Little help with what to use

[KydKyaj]

Hi, first time poster. I own 60 acres, currently clearing about 5 for my home site. About 6 years ago all the land was cleared but my ravine. The big trucks, dozers and tractors left ruts all over my property making it hard to use my bush hog effectively. Every time i go over a little hump my rear tires set down in it and my bush hog wants to bottom out. So the entire time im sitting there trying to raise/lower it back and forth. Is there a better implement for super ungraded land? I have almost cleared all the 2 inch trees and its mostly just briars and little brush. Just so no one has to ask, yes this is my first tractor, my first plot of land, and my first time doing most of this, but im all in.

 

[bcp]

Welcome to TBN.

I'm thinking that if it is both rough and small brushy, the brush will interfere with most bladed implements. My first thought is to use a disk for the first "attack." That will get rid of some of the brush and also smooth out the land a little bit. Then bladed implements can be used. Or a long, heavy beam back and forth.

Pictures might help a lot.

Bruce

 

[jaxs]

Your L4400 will do the job with a 4' box blade but if you can borrow a larger tractor and 6' box blade it'll be faster. To pull blade with rippers extended,tractor need's ag tires. If you need to change grade,have dirt hualed in,if not,you can drag enough soil from high spots to fill the ruts. Be carful with brush hogging saplings,the stubs(stumps) can puncture tires. Best of luck with your new place.

 

[Thomas]

First off :welcome: to TBN.
If you have the funds rent/hire dozer clear stumps rocks than back drag,land rake for the finishing touches.

 

[KydKyaj]

wow, fast replies, and really helpful. Thanks for the warm welcome and advice! When i get a little time ill take pictures, never think to bring my camera, and i never picked up a smartphone. As far as a disc would go, would the little stumps around cause issues with that?

 

[WVH1977]

What are you considering little stumps? 2 inches, 4 inches, or more?

 

[Grandad4]

If you've taken all the 2" stumps off at/near the ground, a disc should do a nice job of opening up the ground so you could level it to a more even condition with a rear blade. Box blades are fairly inexpensive but a land plane or even a rear scraper blade would also work. Contrary to an earlier comment, your L4400 is large and powerful enough for a 72" blade, even if you have R4 tires.

The more you can open up the soil with a disc, the easier it will be to even out the humps and ruts, but this is not a quick project. If you don't have access to a disc, the rippers on a box blade can also open up the ground so you can do this work, but it would probably be slower than a disc.

You don't want to start with the ground too wet, but it's definitely a springtime project... don't wait until hot weather dries out the ground so it's hard as concrete.

 

[BrokenTrack]

I am super cheap, so I would first start by dumbing-down the ruts as much as possible. A great way to do that is to just buy some cable and drag a log sideways over the area. That works good because the log does not "catch" on anything, but rather slides and rides over stuff, yet knocks down the high spots. After a few passes it should really make a big difference, but attack the area from different approach angles. In this case the log does not have to be that long, but heavier is always better.

After that, you can determine if the log is working enough to keep going and get it super smooth, or get a disc in there and loosen the soil more if it is not. Again dragging the log over the area again after discing it, will further get it smooth.

This is me rejuvenating a field, so I am using a long, heavy log, but you can see what I am referring to. Just do the same thing with an 8 foot log or so. All you will have in it is the cost of the cable and some cable clamps.

 

[KydKyaj]

the little stumps are anything from the little spikes at one inch up to about 4 inches, but thats much more rare. Theres a few big ones out there i just avoid at the moment, but their slowly rotting away after it being a good few years. I like the log idea, im about as frugal as they come. Ill look into discs in the area and see if anyone has one up for sale. Again, thanks for the help, this has been really helpful.

 

[oosik]

Even if you are able to find a disk harrow to use - I would first use a log like Broken Track pictured in post #8. I've found that my disk harrow works a world better if the sod is drug and busted with something first. If the disk harrow can make just a couple inches of penetration - you can go over and over the rough spots and finally obtain a smooth area. In my location - using the disk harrow first requires a really large, heavy unit to get penetration.

 

[KydKyaj]

thanks, luckily i have a few trees im looking at cutting down near my ravine. What sort of line would you all suggest for the log? Last thing i want is for the line to snap and "Final Destination" myself with a whipping steel wire.

 

[MESSMAKER]

A good cutting disl harrow and a box blade on the tough stuff.

 

[FMCLAIN]

I would not use a cable because of whipping action use a chain it will not whip like a cable or rope.

 

[fried1765]

I am super cheap, so I would first start by dumbing-down the ruts as much as possible. A great way to do that is to just buy some cable and drag a log sideways over the area. That works good because the log does not "catch" on anything, but rather slides and rides over stuff, yet knocks down the high spots. After a few passes it should really make a big difference, but attack the area from different approach angles. In this case the log does not have to be that long, but heavier is always better.

After that, you can determine if the log is working enough to keep going and get it super smooth, or get a disc in there and loosen the soil more if it is not. Again dragging the log over the area again after discing it, will further get it smooth.

This is me rejuvenating a field, so I am using a long, heavy log, but you can see what I am referring to. Just do the same thing with an 8 foot log or so. All you will have in it is the cost of the cable and some cable clamps.

Damm good idea !!
Chain probably would be safer.

 

[KydKyaj]

yeah, i dont know much about cable and what it can handle, im a bit more versed with chain. Helps that i got alot of tow chain laying around. Excited to start on this idea.