What is the Best Attachment for leveling 120 acres with 72hp 4x4 Tractor?

[coolray112]

I bought 120 Acres of pine thicket a few years ago. I have cleared all the land and removed the stumps from the large trees. I have it fenced & crossed fenced off and my cattle are grazing on it, But I'm left with very un level ground with 500-600 stump holes from Mature Oak trees (2'-3' wide & deep). Also there are around 30-40 small hills. I don't have to totally remove the hills, but I want it smoothed out to less of a angle so I'm not worried about the wife rolling my tractor over. I have a M7040 4x4 Kubota tractor that is 72hp. I have a 8' Heavy Duty Rome Offset disk, 8' Medium duty disk.I have been using my box blade and bucket to fill in stump holes, but it is Very time consuming. I made a 8' wide x 16' long land plane Drag out of Very heavy 4" x 8" channel Iron skids with three 4" x 4" square tubing welded at angles to use as leveling blades. This worked pretty good (for 10-15 min), until all the dirt (1 - 1 & 1/2 Yards) would pile in the land plane up and bog down the tractor in 4 wheel drive. Then I would have to disconnect and lift it with my grapple. Then reconnect and start again. I'm thinking on cutting out the 4" x 4" square tubing that is grading the dirt and welding in 4" angle iron (both edges on the ground) hopefully this will allow some of the dirt that is not needed to slide out the back without causing my tractor to bog down. I don't think I would need cutting blades due to the dirt being loose after disking several times.
Or, I have been thinking about the 3 point hitch land planes, 10'-12' wide. But this may be to small.
Also I have looked at the Box scrapers with wheels behind them. But I don't know how the finish grade would be.
I have about 5 acres slicked off very nicely, but I don't want to think about how many Hours I put on my tractor & gallons of fuel I went threw.
I'm looking at leveling 20 acres each year so I will still have plenty of grass for my cattle. I live in North Louisiana, Red dirt with No rocks or sand.
So, Do any of yaw out there have any Ideas, Without hiring a Big Land Leveling company??? (They don't want to do just 20 acres) I checked.

 

[jeff9366]

I bought 120 Acres in North Louisiana. Red dirt with no rocks or sand. I have it fenced & crossed fenced. Cattle are grazing on it.

The pastures are very un level ground with 500-600 stump holes from Mature Oak trees (2'-3' wide & deep). Also there are around 30-40 small hills. I want to level 20 acres each year so I will have continual grass for my cattle. I don't have to totally remove the hills, but I want it smoothed out to less of a angle so I'm not worried about the wife rolling my tractor over. I have about 5 acres slicked off very nicely, but I don't want to think about how many Hours I put on my tractor & gallons of fuel I went through.

I have a M7040 4x4 Kubota tractor that is 72hp. I have a 8' Heavy Duty Rome Offset disk, 8' Medium duty disk. I have been using my box blade and bucket to fill in stump holes, but it is Very time consuming. I made a 8' wide x 16' long land plane Drag out of Very heavy 4" x 8" channel Iron skids with three 4" x 4" square tubing welded at angles to use as leveling blades. This worked pretty good (for 10-15 min), until all the dirt (1 - 1 & 1/2 Yards) would pile in the land plane up and bog down the tractor in 4 wheel drive. Then I would have to disconnect and lift it with my grapple. Then reconnect and start again. I'm thinking on cutting out the 4" x 4" square tubing that is grading the dirt and welding in 4" angle iron (both edges on the ground) hopefully this will allow some of the dirt that is not needed to slide out the back without causing my tractor to bog down. I don't think I would need cutting blades due to the dirt being loose after disking several times.


As alternatives I have been thinking about 3 point hitch land planes, 10'-12' wide. But this may be too small.

Also I have looked at the Box scrapers with wheels behind them. But I don't know how the finish grade would be.

My first suggestion would be a towed Disc Harrow, not a 3-Pt. Tandem Disc Harrow. Towed Disc Harrows are minimally influenced by tractor wheels moving over lumps and bumps. Good for moving dirt from the small hills to immediately adjacent low areas. Slight downside, somewhat cumbersome to turn to start a new row; but you know about turning, owning an Offset Disc.

MONROE TUFLINE: TW5 Series Tandem Wheel Disc Harrows | Tufline

Also I have looked at the Box scrapers with wheels behind them. But I don't know how the finish grade would be.

Box Scrapers transport dirt by pulling it short distances.

Consider a Dirt Pan which transports dirt within the implement over greater distances. I speculate this road construction implement could be rented, rather than purchased.

HOELSCHER: Hoelscher Dirt Pans - Google Search

HOELSCHER IN T-B-N ARCHIVE: https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/50169-best-dirt-moving-attachment-found.html

ASHLAND: Ashland Industries Corporate | DO MORE

VIDEOS: hoelscher scraper - YouTube

I have been thinking about the 3 point hitch land planes, 10'-12' wide. But this may be too small.

As you have no rocks, if you Offset Disc first to chop sod, a commercial grade Land Plane may work well for part of your land.

Commercial Model 7 1100 lbs Tractor Horsepower Requirements: 60-80 HP
Commercial Model 8 1200 lbs Tractor Horsepower Requirements: 80-115 HP
Commercial Model 9 1350 lbs Tractor Horsepower Requirements: 115-150 HP
Commercial Model 10 1500 lbs Tractor Horsepower Requirements: 150-200 HP

ROAD BOSS: Road Boss Commercial Graders :: Road Boss Grader

 

[bcp]

Also I have looked at the Box scrapers with wheels behind them. But I don't know how the finish grade would be.

This is what I see almost all the time now for land smoothing or leveling. For leveling or a specific grade, they use laser height adjustment. No laser needed for land smoothing, which sounds like what you are doing.

