The benefit of the grader/scraper compared to simply dragging some random item is that it pushes the material to the center. If you wanted to simply drag a bar, I”d just make sure that it has an angle to it to have the same effect.
Gravel driveway
- Thread starter Fishingfoolemjak
- Start date
Whats the make and model of that rear blade? It looks heavy duty and very adjustable, does the blade tilt also?
NCL4701
Well-known member
Equipment
L4701, T2290, WC68, grapple, BB1572, Farmi W50R, Howes 500, 16kW IMD gen, WG24
That does look sweet. Much nicer than our light weight with no offset and I suspect more effective. Ours does fine with loose material but it has to be either new material or loosened up with the box blade or ripper bar before it does anything other than bounce over the top. I found it more useful than the box blade at putting the final touches on the crown for the road, but some of that could be my lack of skill with the box blade. As indicated by the relative condition of the two implements I have more experience with the backblade.
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NCL4701
Well-known member
Equipment
L4701, T2290, WC68, grapple, BB1572, Farmi W50R, Howes 500, 16kW IMD gen, WG24
Sounds like your baseball size rocks might give you a decent base to start with if you have enough of them.
As you can see above we had copious amounts of grass in ours as well. Since I had to reshape the road anyway, just ripped it out with the box blade. Since the rehab, I decided not to let the grass take over again. Continuous fight with Roundup v grass. I’ve considered going with more drastic chemicals but they’re quite expensive to completely destroy everything long term. So far me and Roundup are winning.
RCW
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
I posted these in the “What did you do” thread. Gave it another couple passes with box blade and a LONG top link after work.
Material is crusher run. Will probably touch it up with the box blade a couple more times, and then may hit it with a plate compactor.
What looks like dirt in the last picture is the stone dust component of the crusher. It really helps bind/pack it all down. I debated on using all stone dust, but we get a lot of water at the bottom of a hill....that always needs to be considered.
Material is crusher run. Will probably touch it up with the box blade a couple more times, and then may hit it with a plate compactor.
What looks like dirt in the last picture is the stone dust component of the crusher. It really helps bind/pack it all down. I debated on using all stone dust, but we get a lot of water at the bottom of a hill....that always needs to be considered.
I'm still learning about all these different types of gravel and was basically going with either crusher run or #57 to top off my driveway and then read that #5 might be better as is is less likely to wash away than #57 as I have some steep areas on my driveway. Never simple figuring out what is best!
RCW
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Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Tom - no expert on stone types/terminology.
We have a decent grade down to the road too.
Years ago, water would run down it and wash the topping off.
I usually used #2 washed crushed stone (<2” stone size), but anything that didn’t have many fines, and was big enough to not wash away.
I’ve controlled most of the water now (fingers crossed). I can thank having a Kubota tractor for that!
My work with crusher run is the first time in 30 years I’ve tried a material like this, with fines.
This job is far from perfect. Not enough crown and I’d like to channel more water away....but still a lot better than years ago.
If you have water sheeting down the steep parts, you need to control that first before going with a finer topping. Otherwise, you get to do it again....
We have a decent grade down to the road too.
Years ago, water would run down it and wash the topping off.
I usually used #2 washed crushed stone (<2” stone size), but anything that didn’t have many fines, and was big enough to not wash away.
I’ve controlled most of the water now (fingers crossed). I can thank having a Kubota tractor for that!
My work with crusher run is the first time in 30 years I’ve tried a material like this, with fines.
This job is far from perfect. Not enough crown and I’d like to channel more water away....but still a lot better than years ago.
If you have water sheeting down the steep parts, you need to control that first before going with a finer topping. Otherwise, you get to do it again....
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NCL4701
Well-known member
Equipment
L4701, T2290, WC68, grapple, BB1572, Farmi W50R, Howes 500, 16kW IMD gen, WG24
Tom - no expert on stone types/terminology.
We have a decent grade down to the road too.
Years ago, water would run down it and wash the topping off.
I usually used #2 washed crushed stone (<2” stone size), but anything that didn’t have many fines, and was big enough to not wash away.
I’ve controlled most of the water now (fingers crossed). I can thank having a Kubota tractor for that!
My work with crusher run is the first time in 30 years I’ve tried a material like this, with fines.
