Lawn Roller Questions

[michigan_Rapter sd]

25 years ago my wife brought home a new roller for me her dad had found a guy making - 24" 48" pipeline of some sort with green epoxy under the red he used to disguise it - and 1/4" ends welded on - without the water my friend and I couldn't lift it out of the truck so we drug it off with the truck in a ditch. I have always wondered what the weight is filled but I do know it will push rocks into asphalt and crush rocks when you go over the driveway. guy built it like I would have with nice pillow blocks for the axle bearings - only thing is he made it with a pin hitch and some day I am going to covert it to a ball hitch for more movement and on my last lawn tractor it was wearing thru the factory hitch. lately I have been using a honda 4 wheeler to pull it. seems like a person with time and a good welder would produce them and sell them around here - have never seen them since then :/

Neighbors with a 16hp have to drain it half way to pull it up mild hills. and I learned to never try to use it on ground you just graded and thought you had compacted some - when we did the new driveway a couple years ago I tried compacting the dirt we finished the edges with and had to get the truck and tow strap out

 

[cruzenmike]

So now I have a follow up question:

Should I choose a steel roller, is there anything I can add to the water to help prevent rust from occuring inside? I do not think the rusty water will lead to it's demise, but it is nice knowing that something has been done to help ensure a longer life.

Also, I have considered sand, but I want easier filling and emptying!

Thanks!

 

[BlazNT]

Sand will cause more damage to your trans axle even at same weight. Remember water is fluid so it does not have to travel up when the roller is moved. The sand on the other hand does
So you will end up pulling more weight with sand.

 

[RDA.Lawns]

I would go with steel. As far as water rusting the steel. Yes overtime it will happen. There is a solution you can add to water to prevent it. Its the same stuff added to rear tractor tires with water for weight. Check with a tire shop that works on tractor tires. They can get it for you.

 

[cruzenmike]

The bit about sand makes sense. I liked the idea of having it in there and never taking it out, but storing then becomes difficult and the issue of it moving inside and shifting the weight around. As for the rust inhibitor, I know there is commercial stuff out there, in fact we use some at my work, but I just didn't know where to get it. I may pull the trigger on a new tractor this week and if I do I am looking at a 920lb steel roller. If I end up chickening out, I will have to get something much much lighter than that for the LTX. Thanks guys!

Mike

 

[panabiker]

So now I have a follow up question:

Should I choose a steel roller, is there anything I can add to the water to help prevent rust from occuring inside? I do not think the rusty water will lead to it's demise, but it is nice knowing that something has been done to help ensure a longer life.

Also, I have considered sand, but I want easier filling and emptying!

Thanks!

You can add a sacrificial anode to the filling cover of the roller much like the sacrificial rod in a home water heater. You can probably get a water heater rod and modify it to fit the roller. It may not stop the corrosion but at least it will slow it down.

 

[cruzenmike]

I ended up going with a poly roller, mostly because of cost and the ability of my rider to pull it without causing any damage. I got an Agri-fab 48" roller that weighs 550 lbs when loaded up with water. I wanted the widest roller i could get because I didn't want to make a ton of extra passes. Now that I have used it, I regret not getting a 36" one that weighs the same. It would probably do a little better at pushing down the ground. I will just have to wait for when it rains again and the ground gets really soft and I will give it another try.

 

[sidemouse]

Hard to tell you what your mower will pull, when it comes to towing I know only two things:
1. Any towing voids the warranty and you're on your own in terms of what goes wrong.
2. I found out what mine can do (the trailer is a 6x12, I only took it from there to the street where the truck was, all at very low speed):

 

[RDA.Lawns]

I do know my ztr will pull my f150 truck. Only pulled it 40' but had no problem doing it.