Hey guys, I was hoping maybe someone could help me with the pitfalls of purchasing a motor grader. I have never owned and would like to purchase one due to my driveway being over a 1/2 mile long and having 50ft in elevation change. I cut the driveway in last year with a D5. I rented it for a month because I couldn't pay 29K for someone to put a gravel road in. I never ran a dozer before and it took me a while to figure it out, it was a challenge to say the least. I put over 100 hours on it learning. I have a tractor with a box blade, but it is time consuming to pull dirt in the ditch back to the center of the road. I also have some dips that I would like to smooth out. I feel that a grader would be the best option. There is a grader in the next county from me that a guy is selling, and he claims that it has some electrical issue with the transmission. I have searched on here and found a post back in 2016 talking about some solenoids to check. I'm mechanically inclined but ignorant about graders. Can someone give me a rundown of what to look for when I go to look at this grader? I have attached some pictures of my driveway and the link to the grader. Thanks for any help. Looking to Buy Grader
Unless it comes from a place that was into regular maintainence. Most companies don't get rid of a grader until it's worn out. Champion is no longer in business, and Volvo( they bought out Champion) has stopped making graders. Parts are out there, but are getting harder to come by, and are expensive. I would look for an old cat, probably easier to get parts. Owning heavy equipment can get expensive if it's not earning it's keep. You need something like this
Thank you for your reply, I understand that most places don't get rid of equipment unless it's wore out. I think it is coming from a logging outfit, which I think they are getting out of the business and selling off equipment. I also know that champion isn't in business anymore and Volvo doesn't support them. I am also aware that equipment is expensive to repair and maintain, I just had to rebuild a backhoe engine due to cavitation on the water side. I have thought about looking at caterpillar, but haven't came across anything i would consider yet. Most is out of the price range I am looking for. I would be only using it about twice a month. I was asking more about what I should be looking for in purchasing a used grader, not necessarily in champion's brand solely. I am explaining it poorly, I guess. I shouldn't have list the thread title as that. I apologize.
Champion's are usually quite a bit less expensive than a comparable Cat or JD but there are limited places to get parts and/or find mechanics who are familiar with them. Do you know what year the Champion is or what transmission it has? 84 and on uses a Champion built Gearco 8400 transmission and Cummins engine. Earlier machines used mostly Detroit screamers. Not sure what engines a 710A used. Generally a very good transmission but can have some electronic and other issues that might be difficult to fix. I'd want something with a properly working trans. Common for the gear display to be hard to read on the 8400 trans. but not too big a deal if the trans. works properly. How big of a tractor do you have? If it's 45 HP or bigger might be better to get a good angle blade for it. Once the ditches are pulled up you may just need your tractor for maintenance and snow removal. If your box blade isn't working good on the driveway a landplane is another option to smooth out the driveway. A grader is nice until you have to fix something on it. A simple blown hose can be a real mess and you often need to buy a bunch more oil too. If you Google what to look for in a used grader, there are a few good sites that come up. One is from Ritchie Bros. The best thing to do though is pay someone experienced with graders to check the machine(s) out for you. It could save you from buying a money pit. Better to spend $500 and learn it's a POS than to spend thousands more and find out after you bought it.
Hi There, Are you still looking to purchase a 710 A ? I have one (1995, amazing condition) and would be happy to share details, if interested. Thanks, Don
I'd guess the OP may have found a grader last year.