Which attachment for this job?

[Kenneth in Texas]

Neighbor has about a mile of trails he had a dozer make several years ago thru the woods. Now they are rough, grown over in spots and generally need smoothing. I have a box blade and a landscape rake to choose from.

Personally it seems to me the rake if i have the top ink adjusted right will do the best job since what is needed is the high spots took off and fill the low spots in and in some areas just smooth the ruts out.

The box blade looks to me that unless i have the teeth down it will ride over most spots. I dont really want to have the teeth down because it would pull roots up and would move too much dirt.

I would use my FEL on very rough areas to smooth out.

Give me some ideas for those that have done this, its just dirt trails, basically sandy loam type soil.

 

[rshrimp]

The grown over part would be my concern with either attachment. Once you get the brush out of the way, I would use my box blade. You just have to get the top link set right (discussed to death in other threads) so you don't move too much dirt. The brush part may need to be dug out with the FEL or if it's light enough maybe make a first pass with a rotary cutter.

 

[MarkV]

Me I would go with the boxblade and several passes. I think many expect it to happen on the first pass and that doesn't work for me. Set the box high to knock down the high spots, may take some adjustment with the position control on the fly, then come back and grade once the worst of the "ups and downs" are under control. The landscape rake does great for finish grading but not much for rough grading. At least for me.

MarkV

 

[Egon]

Both will likely be needed.

 

[johnnyvol]

I'm in the same boat. I've got several miles of roads that, while the base is in good shape, have become overgrown. I used to use a sprayer to kill the vegetation and my big 10' blade to smooth. No more 10' blade has me looking for answers. Think I'm going to build a landplane and see if I can eliminate the sprayer too.

To answer your question; I have done it before with a landscape box but it takes a lot of passes, at least for me anyway. Good luck.

 

[mmurphydds]

Neighbor has about a mile of trails he had a dozer make several years ago thru the woods. Now they are rough, grown over in spots and generally need smoothing. I have a box blade and a landscape rake to choose from.

Personally it seems to me the rake if i have the top ink adjusted right will do the best job since what is needed is the high spots took off and fill the low spots in and in some areas just smooth the ruts out.

The box blade looks to me that unless i have the teeth down it will ride over most spots. I dont really want to have the teeth down because it would pull roots up and would move too much dirt.

I would use my FEL on very rough areas to smooth out.

Give me some ideas for those that have done this, its just dirt trails, basically sandy loam type soil.

I have a couple miles of trails that I created with a 6' rotary cutter, and which I groom every year 2x with that cutter. You said your friend has the trails? Your tractor and labor?? Have him rent/borrow a rotary cutter and you're in business for far less time. Another advantage to the cutter is the vegetation stays there and stabilizes the soil--No mud!! Why use a system that will take YOU more time, cost and effort?? Of the choices you listed, though, the box blade would be best, ripper teeth up. Good Luck!

 

[Arc weld]

A box blade without teeth will still dig better than a landscape rake and allow you to move material from high spots into low spots. This also works great for filling in ruts. Takes a little practice but is the best tool for the job.

 

[Kenneth in Texas]

well after finishing this job it was the Landscape Rake that was the better choice. The box blade wanted to move too much dirt anyway it was adjusted and would have to be raised pretty often to dump VERSES the rake that i just lowered and drug the ground. A couple passes and the high spots were gone and the low spots filled and any vegetation was yanked out. Any difficult spots i used the FEL to smooth by either removing a couple inches of dirt OR by backdragging with my bucket edge turned down to get a bite of the dirt. I dont know about you all but im finding my landscape rake my number one used attachment besides the FEL.

 

[ericher69]

well after finishing this job it was the Landscape Rake that was the better choice. The box blade wanted to move too much dirt anyway it was adjusted and would have to be raised pretty often to dump VERSES the rake that i just lowered and drug the ground. A couple passes and the high spots were gone and the low spots filled and any vegetation was yanked out. Any difficult spots i used the FEL to smooth by either removing a couple inches of dirt OR by backdragging with my bucket edge turned down to get a bite of the dirt. I dont know about you all but im finding my landscape rake my number one used attachment besides the FEL.

