Pull type Grader?

[ovrszd]

I think ovszd has it right. My theory is that you would be building an elongated trailer (implement caddy) with a elevated hump in the middle to accommodate a 3pt implement. Ahead of the implement, you have a "remote" set of 3pt arms and a top link. It would move your rear blade (or box blade, landscape rake, etc.) in the same manner as when hooked up to your tractor 3pt linkage.

You would adjust the angle of the blade / (left to right) by removing the pin on the back of the blade and swiveling to the desired angle.
You would adjust the tilt of the blade ~ ("ditching or crown") by lengthening or shortening the 3pt lift arm. (your rear blade may also have its own tilt feature)
You would adjust the "caster" (blade leaning forward or backwards) to a limited degree by lengthening or shortening the top link. My experience is that this isn't so critical for our purposes.

You would put a horizontal drawbar across your tractor 3pt arms, and that is how you control the height or aggressiveness of the cut of the blade.

In other words all the blade adjustments except height are replicated with the 3pt arms built into the implement caddy.

If you don't like manual adjustments, you could replace a lift arm and top link with hydraulic cylinders. I find when I have the angle and tilt set on my pony grader, I seldom have to change them. Having the blade in the middle of a longer wheelbase is where the magic happens.

If I were building, I'd use the 3pt as you suggested to raise/lower the tongue. I'd also hydraulically raise/lower the rear wheels. This would give me much greater height variations of the blade.

I'd also build a side to side tilt cylinder into the system and that's how I would raise/lower either end of the blade to get "cut" where I wanted it. This also allows me to "level" the blade side to side.

I'd stretch the wheelbase as far as I logically could. As you say, that's where the magic happens.

 

[aczlan]

Here is an interesting looking tow behind land plane:

Aaron Z

 

[ovrszd]

Very versatile tool. Also would require an operator that can multi-task. Would require triple rear remotes.

Bet it's pricey.....

 

[ovrszd]

Here's a video demonstrating what appears to be their earlier version. Uses a hand crank for side tilt.

Rut Busters Laneway Graders - YouTube

 

[Ford850]

I'd follow Jenkinsph advice. He has more grading and planing experience than most, and has built several LPGS for different needs. You said you have a lot of rear blade experience, so I would use that with your existing blade to spread the initial stone, and either build or buy a LPGS to finish the drive and use for years to come.

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

It is pretty simple to me that you and the wife need to decide which is more important, the look of the single track drive with the grassy center strip or a smooth drive that you can maintain easily. A single track drive may be more attractive to some but will require a rework from time to time. A wider drive double the width of the track of the vehicles allows you to drive over the entire drive surface width. This reduces the effect of having single tracks and their ruts over time. Much easier to maintain but may be less appealing.

I'm ok with the grass strip as it makes her happier. Yes, harder to maintain for sure but we've passed the point that rebuilding is needed. Double wide driveway? Never seen one other than suburbia where they are parking spots more than driveway. At 1200 ft long with trees lining both sides, it's not going to happen and I think having a 16'+ wide lane will look silly compared to the existing 10'. The lane was in TERRIBLE shape when we moved here in 2010 and while I've been able to fix it some and keep the grass strip, it's now holding enough water that it's deteriorating rapidly that it needs the re-work and the grass strip will have to regrow. There's no way around that. Once I get it above the surrounding grade for proper drainage, I'll be able to keep it in better shape and manage the compacted tracks better.

The main reason I was thinking of the pull grader rather than using anything 3pt was the increased length of it reducing the up-down effects of the tractor that is exaggerated with a 3pt mounted implement. I've got other grading/leveling tasks where it would be beneficial also...Much more so than another LPGS.

With having looked at some of the pics and links you guys posted, I'm heavily leaning to option #2, a knock-off of the HyGrade or similar. The 3pt carrier will be more work than I'm interested in. I've got 3 remotes to work with so presumably with wheel lift, blade angle and wheel tilt I should have all the adjustment I would need right? I'm not concerned with steerable wheels to offset it. As far as blade angle is concerned, they all seem to go 45 deg. Is there any advantage to going further than that, say 60 deg each way?

 

[airbiscuit]

With my pony grader I generally have the angle set at between 35 and 45 degrees. Any more than that, and it throws the rear wheels sideways. Besides, you want it to drag the dirt forwards as much as sideways.

I think your design will come to you when you start laying it out. You might want to make a rough mock up out of wood before you start cutting and welding steel. BTW a set of old loader arms would make a good frame. As a frame of reference, my Pony grader measures 9 feet from the front hitch to the rear axle. The blade is smack dab in the middle.

Good luck.

