Tips on using a rear blade to grade a road

[HCJtractor]

Just bought an 8' Gill rear blade, heavy duty, weighing in at 600 lbs. I'll pull it with my 65 horse Kubota. It has no hydraulics, but I do have a hydraulic top link that can be used. I've used a box blade a lot, but never a rear scrape blade. I plan to use it to maintain the dirt roads on my property, which is kinda rough. Lots of rolling hills, turns, clay, some rock but not bad, water drainage issues etc. my goal is to keep the roads reasonably smooth, try to control the runoff to minimize gullies that form, and to repair existing washed areas.
I realize a fully hydraulic blade would be nice, but that's not what I have. My question is since I have one remote on the rear, would I be better off using it somewhere other than the top link? I guess I could put a cylinder on the offset linkage instead, but that doesn't seem like it helps much. Better yet, I can see how have hydraulic control over the horizontal tilt would be nice, but I would have to modify my blade . I'm looking for tips on using this blade . Is there a sequence to how I should begin, as far as setting the blade position and where to begin on the road? Today I used it for the first time just dragging it around with all settings at neutral. I suppose there's a better way. Any tips would be appreciated.

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[oosik]

I've tried for years to use a rear blade to maintain my mile long gravel driveway in the summer. Being Norwegian and somewhat knot headed, it took a long time before I realized that my rear blade just was not meant for summer use. Worked fine for winter snow removal.

Soooo --- I bought a much bigger tractor and a REALLY heavy rear blade. Same dam result. Then I bought a Land Plane Grading Scraper. What a joy. I can drag it behind the tractor - it stays down flat, does not bump, jump & flutter and smooths out the 'ol gravel driveway just fine.


I also bought a hydraulic top link which has been another real joy, a time saver and has allowed fine tuning while on the fly.

Anyhow - I'm not saying a rear blade will not work for you but a LPGS unit may do a much better job. My gravel driveway has just enough fines in the gravel that in the summer it will "set up" and become just like concrete. In this situation the rear blade actually will create rather than resolve problems, for me.

 

[bcp]

A tailwheel would be a big help.



Bruce

 

[dmiele]

Hey HC, I parked my back blade a few years ago and went with the Land Plane. I have top N tilt on the rear and WOW what a difference! I put down "dirty crusher run" (75 tons) shoved it around with the FEL and laid the plane to it...................flat as a pancake.
After digging stumps and rutting the yard up, I just drag the plane around, great tool!!!!
.

 

[LD1]

Start by setting it up so the hitching part is level. Which is adjusted with the toplink. You want it level so when you angle the blade, it stays level.

Then how I work gravel drives is to angle the blade, and roll material to the center of the road. A pass down each side rolling to the middle. This is to build the crown.

The spoil left I would feather back out with the blade spun in reverse. Dont know how well that will work for a dirt road though. May have to do that part with the blade forward, but playing with the height control.

 

[Egon]

Adjustable skid shoes at the end of the blade and roll a windrow back and forth a few times. You adjust the shoes so the blade is a little higher on the windrow end and then it's back and forth with the windrow. This moves and spreads material into lower spots and gets all smoth & even.

After using it a bit you will know where the extra hydraulic cylinder will best suit you and be wishing for another one.

 

[s219]

I like using my rear blade to pull gravel back to the center of the driveway (it gets pushed to the sides from use, and from snow removal each winter). But for smoothing/grading, I much prefer my box blade, and a land plane is even better.

If you already have a box blade, I'd suggest using the rear blade to help establish a crown by moving material to the center, but then switch to the box for smoothing and grading. If you have a hydraulic top link, that makes the box much more effective, since you can tailor the angle of the rear cutting edges for the right amount of smoothing or grading depending on what you need to do.

 

[TerryR]

A rear blade is a fine tool for maintaining a gravel driveway. It does take a bit of skill to do a good job, so practice helps. See this post for photos on how it can be done.

Some tips. Wait until the roadbed is somewhat damp for easier grading and better packing. Grade the gravel back on the roadbed from the ditches first, then grade the crown to your finished level. Finally, I find it helps to reverse the blade and "backblade" (in a forward gear) as a last step to smooth everything out.

If the driveway is steep so that the gravel tends to migrate down hill, do all the heavy grading uphill only. I find the tilt adjustments on my 3-point don't give enough adjustment for clearing the ditches, and the tilt adjustment on the blade gives too much, so I use the top link adjustment once the blade is set on an angle to fine-tune the effective tilt. A hydraulic top link would help, but isn't needed (I've done without for 19 years with no issue).

 

[PILOON]

The basic problem is that when the front wheels ride up over a bump the basic rules of leverage cause the blade to dig down as that blade is on the other side of the fulcrum.*
It may sound odd but grading backwards will give better results as the wheels are then on level ground, with the blade scalping bumps and filling holes. This is where you use the draft control otherwise the blade will dig down to its down limit.

Towing a 3 bladed 'drag' is possibly the easiest and more effective grading tool. (and easy to make)

* Or to state otherwise; Every time the front hits a bump, the rear blade digs a hole. Reverse is also true, front in hole, rear makes a bump (if blade is loaded)
To add to the equation, the distance from blade to main wheels and main to fronts also influence the results.
It is all about physics and rules of leverage.

