Gauge wheels useful?

[Gumby]

I?ve got a 7 ft Woods brand rear blade, heavy duty type. It?s ok for moving dirt and gravel, but virtually impossible to really grade surfaces uniformly without the blade digging in constantly. I?m thinking about investing in a gauge wheel set up sold by Woods for this specific blade. Anybody out there with experience using gauge wheels on rear blades? Will it do a decent job of more even grading (like the edges of my gravel driveway)?

 

[fastfarmall]

I am sure it would help, once the leading edge starts digging in, all slack in 3 point, tighten's up, and adds to the leading edge digging in. The new style have the wheels behind the blade and attache's to the drawbar!

 

[Janicholson]

A pair of them at 1/4 and 3/4 work like a real grader. One alone is 300% better than none. Jim

 

[showcrop]

They are not "useful" for grading a driveway, they are necessary. I used to borrow a York rake with a pair of gauge wheels. They make a big difference .

 

[Leroy]

Wish I would have had some on my rear blade. Would keep from making high and low spots when front ene either hits a high spot or low spot. High spot blade would want to go deeper and low raise blade abouve what you are trying ti grade. Years ago Ford on Dearborn blade had a single guage wheel in back of blade about 4' if I rember correctly. Only ever saw one at a show.

 

[paul]

I?m sure they would help.

To eliminate the washboard effect without gauge wheels just angle the blade, move the gravel sideways a bit and back again on the return trip. No more washboard. Well, you know, a lot less washboard.....

 

[showcrop]

(quoted from post at 01:14:24 03/28/20) I?m sure they would help.

To eliminate the washboard effect without gauge wheels just angle the blade, move the gravel sideways a bit and back again on the return trip. No more washboard. Well, you know, a lot less washboard.....

Paul, in order to actually remove the potholes you need to srape deep enough to get to the bottom of them. This can be done with some extra weight on the blade if it is strong enough and angling it as far as it will go. The key is to prevent potholes by keeping a good crown on the surface. If the rain water runs off there is no splashing.

 

[MARK ROBKE]

We had an 8n Ford with a Dearborn rear blade that had a tail (gauge) wheel on it. We used it a lot. There was a crank you reach easily from the tractor seat and it raised or lowered the wheel. We used to finish (level and grade) and seed a lot of yards-several hundred at least. I think we replaced the tail wheel 3 times-we used it that much. But it would catch the dirt from the high places and drop it in the low places, making everything level. When ever I do my driveway now I miss it! Mark