Best way to spread gravel??

   / Best way to spread gravel?? #1  

dmftoy1

Silver Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2003
Messages
184
Location
Lexington, IL
Tractor
Kubota B2910 (Delivery 8/7/03)
I'm going to be putting down new gravel on my driveway this spring. It's about 100 yards long. The driveway is basically flat. I don't really need t level it or do any base preparation. I will be using my brother's dump trailer so I will be able to distribute it some while unloading. Now for the question:

What's the best way to get it evenly distributed? I have a box blade and a rear blade. Do I need a landscape rake? I'd like to avoid buying one if possible as I would only use it once every 3-4 years. Do people rent these? Can I do it with the box blade? (the rear blade would seem to be a no-go)

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Dave
 
   / Best way to spread gravel?? #2  
Actually the rear blade will do the best job if you can handle a windrow. You just keep moving the windrow from one side to the oher and things will all even out. Duplicates the action of a grader.

Egon
 
   / Best way to spread gravel??
  • Thread Starter
#3  
So you just generally distribute it with the dump trailer, and then pull it side to side raising the rear blade slightly each time? (I'm assuming you wouldn't want to float the blade. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif )

Regards,
Dave
 
   / Best way to spread gravel?? #4  
First fill in any really noticable holes. Then start windrowing with the blade down and in a cutting position. The windrow will carry material back and forth gradually filling in the low spots and cutting off high spots making an even sized windrow. When you think you have all the material evenly distibuted in the windrow start laying down layers by slightly raising the rear blade and and putting it into a slight drag mode rolling the windrow back and forth till it is gone. Ideally you'd run a packer over each pass as your laying it down.

Please note: this will only work if the tractor is big enought to be able to handle a full sized windrow.

Egon
 
   / Best way to spread gravel?? #5  
Sort of depends upon the capability of your tractor hydraulics. If you have the basic up/down/float type hydraulics, you'll have to improvise some. If you have advanced hydraulics, it might take some of the aggravation out of it. On some, lower-link draft sensing maintains your implement working height/depth automatically. In some, a flex shaft or equivalent between the lower links measures changes in draft load and sends a signal to the control valve, automatically adjusting the implement working height/depth

With basic hydraulics, setting the blade at a constant height will result in it doing the opposite of what your front wheels do; when they hit a dip, your blade loses gravel. When they go over a bump, the blade digs. So there's going to have to be a common sense level of "floating" involved, as it renders the TPH indifferent to what the front wheels are doing.

//greg//
 
   / Best way to spread gravel?? #6  
Hi...


The best timer saver... is having the deliver truck driver "run out" the gravel as it's being dumped... ie. driving the truck forward as it's dumping...

Saves A LOT of your time spreading it...


Dave...
 
   / Best way to spread gravel?? #7  
<font color="blue">The best timer saver... is having the deliver truck driver "run out" the gravel as it's being dumped... ie. driving the truck forward as it's dumping...

Saves A LOT of your time spreading it...

</font>

Dave hit the nail right on the head. I had the delivery truck spread it on my 750 foot and I had very little work to do behind them. Saved me hours of work. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif And hey there's always a job to be finished elsewhere.
 
   / Best way to spread gravel?? #8  
I have a rear blade and a rake, but have found the easiest way for me to distribute the annual load of fresh gravel is to take a bucket load and dump it from about three feet while driving at a brisk pace. Once you get the rhythm, it leaves no bumps, windrows or other irregularities.

Pete
 
   / Best way to spread gravel?? #9  
I agree with Dave and plus having the driver do it normally is a better finish than you could do yourself. I had some crusher run delivered and the driver spread it except by the power lines and I did it with the landscape rake. His part looked better.
 
   / Best way to spread gravel?? #10  
One gravel at a time. You select one and place it carefully and the grab another and do the same with a little overlap so it locks the first gravel in place. This is very time consuming but I couldn't resist being a joker (as usual).

Side note. My niece just had some limestone put down and the dump truck got the bed hung on the phone/cable wires, luckily he backed out of the tangle before any damage was done.
 
 
 
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