes

When I grade my driveway it takes two passes and with an 8 ft blade it’s done and doesn’t need done again till next year. With a small tractor and a 4 ft blade it takes a hole day and still doesn’t come out nearly as good or can it be packed because that small tractor is not capeable of pulling that much dirt to keep it evenly distributing long enough to avoid the washboard effect.

By the way no one is belittling you!
Most who have replied have experiance with the smaller tractor myself included and still own one of them.
It is you who is demanding we explain things on your terms. The advice we offer is free BUT you may have to read between the lines a bit or ask more direct questions to figure the rest out.

As I said before good luck no matter which way you go!

 

[the old grind]

"One guy says" on the internet is all a high-hoper needs to commit to 'a plan' or perhaps a pre-conceived notion w/o prior experience. No disdain for the OP but this dynamic is easily demonstrated online if highly edited, limitations are omitted, and someone is out to show how much can be done with 'so little'.

To the OP: please shop among large 'sub tier' (<25hp) CUTs whose mid-size (homeowner/'economy') is also available up to 35hp and for versatility and value. You'd use the torque and wouldn't miss another 10hp except for serious 3PH tasks. (BTDT for 15 yrs) You may even buy another with similar specs and versatility. (My #3 Case/IH is a wimp/mistake/disappointment, lol)

btw, I wish anyone with < 30 PTO hp all the luck with a 60" blower, flail, tiller, BB, or brush hog with .48' cut.

Also and IMHO if a chosen tractor doesn't work out the size/type I also encourage should be easiest to sell/trade for something larger or smaller.

 

[jjp8182]

"One guy says" on the internet is all a high-hoper needs to commit to 'a plan' or perhaps a pre-conceived notion w/o prior experience. No disdain for the OP but this dynamic is easily demonstrated online if highly edited, limitations are omitted, and someone is out to show how much can be done with 'so little'.

To the OP: please shop among large 'sub tier' (<25hp) CUTs whose mid-size (homeowner/'economy') is also available up to 35hp and for versatility and value. You'd use the torque and wouldn't miss another 10hp except for serious 3PH tasks. (BTDT for 15 yrs) You may even buy another with similar specs and versatility. (My #3 Case/IH is a wimp/mistake/disappointment, lol)

btw, I wish anyone with < 30 PTO hp all the luck with a 60" blower, flail, tiller, BB, or brush hog with .48' cut.

Also and IMHO if a chosen tractor doesn't work out the size/type I also encourage should be easiest to sell/trade for something larger or smaller.

On that note: just for sake of comparison, the power to working width of the implement for things like snowblowers, tillers & mowers can be compared to walk-behind units as the the walk-behind units generally get a lot more reviews than tractors....and from looking at them it can quickly become apparent where power to working width starts to result in unsatisfactory performance.

Starting to wonder about the definition of "value" being used by various posters though as in some cases it seems to only be considering the initial purchase price vs the life long maintenance costs and utility of the machine.

Personally, there are a times when I find my ~5000lb L3560 to be too small/light to complete some tasks as efficiently as I'd like. ....not fun to have all 4 tires spinning because the tractor has insufficient traction (but still has enough power to spin all the wheels).

Usually happens when removing trees (even small ones have quite the root system), or needing to lift something bulky and heavy (that doesn't break down into smaller pieces easily). In those cases, the difference in size/capability of tractor means the trade between tractor size and time needed to complete the task isn't necessarily a linear relationship.

...but to each their own as everyone values their time and assets differently.

 

[metalbender]

Much enjoying this conversation as I sit here smug, knowing that a scut is too small for the workload the op is thinking of. Having " snowblowed " my half mile driveway with a cabbed Case 446. The little guy was great in the city doing sidewalks for my elderly neighbors. Even with a whopping 42 inches of blower power, fun turned to a major PIA. Wouldn't consider trying to maintain a gravel driveway with something that small. My 1742 Massey will do all my chores with power to spare, in comfort, winter or summer.

 

[the old grind]

Next door added chains & 80 lb of rear weight to plow 200' d'way with his Case 446 and hydro-lift 4' blade. After using it a few times he wants a salter vs plowing. Something about sliding into the ditch, where to push the snow to, and Spring melt flooding his yard up to the front door. I guess it's different for everybody.

 

[Williy]

If you just want to level your drive way your choice
would be a box blade or just a blade?

I can remember when I was 12 picked beans for 2 cents a
lb and the guys were talking about this electric fence so
I said we will all hold hands and I will grab the fence one
guy says ya lets as when he grabs the fence he will get the
jolt however the poor guy on the knocked the crap out of him.

willy