Whooptido! What a difference gage wheels make.

[shooterdon]

I have been struggling trying to level my driveway for years. Bought a land plane but it would not not take out the hills and valleys. My little back blade and York rake were useless…or at least I could not get them to work.

My buddy and I went to an auction and there was an old 96” Woods grader blade with a gage wheel. We got it for $1600 after taxes. The wheel was flat but it has held air so far. The hydraulic hoses for the angle and offset cylinders were in bad shape. Got them replaced. The ratchet jack for the grade wheel was seized and got that replaced. We are splitting the cost and sharing this monster. We have just under $1850 into it. New, this is thing is over $5000.

Anyway, got to use it this week. The whooptidos are gone! It took 6 hours of experimenting and fiddling to get it done.

A good operator could have done the job without the gage wheel, and maybe a box blade would have worked.

I am very satisfied with this monster. I think it weighs about 800 lbs.

 

[jyoutz]

I have been struggling trying to level my driveway for years. Bought a land plane but it would not not take out the hills and valleys. My little back blade and York rake were useless…or at least I could not get them to work.

My buddy and I went to an auction and there was an old 96” Woods grader blade with a gage wheel. We got it for $1600 after taxes. The wheel was flat but it has held air so far. The hydraulic hoses for the angle and offset cylinders were in bad shape. Got them replaced. The ratchet jack for the grade wheel was seized and got that replaced. We are splitting the cost and sharing this monster. We have just under $1850 into it. New, this is thing is over $5000.

Anyway, got to use it this week. The whooptidos are gone! It took 6 hours of experimenting and fiddling to get it done.

A good operator could have done the job without the gage wheel, and maybe a box blade would have worked.

I am very satisfied with this monster. I think it weighs about 800 lbs.

A good heavy rear blade with tilt, angle, and offset adjustments can do wonders for road maintenance. But it is a learned skill. I’ve never used gauge wheels on my blade, but I’d like to give them a try.

 

[5030]

Considering how bad the roads are in Michigan, maybe you need to use it on the Interstate...lol

 

[stuckmotor]

I have been struggling trying to level my driveway for years. Bought a land plane but it would not not take out the hills and valleys. My little back blade and York rake were useless…or at least I could not get them to work.

My buddy and I went to an auction and there was an old 96” Woods grader blade with a gage wheel. We got it for $1600 after taxes. The wheel was flat but it has held air so far. The hydraulic hoses for the angle and offset cylinders were in bad shape. Got them replaced. The ratchet jack for the grade wheel was seized and got that replaced. We are splitting the cost and sharing this monster. We have just under $1850 into it. New, this is thing is over $5000.

Anyway, got to use it this week. The whooptidos are gone! It took 6 hours of experimenting and fiddling to get it done.

A good operator could have done the job without the gage wheel, and maybe a box blade would have worked.

I am very satisfied with this monster. I think it weighs about 800 lbs.

Got a photo?

 

[oosik]

I don't know about a good operator and gravel driveway whooptedoos.

I have a mile long gravel driveway and a HD Rhino rear blade. I have one section of whooptedoos - about 150 feet long. Trying to level this area with my rear blade - a project called "frustration".

I also have a hydraulic top link to add into the mix.

I bought a HD LPGS about five years ago. At least, now, the whoops are smooth as silk.

As long as I can keep them smooth - I really don't care if this section is "pool table" level.

BTW - I've had this driveway for 42+ years - along with the whoops.

 

[5030]

I have to say, that once we replaced the gravel driveway with asphalt millings, the whoops vanished and have never reappeared.

 

[BackRoad]

Love to see pictures of the implement!

I can always make room for another tool!

 

[shooterdon]

Got a photo?

Here you go:

 

[jyoutz]

Considering how bad the roads are in Michigan, maybe you need to use it on the Interstate...lol

Probably could say that about most states.

 

[jyoutz]

Here you go:


View attachment 876799

Really nice grader setup.

 

[stuckmotor]

Probably could say that about most states.

Over fifty years back a neighbor went north to visit his daughter. He came back talking about how bad the roads were up there compared to ours. This puzzled me because most northern states rank ahead of SC in many areas and I don't think our roads are to be bragged about. Some things I've read on TBN make me think the difference is caused by frost heave..

 

[stuckmotor]

Here you go:


View attachment 876799

Thanks. I like it!

 

[jyoutz]

Over fifty years back a neighbor went north to visit his daughter. He came back talking about how bad the roads were up there compared to ours. This puzzled me because most northern states rank ahead of SC in many areas and I don't think our roads are to be bragged about. Some things I've read on TBN make me think the difference is caused by frost heave..

Freeze and thaw and frost heaving. Water melts into road cracks and freezing heaves up the asphalt.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Here you go:


View attachment 876799

Thanks for the picture shooter. That's the real deal right there !!

gg

 

[oosik]

I lived in Alaska for 20+ years. You have no idea what frost heave really means until you have traveled these northern roads. One to two foot vertical displacement can be quite normal.

The ALCAN from Beaver Creek to Tok - I've driven it when there was three - yes, three - foot vertical displacement. The real question always was - how does the asphalt remain intact with this much displacement.

Talk about inadequate/poor preparation of a road bed - this is the ultimate example. I think they keep it this way - just as a tourist attraction.

 

[nyone]

One trick I use to get around having a blade or take with no gauge wheels is to just angle the blade or rake. This lengthens the plane at which the blade/rake cuts so it takes off the highs and fills in the lows. Yes your making windrows in the process and a non angled drag with the blade/rake is needed for a final pass.

 

[Cycledude]

You have a very nice setup ! My neighbor drives the grader for the township I live in so I stopped to visit and asked him if he could grade my driveway. I had a foot of new gravel dumped on it the year before and had graded it myself with a rear 3 point blade, it turned out pretty decent but it had a few dips I just couldn’t get completely rid of because of the short wheelbase and the rear mounted blade. The town grader has a much longer wheelbase and the blade is in the middle, took the very skilled operator about 15 minutes to get my driveway perfectly smooth, I would have been happy to pay but he said no charge happy to help you out a little !