Simple effective tool to rake/grade uneven ground

[Smf834]

Finally received my first kubota. Very excited. Geared 2501. I have a big lot of gentle downslope of fern, various kind of brush with relatively shallow roots and blackberries vines that i want to learn to tackle safely and effective for a first timer. What implement/attachment would i be able to modify the bucket to do the job?

i have seen tooth bar added to the bucket and use it in a backward motion to rake. Does it work good? Thanks for all the advice.

glad to be here.

 

[85Hokie]

From my experience the piranha toothbar is a great addition. It will do the job you ask. I would be VERY careful with the "back dragging" with the teeth pointing straight down - hitting something hard that will not move will place a huge shock on the hydraulic system. I would also recommend using the float setting on the FEL.

Another tool that I recently obtained is the ratchet rake - this is simply phenomenal at back dragging over small plants / dirt and especially gravel.

 

[Smf834]

I think the ratchet rake was the one i saw previously. It seems inexpensive enough for me to see how well it will work.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

From your subject line, I'd suggest a 'landscape rake', as it's the tool for the job, I bought a 6' unit for $300 preCOVID. Did a very good job getting nasty wild grapes out of the steep hillside.
In the body though, you say 'bucke't, so any 'toothbar' will work. It'll be a slower process as only 1/2 the width of a rake .It really depends on how much land you need to clean. Another option might be to borrow/rent a rake from a neighbour ? Most implements only get used 2-3 weeks a year.
Whatever you get be sure to ALWAYS go up and down the slopes NOT across ! While you may not flip over on that slope, tractors are 'tippy' devices, and a slightly steeper slope may do you in.

 

[Parrothead127]

I would start with a landscape rake. get at least a 5’, 6’ would stick out past your tires about 6” each side allowing you get get next to trees, fences closer. I have one made by Dirt Dog, I like it over the other brands because the teeth are held on by 2 bolts, thus less twisting of the tines. Whatever brand you go with make sure replacement tines are readily available because you will bend some, just the nature of the beast. You’re looking at around 800.00 new. As stated above, back dragging with a bucket, teeth down is a no no. You can get a lot of work down with a tractor as long as you are patient.

 

[Bmyers]

It sounds to me instead of modifying the bucket, you should be looking at a root grapple. Yet, that is a BIG cost.

The toothbar works well, but doesn't leave you with the best finish. As it was pointed out using a landscape rake and combining it with the toothbar would give you better results.

Now if money is no issue, I would say a root grapple that you can get the brush out with, haul it away, and back drag the area with the lid of the grapple.

 

[Jchonline]

I like to think about order of contact.

With a bucket tooth bar going forward, the teeth contact the vegetation first. Then the tires. This means you will start to smooth the ground and dig out vegetation before you run over it.

With back dragging a bucket tooth bar or pulling a landscape rake you are running over the vegetation before it contacts the implement.

I have lots of places where it isnt practical to run over this stuff first. Roots sticking up, etc make it easy to puncture a tire or stab the underbelly of the tractor. Uneven ground makes for an uneven rake (ie front tire dips into a hole...that pulls the rake out off the ground).

You may have flat ground to make it easier, and you may feel its no big deal to run over your vegetation. If that is the case then I would use a landscape rake. A grapple isnt bad, but LOTS of stuff will get through the tines I prefer a landscape rake due to tine distance and width. Make sure if you empty you aren't downwind or you get a mouth full of dust.

 

[Mlarv]

Get a goat for the black berries.

I have the tooth bar on my BX2380 and it will do that job almost as good as the goats. I have a zero turn mower I use to do the final grading. I use a large chain link fence gat towed behind it with a few cinder blocks on it for weight, I have done many different yards this way, it is a little slower, but works great.

 

[Taghkanic]

I think the ratchet rake was the one i saw previously. It seems inexpensive enough for me to see how well it will work.

I have had a Ratchet Rake on both of my tractors (first a B2620, now a LX3310). These have been some of the best purchases I ever made, saving me tons of labor and expense.

https://www.ratchetrake.com/index.shtml

Both the larger and smaller tines have proved very useful for ripping out hedgerows and digging out the roots of various invasive shrubs that had taken over portions of the property before I bought it.

I use the smaller tines for grading trails and grounds on my land, and even doing some guerrilla road work on the dirt road where I live, which gets only occasional maintenance by the town. (Sshhh!)

I also have found it handy when using my bucket as a substitute snowplow -- the finer tines are particularly useful for dragging out snow or giving some texture to difficult icy areas.

It can be bolted onto the bucket with a little work, but I have used their ratchet straps so that it is easy to remove if needed. I’ve had to replace them occasionally, over the past 7 years of use, but I tend to overwork my small tractors.

 

[Tim Horton]

I have and love, love the pirhana tooth bar like in Bmyers last picture..
It digs well in our dirt, it keeps ware off the bucket edge when moving snow, it does take a learning curve to use for this job to learn not to tear up the driveway.... It works well to back scrape the slick ice on the drive and yard...

There may be other things that work better at specific jobs, but this does good enough for me on an everyday basis..

Your experience may vary...

 

[mikester]

Rent. End of problems. You will get more done in half a day than you would in more than a week with your BX.