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Proper way to level ground
A box scraper 'properly used' should do the trick. As a relatively new box scraper user I can say that, 'properly used' is easier said than done. However, at worst, the box scrapper is still better than the loader. Even so, I still tend to use the back of the loader blade in float for smoothing. It also works reasonable well for doing small grading tasks, especially if loose soil is around.
To use a box scraper for smoothing, the top link is lengthened enough so the blade doesn't bite. A hydraulic top link makes frequent adjustments on the scraper easy, and frequent adjustments are required to use a scraper well. To use a scraper for filling, it's easiest to use the rear blade like a dozer to cut high spots into low ones. The box then is better able to level.
The problem that scrapers have for leveling rough ground is that: If the 3ph is held in position control, every sizable dip and rise the wheels go over is duplicated by the blade. On the other hand, the 3ph is floated, the blade just duplicates holes and rises that are wider than the blade.
Grading seems to be something of an art. Just takes awhile to get command of the tool and an eye for the job. A box scraper is probably still the best tool unless the tractor budget is unlimited. I don't get bad results, but I am waiting for my command and my eye.
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Proper way to level ground
There may not be an accessory called a hydraulic top link. It's just a cylinder, hoses and connectors of particular specs that can be ordered from anyplace that handles hydraulic parts.
I believe it's important for the cylinder to be heavy duty and the right length and travel for the hitch. I seem to recall a discussion, on tractorbynet maybe, where specs for a hydraulic top link were discussed. The archives could be searched. However, it might be easier to let a dealer rig up something.
My hydraulic top link came as part of my 3ph pallet forks. It's a fairly short heavy-duty double action cylinder. I think the cylinder diameter is 2.5", but could be 3". Its loops are for Cat2 sized hitch pins, and I have sleeves to accommodate my smaller Cat 1 pins. The hoses are extra long, because I hook them on the loader bucket curl valve when the rear hydraulics are used for the pallet forks.
I'll probably add a section to the spooling valves so I don't have to swap hoses if I need the bucket curl. Most of the time I'm using the forks, I have ballast in the loader, and I don't need the bucket curl anyway. However, it would be good to be able to go back and forth between forks and loader without swapping hoses.
The link is very useful with blades and scrapers, and I probably will find it convenient with a snow blower. I don't use it with my backhoe. The possibility of the thing changing with me in the hoe seat doesn't seem like a good idea.
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Proper way to level ground
Just a note about box scraper use: I used the scraper with the hydraulic top link for the first time several days ago. Between the link and the lift, I was able to do some decent grading without getting off the tractor except to change the lower link level. If I was doing a bunch of this type work, a hydraulic lower link leveler might be good, except I can see myself ending up with a tractor festooned with hydraulic hose.
I was building up a previously graded pad for a mobile with gravel. The job was mostly dragging material around, so I wasn't using the link much to adjust between cutting and spreading. Even so, I made several dozen adjustments. The link makes a big difference. For example, the best tilts for dragging material and for dozing with the rear cutter are different. Without the hydraulic link, I probably would have set a tilt that sort of worked for each, rather than getting off the tractor to change the tilt.
I even found that the scraper does a better job of smoothing than the back of a loader bucket. With the link fully extended, the scraper can be floated on the back of its rear cutter. I'm not sure a standard link would extend far enough for that trick. A lot of the way a scraper behaves seems to depend on whether the surface is packed enough so the side plates will float. Of course, they just sank in the newly spread gravel, so I had to use position control most of the time.
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