What attachments would you use for this job..

[Doug62]

I have cleared a good bit of land for a house and yard. Over the last 6 months it has begun to grass in but it isn't all that smooth just yet. So if you wanted to take some land from bushogging to a really smooth yard, what would be your process? What steps would you take to get there.

My route thus far has been...
1. Excavator
2. Bulldozer with rake
3. Fill dirt
4. lay out fill dirt with FEL and box blade
5. Put a few inches of topsoil on top of fill and seed the area. Use a landscaperake to

 

[jeff9366]

How much yard? 1/2 acre? 2 acres?

A Chain Harrow gives the smoothest output behind a compact tractor. As the mat is suspended and flexible, it remains on the ground, smoothing, as tractor front or rear wheels move up an down over uneven ground with the Three Point Hitch reacting. Only a small volume of surface soil imperfections will be moved, as Chain Harrow is a finishing implement. Good for scratching in most seeds, fertilizer and lime. (Sulphur in lieu of lime in north Florida.)

Chain Harrow tines pop out rocks to 2-1/2" in most aggressive of three orientations available on all Chain Harrows.

A "lift" Chain Harrow (AKA "framed" Chain Harrow, AKA "Three Point Hitch" Chain Harrow ) is much easier to use than a "regular" Chain Harrow (AKA Drag Mat) pulled from the tractor drawbar, which must be lifted often, manually, to remove trash. A properly adjusted framed chain harrow self-cleans when tractor reverses with framed chain harrow lifted.

VIDEOS: Wingfield American Harrow Montage 4k - YouTube

Wingfield 3pt American Harrows - YouTube

Corral Overhauls with the S3 Delta 3-Point Carrier - YouTube

3 Point Chain Harrows by ABI Attachments


You can convert a small mat harrow into a lift Chain Harrow cheaply:
https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...c-countyline-tarter-boom-pole.html?highlight=

 

[oosik]

You might want to consider a land plane grading scraper( LPGS ). It can give results that resemble a pool table. I've used my LPGS after breaking ground with a single bottom plow. First pass was tough but after the second pass - smooth as a babies bottom.

Soil moisture & type will play big in how easily your land will smooth out.

 

[rademamj1]

Your choices to level land are so very dependent on current conditions, size of area and a photo would have been very helpful. If your only dealing with minor swales and ruts, just a couple of trucks of topsoil, spread with a boxblade, followed up by a drag harrow is all you need. Spread grass seed and repeat with harrow.

 

[Egon]

Cultivate it with whatever implements you have on hand. Then drag log or timber balk that痴 at an angle for leveling. Follow up with a diamond tooth harrow.

 

[ovrszd]

I'm with Egon. Use what's available. The better the tool, the less passes required.

I'll just say this. Don't give up. Smooth it until it's as perfect as you can get. You are going to drive on it for years to come. It doesn't improve with age.

I wore my dirt out. I still see high spots and low spots that I should have spent more time on. Don't give up.

 

[Doug62]

Few photos of some some of the stuff still being finished. It has come a LONG way from where it started years back. Now it just needs a little topsoil and to fil in any low spots while cutting high spots so it will be be very yard like.

 

[rademamj1]

Thanks for the photos, and they do help to visualize your challenge. Spread the delivered fill as much as possible with FEL and box blade. Average 2-4" fill everywhere you need to level. Then make your own custom drag mat 5' x 8' out of a single welded wire fence from any supply store, including tractor supply. Just work this drag mat back and forth for hours, using either your tractor, a ZeroTurn or an ATV vehicle. You will get very experienced at this. Eventually you will find, that even bringing in fill dirt may not always be necessary, and just dragging the box blade with rippers down to loosen the soil is enough provide you with material for your drag mat.

 

[CoyPatton]

Is the last picture with grass the most recent condition of the property?

If yes how soon before you begin construction?

The process of construction will most likely mean any smoothing leveling you will do now will need to be redone after completed. Think delivery of materials by truck, works trucks parked on damp soil, some type of lift to set trusses on wet soil, footings being dug and that soil put on piles.

It is hard to tell in pictures, but it looks plenty smooth enough to mow, perhaps with a rough cut mower at present. Then after construction is completed, evaluate your needs again. If plans include a very long (50*’) gravel drive way, I would highly recommend a land plane implement with scarifiers as a needed tool. It will move gravel/dirt, but less so than a box blade as it is a very low frame designed to allow material to spill out. Once your grass has established good roots, you will need to break up those roots to soil, but you will also need to break up ruts from trucks and equipment during construction so scarifiers are a must in my opinion
A youtube search will provide some visual input on using a land plane.

 

[rademamj1]

Doug, I assumed your trying to level land for landscaping purposes. But if your building a pad site for a future foundation, then put your 12" thick gravel road in first followed by your select fill pad. Typically foundation select fill pads are 18"-24" thick and fully compacted prior to building your concrete forms on that pad. Tracked Skid steers are the best choice for building select fill foundation pads. Then plan your landscape and drainage away from home site.