What to do with a gravely Blade?

[Charlesaf3]

I have a gravely ?snow blade? On a tractor I'd call it a rear blade. Never used it. A little dubious about how well it would work, considering how rear blades push around my CUTs. Is there any practical use for it, or should I sell it?

Also curious about rotary plow, though I'm leaning towards selling that. Sulky and Lawn Roller are definitely going. I don't know what possessed me to get a gravely lawn roller...

 

[Charlesaf3]

So no one else can think of a use for one either?

 

[2manyrocks]

Sell it all, then you'll find a use for it.

You ought to try the rotary plow just to see it operate. It's like taking a huge kitchen blender to your soil.

Right now, a lot of folks aren't paying the prices for Gravely stuff they were paying before the economy went into the ditch. Manufacturers can't sell new stuff this heavy made any more because of the material and shipping costs.

 

[two_bit_score]

I have a gravely ?snow blade? On a tractor I'd call it a rear blade. Never used it. A little dubious about how well it would work, considering how rear blades push around my CUTs. Is there any practical use for it, or should I sell it?

Also curious about rotary plow, though I'm leaning towards selling that. Sulky and Lawn Roller are definitely going. I don't know what possessed me to get a gravely lawn roller...

What's it costing you to keep it? It ain't eating anything. Is it?

 

[Charlesaf3]

Sell it all, then you'll find a use for it.

That's exactly what I worry about!

I have too many gravely parts lying around. Was thinking if they are just rusting and taking up space, best to get rid of them. But worry that as soon as I do, I'll instantly come up with a need for whatever I got rid of.

Thing about the plow, though, is that I just can't imagine when I'll use that instead of a rototiller etc. on a tractor. The gravely rototiller is pretty good, even for new tilling, it just sometimes requires a couple of passes. But I've used much worse. So another reason why I've used the plow precisely never...

 

[FlaDon]

The name snow plow/snow blade is a misnomer. It can also move dirt/gravel around. Or if you have too many dead Gravely 4-wheelers around, them too.

 

[Ken]

Before getting rid of the rotory plow use it to prepare the soil before the roto tiller.
the soil is loose and easy to get ready for planting.
I've used mine for several years and it does a good job of getting the spring soil ready.
as for the blade. good for pushing soil to level the garden.
and prices have fallen do to this economy. have one would sell and the guy looking almost wanted me to pay him. will keep in the dry until thing improve. ken

 

[Charlesaf3]

Yeah, giving it away for nothing would be too much work. I guess I should just figure out a place to store it.

I could see it moving things around, but I wonder about traction. And its easier with the tractors generally

 

[CtRick]

I've used my blade to push snow, a dump truck load of wet leaves and some loose gravel (not all at the same time ). It works well enough, but like already mentioned it all depends on traction.

 

[2manyrocks]

Dual wheels are hard to stop plus you can add tire chains.

 

[Charlesaf3]

Yeah, I've got dual wheels, but haven't gotten around to putting them on yet. Worried they will make things worse for mowing

 

[goneandbrokeit]

Make a clamp set up to attach to back hoe for hard to reach grading?

 

[Charlesaf3]

Make a clamp set up to attach to back hoe for hard to reach grading?

That is a GREAT idea. plus a cylinder to angle run off thumb hydraulics! Ok, I'm keeping it. Even if this project will probably take years to complete

 

[LBrown59]

*Make a clamp set up to attach to back hoe for hard to reach grading?

* Do you mean something like this?

That is a GREAT idea. plus a cylinder to angle run off thumb hydraulics! Ok, I'm keeping it. Even if this project will probably take years to complete

 

[Charlesaf3]

THat is a good idea - I've thought of doing that. A hydraulic adjustable blade would be even cooler

 

[2manyrocks]

Duals will affect mowing some. If all you do it cut grass in your yard, then dual wheels are more aggravation than help. If you need traction for the blade, then it might be worth it. I use duals to cut on a hillside that has groundhog holes because a single tire will drop in a hole and you just about can't get the machine out.

 

[Charlesaf3]

I'd thought of using it to mow hills. How steep is your hillside? The one I'm thinking of is close to 40 degrees. Was planning on using a remote control winch to pull the machine up. Wondering about the oiling.

 

[2manyrocks]

I don't trust my guessing at the degrees of slope. It's enough that I don't want to be on it with my 4 wheel tractor. What I found is that with the dual wheels, the Gravely pulls me up the slope---and that was using dual turf tires and not bar tires and no chains. If you would have to use some kind of assistance to get your machine to cut on your slope, I would just stay off it.

I used a Kohler powered gravely to cut mine--I think the older Gravely's with the pressurized oil system would cut on even steeper slopes.

 

[Charlesaf3]

well, I've got to keep the vegetation cut, and the weed whacker is a fair bit of work, even with a pro husqy forestry clearer.

But yeah, the idea of going on this slope with a tractor is laughable. Skis would be good. Hence the idea of winching the gravely, like they do with cats on ski slopes.

 

[FlaDon]

I don't trust my guessing at the degrees of slope. It's enough that I don't want to be on it with my 4 wheel tractor. What I found is that with the dual wheels, the Gravely pulls me up the slope---and that was using dual turf tires and not bar tires and no chains. If you would have to use some kind of assistance to get your machine to cut on your slope, I would just stay off it.

I used a Kohler powered gravely to cut mine--I think the older Gravely's with the pressurized oil system would cut on even steeper slopes.

The older Gravely engine powered ones are good to the point where a person can't walk it. The Gravely literature said a 60% slope. Kohler and others are limited to 30% and only for 30 minutes.