Best tool for tire ruts

[To20Chris]

Well, it is the mud season here in PA, made worse since it almost never stopped raining last year. Some are from trucks, and plenty are from me with the new tractor /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif. Now I'm trying to decide the best tool for erasing them. I've got a Kioti LK3054 w/ FEL & BH. I also have a....whatchamacallit. I'll have to take a picture of it this weekend, but it was given to me by a relative who called it a chisel. It has a large diameter horizontal tube with 5 vertical flat blates (with shear bolts). It's similar to a box blade without the box, but the blades are fixed and not curved. It works very well for breaking up the ground.

I had planned to wait until it dried out a bit, then break it up with the whatchamacallit. Then maybe drag it back with the loader blade. At fisrt I wondered if I should get a rake or rear blade, but now I wonder if that would really help all that much. I don't plan on making a career out of fixing tire ruts, so if I have to do a bit more hand work, I'll take that over buying something new. I also have an old Gravely with a tiller and rotary plow that might be helpful. Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks! Chris

 

[tc35dforme]

Boxblade and Hydraulic Top Link...I was a non-believer until I went ahead and purchased them. A little pratice, some good grade crushed stone, and what a job you'll do.

My wife has been known to hit 50 MPH on our drive /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Now to research banked corners !!

 

[To20Chris]

Thanks tc35dforme, but I realized I forgot to say that the ruts are in my field, not on the lane (that needs help too, but one thing at a time!). So I want to smooth it out and re-plant the grass.

 

[tc35dforme]

OOOPs...that a bit different....

I guess a disc and maybe a landscape rake may be better, but if you don't have many rocks /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif you may also find a boxblade is good. All you need is some loose soil ( scarifiers ) and you'll be amazed at what you can do.

Even though I sound like one, I'm not a boxblade salesman...they're just pretty versatile for grading tasks.

 

[KiotiJohn]

Chris, it would be slow going, but I would just back blade with the loader bucket cutting edge. With a little practice you'll see just how to angle it to pull dirt from one spot into the ruts. I've done it that way until I realized the boxblade worked better for me. Either that, or just slice you up some dirt from another spot with the loader and drop it in. John

 

[JJT]

Tiller and a rake

 

[tawilson]

Backblading with the bucket is good if it's still muddy too. You can erase your own tire tracks as you are backing out.

 

[greg_g]

take it from a guy with a lot of pasture, all your tidying up this year will disappear under new ruts next year unless you firm up the ground. The cost of a few loads of gravel is minimal, compared to the time invested in smoothing over old ground. The cost of gravel is even smaller, if buying new implements will be required for this project. Grass grows through gravel just fine, and at the same will cover a nice firm bed when you drive over it next winter.

If you get "off the beaten track" occasionally, and have individual ruts to smooth - a flexible chain link harrow dragged over the top a few times usually does the trick for me.

//greg//

 

[theboman]

After messing with my brand new 2 year old never used box blade for an hour or so, I am now officially a box blade expert. USE it for everything!! I'm impressed.

On the expert thing, well that may just be a bit much... But they are one powerful tool.