Land Pride, Woods, Befco Grading Scraper

JRobyn · Mar 28, 2015

I'm looking too. Can any current users answer the question that I have been trying unsuccessfully to get EA to answer:

If my current road profile (hard-packed creek gravel topped with crusher-run) has a slight crown but also has slight wheel rut depressions (1") AND ALSO has slightly raised outside edges, can a land plane/grader be set to cut down the outside raised edges and push the cut material to the inside to fill the wheel ruts?

All of these that I look at have the "sides" that are intended to ride along on top of the surface being graded. So if I grade with the side of the plane along the outside edge of the road, won't it just slide along the top and not cut anything?

- Jay

Eric102 · Mar 28, 2015

If I'm reading the specs right the Woods can be set to cut down as much as 1 inch below the skids and if you run the scraper in the right direction it should tend to move the material towards the low spots in the middle of the road.

MtnViewRanch · Mar 28, 2015

Almost, if not all the commercially manufactured LPGS cut below the side runners, so no the runners are not going to stop the unit from grading. As far as the material moving sideways, it basically does not. I have tested my LPGS for this sideways movement and my blades are 1" below the runners, painted a strip on the ground and went over it. The best that I could tell, after going over both blades the material had moved sideways about 1". So unless you plan on making a lot of passes, I would not count on the LPGS to be moving material sideways for you.

RKJeepXJ · Mar 28, 2015

I think it'll fill in your low spots just from the material building up and falling to the side. Might take a couple passes to get completely smooth.

Beaux Duke · Mar 30, 2015

MtnViewRanch said:
Almost, if not all the commercially manufactured LPGS cut below the side runners, so no the runners are not going to stop the unit from grading. As far as the material moving sideways, it basically does not. I have tested my LPGS for this sideways movement and my blades are 1" below the runners, painted a strip on the ground and went over it. The best that I could tell, after going over both blades the material had moved sideways about 1". So unless you plan on making a lot of passes, I would not count on the LPGS to be moving material sideways for you.

MtnViewRanch is correct. When I used mine the first time I got a crick in my neck twisting around in the seat trying to watch the action of the rocks going over the blade. I finally stopped during a pass and sprayed all the rocks on the first angled blade with orange marker paint. Got back on and watched the results. Amazingly the rocks seemed to just bubble up and eventually after moving 10-12 feet forward a few would follow the angled cutting blade but most just bubbled over the blade almost in a straight line.

I can recall as a child watching the grader guy running over our gravel road in front of the house. He was able to move stuff but his angle was much greater than what I've seen on land planes.

jenkinsph · Mar 30, 2015

JRobyn said:
I'm looking too. Can any current users answer the question that I have been trying unsuccessfully to get EA to answer:

If my current road profile (hard-packed creek gravel topped with crusher-run) has a slight crown but also has slight wheel rut depressions (1") AND ALSO has slightly raised outside edges, can a land plane/grader be set to cut down the outside raised edges and push the cut material to the inside to fill the wheel ruts?

All of these that I look at have the "sides" that are intended to ride along on top of the surface being graded. So if I grade with the side of the plane along the outside edge of the road, won't it just slide along the top and not cut anything?

- Jay

My experience has been that even with the blades set flush it will cut in and flatten out the gravel in its path. What you will have to watch is removing the crown. If you have a lot of gravel to the edges you should use a rear blade to move this back to the center first.

JRobyn · Apr 1, 2015

Thanks all. Sounds like they will CUT where I want, but not MOVE how I want! I could maybe do an initial loosening cut with my existing box blade, but there's not really any good way to angle it. I really don't want to have to also buy an angled back blade AND a grader.

- Jay

Tomtint · Apr 1, 2015

I have a 7' Befco. It works well but IMO, the shanks wear very quick and the replaceable skids also wear quick.

bcp · Apr 1, 2015

I once saw a photo of a grading scraper that had a small blade, maybe 8 inches long, on the front of one skid, just to cut away that outside ridge before the side runner got there.

Bruce

Tomtint · Apr 1, 2015

I'm not sure what, if anything, that would do. The LP rests on the ground and slides across whatever surface its on. The corser the surface, the faster the wear. I almost think a set of wheels may help. But at that point it may defeat the whole objective

ovrszd · Apr 1, 2015

Beaux Duke said:
View attachment 417363 View attachment 417364
I just got this unit after researching for months. For the same price you noted in your post I also got the rear gate option. It's called "The Bad Boy Grader" and is manufactured in Smithdale, MS. Probably too far away for you but there are other options out there. Good luck with your purchase!:cloud9:

Awww,, missed your chance. You should have posted a pic with the rear gate down. Not very many have that option. That would be at the top of my list of options.

