Grading 101 please!

[MMH]

I am trying to smooth out my gravel driveway, and not doing too well. There is a dip that crosses the driveway (opposite of a speed bump) that I am trying to smooth out. I have been dragging my scrapper blade behind it. I have tried to hold it at a specific height using the position control. Also tried to 'guess' how far to let it drop, and then lift it as the blade get's into the dip. Neither method has worked well for me. I also tried backdragging w/ the FEL, but again, w/o good results.

Anyone have some advice for me?

 

[chipsndust]

Dump a bucket full of gravel in the dip first, then grade or back drag.

Sounds like a job for a box blade.

 

[atgreene]

The key is to pull material to the center of the road creating a crown. Water should shed off the road onto the grass or into the ditches unimpeded. You can set the blade so it pulls into the center of the road, then flaten out the ridge int the center feathering it out toward the ditches.

Here is a great video that explains it well: Minnesota LTAP - Gravel Roads Maintenance Video, Part 2: Correct Roadway Shape

I use this in classes that I give on road maintenance, there's a whole series with them on the same site covering all aspects of road maint.

 

[LD1]

I am trying to smooth out my gravel driveway, and not doing too well. There is a dip that crosses the driveway (opposite of a speed bump) that I am trying to smooth out. I have been dragging my scrapper blade behind it. I have tried to hold it at a specific height using the position control. Also tried to 'guess' how far to let it drop, and then lift it as the blade get's into the dip. Neither method has worked well for me. I also tried backdragging w/ the FEL, but again, w/o good results.

Anyone have some advice for me?

To fill a low spot in the drive, I have had good success using the blade to pull gravel to the low spot and leave it in piles their. And then use the FEL for the final grade. But you need to make sure you are allowing the FEL to go into Float position. On my kubota, that happens to be all the way forward on the joystick. It allows NO down pressure on the loader other than just the weight of the loader/bucket itself.

You may want to give that a try if you have a "float" setting for your FEL

 

[tthopskin@yahoo.ca]

when you take a bump or dip out with a scrapper you have to remember if the back tire goes up the blade goes up ---get the gravel to one side or the other get a good blade full and start pushing it to the hole just lifting it a little at a time --this should fill in the hole and your tires wont go up or down keeps it all flat ---good luck :thumbsup:

 

[tulenutn2o]

my vote is for boxblade. At some point you will have to work this area at an angle also. This is how road graders are able to smooth out roads so effectively( angle blade at aggressive angles)

 

[CurlyDave]

The problem with leveling a dip by adding simply gravel is that you then have a dip full of gravel which comes out rather quickly as traffic crosses it.

I have had a lot more success by breaking up the road surface to a depth of ~12", adding more material and compacting it all again. This way, the added material becomes part of the road surface as opposed to loose material dumped on the road.

I use the backhoe to scratch up the surface and then backdrag more material into the low spot, leaving a slightly high spot which will compact to a smooth road. I finish it off with a plate compactor, but compaction with the weight of the tractor front wheels (with a big load in the bucket) should be good enough.

 

[wedge40]

Lets look at what we know.
He has a tractor, a blade and a FEL. That all that's at his disposal. I dont know how much money he makes so I'm not going to suggest the purchase of more equipment. What I will suggest is to angle the blade and pull as much loose gravel from the sides of the road to the center, then work this to the "dip". The other option is to get a load of gravel and have it placed somewhere on your property close to the road. (Not in the dip) Use this to fill the dip as it reappears.
CurlyDave has the ultimate fix. Dig up the area and redo the base. Maybe even put down some textile material if the sub-base is spongy.

Wedge

 

[Gordon Gould]

Lets look at what we know.
He has a tractor, a blade and a FEL. That all that's at his disposal. I dont know how much money he makes so I'm not going to suggest the purchase of more equipment. What I will suggest is to angle the blade and pull as much loose gravel from the sides of the road to the center, then work this to the "dip". The other option is to get a load of gravel and have it placed somewhere on your property close to the road. (Not in the dip) Use this to fill the dip as it reappears.
CurlyDave has the ultimate fix. Dig up the area and redo the base. Maybe even put down some textile material if the sub-base is spongy.

Wedge

This is what I would do also. He probably can get alot of material by pulling it to the center from boyh sides all along the road. It would help to know the size of the dip and the general makeup and condition of the road for a more specific answer.

 

[Egon]

Install some gauge wheels on the back blade and make the Grading Life a whole lot more functional and enjoyable.:thumbsup: