Clearing Brush with Gladiator?

[ShastaJT6]

Have a potentially ridiculous question for those of you with more experience in the sticks.

Ive got a piece of property that I want to do some development on, and there are large areas of brush Id like to clear. Any trees, bushes, etc I would dig up and pull out, but for the large areas covered in weeds and general vegetation, Ive been looking at my options. Long term goal is to clear a spot, then set up a foundation and a barn / shed.

Obviously, there are the more conventional options - Hand tools, rent a bobcat, etc, but I have a bad habit of being creative.

Id like to know if anyone has any thoughts on using a generic snow plow attachment like this to clear land:
https://www.acehardware.com/departm...3PzZuqoqShysYfPVN5waAiVHEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Obviously would need some sort of a mount setup, but yea, rattling around some ideas and looking for feedback.

Edit: Also found this, looks pretty cool. They already have a hitch mount setup with adjustable height. Could get this blade and the hitch mount for ~$350, lot cheaper than some of the front snow plow options.

https://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/guide-gear-60-blade-with-box-ends?a=2144474
https://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/guide-gear-implement-lift-system?a=2144468

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[CerOf]

Those are box blades. They are for light duty smoothing of an already built road.

they will NOT work for raw land.

they make heavier duty ones, called motor graders. LOL

Plowing snow is entirely different than dirt/land.

 

[ShastaJT6]

Those are box blades. They are for light duty smoothing of an already built road.

they will NOT work for raw land.

they make heavier duty ones, called motor graders. LOL

Plowing snow is entirely different than dirt/land.

Sweet, thank you. This helps. Ill do some searching for Motor Graders / Road Graders designed for use with a UTV / 2 inch receiver.

 

[CerOf]

Lol, this is a motor grader:

You can’t buy anything for a UTV 2” receiver that will clear land.

 

[ShastaJT6]

Lol, this is a motor grader:

You can’t buy anything for a UTV 2” receiver that will clear land.

Yeaaaaaa may be time to reach out to a professional hahaha.

Thanks man.

 

[IamAlan]

Go to Home Depot and rent a Bush Hog.

 

[CerOf]

This is what you likely want to start with:

 

[CerOf]

Go to Home Depot and rent a Bush Hog.

Haha, 2/3rds acre in an hour. That’s pretty optimistic. I’ve done a bit of land clearing. I’ll pay someone else these days.

 

[IamAlan]

... I’ve done a bit of land clearing. I’ll pay someone else these days.

Amen to that!

 

[Radio Guy]

Many years ago visiting a friends cabin in the CA desert we found a "brush buster" that was used to make roads around the property. It was an old railroad tie about 8ft long with a steel cable attachment to a trailer hitch so the railroad tie would drag sideways behind a vehicle. Then about 10ft of chain link fence as wide as the railroad tie was attached to the tie. The owner would stack lots of big rocks and boulders on the chain line fence and I heard his kids would also stand on the railroad tie with ropes to hold onto then they would drag this thing behind a vehicle to make a road. It worked great. A friend hooked up to it and blazed about an acre of land perfectly flat with it in no time.

 

[CerOf]

Many years ago visiting a friends cabin in the CA desert we found a "brush buster" that was used to make roads around the property. It was an old railroad tie about 8ft long with a steel cable attachment to a trailer hitch so the railroad tie would drag sideways behind a vehicle. Then about 10ft of chain link fence as wide as the railroad tie was attached to the tie. The owner would stack lots of big rocks and boulders on the chain line fence and I heard his kids would also stand on the railroad tie with ropes to hold onto then they would drag this thing behind a vehicle to make a road. It worked great. A friend hooked up to it and blazed about an acre of land perfectly flat with it in no time.

Now that sounds awesome!

You get the weight you need pressing down. That could work.

I do note you said California desert; that would make it a bit easier.

We used a chainsaw on about 40 trees. Stump grinder for the stumps.
Then came through with the bobcat forestry mulcher. Took a week or so.

 

[ACAD_Cowboy]

You could build a steel drag quickly and cheaply, drag some chain link behind it and have a grand time.

Or you use the right equipment and be done quick and easy with no truck carnage.

Yes I've used my snow blade to doze dirt,no its not as effective as a dozer or even a skid steer with a dirt blade.

Depending on bow much over growth you have I'd look at a skid steer with a mulcher head, think weaponized wood chipper. Mulch it all down to dirt then push the dirt around to vet the slope you need. Use the right tools, your jeep will thank you.

 

[LaterGator]

I have found that clearing land by hand is slow and laborious. If you have all day for days on end you can get it done.

For the rest of us that have paying jobs, it's more effective to hire someone with the right equipment. A guy on a bobcat can clear brush very quickly and pile it for burning. The same bobcat with a mulcher can make chips out of brush and trees as large as 8" in no time at all.

Using your JT as a tractor/dozer is a bad idea because it won't work very well without extensive modifications.

 

[Gladman]

Imagine farming 200 and 100 years ago.
Bloody hard work even with horses and mules.

 

[Renoraines]

I don’t know your terrain. But out here it’s a laughable idea.

We have mesquite with runners and hard pack caliche.

I have a little background in construction and a whole lot In redneck engineering. Unfortunately I’ve learned to not give blanket advice in either.

talk to some farmers/ranchers in the area. I’m sure you can find a few who’ve cleared the same terrain and can give better feedback.

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