3 Point Land Leveler

[lincmercguy]

I'm thinking about getting a 3 point land leveler to keep the driveway smooth and level out various spots around the place. Just light duty stuff. I'm thinking about the Behlen 7' model from Tractor Supply given the good price point. I don't think I need scarifiers since I have a box blade with them for heavier work.

Any other brands I should consider? I'd like to keep it under $2k if possible.

 

[scootr]

Looks good to me. Behlen is a solid name. And 500 pounds is about right for that size. You can add additional weight if needed.

 

[lincmercguy]

My box blade is Behlen and it has served me well.

 

[ruffdog]

I had a Behlen rotary cutter that was well made too.

 

[oosik]

It really depends upon the material you are dealing with. I maintain my mile long gravel driveway with a Land Pride LPGS. Seven feet wide - 820 pounds - with scarifiers. I also have a 400 pound concrete weight that can be placed on the LPGS, if it's really necessary. My driveway surface is a combination of gravel, sand, silt & volcanic ash.

It turns to concrete in the summer. The scarifiers are necessary to get to the bottom of pot holes, riffles and washes.

Weight is your friend when dealing with land engagement implements.

 

[nyone]

Unless your driving surface never packs I think you will need scarifiers.

 

[oosik]

I have one area on my mile long gravel driveway that requires "action" every spring. A very large field drains down on a 150 foot section of the driveway. Ditching helps but does not prevent this area from becoming a muddy section.

So every year I smooth it with my LPGS. This year required multiple passes - in both directions. I was lazy this year - did not use the scarifiers. If I had waited until late May or June - the scarifers would have been an absolute necessity.

My driveway dries out and becomes hard as concrete.

 

[scootr]

Ideally you grade the road when it is wet enough to cut without scarifying and packs back down tight. Moisture content is critical in both cutting and compaction. When we have to cut our road we make sure to wheel roll it all back down. Leaving it fluffed up encourages washboard as the cars skp across the surface.

 

[oosik]

scootr - "ideally" is what we all dream of. Reality is a totally different matter. My mile long driveway has a surface layer that is - gravel, sand, silt and volcanic ash - all mixed together. Right now I have damp sections - a last week muddy section and sections that are already dusty.

But you are correct. I wait until my muddy section ( about 150 feet ) is just damp. Then trowel it smooth and flat as a pool table. I did that three days ago.

Fortunately - the 150 foot muddy section is all that ever needs repair. The remainder - a good 'ol country road.

 

[Piston]

I'm thinking about getting a 3 point land leveler to keep the driveway smooth and level out various spots around the place. Just light duty stuff. I'm thinking about the Behlen 7' model from Tractor Supply given the good price point. I don't think I need scarifiers since I have a box blade with them for heavier work.

Any other brands I should consider? I'd like to keep it under $2k if possible.

Unless you have an extreme situation (like Oosik with his rock hard driveway) then you will rarely need the scarifiers. If you have to scarify once in a blue moon, you have your box blade.

I had a Landpride 2584 with scarifiers, I never once needed to use them. I sold it because I bent the crossbar that holds the cutting edge and it was $1,700 for a replacement blade carrier at the time.

I replaced it with a Road Boss which doesn’t have scarifiers, but I knew I would not need them. Granted, it weighs 1,100lbs so weight certainly helps. You can always add weight but it’s more likely to bend your equipment if you hit an immovable rock.

The land plane is more of a finish implement, you would do the rough work with the box blade, and finishing touches and maintenance with the land plane.

I suggest spending more money to get a heavier land plane vs the scarifiers.