Motor graders are used in several different industries, including construction, mining, landscaping, and road maintenance. In this Shop Talk Blog post, we’ll look at some of the many different uses for motor graders!

Overall Purpose

Basically, motor graders are used for moving and leveling soil and earth -- but so are some other types of equipment, such as bulldozers. One of the key things that sets graders apart is the precision with which they can accomplish this. More specifically, motor graders work very well for leveling, spreading, and cutting material. That description, however, covers quite a bit of ground (pun intended!).

Roads

Road construction and maintenance are the most common applications for motor graders, and what they were originally designed for. They are ideal for the maintenance of gravel and dirt roads, which includes scarifying and reshaping both for road quality and the promotion of drainage. They can also be used to mix materials for use on road surfaces.

By Marvin Nauman (This image is from the FEMA Photo Library.) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Motor graders are commonly used to create smooth dirt tracks in grasslands, scrublands, ranches, and farms. Graders are also used to create drainage ditches (usually V-shaped) alongside roads and to shape the banks of canals.

In addition to preparing a flat surface for roads, graders are also used to give a road cant or camber and to provide proper slope on curves. Graders are also used extensively in mining to prepare surfaces for mining equipment to drive on, both above ground and below ground.

Construction

Motor graders are used for land grading and creating inclined surfaces. Because of the precision that can be achieved, they are often used to set gravel foundation pads or native soil to finish grade for building construction.

Attachments

Graders make excellent snowplows! And for heavier snowfalls there are special blades that work extremely well with graders. 

Attachments such as rippers, scarifiers, snow wings, and a wide variety of mold boards make it possible to do even more with a grader. There are even custom blades for use with coal, wood chips, reclamation, and landfill use.

Conclusion

Graders are awesome machines who history goes back horse-drawn machines. With a skilled operator, a modern grader can accomplish a wide variety of tasks, some of which require incredible precision. And graders aren’t just limited to asphalt road preparation and maintenance!

Texas Final Drive is your partner in providing new or remanufactured final drive hydraulic motors from a single mini-excavator to a fleet of heavy equipment. Call today so we can find the right final drive or hydraulic component for you, or check out our online store to find your O.E.M. manufacturer brand motor now.