Don't believe the job is done...

No pictures!

 

[ovrszd]

Don't believe the job is done...

No pictures!

Heheheheh.

A timber trail is never done. I maintain 80 acres of timber trails for 4 wheeling. An endless job. Don't have a landscape rake. Maybe I'm missing something??? My BIL has one he said I could borrow. Might try that.

 

[MarkV]

I have about a mile of trail through the woods and after being established have found the landscape rake worked best for maintaining. With use from the tractor, atv and walking more roots become exposed and the boxblade was just causing more erosion. My bride, and her daily walking group of friends, become concerned with the pine cones and sticks being something they could step on wrong causing a twisted ankle. The landscape rake makes quick work of cleaning up. Of course she has her own tractor but is convinced it works better if I do it.

MarkV

 

[ovrszd]

I have about a mile of trail through the woods and after being established have found the landscape rake worked best for maintaining. With use from the tractor, atv and walking more roots become exposed and the boxblade was just causing more erosion. My bride, and her daily walking group of friends, become concerned with the pine cones and sticks being something they could step on wrong causing a twisted ankle. The landscape rake makes quick work of cleaning up. Of course she has her own tractor but is convinced it works better if I do it.

MarkV

Thanks for the info Mark, I'll give it a try!!!

 

[radrock]

well after finishing this job it was the Landscape Rake that was the better choice. The box blade wanted to move too much dirt anyway it was adjusted and would have to be raised pretty often to dump VERSES the rake that i just lowered and drug the ground. A couple passes and the high spots were gone and the low spots filled and any vegetation was yanked out. Any difficult spots i used the FEL to smooth by either removing a couple inches of dirt OR by backdragging with my bucket edge turned down to get a bite of the dirt. I dont know about you all but im finding my landscape rake my number one used attachment besides the FEL.

I was wondering how this turned out for you. I was thinking there would be too much vegetation that would get stuck in the tines but sounds like it was not that bad. I have used both for both and sometimes it takes trial and error. Glad it worked out.

 

[ovrszd]

This might be off subject,,, but what's a 7' rake cost??

 

[radrock]

This might be off subject,,, but what's a 7' rake cost??

King Kutter has one for $499.99 That was on Northern Tool Company website

 

[MarkV]

This might be off subject,,, but what's a 7' rake cost??

You might want to consider one that is at least a foot wider than your tractor so you can angle it when needed but still cover your tracks. The other thing that many of us have found valuable are gage wheels. I don't use them much for trail cleaning but for dirt work they are great for leveling newly worked soil.

MarkV

 

[ovrszd]

You might want to consider one that is at least a foot wider than your tractor so you can angle it when needed but still cover your tracks. The other thing that many of us have found valuable are gage wheels. I don't use them much for trail cleaning but for dirt work they are great for leveling newly worked soil.

MarkV

Good points. Thanks again.

 

[Kenneth in Texas]

yeah "finished" might be too strong a word since a job is never finished. I wish i had got pics because the neighbor was tickled to death at how they looked, smooth and returned to an all dirt stage, it will be 3-4 months and he will need it all done over again im sure.

Someone asked what a 7' rake cost, my 6' rake was $450 a couple years ago, really enjoy it too but it seems im not breaking tines, the bolts that are holding the tines are starting to snap off, guess they maybe cheap chinese bolts or something but its not uncommon for one to break.

 

[Botabill]

In my opinion and from my own experience making trails on my property the key is not disturbng the dirt but mowing the growth. A rotary cutter or a flail mower will chop up the growth and the discharge will add mulch that will smooth out the trail. Using a soil disturbing implement like a box blade will create dirt and mud path... not so nice I think.

 

[Kenneth in Texas]

Right Bob i agree, had it been my own trails in the woods i would rather them be with nicely mowed grass provided they were fairly level and in good condition, the raw dirt looked good once it was done but a good rain and it turns to you know what.