_RaT_
Super Member
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2000
- Messages
- 5,909
- Location
- Peoples Republic of Northern CA.
- Tractor
- Kioti 3510-SE HST
This is all dependent on you having a boxscraper
A boxscraper and an adjustable top link make a huge difference. Realize the permanancy of what you do is dependent on just what the driveway is dressed with. BillyP mentions taking the high spots off, this is necessary because they are going to stay otherwise and the lows will come back quickly if all you do is fill them. It's a bit of a challenge to get it to stay flat and pothole free for very long without new material. My best efforts typically consist of ripping the whole surface slightly to get somewhat of a homogenous or consistent base. That will depend on your material. If it cuts the high spots easily, then don't rip. From there, provided you have hydraulic top link you can quickly experiment with the various angles available to you on the box blade angles. I can't tell you how to do it here since if your top link does not extend/retract like mine, it would be a useless explaination. It also very much depends on the surface and whether it can support the boxblade bottom "shoes", that thin part of the box on each end that rests on the surface. I end up using either extreme ( top link full out/in) of the boxblade a lot. Often, neither blade is in the cutting position. My final passes typically with new rock is fully retracted top link allowing about 1" of material to pass under the blades. If it were dirt or AB, I might tilt it so link is fully extended allowing only the rear blade to smooth, compact and level the surface. It's a bunch of experimenting which can be done with a manual top link, but you'd wear out with the number of adjustments needed to do a typical driveway. My advice, put the tractor in Low. Go slow and watch what the boxblade is doing. Think about what needs to be done. Cut off tops so angle on box can be critical. To strong or aggresive and your into tops, middles and bottoms. Not enough bite and your rolling over everything.
A boxscraper and an adjustable top link make a huge difference. Realize the permanancy of what you do is dependent on just what the driveway is dressed with. BillyP mentions taking the high spots off, this is necessary because they are going to stay otherwise and the lows will come back quickly if all you do is fill them. It's a bit of a challenge to get it to stay flat and pothole free for very long without new material. My best efforts typically consist of ripping the whole surface slightly to get somewhat of a homogenous or consistent base. That will depend on your material. If it cuts the high spots easily, then don't rip. From there, provided you have hydraulic top link you can quickly experiment with the various angles available to you on the box blade angles. I can't tell you how to do it here since if your top link does not extend/retract like mine, it would be a useless explaination. It also very much depends on the surface and whether it can support the boxblade bottom "shoes", that thin part of the box on each end that rests on the surface. I end up using either extreme ( top link full out/in) of the boxblade a lot. Often, neither blade is in the cutting position. My final passes typically with new rock is fully retracted top link allowing about 1" of material to pass under the blades. If it were dirt or AB, I might tilt it so link is fully extended allowing only the rear blade to smooth, compact and level the surface. It's a bunch of experimenting which can be done with a manual top link, but you'd wear out with the number of adjustments needed to do a typical driveway. My advice, put the tractor in Low. Go slow and watch what the boxblade is doing. Think about what needs to be done. Cut off tops so angle on box can be critical. To strong or aggresive and your into tops, middles and bottoms. Not enough bite and your rolling over everything.
