3 point roller

[Manvito]

Does anybody have any experience with a three point hitch roller? I’m looking at buying a 5 foot roller that weighs 850 pounds when it’s full of water. Has anyone ever use one of these and does it work good on a gravel driveway or parking lot?The roller costs about $1600 so I’m a little leery of getting one. I’m also considering making one but I want to know if they work well.

 

[Teese]

I have a 48" (about 20" diam.) one I picked up for $80 that I used for my 1.25 acre lawn install. It's about 300# empty (heavy homemade framework) and I'm guessing 750# when full of water). Even with rounded ends (it was made from an LP gas tank), it still displaced a quantity of dirt in forced turns, so it's not good if lots of tight maneuvering is needed. Actually, I was a bit surprised it didn't compact fluffy rototilled soil even more than it did, and when the grass came in a bit clumpy, but the seed-soil contact it made was great. $1,600?

 

[D2Cat]

Might see if you can rent one somewhere to see how it does with out all that cost.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I have found that a three point or any tow roller will not do much for you on gravel or in a parking lot situation.
It didn't even work that well on my sand.

You need a vibratory roller to do that... I have one I'll sell you cheap...Oh wait I have 2 of them!

Or do like D2Cat say's and look at renting a roller and then a vibratory roller and see the difference.
Look in your local craigslist ads for a vibratory roller, you'll be much happier with the final results of that.

 

[Manvito]

I figured I would need a vibratory roller but I thought I’d ask and see if anyone had any luck with a plan one. I may just rent a vibratory roller until I feel like I need to buy one. Thank.

 

[Lil Foot]

I have had good results with my 60" wide, 920lb roller, packing my driveway fill & flattening dirt areas after digging & refilling. Not as good as a vibratory, but I don't have one of those.
What bothers me about this thread is the title of "3 point roller". I couldn't imagine attaching a 900+ lb roller to my 3 point hitch. The potential for bending or damaging the 3 point hitch seems pretty high. I hitch mine to the hitch/drawbar mounted under the diff housing, with either a 1" pin or 2" ball hitch. Occasionally I use my clamp-on fel bucket hitch so that I can see better & position it in tight spots.

 

[majorwager]

I have a 6 ft roller, w/ integral diamond shaped 3 inch flat plate steel spikes for aeration welded to the drum. Don't recall diameter, would need to measure. Mount is std 3 point. Never used on aggregate surface.

It works fine but I do not bother to roll pastures or lawn currently.
I aerate w/ a befco tiller using straight blades. Much more effective.



EDIT: I have used this roller on my little ford w/ no issues, perhaps kubotas lack some Chutzpah.