 

[Quebecguy]

Soooo --- I bought a much bigger tractor and a REALLY heavy rear blade. Same dam result. Then I bought a Land Plane Grading Scraper.

Hello oosik,
Thanks for the information on the scraper. Do you mean the Land Pride one?
GS15 Series Grading Scrapers | Land Pride

 

[Oldtink]

A tailwheel would be a big help.

View attachment 452442

Bruce

And with that link between the center link and the blade. Now you can knock of those high spots by raising the 3ph and rolling the weight onto that back wheel. With that center link rigidly connected it digs holes and you're constantly trying to keep up with the hydraulics of the 3ph.

 

[oosik]

Quebecguy - Yes, I have a Land Pride GS2584 grading scraper(land plane grading scraper). The nice thing about this implement - by adjusting the hydraulic top link I can change the way it "works" - on the go and I don't have to add additional weight. I've created many new trails right out thru the unbroken ground, sage & pucker brush by simply dragging this unit. When creating a new trail, I drop the scarifiers so they dig in about 1 1/2 to 2 inches. This allows the unit to accumulate and carry enough dirt to fill most depressions I might drive over. I will only have to stop to clear any brush out of the scarifiers.

 

[airbiscuit]

If you don't want to buy any more equipment just now, you should be able to do okay with your back blade. Just adjust your 3 point arms so you put a little crown in the middle of the road for drainage. Dig out some sumps at the bottoms of hills. I think it would be a good idea to make up a pair of tail wheels to keep things smooth, and save you a lot of operating your 3 point control. Those tail wheels would add a little weight and really help take out the whoops. You would like them.

I have attached pics of my implements of destruction for my 1/2 mile driveway.

Here's a video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URHteVfiYDI

 

[Egon]

Neat old grader. Needs a platform for the operator to stand on.

 

[airbiscuit]

Neat old grader. Needs a platform for the operator to stand on.

There actually is a platform back there, but the boards are old. A pony grader really does nice work. I also have a back blade and a box blade, but don't use them much.

 

[RoyJackson]

A tailwheel would be a big help.

View attachment 452442

Bruce

Yep, a tail wheel (or two...like a landscape rake) would be a big help.
As others wrote, any dips and rises, even minor, can cause the blade to dig in. Just forward movement will do the same and you end up with a washboard road.
If you need to actually grade the road, you'll need the cutting edge (concave side in the direction of travel), but for smoothing out the road, IMHO, you're better off using the convex side by either running in reverse or rotating the blade 180 degrees. Also, for road maintenance, I think a landscape rake (with wheels) could be a better method.

 

[Egon]

There actually is a platform back there, but the boards are old. A pony grader really does nice work. I also have a back blade and a box blade, but don't use them much.

With that grader available I surely would not be using them either.

Your grader illustrates the effects of using gage wheels on a backblade.

 

[MMagis]

Every driveway is different. I’d love to watch someone try to use a plane on mine.
My driveway has been maintained the last 38 years with the same small rear blade. It’ll take trial and error to find what works right for you, but it’ll work. As is typical, people love to spend other peoples’ money.
I you have a hydraulic top link, this is a good application for it. One thing that helps is working on the driveway when it’s got some moisture in the soil. Not muddy, but moist.

 

[kantuckid]

Hello oosik,
Thanks for the information on the scraper. Do you mean the Land Pride one?
GS15 Series Grading Scrapers | Land Pride

I'm gonna resurrect this thread as it tends to have -most of- the type information I was looking for.

My situation:
First of all, I'm in the market to buy a tractor as mine lacks a FEL which I've always had a need for.
My old tractor & the next one are/will be, compact, 4x4 w/40HP.
Secondly, I already own a decent 6' Bush Hog brand rear blade that does me well in the 35plus years I've maintained our nearly 1/2 mile, steep, gravel, private road to our home. There are times when snow removal is enough to use a loader & the next tractor's FEL will help do what my blade does not.
3rd-one of the tractors (all used, private sales) I'm looking at has a Landpride BB1572 box blade that comes with the deal. There is a link in the above quote to that specific item.
The question is will I gain something I can actually use? Like the commenters here that grade uphill, I am able to pull rock up grade and do a decent job of road maintenance. My roads steep enough that rock addition is a simple reality of living here-having a quarry 2 miles away does help! Honestly, I haven't seen a serious need for a box blade in the past as my roads nice & smooth.
If I have a road problem beyond rock costs, it's the small berm of rock left on the edges that 3pt hitch & blade adjustment won't reach w/o going into a deep ditch on the uphill side or over the hill into never/never land on an orange tractor... or doing the sideways dance to pull rock back into the roadway then grade it after wards-which is a PITA.
So, what say you folks on the if a box blade will serve me a purpose or not? One easy answer is try it, then sell it off if the answer is not.
Thanks for your time in reply.

 

[Soldier415]

If I have a road problem beyond rock costs, it's the small berm of rock left on the edges that 3pt hitch & blade adjustment won't reach w/o going into a deep ditch on the uphill side or over the hill into never/never land on an orange tractor... or doing the sideways dance to pull rock back into the roadway then grade it after wards-which is a PITA.

I had this same problem using a box blade and a LPGS.

Got a heavy rear blade with offset ability. Now I can drive 6 inches from the edge of the ditch while having the blade all the way to the edge, eliminating the ridges on the edge which keep water from flowing into the ditch.