GRADING QUESTIONS

[CrazyQ]

I have a very rocky driveway about 3/10 of a mile long that I need to grade. I am tired of my plow truck taking a beating since it is my daily driver. I thought that I needed a box blade because the ripper teeth seemed like a good way of loosening the hard pack. Today at my local tractor dealership I came across a dual edge grader similar to a dura-grader. The salesman said they work better than the box blade but I am reluctant since there are no teeth. Does anyone have experience with a grader similar to the dura-grader or have any other recommendations? I forgot to mention that my driveway has some steep hills so I will probably need to grade down hill, hence needed something adjustable to keep the gravel out of the ditches. Thanks.

[MtnViewRanch]

My grader blade works great for me. Not sure what works good when you have to deal with rocks and such. Typically heaver is better when grading, so you need to keep that in mind. If you search TBN you will find more threads and pictures on this topic.

[CrazyQ]

My grader blade works great for me. Not sure what works good when you have to deal with rocks and such. Typically heaver is better when grading, so you need to keep that in mind. If you search TBN you will find more threads and pictures on this topic.

Thanks. I've been poking around other threads and there is some great info. Unfortunately for me my driveway has as many rocks as yours does sand. arg. Some of them are poking out and are so compact I have thought about renting a mini excavator with a hoe ram to bust them up. I would rather put the money toward an implement that I will own. And that grader in your picture looks almost identical to what I saw today. Has anyone else used something similar but with lots of hard pack gravel and protruding rocks?

[daBear]

I can not imagine that grader blade being used on rocks like you say you have. Even a box blade with teeth will have trouble with that. You will tear the tips off many of a scarifier arm on a box blade and still might now do what you want if you don't get rid of the rocks first.

[Matt_Jr]

I by no means am an expert on this subject but depending on how far the rocks are sticking out, would it be better to cover them up with a fine gravel and use what's already there as a base? I had some large rocks sticking out on my drive and dug them out and filled with gravel. I keep getting potholes where the rocks were and my driveway is very steep too. Front wheels in my Toyota Prius often spin going up in the summer if I don't get a running start. I'm thinking about putting rocks back in where the pothole keep returning and covering them up with fine gravel. Don't know what the specific types of gravel are that are good for this but someone on this site will. I've seen it but don't know what it's called. Once it packs down It's like driving on pavement.

[MtnViewRanch]

Not much sand there, actually most of the road is decomposed granite.(DG) It is a very hard surface when dry and is even firm when wet.

As others have said, either remove the rocks and fill the holes or raise the road bed to get above the rocks. What else can a guy do? Just how big are these rocks? Sounds like they are fairly big if you are considering getting a breaker to break off the tops. Just how high are they sticking up above the main road surface?

[DaryleD]

I tend to agree with the adding a top layer of gravel or crushed ledge etc. It sounds like the best option. I'm thinking that if it is that rocky on the surface, that there is going to be many more that you don't see, until you start digging. They might just be helping you, by holding the driveway from washing out. Around here, we call the crushed ledge, " Hard Pack" or "stay mat", and probably a few things I'm forgetting. It packs and stays quite well. You will however, end up getting a little with your plow, before the ground freezes up solid. That, as you know, is just the nature of the beast of plowing though. Good luck.
Daryle.

[NonTypicalCPA]

Just curious what one of those graders cost, if you don't mind me asking? I have a half-mile gravel drive that I hire a small road grader to come and grade once or twice a year. I would rather put the money toward an implement. Would a 40 hp 4wd tractor pull that?

[CrazyQ]

I tend to agree with the adding a top layer of gravel or crushed ledge etc. It sounds like the best option. I'm thinking that if it is that rocky on the surface, that there is going to be many more that you don't see, until you start digging. They might just be helping you, by holding the driveway from washing out. Around here, we call the crushed ledge, " Hard Pack" or "stay mat", and probably a few things I'm forgetting. It packs and stays quite well. You will however, end up getting a little with your plow, before the ground freezes up solid. That, as you know, is just the nature of the beast of plowing though. Good luck.
Daryle.

I fear you may be correct that these rocks are holding together (parts of) my driveway. I will probably do some exploratory digging out back and try to find some suitable fill to go over the bad spots.

[CrazyQ]

Just curious what one of those graders cost, if you don't mind me asking? I have a half-mile gravel drive that I hire a small road grader to come and grade once or twice a year. I would rather put the money toward an implement. Would a 40 hp 4wd tractor pull that?

The salesman told me that it was $100 more than a box blade its size (7'). I dont think there are a lot of adjustments on it for this price. I checked out some links posted in other threads that indicate upwards of $2000. The dura-grader looks like a good unit but that adversely effects my forestry winch budget.