Long ago, we used an 8' wide one behind a John Deere Model A on 30 acres with good results. The land was disked first, then the scraper, and finished with a 10x30 wooden "float."

Bruce

 

[MinnesotaEric]

I bought 120 Acres of pine thicket a few years ago. I have cleared all the land and removed the stumps from the large trees. I have it fenced & crossed fenced off and my cattle are grazing on it, But I'm left with very un level ground with 500-600 stump holes from Mature Oak trees (2'-3' wide & deep). Also there are around 30-40 small hills. I don't have to totally remove the hills, but I want it smoothed out to less of a angle so I'm not worried about the wife rolling my tractor over. I have a M7040 4x4 Kubota tractor that is 72hp. I have a 8' Heavy Duty Rome Offset disk, 8' Medium duty disk.I have been using my box blade and bucket to fill in stump holes, but it is Very time consuming. I made a 8' wide x 16' long land plane Drag out of Very heavy 4" x 8" channel Iron skids with three 4" x 4" square tubing welded at angles to use as leveling blades. This worked pretty good (for 10-15 min), until all the dirt (1 - 1 & 1/2 Yards) would pile in the land plane up and bog down the tractor in 4 wheel drive. Then I would have to disconnect and lift it with my grapple. Then reconnect and start again. I'm thinking on cutting out the 4" x 4" square tubing that is grading the dirt and welding in 4" angle iron (both edges on the ground) hopefully this will allow some of the dirt that is not needed to slide out the back without causing my tractor to bog down. I don't think I would need cutting blades due to the dirt being loose after disking several times.
Or, I have been thinking about the 3 point hitch land planes, 10'-12' wide. But this may be to small.
Also I have looked at the Box scrapers with wheels behind them. But I don't know how the finish grade would be.
I have about 5 acres slicked off very nicely, but I don't want to think about how many Hours I put on my tractor & gallons of fuel I went threw.
I'm looking at leveling 20 acres each year so I will still have plenty of grass for my cattle. I live in North Louisiana, Red dirt with No rocks or sand.
So, Do any of yaw out there have any Ideas, Without hiring a Big Land Leveling company??? (They don't want to do just 20 acres) I checked.

A buddy and I are experimenting right now with a 20 acre meadow. Our big problem is cutting through the thick sod. What doesn't work is a back blade and a land rake. We are going to hook up a disk harrow to one of our tractors while the other tractor gets my box scraper with the hydraulic scarifiers next time we give it a try.

 

[coolray112]

Thanks for the reply's. Jeff, I liked the dirt pan Idea. I have a friend with a 3 or 4 yard pan, Not sure what brand (But it will need some work) but that shouldn't be a problem for making or ordering parts. I could Disc the Hills, scoop the dirt in the Dirt pan and fill all the stump holes this year. That would be a big help. I've seen videos of the graders doing a awesome job on drive ways. I guess if I go over it enough time in different directions/angles it will smooth out good enough for what I want. Or I could try the Box scraper like bcp said before using the grader. Yeah, this will be cow/hay pasture so no laser will be needed.
Like they say It only takes Time and $$$. But I never have both at the same time... :laughing:

 

[jaxs]

Sound's like you are on the right path and it work's,albeit slow. It also sound's like you have skill and tools waiting to be applied to the right emplyment. Does any of this make sense? To avoid unhooking to dump the plane,can you mount wheels behind plane and a tongue at front? Here's my thinking. You do the math on how far out back wheels need to be and how long tongue need's to be. When tongue is raised by 3 point lift,the rear pocket open's at ground allowing dirt to escape as you continue driving. Shorter tongue or wheels extending farther from rear = more lift at rear pocket of plane. Modulating lift on tongue will alow controlling collecting and dropping dirt. A more complex and expensive version could drasticly speed things up. Pull wheels closer,even with or slightly forward of plane rear plus shorter tongue equal's ability to lift plane higher and at steeper angle. Lift rear of plane with hydraulic cylinders,front with 3 point. "IF" max lift angle is steep enough for dirt to slid out,add floor to rear compartment so it can transport dirt. It would require an extra tough dump gate to resist preesure as dirt load's. Lots of work and expense and I have no idea how much it would sell for after you are finished. Maybe ok for a retiree with plenty of time. For a family man with a job,a $4k dump trailer might be the best. Dump trailers hold resale value but you might want to keep it.

 

[jenkinsph]

I do a lot of this kind of work and agree with others on using a disc first. Use a land plane grading scraper afterwards to quickly smooth everything out.

A box blade would also help with smoothing with or without wheels. I use mine for laser leveling with machine control. Not needed for your requirements.

Simply put a lpgs is the best simple tool for your smoothing project. Roller or culti packer afterwards then repeat with a lpgs will smooth the pastures quickly.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I'd say a meri crusher, but you are a bit short on weight and hp.

 

[muddstopper]

I would rent a 3pt harley rake. 20 acres wouldnt take long and it would be as smooth as a babies bottom. Go at the area in at least two different directions letting the dirt and debri roll out to one side. Start in the middle and just keep making larger circles.

 

[kthompson]

To me there is a big difference between doing this type work with a 3 pth box blade and one with tongue and wheels behind it. Not sure if your tractor is two or four wheel drive but depending on your soil based upon my experience the best implement to use. I have dug stumps that were those sizes from some fields and had holes six feet deep using blade on excavator dug the stumps with did general fill in and disk over them a few times and over after doing that in normal disking field for planting over say four years have level field. At that time did not have the pull blade, if I had would have been much quicker than the work with push blade and disk. My dirt did not have roots or rocks and it was disked for planting.