rotating spiked ice breaker

crazyal · Dec 24, 2016

I'm thinking about making one of these (but much smaller).

I'm thinking of making two 18" wide spiked wheels. I figure I could use two pieces of 12" pipe with plates welded on each end with flange bearings on each end. Each one would be articulating enough to make up for unevenness of the road. It will be 3pth hitch mounted so it'll have to have enough weight to break up the ice on the dirt driveway. It would look kind of like a harley rake but not powered and not the full width. What I haven't figured out is what to use for teeth. I would like find some that are threaded so they could be removed when they wear. Does anyone have any ideas?

Here's a look at a different brand. These are make for highway use by much heavier equipment moving at much faster speeds. This one just looks like you replace each wheel when they wear. One of the mfgs say they last 5 years but that seams overly optimistic unless they are harden steel.

Here's a youtube:

KYErik · Dec 24, 2016

A great idea (making one), but maybe you could just find an old (and cheap) 3 point rotary hoe. They are fairly heavy and have lots of sharp rotating tines.

Or- how about buying a set of chains for the tractor rear tires- perhaps they would break up the ice fairly well so you could just ed up making 3-4 passes and offset the tire track each time.

crazyal · Dec 24, 2016

I haven't seen anything used that would work. I do have some ice pick chains but they only do so much. They have 1/2" diameter rods for spikes but are only 3/8" of an inch long and the face is flat. By making something I could use spikes that are pointed and I could put a lot of weight on top of the spikes. I don't know if the smaller diameter of the wheel vs the tractor helps break the ice up. I was thinking if the spikes are spaced out a little bit it would give it a hammering effect to also help break the ice up.

Luke'sScreenName · Dec 25, 2016

Seems like, unless it's vibratory, it will need to be VERY heavy. :confused3: But definitely following.

crazyal · Dec 25, 2016

It'll be a summer build, too cold here now without a heated garage. Our weather tends to be above freezing for a day or so with enough rain to turn the snow into a soggy mess. Then it's followed by a deep freeze, usually below zero. That sets the ice up like cement. Right now I use the ripping teeth on my grading scraper and the chains on my rear tires to break it up. It works but neither is really made to do it. Usually what works the best is putting the tractor in 2wd and using the split brakes to have a tire spin and dig into the ice. It's time consuming and not very accurate.

I'm hoping that I spread out the spikes far enough it'll have some bounce to it. I think I can adjust the speed I drive to maximize the bounce. I'm thinking that it'll have to be loose so the lower arms aren't also bouncing up and down. I haven't really seen anything like it the size I'm thinking about. Everything is much larger so it's going to be build it in the summer then trial and error to get it to work next winter.

I'm wondering if I use a cold drawn rod, say 3/4" or 1" in diameter for the spikes if that would work and last. If needing replacement I would have to torch them off and grind off any remaining weld. But I should be able to make the teeth like in that middle picture. I don't have any thick wall tube so I'd have to buy it. I'm thinking I could end up with $400 (or more) in steel into this so I want to plan it out.

Egon · Dec 25, 2016

A lawn aerator.

Luke'sScreenName · Dec 25, 2016

Disk harrows with spikes welded on the pans?

Or just spread some gravel/sand...

crazyal · Dec 26, 2016

I don't think a lawn aerator would be strong enough. To work it'll need at least 1000 lbs on only a few spikes at a time. But I have only seen the plug style that cuts small holes in the lawn and removes a plug. Gravel actually doesn't work all that well unless you have a lot of money. When the ice gets smooth it just slides off after one or two cars try to stop unless you put a lot of it down. A town can afford to put it down thick enough, I can't. Mixing in salt helps to a point but it adds up when you have a mile long drive and if the temps drop enough salt doesn't melt. The third, and biggest problem is that it's only good until the next snow storm. Either you plow/ blow any loose sand off the drive or it gets covered in enough snow that the sand is covered with a layer of snow that will turn to ice during the next melt. Each year I get a 18 yard load of sanding gravel from a local company. About mid January it'll freeze up solid. Usually it's not too big of a deal because once that happens we don't normally don't get a thaw that'll turn any snow on the drive into ice.

Looking4new · Dec 26, 2016

Each year I get a 18 yard load of sanding gravel from a local company.
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Can you get the same gravel with 10-15% salt added for a reasonable price? AKA 'sweet mix'