# Homemade Grader



## RuttedField (Apr 24, 2016)

One implement that many people would think would be perfect on a farm...including me until I got one...is a three point hitch grader blade. Oh what could be done with that!! Sadly as it turns out, not much, because attached as it is, when the tractor goes into a dip, the grader blade drives itself into the ground, yet when the tractor goes over a bump, the grader blade lifts off the ground. Constant up and down on the three point hitch control might help, and draft control on tractors so equipped also help, it is not the complete solution. That is because the length from grader blade to rear axle is not long enough. It kind of works good enough in tight areas, but for grading roadways, fields, and animal pens, on my farm at least, it just plain failed.

So out came ye olde welder!

I got a Wallenstein Log Trailer, and I thought if I extended the hitch and mounted my 3 point hitch grader blade exactly between the rear axle or the tractor and trailer, it would give me a super smooth surface. Adding to that, the trailers walking beam suspension would keep the blade flat to the ground since it would walk up and over any rocks that the blade kicked up. Granted I had some steel kicking around, so for $37 in bolts and welding rod, I managed to build a very decent grader that mimics the geometry of a true motor grader. The gooseneck had to be beefed up a bit to keep the I-Beam from twisting, but it was required because I needed the frame to be higher so I could lift my grader blade with the three point hitch alone. In the end it produces a very smooth surface on a nice flat plane. Here are a couple of photos in case anyone wants to mount theirs to a trailer of some sort.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Pretty handy! Lot more precise than the skid shoes I have behind my cutting edge.


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## NewBerlinBaler (May 30, 2011)

RuttedField has certainly pointed out the shortcomings of three-point grader blades. As the tractor goes over bumps & dips, the blade height follows. So in the forward direction, they're useless for leveling roads. I've found the only way to use a three-point blade is to turn it around and go in reverse. Then the tractor is rolling over already-leveled ground.

That custom-made grader looks well suited for long, straight jobs but won't help much in tight spaces.


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## Lewis Ranch (Jul 15, 2013)

I'll have to take a picture but we built a tailwheel on the back with hydraulic lift so it can't dig in.


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

Rut you made that cool trailer even cooler.


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## RuttedField (Apr 24, 2016)

IHCman said:


> Rut you made that cool trailer even cooler.


Oh I built a few more options for it too and am not done yet. I cannot remember if I posted a photo of the upside down wood splitter yet or not, but no more lifting wood at all.

Edit: I also fabricated a 3 point hitch/pto for my bulldozer. That is pretty handy too!


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## SCtrailrider (May 1, 2016)

WOW, me thinks ya might could use a rock picker also...LOL


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## azmike (Jan 4, 2015)

This started out as a push grader that we used for lead shot reclaiming on our skid steer. Changed it to a pull by reversing everything and added laser leveling control. The laser controls X and Y axis so you can set a grade in two directions at once.


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## azmike (Jan 4, 2015)

We have another 3 point attached leveler/road maintainer. It is an ancient truck frame with spoked split rim 20" wheels. It works really good but can't move much material, just fine for the tractors with less HP. Big worm gears on each side control blade pitch.

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## RuttedField (Apr 24, 2016)

I love all that stuff guys, but I love homemade equipment too.

A guy told me a long time ago, "Dairy farming is high tech, and high cash flow, Sheep farming is low tech and low cash flow". What he was saying was, my former area was dairy farming and there the workload is as such that a farmer can buy expensive equipment and justify it through paychecks every two weeks like clockwork, but sheep farming is NOT like that. I can't afford to buy equipment and stay in business, I must build whatever I can myself and get by. So that is what I do! I love this forum because I am not alone.

Great builds guys.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Years ago my grandpa turned a manure spreader into a grader. Much the same concept as Rut, but non removable. I believe it worked well.


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## MT hayer (Mar 1, 2014)

I am so glad to see some fabricators! Nothing better than a good Miller welder, rod, plasma cutter, grinders, and a pile of iron!
I sure like! Simple and it works. My Lord you have rocks!!
I have built and helped build all sorts of machines to level hay ground. I know I can make it better, so back to the shop!
My trouble is deciding if I should buy something and modify, or build from the ground up.


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