Graders are commonly used in the construction and maintenance of dirt and gravel roads for creating a

flat surface where the asphalt will be placed. For civil engineering projects, the purpose of the graders is
to perform fine grading. The motor grader can also be found on major mining sites all over the world.

Graders are commonly used in the construction and maintenance of dirt and gravel roads for creating a
flat surface where the asphalt will be placed. For civil engineering projects, the purpose of the graders is
to perform fine grading. The motor grader can also be found on major mining sites all over the world.

Motor Grader vs. Dozer: When to Use Which

Bulldozers and motor graders are both highly versatile pieces of construction equipment.
Bulldozers are powerful pieces of machinery capable of pushing rocks, earth, demolition debris and
other materials

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Parts of a Bulldozer

A bulldozer consists of the tractor, which is usually a track or crawler type, mounted on metal
treads. Because bulldozers often use tracks instead of wheels, they can move over rough terrain
such as muddy or sandy surfaces without getting stuck

 Operator’s cab: The cab contains most of the controls and is enclosed by a rollover
protective structure (ROPS). The wide, side-mounted tracks give operators space to step
into and out of the cab.
 Track frame, track rollers and track assembly: The track frame provides the structure
for the track rollers, track assembly and other mechanisms. The track assembly consists
of a continuous chain surrounding the track frame. The chains provide a flat surface for
the track rollers to move over.
 Blade: The blade is the bulldozer’s main working tool. It has a bottom cutting edge and
corner bits to drift and cast material. The blade may be manually or hydraulically
positioned depending on the machine. The blade can be tilted, lifted, angled, and pushed
forward or backward to help complete a variety of tasks.
 Ripper: The ripper is the claw-like attachment mounted at the rear of the machine. It is
raised and lowered hydraulically and used to break up or loosen various materials such as
shale or asphalt. It’s also used to rip up boulders, stumps and roots for easy removal.
 Push arms: Usually, push arms are attached to the bottom of the blade outside of the
track frame.
 Pitch arms: Pitch arms are diagonal units between the blade and the push arms designed
to control the blade tilt and pitch and to brace the push arms.
Different Bulldozer Attachments

 Straight blade: A straight blade is best for drifting materials short or medium distances
or to use in fine grading. This type of blade does not have any curves or side wings.
 Angle blade: An angle blade is a multipurpose tool and suitable for sidecasting materials.
 U-blade: A U-blade drifts heavy loads over long distances. It has a curved shape and is
taller than a straight blade.
 Box blade: A box blade is designed for grading and leveling large properties, parking
lots or roadways. It may include side cutters and front and rear moldboards for maximum
leveling performance.
 Winch: A winch consists of a cable or chain used to lift or haul materials, or uproot trees
or stumps. It’s mounted at the rear of a bulldozer.
Bulldozer Uses

Despite its heavy weight, bulldozer operation is relatively easy and may be good for beginners

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 Clearing: Bulldozers can be used to remove materials such as brush, trees, boulders and
anything else that may be embedded into the ground and in the way of a construction project.
They can also remove moist topsoil to prepare for road construction. A tilted blade is a highly
effective tool for removing boulders and rocks.
 Drifting: Drifting entails pushing materials straight ahead of the dozer blade. The maximum
working distance depends on the blade’s capacity. For a medium-sized bulldozer, 200 to 500 feet
is usually the maximum distance for drifting. Bulldozers can also be used to push debris from
demolition projects.
 Spreading: Dozers are perfect for spreading fill materials such as rock or soil.
 Backfilling: Dozers can be used to backfill holes or trenches. The angle blade is the best tool
for backfilling with a bulldozer.
 Finishing: Bulldozers are capable of fine grading and establishing drainage after clearing or
spreading material. However, as you will see, they are not as precise as motor graders when it
comes to finishing.
 Ditching: Bulldozers are useful tools for shallow digging.
 Transportation: You can transport various materials short distances with a bulldozer

A few bulldozer advantages include:

 The tracks help prevent bulldozers from sinking while traversing rough terrain.
 Using a bulldozer to remove trees is less expensive than manual felling.
 Bulldozers are strong, versatile pieces of equipment.
 Bulldozers are easier to operate than some other pieces of equipment.
 They are available in a range of sizes to suit the needs of different projects.
 They often feature comfortable cabs to improve operator safety and control.
Parts of a Motor Grader

A motor grader is a large piece of equipment with a unique shape. Here are some of its main
components:

 Operator’s cab: In the cab, you’ll find multiple controls, levers and a steering wheel. A
windshield and large windows enclose the cab.
 Moldboard: The moldboard is a grader’s working tool. It’s usually 12 or 14 feet in length and
consists of a cutting edge attached to the bottom and end bits on the sides. The moldboard is
located between the front and rear axle. It can be rotated 360 degrees in
either direction, allowing the operator to save time through a technique called reverse grading.
It can also be shifted left or right, tilted forward or backward, and lowered and raised.
 Prime mover: The prime mover is the rubber-tired tractor mounted at the rear. A diesel engine
powers it.
 Frame: The frame is connected to the front axle and extends the full length of the grader. Its
height allows enough room for the moldboard to do its job.
 Scarifier: The scarifier is located in front of or behind the front wheels and is hydraulically
controlled. It uses teeth to break up compacted surfaces.

Different Motor Grader Attachments

Just like a bulldozer, you can attach different blades and work tools to a motor grader such as
angle blades, box blades and U-blades. Here are other commonly used attachments:

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  V-plow: A V-plow mounts to the front of the motor grader’s frame. Its high “V” shape is
designed to cast material to both sides and is ideal for deep snow removal. It’s designed to dig
into and lift snow.
 Tire chains: Tire chains are frequently required to improve traction in the winter. Normally used
on rear drive tires, they can also be used on front tires to reduce front end sliding.
 One-way snow plow: A one-way plow is perfect for plowing snow or ice off roads or city streets.
 Ripper: As with bulldozers, a ripper attachment is a claw-like unit used for breaking up asphalt,
rocks and other materials and is mounted at the rear of a motor grader

They may be used to complete any of the following tasks:

 Create the base for paved roads

 Set the foundation for a large building
 Create inclines
 Create drainage ditches
 Remove snow
 Mix and spread materials
 Finish grading
 Ditch cutting
 Scarifying
 High bank cutting

Some of the advantages of working with a motor grader include:

 Fast and efficient performance

 Precise capabilities cause less disturbance to the soil
 Articulated frame graders can maneuver in tight spaces
 Can drive over roads and do not need to haul between job sites
 Great for larger projects

Motor Grader vs. Bulldozer: Which One to Choose

bulldozers are used:

 To push large amounts of material

 For working on rough terrain
 For smaller or medium-sized projects in construction, mining, land clearing and forestry

Motor graders are generally used for:

 Fine grading and precision

 Working in large, open areas
 Working on big projects such as roadbuilding and road maintenance
Other

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