# Yard guard/gravel guard/sod pipe



## jsc824

I searched this site high and low for ways to plow my gravel driveway without moving all the crushed stone. I found all the posts here about the 2" pipe and figured I would give it a try. At first I was skeptical so I bought a $4 piece of sch. 40 PVC slit it with the table saw and gave it a try. That worked great for about 20 feet as I suspected and it shattered to pieces. No biggie I proved it worked and was only out four dollars. 

Bought an iron pipe 2 " in diameter and some flat stock. Using an angle grinder cut a 5/8 slot for the edge to sit in. I set the blade on top of the pipe marked it with soapstone and began cutting. Supprisingly it fit on the first try. Lined up the flat stock and tacked them in place. Pulled the pipe and welded the stock onto the ends and drilled holes so I can easily take it on and off. 

Works great. I even tried it over a grassy area i didnt care much about and not a spec of dirt or grass was moved.

If any of you are plowing gravel and haven't tried this it's worth the effort. Plow shoes are never going on again. Thanks to all on here that shared the idea.


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## Blast Chamber

I concur. I also used the pipe idea from this site while rebuilding my Trackless plow. I extended the plow from it's original 5-feet to it's current 8.5-feet. I bolted a black iron pipe to the bottom edge as all of my parking lots are gravel. It works pretty well and doesn't dig in unless I use too much down pressure. Many thanks to those who blazed this trail for us.


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## magik235

I plow an 800+ foot sloped gravel driveway and the associated ditch area. After plowing it for 25 years, nothing has improved my plowing as much as the 2" pipe yard guard.








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## meborder

i'm excited to give mine a try .... got the pipe, just need to slot it and weld on tabs.

so in other words, i got a lot of work to do


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## jsc824

It really didn't take to long. If your cutting with a angle grinder make sure you buy good disks. I bought some at ace that were garbage. Only got about 8" on each disk. Changed to dewalt and got about 4-5 ft off those.


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## edgeair

So this looks like a great idea if all you are doing is gravel, but do any of you switch between gravel and hard surface, and if so, what do you use for quick attachment and removal of the pipe?


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## jsc824

I do both. I welded tabs on the ends of the pipe that go up and bolt through the outside rib of the plow. 2 bolts and it's off ready to plow pavement.


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## johnnysnok

jsc824;1422485 said:


> I searched this site high and low for ways to plow my gravel driveway without moving all the crushed stone. I found all the posts here about the 2" pipe and figured I would give it a try. At first I was skeptical so I bought a $4 piece of sch. 40 PVC slit it with the table saw and gave it a try. That worked great for about 20 feet as I suspected and it shattered to pieces. No biggie I proved it worked and was only out four dollars.
> 
> Bought an iron pipe 2 " in diameter and some flat stock. Using an angle grinder cut a 5/8 slot for the edge to sit in. I set the blade on top of the pipe marked it with soapstone and began cutting. Supprisingly it fit on the first try. Lined up the flat stock and tacked them in place. Pulled the pipe and welded the stock onto the ends and drilled holes so I can easily take it on and off.
> 
> Works great. I even tried it over a grassy area i didnt care much about and not a spec of dirt or grass was moved.
> 
> If any of you are plowing gravel and haven't tried this it's worth the effort. Plow shoes are never going on again. Thanks to all on here that shared the idea.


Can you share some pictures of your project?


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## jsc824

I don't have any right now I could get some later. I basically copied x.systems idea. I welded 2" flat stock on the ends of the pipe going up to the ribs on the back of the plow.


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## leolkfrm

Going to make one to try....but wondering why 2"? is it a magic # or will 2 1/2 work?....going shopping at the scrap yard and may not find the exact size


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## Rc2505

2.5 inch pipe will work just fine. Most guys just use 2 inch because they buy new pipe. (no rust to deal with) 2 inch pipe would be about the minium size I would suspect.


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## woodsman

This is my setup solid bar stock welded to a flat stock and bolted on. I only do gravel so its works so well i cried .


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## woodsman




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## Canplow

Seems like they wont scrape down to surface and float over snow leaving a thick layer of snow !


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## leolkfrm

you normally would try and leave a layer on stone and soft ground so you don't dig it up...the idea is to do it as easy as poss with little damage....then drop it off for hard surfaces to scrape...with my 8 ft blower i usually end up with about an inch base then shave it with a loader....now i want to do it with a blade to i can hit it quick on the way to my plowing job!

found schedule 80 2" for $120 21' long....have to take the whole piece!....going to order it tom, it will give me extra to fit the blower and loader bucket


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## woodsman

Canplow;1428993 said:


> Seems like they wont scrape down to surface and float over snow leaving a thick layer of snow !


I have no problem getting it right down to the gravel...................


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## meborder

how well do the work for back-dragging with a plow?

just wondering if they might help keep the plow from floating up when you try to drag away from a building.

oh, and i paid 50 bucks for 8 foot ... so you got a little better deal than i did


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## Canplow

Just wondering I use no shoes and it scrapes great doesn't dig in and back drags good! I have a Arctic 8' poly and it sits almost at 90 well say 85 degrees so never thought about it. Are they really that easy on easy off? I would think you would need some tools and time!


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## leolkfrm

meborder;1430936 said:


> how well do the work for back-dragging with a plow?
> 
> just wondering if they might help keep the plow from floating up when you try to drag away from a building.
> 
> oh, and i paid 50 bucks for 8 foot ... so you got a little better deal than i did


if you are on hard surface i doubt it....the idea is to get more flotation over a loose surface..this is sched 80 not 40 like the household home depot stuff!


