Excavating Implements

[nrowles 25]

I hope I'm not posting too many threads but the gears in my head are in high gear. I never knew the potential these tractors have. Anyways here's my issue. My driveway is horrendous. It is rocky and packed hard and has potholes and ruts and no consistent slope or crown. I think if this will work I will be looking into possibly a C-160 as my worker but I currently have a C-145. To keep it simple I'm thinking a cultivator to loosen the ground and a rear grader blade to work it in.

Will this work or am I being too optimistic?

Do you recommend any other implements?

I am thinking I might need a mount in addition to the mount for the snow plow but I don't know what that would be?

Any other thoughts?

[Lane Ranger 10,472]

I saw this and watched the video several months ago.   I did not buy one but for $299.00 and  made in USA  (Pennsylvania)  the All Terrain Rake (ATR)  looks pretty good.   I think this is a pretty good buy for a product designed to do some of the things you are asking about.   Looks like it would be an easy attachemetn to your Wheel Horse too!

 

 

 

 

http://www.ratchetrake.com/

Edited January 11, 2015 by Lane Ranger

[baerpath 517]

Something like this or a belly blade.  I've seen good results from dragging a section of chain link fence with cinder blocks on it behind a garden tractor

[squonk 38,844]

PM sent! 

[nrowles 25]

I was really hoping to keep it Wheel Horse. I really think I will have to have an excavator with large equipment to work it one time and then maybe twice a year I could take an implement such as the ones you mention and work it. That's why I mentioned a cultivator because the hard packed ground needs loosened before using anything you guys mention.

One I get the driveway decent by excavator are there any wheel horse implements to maintain or would it just be wise to use these other implements due to purpose and efficiency? Was just tryin to start my wheel horse collection but I want to use what I buy.

[squonk 38,844]

The blade I have has the teeth to break up the hard pack and a rack area to weigh it down with cinder blocks. A WH cultivator is light and will just bounce on the ground

Edited January 11, 2015 by squonk

[MalMac 1,328]

Drives get very hard, sometimes even big equipment has to use rippers to loosen things up. Sometimes you can use cultivators after a couple of days of a good soaking rain or during a spring thaw. If it's in that bad a shape have some bigger equipment come in and loosen it up then you can work it. I personally have a small I beam that I drag around then finish off with a Wheel Horse mid-mount grader blade. Just remember that if you don't have enough gravel in your drive, loosing it up will cause the gravel to even sink down deeper and you will be left with a very soft drive which can turn to mud real quick. So If you do not have enough gravel to push and spread around sometimes your better off leaving well enough alone till you do.

[Lane Ranger 10,472]

You can also set the tip of a garden plow blade on the rear to make cuts in circles in a drive that will loosen up the gravel, dirt, etc.   Then use a blade, rake , etc to move around!

[baerpath 517]

Squonk that looks familiar lol      I use a belly blade on a C195 to level ridges and fill dips in my son's stone driveway worked a lot better than I thought it would.

[Tankman 3,515]

I saw this and watched the video several months ago.   I did not buy one but for $299.00 and  made in USA  (Pennsylvania)  I think this is a pretty good buy for a product designed to do some of the things you are asking about.   Looks like it would be an easy attachemetn to your Wheel Horse too!

 

 

 

 

http://www.ratchetrake.com/

I've looked at the ratchetrake numerous times and, next town over from nrowles too. Looks like it would do a great job on the back of a Horse.

 

I have gravel and millings, add millings every year or two. Free for me, which is nice.

 

Currently I have a very heavy duty (no longer produced I think) a tine dethatcher. I drive or let the grandsons ride the Horses scratchin' the drives. I also have a heavy steel roller for afterwards, works well.  Very well.

 

But, I do like the looks of the Ratchet Rake and have thought of cutting an I-Beam, teeth in two opposing flanges, and try that. If I use a 4' x 12" I-Beam I would drag it and could add ciderblocks  easy enough.

 

Your thoughts?

[KC9KAS 4,741]

I was thinking box blade....

I have used my cultivator to loosen the gravel before using the grader blade to level.

 

Now that I think about it, I used the cultivator quite a lot to "remove" weeds in the gravel drive.

You might be a "Redneck" if you have to mow your drive-way.

[Don1977 604]

Here is a pulverizer I built for sowing grass, that is why the roller is on the back. It's really to heavy to lift with a manual lift. It would loosen the gravel drive.

 

 

[Nathanielperz 150]

TNT maybe...   at least its Red

 

 

-Nate

[can whlvr 991]

heres a few homemade rippers I built,i live in red clay,very,very hard,these will bust it up but it takes many passes

[cheesegrader 433]

I use a Brinley box blade to fill in wash-outs on my gravel road every spring.  Does a good job filling things in, but does't really compress at all.  Seems like the same spots need to be redone often.  I got a wheel horse 50"grader blade two years ago, and I REALLY like that.  It can't move as much material per pass, but it compacts well, and won't stop unless it engages a good sized root.  When the grader blade is done moving things, they STAY!  If I go over things with my Ohio Steel Roller after a couple of days of heavy rain,    the result is as good as I think I can get short of using commercial road equipment.

If you don't go much deeper than an inch per pass, I think the belly blade will move any dirt or gravel, and might even move asphalt.

It will just take a lot of passes if things are really heaved.

[Forest Road 594]

Our vacation camp drive is 1/4 mile +. It's compacted stone. Every year or two I use my WH 50" grader blade to clean it up. There are no large rocks. I take small bites. You have to keep in mind these are 600lb GTs. They won't do a whole lot real fast. It's all about baby steps.

