Need Advice on Smoothing Field

[Arc weld]

"Rather than tearing it up (which will most likely just move the ruts and bumps around), I would bring in top soil and use a drag to pull over the field to help level out the high/low spots."

I would go this route as well. I've done some landscaping and levelling with a skid steer and sod is about the worst stuff to work with. You can't scrape it off and level it. You either have to rototill it into powder or remove it completely. 1 little lump of sod can mess up your leveling. I'd get some decent top soil and use a non aggressive drag to level it. A diamond harrow upside down might work or even a piece of chain link fence with a tire or 2 on it. Back in the day people would pull an aluminum ladder around their yard to level the soil prior to seeding or sod.

 

[big bubba]

yes, nice field. lots of good advice here using equipment beyond my own experience. looks like a lot of work/time/expense, but if you're after a groomed look (& ride) guess it's the way to go. personally, i'd leave it alone & consider a zt w/suspension such as Ferris since you're on the market for one anyway.
i have wild (feral) hogs that seasonally tear up moist areas in my clearings so it's pointless for me to attempt the same as your project. i'll disc then drag say a cedar tree to finish.....you probably don't have feral hogs out your way thankfully.....good luck & keep the forum up w/your progress.

 

[Egon]

If you want a really smooth ride it's cultivation or adding dirt.

Cultivation will take a little time as the sod must dry out and be broken up. A roto tiller will work well for this. If multiple passes are made do them from different directions. It should also be finished of with an angled drag of some sort ( with solid front edge )of about ten feet or so and make passes in multiple directions. Diamond harrows also work.

 

[Creamer]

Just as a point of reference I have a 30" diameter x6.5' long roller that will hold about a ton of water and probably weighs almost 1000 #s itself. My 1710 is 28 hp pulls it fine even with diamond treads on the rear but I need to have the fronts engaged and keep my loader on to get up some of the slopes that I have which appear to be significantly more than what you have.

 

[LD1]

I pull our 2500# roller with a 4wd ATV or zeroturn mower. They dont really pull that hard.

Also pulled the 12' cultipacker with the 4-wheeler.

 

[Deere Dude]

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/360611-ploughing-compact-tractor.html

Here is a current thread of someone basically starting over with a field. If you don't have a bunch of large rocks I would consider this route to take. Cut the grass way down, plow, cultivate and then drag. Maybe an angled landplane might work ion conjunction with that. Then reseed.

 

[jeff9366]

There are all kinds of drags.

If you can spend $1,500 consider one of the long (7'-6"), heavy, framed, chain harrows from Wingfield:

7' 2" 3pt MaxiLift Harrow


The Maxi, MaxiLift, and Heavy-duty 3pt Harrow Models

All three of these models use our 7 1/2' long harrow mat, which is our longest harrow. This length is ideal for the larger operator because the ground can be covered and worked in a single pass.

The 3pt MaxiLift and Heavy-duty 3pt Harrow both have a single piece section which maintains more consistent ground contact and eliminates the possibility of unhooking during use.

The 3pt. MaxiLift is a fixed frame harrow - so no expandability. If you don't need a harrow on a frame that is over 12' 0" wide, then this is your model. The frame is lighter than the Heavy-duty 3pt Harrow frame, but is more than enough to handle harrows between 7' 2" and 12' 0" widths.

Width: 7' 2"
Length/Depth: 7' 5"
Weight: 416 lbs.
Frame Beams: 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" x 3/16" x 72" front beam, 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" x 1/8" x 72" rear beam
Frame Verticals: 1" x 2 1/2" x 1/8" x 72" beams
Hitch: Cat #1 and Cat #2, quick-hitch ready
Drawbar: 76" wide - 1 1/4" Schedule 80 drawbar pipe
Tine: Computer bent 1/2" diameter high-carbon, drawn spring steel tine
Number of tines: 102
Points of contact: 204

 

[jeff9366]

Since there are no obstructions why are you getting zero turn?

I suggest a wide, Three Point Hitch mounted, PTO powered, Finish Mower.

VIDEO: tractor finish mower - YouTube

 

[franklinute]

You have some nice turf. My advice would be not to destroy it. I had the
same problem as you several years ago. I rented a core type areator and
ran across my turf probably 10 times in different directions on a wet day.
I especially hit the high spots. Then used a fence type drag when the cores
dried out. I didn't have access to a roller but that would have helped a lot.
My remedy did fix the bad spots. I used the core areator one day. I think if
I had done this several times in a season I would have gotten even better
results.

 

[BoylermanCT]

A 3 point finish mower would work fine for my field but my other two acres of yard is made up of 6-7 small quarter to half acre sections, and a zero turn would be much faster for this half. Plus my tractor is heavy, around 4000 lbs, and leaves ruts in the lawn if the ground is wet.