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## leolkfrm

Canplow;1431051 said:


> Just wondering I use no shoes and it scrapes great doesn't dig in and back drags good! I have a Arctic 8' poly and it sits almost at 90 well say 85 degrees so never thought about it. Are they really that easy on easy off? I would think you would need some tools and time!


how did you get your gravel surface so hard? i have to be careful even on rolled millings!


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## jsc824

The pipe makes back dragging worse. It floats over the snow. I you want to be able to backdrag with the pipe you'll have to fabricate a hinged backdrag edge. The pipe scrapes okay on hard surface but not as good as just the cutting edge. This is designed to leave about 1/4 inch or so of snow on top of the gravel which turns to hard pack. Once this is accomplished I remove the pipe and plow like you would on pavement without digging up all the gravel. As far a removal mine requires two wrenches and maybe 5 minutes top. For me the five minutes is well worth it in comparison to the price to replace gravel every spring not to mention the three days of raking gravel out of my lawn. I just leave the tools in the truck door so there ready when needed.


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## meborder

any pics of a hinged back drag edge?

i assume it hinges at the top and binds on the pipe at a reverse angle for back dragging. then floats away from the pipe when going forward?


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## Canplow

jsc824;1431269 said:


> The pipe makes back dragging worse. It floats over the snow. I you want to be able to backdrag with the pipe you'll have to fabricate a hinged backdrag edge. The pipe scrapes okay on hard surface but not as good as just the cutting edge. This is designed to leave about 1/4 inch or so of snow on top of the gravel which turns to hard pack. Once this is accomplished I remove the pipe and plow like you would on pavement without digging up all the gravel. As far a removal mine requires two wrenches and maybe 5 minutes top. For me the five minutes is well worth it in comparison to the price to replace gravel every spring not to mention the three days of raking gravel out of my lawn. I just leave the tools in the truck door so there ready when needed.


I plow a gravel lot and keep blade angled to wind row it usually it frozen and pretty hard and in the contract the condo corp is responsable for for replacing gravel and damages to the lot! I could see it saving work on your own driveway!


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## Canplow

leolkfrm;1431202 said:


> how did you get your gravel surface so hard? i have to be careful even on rolled millings!


I only plow when we get snow that means frozen ground and it doesnt get salted so it stays hard its not scarified so there isnt a hole lot of loose gravel and the blade sits pretty vertical so scrapes good no digging!


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## golden arches

*Gravel & Grass Saver*

I had one on my old Hiniker C plow. 8 ft solid pipe, with braces welded to link with the down braces. Used hitch pins to hold in place. Just had to pop off the pins and it dropped off well. Since the C plow had the backblade on the top, never had to use to backblade, but it came off easily for solid surface.

I did plow with it on solid surfaces when I was too lazy to pull it off. Wore some on the edges from blade angle, but lasted the 8 years I had it.

Saved a lot of complaints on residentials and gravel parking lots.

New V plow doesn't lend itself well to the idea of adding a Gravel/Grass saver. My biggest complainer was and is my wife. Go figure.


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## Northman

Cool thread bump up. Wish I had info like this 20 years ago.


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## Northwind

Just put one on my Boss and had one on my old Blizzard. I take mine off too when a mat is built up a few inches. I had mine cut with a torch and then welded 4 tabs on.


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## jamesgang8

I am new to this site and to plowing snowing and to our new 1600" + or - gravel access road. I have a front snow plow blade on a tractor. It seems to be working very well, I'm the one with the slight learning curve. We're in northern Idaho and in our first winter as well as the roads first winter. we got our road as completed as we could by the 2nd week of December having to deal with the weather. it is all graveled, but the weather would not allow us any roller compaction time this year. That will have to wait until after spring rains. I immediately found out the difficulties trying to plow over looser, uncomplicated gravel and started to search out ideas to help. the 2-1/2 steel pipe looks to be a very good idea by both it's simplicity and popularity. Although most people say a 2" pipe, I'm guessing that might be because of the cost difference between that and 2-1/2"? Has anyone had any experience, good or bad by trying a rubber cutting edge on there plow instead?


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## leolkfrm

i used 2 1/2 pipe, works great....i think hard rubber will dig in although may not as much as steel


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## JCByrd24

Rubber cutting edges will definitely work better than standard edge, but probably not as good as pipe. The pipes do work great. 1-1/2" is what I used and it works great. sch 40 might only last a season on that long drive though. I truly have no idea about the life of a rubber/poly edge on a long gravel drive. My next en devour in this area is a custom yardguard/backdrag edge in one. Picture a standard edge where the bottom 1" bends back to almost parallel with the ground. No worrying about yard guard wearing through and coming loose and causing trouble.


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## jamesgang8

Thanks for your thoughts guys. I'm working on details for the 2" pipe ... and I like the extra back drag edge idea.


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## leolkfrm

this is mine, the old shoes hold it on, flat stock braces it


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## CMD

Have not done it but believe you could fabricate pins on the back o f the pipe to align with the shoe mounting sleeves ( at least on a fisher or western) , and use the same locking arrangement


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## leolkfrm

CMD;1923217 said:


> Have not done it but believe you could fabricate pins on the back o f the pipe to align with the shoe mounting sleeves ( at least on a fisher or western) , and use the same locking arrangement


that is basically what i did, but used the worn out shoes to tie it in


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## carplowguy

jsc824;1422910 said:


> It really didn't take to long. If your cutting with a angle grinder make sure you buy good disks. I bought some at ace that were garbage. Only got about 8" on each disk. Changed to dewalt and got about 4-5 ft off those.


Walter Zip Cuts are great too. Yes I have a few friends that buy the cheapies, they cut slow, over heat the metal, fill the air with harmful dust and you constantly have to change them! Not for me, also not worth the risk of a cheap one blowing up in your face...


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