 

[jenkinsph]

CFB,
If you reread my post I was careful to say "A wider drive double the track of the vehicles". I just went outside and measured the track of my Town car about 66 inches roughly. So a driveway about 11 ft wide would work for most people. No need for a 16ft+ driveway.

I also said a single track drive may need a rework from time to time. That is where you are at now. Running a 3' wide lpgs down each track will help smooth the individual track but does nothing to keep both tracks at the same height. So from time to time you will have to rework the entire road bed from edge to edge. You can use the small lpgs to smooth the individual tracks while leaving the center strip of grass if that is more appealing.

A pull type grader can work very well for smoothing out a driveway, no argument from me on that. A properly constructed lpgs with long skids can get results that are good for a lot less money. With the 3 pt. fully lowered the tractor does not cause the lpgs to rise and fall following the tractor. With either a pull type grader or lpgs the drive should get smoother with each pass you make.

If money is no object there are lots of good pull type graders that can give first class results. Some are pretty high dollar though and are the reason I suggested a cheaper alternative.

Another alternative is to have contractor run a full motor grader over your drive and maintain it your self afterwards. Lots of companies that will perform this service when in your area. Much cheaper if you can get on their list and have them do this when passing by.

A box blade with patience can yield good results too, see picture below. It isn't for everyone and takes a lot of time to get those results.

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

CFB,
If you reread my post I was careful to say "A wider drive double the track of the vehicles". I just went outside and measured the track of my Town car about 66 inches roughly. So a driveway about 11 ft wide would work for most people. No need for a 16ft+ driveway.

Fair enough. That statement registered as "wide enough for two vehicles" when I read it.

I also said a single track drive may need a rework from time to time. That is where you are at now. Running a 3' wide lpgs down each track will help smooth the individual track but does nothing to keep both tracks at the same height. So from time to time you will have to rework the entire road bed from edge to edge. You can use the small lpgs to smooth the individual tracks while leaving the center strip of grass if that is more appealing.

Yup, that's the plan. Not only are they at different levels from each other in parts, the majority of the lane is BELOW the surrounding field. If I could afford it, I'd lay a 12' row of geofabric the whole length, add 12" - 18" of compacted stone and then dress the sides back into the grass with some topsoil. That would be somewhere in the range of 400 - 600 tons of stone plus the equipment & fabric. I'd easily be over 10 grand.

When you run your LPGS, how do you have your blades set relative to the skids?

A pull type grader can work very well for smoothing out a driveway, no argument from me on that. A properly constructed lpgs with long skids can get results that are good for a lot less money. With the 3 pt. fully lowered the tractor does not cause the lpgs to rise and fall following the tractor. With either a pull type grader or lpgs the drive should get smoother with each pass you make.

What is your version of long skids? Mine are 5'. Perhaps this is one of the (rare) occasions that I might actually have use for a float setting on my hyd top link.

If money is no object there are lots of good pull type graders that can give first class results. Some are pretty high dollar though and are the reason I suggested a cheaper alternative.

I appreciate the suggestions. Whatever I end up using, I'll either build it from scratch or modify something I already have (like adding tail wheel to the RB)

Another alternative is to have contractor run a full motor grader over your drive and maintain it your self afterwards. Lots of companies that will perform this service when in your area. Much cheaper if you can get on their list and have them do this when passing by.

I've thought about that option before. The only grader I ever see to drive by my place is the city one that does the shoulders of the road and they quit offering that option back in 2000. All the other ones that go by are on a float and they are all from the bigger contractors and don't like to deal. I'd be nailed for full float charge and min 3 hours of the machine. It's certainly a good option if they weren't all such pains to deal with. For the same money they'd charge me (or less), I can build something and still have it when I'm done.

A box blade with patience can yield good results too, see picture below. It isn't for everyone and takes a lot of time to get those results.

Nice job on that.

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

With my pony grader I generally have the angle set at between 35 and 45 degrees. Any more than that, and it throws the rear wheels sideways. Besides, you want it to drag the dirt forwards as much as sideways.

I think your design will come to you when you start laying it out. You might want to make a rough mock up out of wood before you start cutting and welding steel. BTW a set of old loader arms would make a good frame. As a frame of reference, my Pony grader measures 9 feet from the front hitch to the rear axle. The blade is smack dab in the middle.

Good luck.

When I stop to think about it, that makes some sense on the angles. I guess it depends on how much weight you have over the rear wheels if it's going to push or not. An old loader frame is not a bad idea, especially if I can find one that still has a couple cyl on it.

Got a pic of that grader or is it the one you previously posted on the first page? 9' is a good reference for length. I was thinking 10' - 12' without having done any measurements. If I used my existing 7' RB as a starting point, I figured I'd need to be at least that long to get it further back than it is now.