Whether you’re maintaining a gravel driveway, building out a trail system, prepping a yard or driveway for landscaping, or smoothing terrain for construction or turf establishment, having the right tools makes all the difference. A land plane—or grader bar—is one of the most efficient attachments for achieving a smooth, even grade quickly. In this blog, we’ll explore various types of land planes, highlight popular design features like the number of cutting edges and ripper systems, and show how the KAGE GreatER Bar stands out in this category.
What Is a Land Plane and Why It Matters
A land plane (sometimes called a grader bar or land leveler) is an attachment designed to level and smooth surfaces like gravel roads, driveways, parking lots, sports fields, construction pads, and farm plots. Unlike a bucket or box blade, a land plane excels at redistributing material evenly and cutting high spots while filling low spots as efficiently as possible.
Most land planes consist of:
✔ Cutting edges or blades that contact the ground
✔ Sometimes ripper teeth or scarifiers for breaking up compacted soil
✔ A frame that connects to equipment like tractors, skid steers, or loaders
Different models vary in size, cutting edge design, ripper options, and overall construction quality, and these differences matter for efficiency, finish quality, and durability.
Key Features to Consider in Land Planes
Before we dive into specific models, let’s define some common features you’ll see on many land planes:
1. Cutting Edges
The cutting edge is the main blade that smooths and redistributes material. Some land planes have:
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Dual edges — Typically land planes feature 2 angle cutting edges for shaving high spots and filling low spots. These are often designed for travel in one direction.
- Triple Edges – Higher end land planes offer a third cutting edge, allowing operators to level more efficiently with each pass. It also allows for more control over how aggressively the land plane scrapes and cuts the ground.
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Reversible edges — You can either flip vertically angled blades when one side wears out to double its service life – or utilize the blade in multiple directions with double sided and/or horizontal cutting edges
Products like the Behlen Country 7 ft. Land Plane and 6‑ft Professional Dual Edge Land Grader feature dual edges,
2. Ripper / Scarifier Teeth
Ripper teeth (or scarifier shanks) dig into hard, compacted soil to break it up before grading. They are especially helpful for hard packed road surfaces, driveways with washboarding (corrugation), potholes or washouts and preparing seedbeds or leveling trails. Some land planes have
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Shanks – a row of curved, hook-like shanks (resembling a rake), spaced for coverage and trench-style soil penetration
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Ripper Teeth – row of straighter, extra re-enforced teeth, with tighter spacing (resembling a comb) for shallower scarification and maximum soil loosening capabilities
Some land planes include adjustable or retractable ripper teeth or shanks, letting you control how deep they penetrate. For example, the Artillian 54‑inch Land Plane and Titan Attachments 6 ft Land Leveler include adjustable scarifier shanks to enhance versatility.
3. Size and Compatibility
Land planes come in various widths (typically from about 48 inches up to 84 inches or more). Choose a width that matches your machine and task:
- Mini Track Loaders and Mini Wheel Loaders utilize small (or mini) land planes around 48 inches wide
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Compact tractors often use 48″–72″ plane widths
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Skid steers and loaders often benefit from 72″–84″ options
Wider widths mean greater coverage but require more machine power
Popular Land Plane Types and How They Compare
Let’s look at a range of land planes available today and compare their key characteristics:
⭐ Tractor and Hitch-Mounted Land Planes
Tractor models typically harness power from the tractor’s three-point hitch and don’t always include powered or sophisticated ripper systems. They are great for basic road and field grading but may require manual adjustments before use. Three-point hitch models are generally mounted to the rear of the tractor and feature fairly spaced out shanks. The hook-style shanks generally do best in softer or looser soil but can struggle penetrating and breaking up hard packed soil beyond large chunks. By being mounted on the rear of the tractor, they often work best traveling forward, but the tractor operator has to look back to see what progress is being made.
⭐ Skid Steer and Loader Land Planes
Skid steer land planes attach via a universal quick-attach plate and are designed to work with skid loaders and compact track loaders equipped with skid steer quick attaches on loader arms.
Skid steer land planes excel in versatility. Without ripper teeth, they rely on the cutting edge to scrape and level material. While effective for light to moderate grading, they may need follow-up work with a rake or bucket to break up compaction. Ripper teeth are essential for efficiency in breaking up hard packed soil.
A big benefit for this style of land plane is that it is positioned in front of the operator easier visibility and less fatigue. They are also often designed to level traveling in either direction – forward or backwards.
Enter the KAGE GreatER Bar: Built for Efficiency and Flexibility
Among the various land plane options, the KAGE GreatER Bar stands out for several reasons.
Innovative Ripper Teeth System
What makes the GreatER Bar most unique is its mechanically activated ripper (scarifier) teeth that can be deployed without hydraulics or exiting the cab. Most land planes with teeth require manual deployment or hydraulic power, which adds complexity. The GreatER Bar’s ripper teeth engage with a simple ground-activated lever/bar and automatically retract when moving in reverse, allowing smooth finishing passes.
This feature packs two major advantages:
✔ Unmatched ease of use — No need for external hydraulics
✔ More efficient grading — You can break up hard ground and then smooth it in a single pass
Ripper depth is adjustable as well, with roughly up to 4.125″ of total ripper depth available, allowing operators to tackle compacted soil, gravel, dirt, clay or sand with more precision.
Replaceable Cutting Edges and Heavy Build
The GreatER Bar includes 3 replaceable bolt-on cutting edges that are reversible, extending life and simplifying maintenance. Made with HARDOX™ steel and heavy-duty gussets, the frame is built to withstand demanding contractor-grade work without bending or breaking. These cutting edges are beveled on both the front and back, allowing for cutting and leveling in either direction.
Wide Size Range and Compatibility
The GreatER Bar comes in 48″, 72″, and 84″ widths and mounts with a universal skid steer attachment plate, accommodating everything from mini skid steers and compact loaders to full-size skid steers, compact tractors and work utility vehicles. Each width model includes eight ripping teeth, with spacing suited to the size, that not only dig into, but break up the soil nicely for easier leveling.
This combination of ripper capability, cutting edge design, and robust build quality makes the GreatER Bar a standout among skid steer land planes, especially for professionals who demand efficiency and versatility.
Final Thoughts: Matching Tool to Task
Choosing the right land plane depends on:
✨ Application — Are you maintaining a driveway? Prepping a seedbed?
✨ Machine Compatibility — Tractor hitch vs skid steer quick attach
✨ Desired Features — Rip depth, number of cutting edges, ease of use
For lighter, tractor-based projects, traditional grader blades and land planes can offer dependable performance in the right conditions.
For heavy-duty grading—especially where compacted material must be loosened before leveling—the KAGE GreatER Bar strikes a balance between power, convenience, and precision unmatched in many conventional models.
By understanding the strengths and limitations of each type of land plane, you can choose the right attachment for your needs—saving time, reducing manual work, and achieving a professional-grade surface with every pass.
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