This job is far from perfect. Not enough crown and I’d like to channel more water away....but still a lot better than years ago.
If you have water sheeting down the steep parts, you need to control that first before going with a finer topping. Otherwise, you get to do it again....
View attachment 58168
Agree water sheeting on the road itself is far from ideal. This road isn’t incredibly steep but it’s downhill for about 900’ or so and there’s a yard at the bottom. Road is crowned to get as much in the ditches as possible and there are turnouts cut into the ditches to dump the water about every 100’ to 150’ so it doesn’t all run to the bottom or build up too much speed. Basically the ditch stops, turns out to the side, and restarts a few feet later. Some were silted in and required recutting. We’re fortunate that we can put a wide mouth in the outlet of the turnout to disperse into woods where vegetation prevents erosion but if we needed to slow it down we could put some rip rap toward the outlet of the turnouts. Even if we could get it all in the ditches it would be quite destructive by the time it reached the end of its run without the turnouts.
II advise you to get an accessory for a tractor with two sides. With one side, you can dig, and with the other, you can level the ground/gravel. I did my own gravel driveway, but I had help from the guys that work for paving company dublin. My neighbor was building a patio, but he did not install any drainage pipes on the gravel that was the base for the concrete. After heavy rainfall on the roads in our area, the water did not go away but remained, and he had huge problems with mold in the walls of his house. I worked with professionals to avoid situations like that.
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Hey, folks. Thanks for your advice. I’m currently facing a tough choice; whether to buy a tractor or not. I mean, I have a similar problem in my yard, so I’ll be grateful for your thoughts on it.
Code
Active member
Equipment
l3301, fel, lp boxblade, 12" lp auger, lp bush hog, z421 zt, lawnvac leaf vac
Very timely. I have an 800 ft gravel driveway. That goes along a slope. I cannot trech slopeside as there are trees allover on both sides.
Driveway is decent but has a section that has alot of W SHAPE. meaning ruts where car drives and water pools in them now. So the quetion is method.
do i drop theripperson my box blade and even this all out the go over again to smooth? I know ill likely need some top dressing but i need to address the base first as som of the holes are getting bigger. We had a really rainy year.
just looking for hints how to actually address it. Yt vids you like are helpful too. Thanks
Driveway is decent but has a section that has alot of W SHAPE. meaning ruts where car drives and water pools in them now. So the quetion is method.
do i drop theripperson my box blade and even this all out the go over again to smooth? I know ill likely need some top dressing but i need to address the base first as som of the holes are getting bigger. We had a really rainy year.
just looking for hints how to actually address it. Yt vids you like are helpful too. Thanks
fried1765
Well-known member
Equipment
Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.
Your rear blade (brand?) is a particularly nice one with simple offset capability.
Not all rear blades are created equally.
I have had 4 different rear blades.
Now have an "EA 6 Way Deluxe Scrape Blade" which is very similar to what you have pictured.
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fried1765
Well-known member
Equipment
Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.
Depending on your soil type, might want to consider some type of geomatting material underneath. I have a section of my gravel driveway that has it, and a section that doesn't. The old part without the matting eats gravel. I'll put down 30 tons of crusher run and within 3-4 years it's sunken in and then dirt starts to show and the grass returns. The newer part with the matting is going on 8 years now and I've not had to add any to it yet.
fried1765
Well-known member
Equipment
Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.
Sorry, missed your earlier post about your blade being EA.
Mine is all CAT yellow.
They must have changed their paint scheme.
Yep. I trenched alongside my driveway and got a good view of the cross section of the soil there. It's mixed gravel and soil down about 18". The gravel just works its way down.
I've seen old timers scoff at geotextiles, call them a scam, but those people are just demonstrating their stubborn ignorance and stupidity. Geotextiles work. They do exactly what they are intended to do.
Hi there, mate. Tbh, you'd better hire a landscaping company to get that thing done. I mean, if you don't plan to use a tractor in the future, I'd highly recommend you hire some guys to help you solve that problem. I have some close friends working at https://jscustomlandscaping.com, so I guess they could help you with your issue. Actually, I have a tractor, and I use it very often because I've got a big piece of land, so the tractor is a must. Anyway, keep us updated on that. Wish you all the best.
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