Crazy dumb idea, or brilliant

[docmirror]

I had a model D Allis grader and sold it. Now, I need a small util grader again. However, I happen to have a Ford 961 with a loader, and PS that's not doing anything and I have a free 10' moldboard.

So, I'm thinking of stretching the front out with some steel, using the hyd for the loader in a different articulation, and mount a triangle shaped moldboard frame below the belly.

It would come out something like the old Allis Speed Patrol but with hyd to control each side of the moldboard depth. The tractor runs well, and the cost of the rest of the materials would be under $1000. I haven't seen a small grader I can trailer recently under $10,000, so thinking of putting my 961 to work. I have an 860 with a loader and PS for moving dirt and other handy jobs.

Crazy, or brilliant?

This post was edited by docmirror on 12/18/2023 at 06:15 pm.

 

[super99]

I love it!! Go for it and show us the progress.

 

[jm.]

Have a small like 104 i think but basically same as the d Allis . It is a Gallion gas everything
works including power steering . Located in Tennessee $1500.00 but yes your tractor will work but
the problem is the power angel on the blade , cannot realize how important that is.

 

[TimV]

Close to 20 years ago I did the same with a Farmall Super C I owned at the time. Used an old snowplow cutter edge and some other scrap steel, ran stabilizing arms back to the drawbar and added lift arms to the center-mount hydraulic arms to allow for lifting the blade and also tilting it to put on a crown. Worked fine for maintaining a couple hundred yards of gravel driveway, as long as you didn't take too heavy of a cut, especially as I had very little but time invested.

 

[docmirror]

(quoted from post at 19:37:48 12/18/23) Have a small like 104 i think but basically same as the d Allis . It is a Gallion gas everything
works including power steering . Located in Tennessee $1500.00 but yes your tractor will work but
the problem is the power angel on the blade , cannot realize how important that is.

Are you selling it, or is that what you paid for it?

My old grader had adjustable bolt holes and bolt flange to change the blade angle.

 

[tomturkey]

necessity has always been catalyst for invention. Or you can go to Tenn and spend $$$, might be a fun road trip, but, might be more fun to build your
own. Sounds like you have a plan, it will take some time. good luck with your decision gobble

 

[caterpillar guy]

I think it would be easier to mount the blade to the 3pt with long legs sticking back welded to an axle then mount the blade about half way between the tractor and the axle. The 3pt would only need to have the lift arms connected and would lift the blade as needed and side tilt could be done with the cranks on the lift arms. a ring could be used for twist if wanted. I saw one of that style used as a land leveler in CO and have seen them used in other places since for similar jobs. Would save a major modification to a tractor so the tractor could still be used for other things.

 

[JF in MI]

I have the same thing (I think) in a Drott.

 

[Fixingfarmer]

You know when looking at all those old caterpillar road
graders I always though the triangle piece they rode on you
could make out of a gooseneck ball flipped upside down and
receiver welded to the triangle up front then its just 2
cylinders for the corners. The rotate Is a little more difficult
you kinda need that assembly or at least like a back blade
where you can hop off pull a pin and turn it.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

Crazy, or brilliant?
My vote, go for it.

 

[DoubleR]

It sounds like it would be a fun project and something to maybe be proud of afterwards.
Myself I would sell the tractor and make a road trip to Tennessee and hookup with jm, but
that's just me.

 

[DeltaRed]

Sounds like something I would do. Go for it!

 

[moresmoke]

If you want to do it to save money, you wont. If you want
to do it for the challenge and satisfaction, then get going.

There were small road graders build on just about every
farm tractor platform at one time. I dont think Ive ever
seen one on newer than a Fordson, but that doesnt mean
it wouldnt work.

I like creating things too. Got tired of looking backwards
when moving snow, have way too much invested in it, but
works slick and racked up 20 hrs last year. As of yet have
not needed at all this year, but I am ok with that.

 

[Blackhole49]

If your goal is a challenging project, go for it. If your goal is a functioning grader and your
tying to make one of these, as others have said, time to save some money and drive 750 miles to
Dover TN.

 

[Jimmydog]

So I'm guessing you want something that stays on the tractor all the time? My neighbor has a big flat piece of steel with attachment points that fit the same as the bucket on the FEL. It's on a Farmall 450 and when he needs to do any grading, he just swaps them out. Works pretty good for him.

 

[38 Sears Roebuck]

That'll git'er done. I like that set up.

 

[docmirror]

(quoted from post at 11:21:10 12/19/23) So I'm guessing you want something that stays on the tractor all the time? My neighbor has a big flat piece of steel with attachment points that fit the same as the bucket on the FEL. It's on a Farmall 450 and when he needs to do any grading, he just swaps them out. Works pretty good for him.

Well, the deal with a grader is the blade needs to be between the axles to perform the job of grading smooth. I've been looking more at the front of the 961, and how I'm going to mount the big steel extensions, and it's not like the Farmall, or Allis grader extensions. The 961 front end is going to be a bit more complex to stretch out 6 or so feet.

Still looking at this and wondering if it'll do me ok. I also have to find a balance point under the thing so the pressure point is good for both traction and steering, as no leaning wheels. I'll have to give this some more thought. The hyd connections will be the easy part, and the blade tilt won't be too hard but any kind of blade angle might be a challenge unless I can find one of those rotary slider things from an old small grader to put in.

 

[moresmoke]

If your primary used would be grading a driveway, being
able to change the blade angle wouldnt really be
necessary. You can turn around and work from the other
direction.

Spent many hours running a dozer with a manual angle
blade. Only changed the direction when absolutely
needed. Lazy operator.

 

[caterpillar guy]

It is not the weight so much as the blade angle forward or backward that will help with the cutting. No If you were to mount it at the rear an old truck axle would help with your weight as well as be plenty heavy to carry it on then just run your frame back about 6or so feet more would probably be a bit better. You could lift it by the truck axle or the 3pt whichever you decided. As for the swivel with a couple cylinders mounted to the blade and to the frame rotate on a fifth wheel with the pin hanging down to hold it. Not a gooseneck ball but a regular 5thwheel.

 

[wrenchere85]

Here in Michigan alot of the county dump trucks have a under mounted grader blade along with a front mounted plow. when
they sell them they keep the front plow. Most people that buy the used county trucks take off and scrap the grader blade
because they don't want it and just adds weight. Might be a source of a fully adjustable blade setup.