Land Plane strategy

[Trackerjoe]

I want to use a Land Pride GS1560 Scraper on a B2650 tractor to remove ruts caused by heavy rain in a 400 foot long driveway composed mostly of hard clay. It probably had gravel on it at one time, but hasn't been graded in the 8-9 years that we've owned it. Looking for the correct method to smooth the driveway and add some crown to it. Do I adjust the left/right angle with the three point arm and go for it? Or should I leave it level for the first few passes and then add the crown?

 

[GreensvilleJay]

The problem with 'adding the crown' is you never drive on it, so it'll be soft and wash away again. If you do add material be sure to really compact it down firmly, I have a 2 by4 foot heavy steel roller(1200# with water),so 3 trips really smooths and compresses the driveway. More rolling is better.
If possible add 'crusher run' or RAP or similar, roll a lot more.
Then once a month drag a chain up and down to maintain the roadway.

 

[Redlands]

Land scape plains are not great at making crowns. Might want to keep what you have as best as you can during the process. Some experimenting and practice with your conditions is probably what its going to take.

 

[Creature Meadow]

Had my plane for about 7 years and have couple thousand feet I maintain with mine.

Couple things I have learned.
1-Easy to use once you get it set.
2-Road must be free of leaves, sticks, grass, pine straw etc. to work effective. The fore mentioned will build up in the box and not allow free and even distribution of the road material out the back
3-Tilt toward the front is aggressive and tilted to the rear more for feathering the material.

I found since I have some hills it was much easier to put 4 to 6" speed bumps/rain diverters in every so couple hundred feet to divert the water to the ditches. Serves to purposes minimizes erosion and limits the speed people ride on the rode. The Fedex man I know hates them as he flies over them, bounce bounce.

Where I want some crown I use my plane then hook up the landscape rake and angle it to roll in the material to the center.

Summary
Have number of hills but I have found with the diverters and maintaining every couple of months my roads stay in good shape.

 

[greeno]

What’s been working well for me is to use a rear blade to pull material from the edges to the middle, then use the plane set at an angle to smooth it out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[m7060]

Creature Meadow is correct about the dual effectiveness of the water diverter bars. After installing the diverter bars, the whining from visitors went up, but the driveway erosion in heavy rains is nonexistent.

 

[Trackerjoe]

Thanks to everyone. You corrected my expectations. Used the land plane this weekend and it worked nice.

 

[RonBoyBX25D]

Had my plane for about 7 years and have couple thousand feet I maintain with mine.

Couple things I have learned.
1-Easy to use once you get it set.
2-Road must be free of leaves, sticks, grass, pine straw etc. to work effective. The fore mentioned will build up in the box and not allow free and even distribution of the road material out the back
3-Tilt toward the front is aggressive and tilted to the rear more for feathering the material.

I found since I have some hills it was much easier to put 4 to 6" speed bumps/rain diverters in every so couple hundred feet to divert the water to the ditches. Serves to purposes minimizes erosion and limits the speed people ride on the rode. The Fedex man I know hates them as he flies over them, bounce bounce.

Where I want some crown I use my plane then hook up the landscape rake and angle it to roll in the material to the center.

Summary
Have number of hills but I have found with the diverters and maintaining every couple of months my roads stay in good shape.

Any chance you have a picture to share of the speed bump/water diverter? I am trying to the erosion on one of my hills under control & outside of asphalt or concrete looking for advise.

 

[Creature Meadow]

Any chance you have a picture to share of the speed bump/water diverter? I am trying to the erosion on one of my hills under control & outside of asphalt or concrete looking for advise.

I do not but can take some pics for you.

In words I grade the road to remove all ruts if any and get her smooth.

I then select the places I want to divert the water and drop some material there. I then take a steel tooth rake and create a 4" "bump at a angle to the ditch. It is very simple, as we ride over it the "bump" compacts down. As the water runs down the drive it hits the bump and diverts to the ditch. It is only 6 to 8 inches wide roughly. The downside of the bump is not steep the upside more so to catch the water.

They are like speed bumps in parking lots just of the road material and not as wide.

I'll snap some pics tonight for you after work.

 

[RonBoyBX25D]

I do not but can take some pics for you.

In words I grade the road to remove all ruts if any and get her smooth.

I then select the places I want to divert the water and drop some material there. I then take a steel tooth rake and create a 4" "bump at a angle to the ditch. It is very simple, as we ride over it the "bump" compacts down. As the water runs down the drive it hits the bump and diverts to the ditch. It is only 6 to 8 inches wide roughly. The downside of the bump is not steep the upside more so to catch the water.

They are like speed bumps in parking lots just of the road material and not as wide.

I'll snap some pics tonight for you after work.

Thanks, no rush as I won’t have time until next weekend to work on it.