Grading A Road With Water Bars

[Deerherd]

Start at the top of the hill and work down, building as you go. A box blade works pretty good for making them. Open top culverts work better and are easier to maintain but are much more labor intensive to build.

 

[1bush2hog]

Thanks for all the great replies! That video contains some good info too! I do have mostly rolling dips, but had to use water bars in some of the steeper areas where we didn't have enough room to put in the dips. I have a feeling at a minimum, a TNT and grader is going to be on my priority list, although it sure would be nice to have one of those road graders Anyone using one of the Roadrunner Graders? They are about twice as heavy as the LP GS2584, and about 10% more expensive.

 

[1bush2hog]

My first thought is for a rear blade with gauge wheel(s), and easy it over the bars without cutting. Never used one, though.

Center wheel(s) on frame:
View attachment 336191

or two wheels on the blade:
View attachment 336192

The Bush Hog blade parts manual shows several "tailwheels" that could be copied or bought.
http://www.bushhog.com/images/stories/documents/manuals/rearmtdbladesparts.pdf

Bruce

Thanks for the link Bruce - I'll check pricing on those Hydraulics from BH. That sure would save me some time getting on and off the tractor to adjust the blade angle

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Thanks for all the great replies! That video contains some good info too! I do have mostly rolling dips, but had to use water bars in some of the steeper areas where we didn't have enough room to put in the dips. I have a feeling at a minimum, a TNT and grader is going to be on my priority list, although it sure would be nice to have one of those road graders Anyone using one of the Roadrunner Graders? They are about twice as heavy as the LP GS2584, and about 10% more expensive.

Yes they are heavier than the Land Pride units. But if you look at a few others you will find several heavy units that are available.

GradeMaster Grader Blades

Home | Road Boss Grader I know that these typically run about 200lbs per foot width.

 

[1bush2hog]

Thanks for the addl. links Brian. I will be in touch with you soon on a TNT kit, as soon as I figure out what I will need.

 

[Ford850]

Have you seen the DoMor blades? The first link is to the company's site where you can find a lot of variety for graders. They have some great features and I didn't know so much was available. I like the hydraulic back gate and teeth to get the function of a BB along with the grader. The second link has some pictures of a HA series blade in use.
HA Series Grader - DoMor Equipment
Photos of 2013 Other HA-96 Box Blade Scraper For Sale » Wellington Implement, OH

 

[hawkeye08]

Those water bars you mention are called Kelly bumps around here by the old timers. I think I would be looking at used road graders to maintain that much road..

 

[oosik]

Hmmmm - learned something today, water bars. My first though was a road grader also; especially when the OP indicated "many miles of road" & "didn't want to spend any more time than he had to on road maintenance". Its going to be difficult to maintain many miles of road with a utility tractor and any kind of implement(s) and not spend a lot of time on maintenance. I have a mile long driveway and I sure get A LOT of seat time doing maintenance. And by the very nature of the beast - roads in the mountains are going to require more maintenance.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I just sold a top link to the Good Year Proving grounds in Texas to use on their JD 7810. (Big tractor, 180hp I think). Anyway, they have 25 miles of roads that they maintain on 7000 acres. The guy says that the tractor runs 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. They use a Road Boss to do all of the light maintenance and have 3 motor graders that get used for things that get seriously messed up.