Depending on the size of your driveway this may be more suitable. I used one before the WH. My drive is a bit tight for this.

http://www.drivewaygroomer.com/

[nrowles 25]

COMPLETE EDIT OF EVERYTHING BELOW.  Sorry to any of you that already read it.  I think I am going to keep everything simple.  I am going to have homemade........Heavy 5' angle iron with 6" exposed bars welded and securely attached.  Will hook up to the clevis hitch.  Will make so I can put cinder blocks on top for weight if needed.  I will also get a grader blade if the homemade job is not designed to grade.

 

_____________________________________________________________________

 

 

EDIT:  IF I CAN GET ONE MADE FOR MUCH CHEAPER I MAY DO THAT.

 

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/countylinereg%3B-box-blade-5-ft

 

Link above is what I'm looking at.  I know there are cheaper ones but I think I would like to spend more for the heavy duty.  My plan is to get an excavator in the first time to loosen the ground and grade it.  Then twice a year I will use this box blade to work the driveway again (yes within 6 months I'm sure the potholes will begin to form again). 

 

Let's say I end up getting a C-160 to work this.  Is that enough tractor if I take my time and not try to take too much at once?  I read online to figure 5 hp for every foot of width and this thing is 5 feet, so I'm not sure on this one.  Also this thing is 395 lb.  It seems this may be too big of an implement for the tractor.

 

If it would work, I would like to be able to raise and lower it.  Am I going to be able to do this with both or either hydraulic or manual lift as heavy as it is?

 

What is the setup I would need to hook this thing up?  Would I need some homemade "adapters"?

Edited January 12, 2015 by nrowles

[Forest Road 594]

C-100,120,160 or 520h for that matter won't matter. They all pull about the same. It's the same tractor and trans among all the WHs. Bigger hp just goes to bigger mower decks and snow blowers. Looks like you're biting off more than these dependable tractors can chew.

[Forest Road 594]

C-100,120,160 or 520h for that matter won't matter. They all pull about the same. It's the same tractor and trans among all the WHs. Bigger hp just goes to bigger mower decks and snow blowers. Looks like you're biting off more than these dependable tractors can chew.

[dcrage 621]

As with about everything you do with these tractors, you will lose traction before you exhaust the horsepower of the engine -- Hence the comments above about this might be more than these tractors can handle (i.e. they only weigh at the most 1000 lbs or thereabouts) and doing this 'grading' in small steps -- It will be a traction issue -- Ag treads (or something similiar) and extra weight on the tractor will be needed

Edited January 12, 2015 by dcrage

[baerpath 517]

COMPLETE EDIT OF EVERYTHING BELOW.  Sorry to any of you that already read it.  I think I am going to keep everything simple.  I am going to have homemade........Heavy 5' angle iron with 6" exposed bars welded and securely attached.  Will hook up to the clevis hitch.  Will make so I can put cinder blocks on top for weight if needed.  I will also get a grader blade if the homemade job is not designed to grade.

 

_____________________________________________________________________

 

 

EDIT:  IF I CAN GET ONE MADE FOR MUCH CHEAPER I MAY DO THAT.

 

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/countylinereg%3B-box-blade-5-ft

 

Link above is what I'm looking at.  I know there are cheaper ones but I think I would like to spend more for the heavy duty.  My plan is to get an excavator in the first time to loosen the ground and grade it.  Then twice a year I will use this box blade to work the driveway again (yes within 6 months I'm sure the potholes will begin to form again). 

 

Let's say I end up getting a C-160 to work this.  Is that enough tractor if I take my time and not try to take too much at once?  I read online to figure 5 hp for every foot of width and this thing is 5 feet, so I'm not sure on this one.  Also this thing is 395 lb.  It seems this may be too big of an implement for the tractor.

 

If it would work, I would like to be able to raise and lower it.  Am I going to be able to do this with both or either hydraulic or manual lift as heavy as it is?

 

What is the setup I would need to hook this thing up?  Would I need some homemade "adapters"?

To big look for the same thing in Cat 0 it will be 4ft and match up with a WH with three pt. Three options are The D series, C 195 and the D250. The C160 won't take it for long unless you make it into a trailering box blade

[squonk 38,844]

Remember. Your going to have to lift that blade. Even with a hydro lift you might be taxing the rock shafts, pivot bushings and lift cable.

[cheesegrader 433]

Agree with Baerpath.

That thing is just too big. (But it is awesome, and I would love one!)

[brandonozz 168]

Here is a box blade I picked up when I bought my Parts D. I think it is about 42"  wide and cat "0".  The neat thing is there is a handle that releases the blade assembly allowing it to rotate to three different positions.  You can pull like a regular box blade, push or turn the rippers down when wanting to loosen the soil.  Remember, the box blade you listed is 400 pounds and that weight is well behind the tractor and if you could fab a way to lift it the front of your tractor would likely come off the ground.

 

[Eric C 109]

Here is a box blade I picked up when I bought my Parts D. I think it is about 42" wide and cat "0". The neat thing is there is a handle that releases the blade assembly allowing it to rotate to three different positions. You can pull like a regular box blade, push or turn the rippers down when wanting to loosen the soil. Remember, the box blade you listed is 400 pounds and that weight is well behind the tractor and if you could fab a way to lift it the front of your tractor would likely come off the ground.

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That is called an Earthcavator. Pretty rare attachment nowadays.

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