Key considerations when buying a motor grader
When investing in a motor grader, understanding the type, size and attachments are key. This article will help you choose the right motor grader for your specific needs, whether it’s for landscaping, road construction, grading, or other heavy-duty tasks.
What motor graders do
Motor graders are essential for many construction and maintenance projects. Considered heavy-duty equipment, these machines are specifically designed to grade and level surfaces. Motor graders have a long blade positioned near the machine’s center than can be adjusted to various angles and depths to help shape terrain. As a grader is driven forward, the blade cuts, fills and levels material.
There are two types of motor graders, and the distinction has to do with their structure or frame:
- Rigid frame – these machines are for standard grading jobs where precision doesn’t matter. For instance, moving dirt on construction sites and farms.
- Articulated frame – when the job requires maneuverability and precision turning, articulated frames are a better fit. For instance, constructing curved roads, grading gravel roads, and removing snow. Articulated frames allow for more effective turning especially in tight spaces.
Size by blade and horsepower
The type and amount of material handled as well as the size of the job help determine the size of grader required. Blades (or moldboards) come in various widths (12’ to 24’) and heights (6” to 10”).
| Size | Engine Horsepower | Blade Size & General Application |
| Small | 80-150 HP | Shorter blades. Used for smaller construction projects and landscaping. Projects where maneuverability outweighs the need for power. |
| Medium | 150-300 HP | Shorter blades. Used for smaller construction projects and landscaping. Projects where maneuverability outweighs the need for power. |
| Large | More than 300 HP | Largest blades. Ideal for very heavy-duty tasks such as residential, commercial, and mining operations. |
Grader attachments
Motor graders can be outfitted with dozens of attachments increasing its versatility. Some of the more common attachments and what they’re used for include:
- Front blades – straight and angle blades to increase motor grader’s productivity (the amount of material that can be moved)
- Ripper – mounted at the back of and used to loosen or break up hard, compacted surfaces such as soil or rock
- Scarifier – loosening up the top layer of a surface (lighter surface work than rippers)
- Snow wings – used to clear snow on the shoulders
- V-plows – sometimes used with snow wings to reinforce the grader in difficult clearing conditions
- Brooms – clean loose rocks or debris on roads
Like many earthmoving machines, attachments add to the functionality of motor graders, making them popular machines for jobs in landscaping and farming to road construction, snow removal to forestry and mining.
If you’re in the market for a Caterpillar motor grader, Finning in Western Canada has options including renting or buying new and well-maintained used graders. Additionally, at Fused Equipment, we offer a wide range of used motor graders that meet these criteria as well as a team of experts ready to assist in helping you find the perfect fit for your needs. Reach out, we’re here to help.