Washboard Driveway Repair

   / Washboard Driveway Repair #1  

CTKOB

New member
Joined
Sep 23, 2003
Messages
14
Location
CT South Eastern
Tractor
Kubota 3130HST
Any hints on how to flatten out a wash board section of a driveway? I have a 3130 with 723 FEL and owe my neighbor a couple of favors. I am ok at grading but not sure if I can just skim off the high spots to fill in the low spots??? Is there a book somewhere on the basics of dirt moving and grading etc, my work turns out ok but sometimes /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif it takes a lot longer to do then I think it should. Thanks
 
   / Washboard Driveway Repair #2  
You got it.. Skim and then compact.

If you are not good with the box.. how about back dragging with the loader?

Soundguy
 
   / Washboard Driveway Repair #3  
I'm sure you already thought about this, but any chance you can get a hold of a box scraper? You can set the scarifiers to scrape down the high spots and then smooth the dirt out with the blade. Personally, I hate using the loader for grading - I'm just not patient enough for it.
 
   / Washboard Driveway Repair #4  
I've had pretty good luck using a 3PH grader blade. I set the blade at an angle and back-blade it first, just barely skimming off the rough part. That way I can hit the rough spots with the blade first rather that having the tractor tires bounce over them.
I've found that if I try to drive forward over the section first, the front wheels hit the bumps, which bounces the blade up and down magnifing the problem.
 
   / Washboard Driveway Repair #5  
Thats where draft control comes in handy... Old Ford N-Series ( and others ) had it. Great for ground engaging implements.. and stuff that you more or less wanted to follow the terain without taking too much bite.. etc.

Soundguy
 
   / Washboard Driveway Repair #6  
according to ur profile u don't have a box or rear blade, i did the same thing for a neighbor last spring, just used the toothbar to lossenit up and the fel and rear blade to level it. actually came out pretty nice. just took a little time , but what the heck to me that is play time /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
   / Washboard Driveway Repair #7  
If you want to do it right, the wash board part needs to be cut down. If you just fill the low spots, they'll come right back.
 
   / Washboard Driveway Repair #8  
My driveways top layer is 1 1/2" crusher run, crushed limestone. So this is my frame of reference.

I'm with RHughes in using a grader blade at an angle. This will scrape off the high spots. Its' easier to use than a box blade. I turn the blade around backwards so it just drags. If you need it to dig a little use it on the forward position. Adjusting you top link will change how agressive it is. This is where a hydraulic top link is Saaaweet.

If using a box blade you don't need to the rippers down unless things are really mucked up. When the drive was newer and we had semi's, dump trucks, heavy equip etc.. running up/down out 650'+ drive. Thats the only time I needed to use the box blade to smooth things out. They were more woopty doos than washbords. Still didn't need the rippers. Maybe if I had potholes or something. You have to be carefull with boxblade or you can turn washboads into woopty doos.

You can also use your FEL a couple different ways. If your good you can drive forward and skim the high spots. You can also float the FEL while driving backwards. Depending on the curl angle you can dig or smooth.

If you get it early before the washboards develop much(pack and harden) you can just smooth them over. I.E. backward rear blade or FEL.

This depends on your needs but if I was looking at buying a box blade or rear blade, I'd buy the box. The BB is more versatle than the RB. However the BB has a learning curve.
 
   / Washboard Driveway Repair #9  
I will be repairing some of my washboard tomorrow. I have a 1600 ft driveway, with a fourth of it needing to be re-done. Your more than welcome to take a drive up here to Union. Can't tell you I do it right, I will say, it's the way I've done it for many years and it seems to work for me. I learned this particular technique being on a highway dept from an old timer.. Basically dump fresh gravel/stone ahead fo the bad area, reach over with FEL,, drag back and roll bucket at same time..
 
   / Washboard Driveway Repair #10  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( If you want to do it right, the wash board part needs to be cut down. If you just fill the low spots, they'll come right back. )</font>

Billy makes a good point. I use my back blade on a gravel road, tilt it and angle it to cut deep along the edge and windrow the loose material to the center. Then swing the blade around to spread the loose material back in place for compaction with the local traffic. Works best if you can do it during a few dry days.

This approach also allows me to keep the crown on the road easily to promote drainage.
 
 
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