Need to grade gravel/RAP to 3in height

[Paybax]

Hello,

I install gravel driveways for a living using my B26 and a grading scraper. It works fine but the height of the gravel left behind is only About an inch if I am lucky. That’s fine as I then spread more over with my bucket. However I am starting to install more RAP driveway and I need it 3+ inches thick, I have been managing but surely there must be a better way.

Box grading or grading scraper with custom 3in thick skid shoes? The road runner appears to give the most height but maxes out at 2 inches. I am willing to invest some money into this, custom fabrication or from a dealer.

Thanks,
Ryan

 

[Paybax]

Or maybe I cut out the holes to adjust the blades on the grading scraper to be adjusted to a higher height off the ground. This would greatly weaken it but it is relatively light duty work.

 

[Dave_eng]

Take your clue from the real Caterpillar road grader.

A grader needs a blade suspended between wheels as far apart as possible.

With this configuration, high spots are cut off and low spots filled in.

With anything just attached to your tractor at one end, the movement of the tractor over dips and humps is magnified

The wheels or the blade itself can be set for the depth of material you want as well as the side slope.

Dave

 

[D2Cat]

Might try a rock rake with gauge wheels. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qmGl0QRbrA

 

[nickelplated5s]

Draw bar/pintle hitch blade with tires behind it. Basically an inexpensive grader. There's at least one around here, watched them level for a greenhouse last month. Hemp guys are going big this year.

 

[Paybax]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I was originally thinking a rear blade with gauge wheels but it would be nice to move material too.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

The guys that put RAP down for me just used a dumptruck and bobcat. truck got most of the RAP down, bobcat did the 'tricky' spots. After that big roller mushed it all down...

 

[wgator]

What about a land leveler CLICK THIS LINK FOR NOTCH MFG. ONES

 

[Stomper]

I added sides to my rear blade so it acts more like a box blade without the rippers. it is a removable peice so that I can convert back to a rear blade with the removal of only 5 bolts and 5 minutes. It works great. I will also be adding some gauge wheels so I can do exactly what you are talking about. The gauge wheels will be mounted to the rear blade so that they can be used in rear blade mode or box blade mode. My thoughts are that in I put my 3 point hitch in float mode I can adjust the gauge wheels close to where I want them and then use the top link adjustment to fine tune it to act like a grader blade, At least that's what I'm hoping.
Here's the link to what I did to my rear blade.
http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40929

The link wgator provided is a nice unit and would work great for your purpose.

 

[Paybax]

I added sides to my rear blade so it acts more like a box blade without the rippers. it is a removable peice so that I can convert back to a rear blade with the removal of only 5 bolts and 5 minutes. It works great. I will also be adding some gauge wheels so I can do exactly what you are talking about. The gauge wheels will be mounted to the rear blade so that they can be used in rear blade mode or box blade mode. My thoughts are that in I put my 3 point hitch in float mode I can adjust the gauge wheels close to where I want them and then use the top link adjustment to fine tune it to act like a grader blade, At least that's what I'm hoping.
Here's the link to what I did to my rear blade.
http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40929

The link wgator provided is a nice unit and would work great for your purpose.

Will it float left to right too or just up and down?

 

[Paybax]

So my first experiment failed. It was moving the blades on the landplane to 2.5-3.5 Inches. The skid shoes are too broad and floated across the RAP, even in reverse.

I was thinking of adding 3in skid shoes to the fel bucket as I could use as much down force as required. Other option is simply rear blade in reverse. I dunno lol

 

[GreensvilleJay]

You could replace the skid shoes with skid 'bars'.Use 1/2" barstock, bent 90*, welded to plates to attach to the land plane.You may need a 'gusset' to keep them from bending under the weight of the plane.
I'd have thought the 3pt mechamism would have kept the blade at 3",though I'm only familiar with Allis-Chalmers Snap Coupler system.

Jay

 

[Paybax]

You could replace the skid shoes with skid 'bars'.Use 1/2" barstock, bent 90*, welded to plates to attach to the land plane.You may need a 'gusset' to keep them from bending under the weight of the plane.
I'd have thought the 3pt mechamism would have kept the blade at 3",though I'm only familiar with Allis-Chalmers Snap Coupler system.

Jay

Thanks, I was thinking of getting some 1/2 inch steel welded onto my skid shoes. Your idea sounds solid!