Best attachment for clearing roads/trails after loggers mess

[LSU L4330]

So I just bought a new to me tractor and have about a 90 acre section that was select cut late last summer, almost all pine. The loggers left all the roads/trails a freakin' mess. Trying to decide what I need to add to the new tractor first to get this cleaned up. I am thinking that my two best options are add TNT and a heavy duty landscape rake or front remotes and a root grapple.

I was looking at this for the landscape rake:

Everything Attachments Severe XTreme Duty Tractor Landscape Rake 72"

Everything Attachments Brand Tractor 3 Point Hitch, Category 1, Landscape rake, Root Rake, Rock Rake, York Rake, available in 60", 72", 84", and 96 inch sizes, Free Shipping within 1.000 miles!

Their video of this product looks pretty impressive:

How To Use a Landscape Rake Part 1 - YouTube

Use this to drag all the roads then the FEL to push the piles to the side or would just using a root grapple on the front and push the trails with this down to clear them then as it builds up clamp down and dump off to the side. Never had to do this much of this type of work to be sure what is the best tool for the job. I have the funds to add one system or the other but probably not both just yet.

Was considering this grapple but it is a little pricey as far as the grapples I was looking at go.

Everything Attachments Wicked Root Grapple for Compact Tractors 72"

Everything Attachments Wicked Root Grapple for Compact Tractors

Looks like I'll be at somewhere about $3k for either complete system just don't know which will give me the most bang for the buck in the long run and with the job at hand.

 

[dusty3030]

Don't rule out hiring out the job, may be cheaper than you think. On my woods property there is a dozer / track hoe / back hoe man down the road from my place down there that does all my "heavy lifting" very reasonable. What it costs me in time to take off work, transport machine etc. he can knock out faster and when you put a pen to it cheaper, plus his work is better "quality" than mine as in when he's done culverts are in the right place, grades are right for water to run where it is supposed too etc.

If you DIY, grapple is the only way to go. A dedicated remote to the front is nice (especially if it is electric and run by a thumbswitch on your loader joystick), but if you have a spare rear remote already you can always have some hose made up, a big bag of zip ties and run your rear up to the front with the right couplers up front and be done with it if money is an issue.

A rear blade or box blade is going to be a must if you plan on repairing or maintaining your roads.

 

[LSU L4330]

I hear ya but want to do this myself. Not a rush just want to get it going. Tired of having to drive over all the trash (bits of pine trees) that the loggers left in all the roads. This is why I bought the tractor.

I have no remotes, front or rear. I am looking to get the best bang for the buck when adding one of these two systems. I have a 72" box blade already so I did not know if that with TNT and a HD landscape rake was best or a front remote with joystick controls and a 72" root grapple. Also taking into consideration other uses for say TNT.

 

[newbury]

So I just bought a new to me tractor and have about a 90 acre section that was select cut late last summer, almost all pine. The loggers left all the roads/trails a freakin' mess. Trying to decide what I need to add to the new tractor first to get this cleaned up. I am thinking that my two best options are add TNT and a heavy duty landscape rake or front remotes and a root grapple.

TNT is good but in most areas draws the feds I prefer napalm, but they also frown on that.
I've got about 30 acres in the same condition. How much do you have to move? Is it only trails you are concerned with?
Grapples seem to win high praise here and there are many threads.
What will you do with either setup AFTER your primary objective? Both setups are very useful but I'd get a grapple if I was going to be trying to clear up brush in the woods later on.
Also where is "LA" ? Lower Alabama? Louisiana? California?

 

[LSU L4330]

TNT is good but in most areas draws the feds I prefer napalm, but they also frown on that.
I've got about 30 acres in the same condition. How much do you have to move? Is it only trails you are concerned with?
Grapples seem to win high praise here and there are many threads.
What will you do with either setup AFTER your primary objective? Both setups are very useful but I'd get a grapple if I was going to be trying to clear up brush in the woods later on.
Also where is "LA" ? Lower Alabama? Louisiana? California?

LOL. Would not mind some napalm for the underbrush.

I guess that is what I am trying to figure out here. What is the best bang for the buck now and future with my first big add-on purchase for the new tractor. Should not be needing to clear up brush in the woods later on. Just maintaining/bush hogging/grading/discing a good trail system and about 18 food plots on 300 acres, 90 acres of which is now covered in pine debris from the loggers so riding on the golf carts and atv's is rather bumpy :jump: and a pain in the ***** on that section so I am wanting to get those roads back to the way they were before the loggers came in and left their mess.

Oh, and the only LA I know - Louisiana, like TX - Texas, MS - Mississippi, CA - California [Tongue-in-cheek]
Lower Ala...what...... We don't mention that state down here...... [football joke]

 

[Coyote machine]

If you post some pictures of a worst case section sample it might make it easier to recommend which tool would be most useful.

 

[jeff9366]

A Landscape Rake is not that good for debris clean up. A grapple is the optimal tool.

You may want to consider a Westendorf Brush Crusher: Attachments for Tractor: Brush Crusher

A $350 Ratchet Rake on the bucket is quite good, certainly better than a Landscape Rake on the Three Point Hitch.

 

[PapaPerk]

With that much land you may consider hiring a mulcher.... They really grind up and level the brush.

 

[aczlan]

With that much land you may consider hiring a mulcher.... They really grind up and level the brush.

Or picking up a 3 point mulcher such as:
Beaver Valley Supply Company - Baumalight Brush Mulchers
That will turn your wood pieces into woodchips.

Aaron Z

 

[newbury]

How much trail? What's the topography, flat? ravines? rolling hills?

I HAD to get something to clean up a half acre lot that the tenants had not maintained in 30 years.

Virginia creeper, poison ivy and brambles so thick I couldn't push thru them. Lots of saplings up to 3" in diameter. A few trees 10" plus.
I tried a machete.
I tried a Stihl FS250 w/ brush cutting attachment.
What I needed was a rotary cutter but I couldn't find a decent used one and new was going to be $1.5K.



This is one of many brush piles we made. We used a chainsaw on the 5 or 10 trees above 4".
For the rest I used pallet forks and chains.
And I bought a pair of clamp on pallet forks for < $300. I was able to dig in just below the surface and just lift everything up. Sometimes I'd hit a big root, back off and try again. Where we had cut down the bigger trees the pallet forks worked great. Sort of a "poor man's grapple" when you add a couple of chains around the bucket.

Plus I've used the pallet forks for loading and unloading a bunch of stuff on pallets

Like a couple of woodworking tools I bought in Northern Virginia and moved down to Mississippi.

If your topography allows pallet forks might get you 80% of the way there.

Leaving more tractor $$ for things like TNT (excellent for a box blade), rotary cutter, or rake.

Plus pallet forks are always handy when you have to move something on pallets.