Whats the best way to smooth a dirt road?

[boggen]

if you look at some "ATV" equipment you can find "pull behinds" graders, box blades, etc... that just hook up behind a ATV / 4 wheeler. or perhaps behind a vehicle. and you just drive down the paths. granted they are more costlier vs if you had a tractor that had a 3pt hitch. but most of them pull behinds for ATV's have some 2 wheels. with a lever you raise up and down. to get depth you want.

granted folks talking about I or H beams. can work pretty good. call around to some local scrap yards, and you should be able to find something. or perhaps put a "WANTED" ad on craigslist.org

box blades, rear blades, grader blades, etc....

if you go with a pull behind box blade, you might want to pay a tad more for "scafricers" they are metal teeth that you can move up and down in front of the box, that helps break up dirt and like. so it is easier to scrap dirt around, and level things out and move the dirt were it needs to go.

Used Tractors For Sale at TractorHouse.com: John Deere Tractors, used farm tractors and farm equipment, tractors for sale, Case IH, New Holland, Agco, Kubota would be a way to see a lot of pictures of different equipment. they might list a few "pull behinds" or "pull" equipment that might be small enough for your tractor. *shrugs*

with others, you will most likely want chains on rear tires. to maintain traction.

 

[mjncad]

DR makes a grader that would work fine with your tractor.
DR Power Equipment - Power Driveway Grader - for dirt driveway, dirt road, and gravel driveways maintenance

Both models are under 200-pounds in weight, and even with rocks or whatever in the weight tub; I doubt this thing is going to do much unless it's on an already loose surface.

 

[mbrun]

Both models are under 200-pounds in weight, and even with rocks or whatever in the weight tub; I doubt this thing is going to do much unless it's on an already loose surface.

It is easy to be skeptical about the DR Power Grader, I certainly was. The unit does however work as advertised. My first use of the grader was on a hard packed gravel drive, 600' + long. Pot hole ridden but otherwise hard packed like concrete, and only a token loose stone. 40 minutes of work and the potholes were all filled and the driveway looked like new. Now with just 4 maintenance passes every month or two and it continues to look brand new.

Yes, if the gravel is already loose it saves a few passes. But when the gravel is hard packed that is where the carbide tipped teeth earn their keep. With each pass the teeth break up more and more of the surface and soon the whole top is loose. If the gravel was loose you would not need the carbide tip teeth.

 

[Jim in ICT]

I have a box blade for a sleeve hitch that was made from a 3 point box blade. Why aren't you using the Kubota sitting next to the Deere?

 

[Combustix]

DR makes a grader that would work fine with your tractor.
DR Power Equipment - Power Driveway Grader - for dirt driveway, dirt road, and gravel driveways maintenance

I have one of these and will say it should work extremely well for you with the tractor you have. I pull mine with a B2710 and have no issues with it, it works well and I use it most times in lieu of my box blade.

 

[critter986]

Well Jim, thats my dad's tractor and the deere's mine. I look to use my tractor for what I need to do.

 

[Reg]

An I-beam (just an I-beam, with nothing following it) on two chains will swing side to side every time it encounters slight hard spots that are not EXACTLY on center.
I doubt that the result would be what is wanted, "interesting" perhaps, but not desirable.
It will also destroy any crowning that you may/may-not already have.

Since the "road" is only 5 ft wide you are probably limited to ATV and garden tractor scale attachments.
With that in mind.... You or the implement will run off the "road" at any significant curves.
You probably can't use anything mounted, so turning around had better be well planned.

Rakes and micro tug-along-toyze are about it.

 

[KennedyDiesel]

If you know someone with a Harley rake that would be the ticket. Need a CUT for that though.

 

[Dargo]

I was going to say that it's hard to beat JD's 872 Motor Grader.

 

[adjusterr]

Before you spend any money, Google "Ratchet-Rake" and watch the video. This is a sawtooth device that installs in minutes on the cutting edge of your bucket and will level the worst driveway in a very short time with no skill required. My driveway is 2/10 mile of gravel that washes out in spite of all my efforts. I can level my drive within 30 minutes by lowering the rake teeth and backing up and down the drive several times. This thing really works. The unit is mfgd in Carlisle, PA but is now being sold by Tractor Supply.