Best Implement to build a dirt road?

   / Best Implement to build a dirt road? #1  

ids

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Joined
Aug 15, 2008
Messages
29
Hi,

I was wondering if anyone had a suggestion on the best implement to build a dirt road...Its about a mile long, it was clear cut a few months ago, and its starting to build back up, just the normal stuff, vines, bushes, leveling dirt, etc., no stumps, I can easily just go around them...

I am getting a new L5240 with a rake and loader, but I was thinking about a box blade w/teeth or one of those newer ones ( I think they are called a rollover box blade?) and I was thinking about just dragging the box blade with the teeth embedded and smooth out the dirt, then come back with a rake to finish it

thanks for any advice..

steve
 
   / Best Implement to build a dirt road? #2  
I was thinking a box blade or a dozer.

Seriously if you knew someone with a dozer or found one nearby it could probably do the work for less than the cost of a box blade.
 
   / Best Implement to build a dirt road? #3  
Sounds like you may have a road that was used for logging so you are not really cutting in a new road... just maintaining one that nature is trying to reclaim? Is that correct?

I would try out the rake and see how it does... I also think you could use a Box Blade (just to have around ;)) Take your time and try and find a used one.
 
   / Best Implement to build a dirt road? #4  
In many ways it depends on the type of dirt and the traffic you expect. In Oregon, for my driveway the county required 6-8" of pit run shale with 2-3" of 3/4 minus crushed rock on top of it. They preferred it compacted with a vibrator , but you were allowed to compact it by running a fully loaded dump truck over it. So, in that case we roughed it in with a dozer and finished it off with a dump truck. Possibly not the implements you were thinking of.

If you have different soil, or very light usage you could get someone with a dozer to rough it in, or do it yourself with a box blade, if you have a big enough tractor and lots of time.
 
   / Best Implement to build a dirt road? #5  
If it's going to be for occasional use (when not muddy) than I think you could get away with the box blade. Fill in the holes, shave off the big bumps and use the road on nice dry days. If you expect to use it more than that and think about laying some gravel or crushed stone, use a bulldozed as it was previously suggested. Around here those are the norms. The occasional use logging road is dirt but no one expects to get on them after long heavy rains or in the Spring when the ground thaws and it's mud up the wazzooo.
 
   / Best Implement to build a dirt road? #7  
If it's just for occassional use you may be able to get away with a grass road. If that'll work for you a bush hog or rotary mower will keep the brush from taking over. If you want a real road a track loader or bull dozer may be required to remove the topsoil then a mile of gravel can be laid using the same machines or in a pinch a FEL on a tractor with scraper blade on back. It'll cost you a fortune to do the right way. There are lots of other ways and machines you can use to do the job though.
 
   / Best Implement to build a dirt road?
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Thanks for all the comments..

There is no road yet - I just wanted to make one, e.g., hunting, ATVing, etc., its not a road that will be used daily. It just about 60 acres, they went through and clear-cut it, it was just herbecided, and now, everything is dead, so I though now would be a good time and run some paths through the place so I could get around when things start to grow again...I was just thinking about running the box blade or rake through a path, then come back and fill in any holes with the loader, then maybe once or two a year, bush hog the trails..I really don't need to move any dirt, basically just a simple path..

thanks
 
   / Best Implement to build a dirt road? #9  
Sounds to me like a boxblade with front loader will do the job you've described. You probably need a box blade anyway. A small dozer could do it a lot quicker but some times we just want to "do it ourself" and justify our purchase.
 
   / Best Implement to build a dirt road? #10  
Box Scraper but NOT the rake. Once you get to know how to use a box scraper you'll understand why.

It's amazing how smooth you can make a road or trail with a box scraper filled with material.

Again, once you figure out how to use it you'll understand.

Two ways to use a box scraper, teeth up, teeth down. The options have two uses, two results.

One of the greatest implements ever
 
 
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