Ron50 · Oct 12, 2015

I have a county road that is hard dirt and granite pebles that the county doesn't maintain. It developes small washboards and some cuts across the surface from running rain water. I really don't want to dig anymore than necessary to cut the tops off the washboards and deposit some material in the cuts. Any extra material that you churn up just becomes deeper mud when it rains. The road surface rolls up and down so the land plane needs to float, not be help up by the tractor.
I probably will end up with a Woods because of the way they adjust the height by moving the skids. I think that making the blades adjust is not as good approach due to the shock loads the blades recieve when you hit buried rocks ect. The skids will probably wear quickly for me because of the granite soil. Having adjustable sides makes the replacement easy for someone who doesn't weld.
My problem is that I have bought from EA three times with good results. I also like the way that the mast is welded not bolted on and that the blades have a greater angle for cutting off the high spots. The problem I have is that is is not height adjustable. For gravel roads or if you have a level road and can maintain height with three point hitch this isn't important, but for my application I think that it is.
I have been waiting because of Ted's video that said something like "This is our first land plane...Our next version will have ...". They did add scarifiers which I would probably get, but they haven't addressed the height adjustment. Unless there is some structural reason not to, it seems that an adjustment similar to the Woods design would not be that much of an addition to their blade.
I'll give EA a few more months I quess. I might have already bought the Woods except the the local dealer never called back with a price. Surprise, surprise.

ovrszd · Oct 12, 2015

There are many, many high quality land planes available. Just need to evaluate your requirements.

jenkinsph · Oct 12, 2015

Ron,
I use my land plane in New Mexico and haven't found granite to wear the skids that much. My blades are set flush and still work aggressively on a gravel road. I don't think it would matter that much if you set them flush or up to 3/4" below and would not pay extra for adjustable. Long skids and plenty of weight with a stiff frame is important.

mangus580 · Oct 31, 2015

I ended up going with the Woods myself. My local dealer was able to get it for me, with free shipping.

I am very happy with my decision. I used it in a friends driveway last spring. He called me one day asking me what tool he would need for spreading several trucks of gravel. I asked why... he wanted to fill in pot-holes, etc in his driveway.

I told him to wait on ordering, and I went over with the grader. 3 hours later, his driveway looked like brand new! He was quite impressed.

I use it as well for our local tractor pulls, to fix the track and scrape it clean between each pull.

So glad I bought a grader!!

mangus580 · Oct 31, 2015

I ended up going with the Woods myself. My local dealer was able to get it for me, with free shipping.

I am very happy with my decision. I used it in a friends driveway last spring. He called me one day asking me what tool he would need for spreading several trucks of gravel. I asked why... he wanted to fill in pot-holes, etc in his driveway.

I told him to wait on ordering, and I went over with the grader. 3 hours later, his driveway looked like brand new! He was quite impressed.

I use it as well for our local tractor pulls, to fix the track and scrape it clean between each pull.

So glad I bought a grader!! - even makes a good spot for the boys to ride during the 'parade' for the antique pulls.

Poopdeck Pappy · Oct 31, 2015

Mangus, I'm glad you like your Woods grading scraper.

But just for the record, letting your kids ride on it is a terrible idea that could end in tragedy. They're your kids and you can do what you want, but I felt compelled to mention that in case some newbie sees your post and decides that would be a great idea. It's not.

MtnViewRanch · Oct 31, 2015

Poopdeck Pappy said:
Mangus, I'm glad you like your Woods grading scraper.

But just for the record, letting your kids ride on it is a terrible idea that could end in tragedy. They're your kids and you can do what you want, but I felt compelled to mention that in case some newbie sees your post and decides that would be a great idea. It's not.

Pappy, I am 100% in agreement with you. Unfortunately as much enjoyment that the kids can get from that sort of thing, it simply is not a good idea. :frown: Unforeseen accidents happen all the time. This is an accident waiting to happen

and easily avoidable.

Sorry for being the safety police, just would hate to see-hear about anything bad happening.

Just my :2cents:, take it or leave it.

mangus580 · Oct 31, 2015

FYI - this was a slow speed parade, and its the only time they have done it. This isnt something that happens while its in use, or at any high speeds. Its no different than putting a carry-all on the back for them to ride on.

They sit on the back beam, with their feet on the blade, using a scarifier as a handle. Its not something I would do if I wasnt comfortable with it, for sure...

lostcreekranch · Oct 31, 2015

I bought the Woods 84" rear grader a few months ago and am very pleased with it.

I've started a new 300 yard driveway, between workshops and our horse barn, which was just a grass path. This spring, during the hard rains, about 100 yards of it washed out and became a river pointed at the overhead door on our big workshop. I used the Woods grader and my new Landpride 96" rear blade to level out the road bed.

Brought in two truck loads of crushed concrete for a base for the driveway and will get it packed down and then top with processed Post Oak rock. The Woods grader worked very we'll spread and level the crushed concrete.

Whatever you end up buying, I suggest you get one with scarifiers. You will spend a bit more but, they really help.

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