Heavy Equipment

Motor Grader Overview: Features and Benefits

Graders are mostly used in the construction of gravel roads and dirt roads.

Updated on

July 15, 2018

Commonly referred to as a road grader, a motor grader is a heavy construction and maintenance machine characterized by a long adjustable blade. It is used for scarifying, spreading and leveling of materials to create a smooth and level surface.

Graders are mostly employed in the construction of gravel roads and dirt roads as well as to set soil foundation pads before the construction of large buildings.

They come in after bulldozers complete their job to smoothen the surface for laying of asphalt.

There are two types of graders in the market:-

• Rigid frame motor graders.
• Articulated frame motor graders.

The rigid frame motor grader is an old model that has a single axle and cannot turn left or right. Due to their limited flexibility, most manufacturers have faced them out with only a few models remaining in the market.

Articulated road graders have three axles with two being located at the back and one at the front end of the construction machine. The blade is located between the front and rear axles but some graders come with an extra blade positioned in front of the anterior axle.

The machines have varying capacities with blade widths ranging between 2.50m to 7.30m while the engines range from 80 to 500 horsepower (hp).

Small graders of between 80 and 150hp have the advantage of maneuverability in tight spaces and are sufficient for small-scale road maintenance, landscaping, driveways and parking lot projects.

Larger machines are used for similar but large-scale projects including major roads and huge construction sites.

Additionally, they come in different drive systems such as front-wheel, four-wheel and all-wheel drive systems with the choice being determined by the weather conditions and terrain of the site.

The front and four-wheel drives are best suited for the smooth and clear areas while the all-wheel drive is necessary for rough terrains and soft soil areas. Other uses include snow removal, trenching, and the creation of inclined surfaces.