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:

 

[tulenutn2o]

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.

Great explanation. I couldn't come up with the words. But this has been my experience over the years.

 

[ace10]

Pennsylvania has a tremendous resource available to anyone on the web.


The Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies

center for dirt & gravel road studies

This goes well beyond what you'd find from your extension office or county. This is a state funded research-based organization.

There are practical and theoretical case documentation. Information on materials, drainage, etc. They do a great job in documenting work on projects n which they participate. You have to dig around for info pertaining to an appropriate project, but there's a good chance they've covered it already.


There is plenty of information about pothole formation and how to remedy. As many already know, tossing some material into a hardened pothole or dip is a waste of time and material. You have to break up the surrounding area. There simply is no other option.

 

[djradz]

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?

Angle the blade. It will cut better and also help in that it spreads out the reaction caused but dips and ridges.

Otherwise, you are doing the right thing although it is pretty tough to use the position control as you describe. If it were me, I'd just let the blade drag and keep bringing in adequate scrapings to the low spot, then deposit, drive over to compress somewhat, and then bring in more, repeat. You may not get it perfect the first time though. Let it settle and then try some finer work a few weeks or more out.

 

[Egon]

Angle the blade. It will cut better and also help in that it spreads out the reaction caused but dips and ridges.

There is horizontal angling and also vertical angling of the blade. They get used in different combinations depending on what the operator is trying to do with the material he is working with.:thumbsup:

 

[Reg]

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

I got a free set of those.
They were on the back of the Harley Rake when I bought it, so I left them on (-:
That angles left and right, a handy tool.

 

[dex3361]

When I am using a box blade or scraper blade I use the float function of the hydraulic top link. This allows the blade to not follow the tractor up and down every little dip or bump.

 

[MMH]

When I am using a box blade or scraper blade I use the float function of the hydraulic top link. This allows the blade to not follow the tractor up and down every little dip or bump.

I'm not sure if my B9200 has a float for the 3pt. Does anyone know?

 

[LD1]

I'm not sure if my B9200 has a float for the 3pt. Does anyone know?

Yes and No.

ALL 3PH's float. Meaning they apply NO downpressure. It is just the weight of the implement.

But what he is refering to is a float setting for his toplink. Meaning that it is allowed to extend and retract with the contours of the ground. You more than likely have a mechanical toplink. Kinda like a turnbuckle, that you screw in and out to lengthen and shorten.

So, long story short, if you push the lever all the way down, your blade IS going to float. Meaning if your front tires go into a dip, the blade will not raise up into the air. It will be allowed to drop. And vice versa. If the front tires go over a hump, this isn't going to force the blade into the ground.

The problem you are having is probabally due to their being a bunch of loose stone in the "dip", and nothing but hardpack on both sides. So if you allow the blade to "float" by pushing the lever all the way down, it wont cut/bite much on the hard pack, but once you hit the loose stone, the blade digs right in and pulls the gravel out.

Another suggestion mught be to spin the blade afound backwards. Pulling backwards will allow the blade to NOT dig so much material out of the low spot. It will give you a smoother final grade.

 

[djradz]

There is horizontal angling and also vertical angling of the blade. They get used in different combinations depending on what the operator is trying to do with the material he is working with.:thumbsup:

Sorry for any confusion. Thought that here on TBN when someone has referred to "angling" of an implement, such as a blade, it was pretty well understood that we're talking about the turning of the blade in the horizontal plane, so that material is pushed to one side or the other when moving. Always thought that other adjustments are typically referred to as tilting, tipping, etc.

 

[Car Doc]

My 2c on driveway work with any light weight equipment is you need to catch the moisture just right no matter what method you choose that's the key.

On waves I have taken great care to just take dirt away from them with the bucket or a blade but it takes patience and sometimes another rain.

I have used flags set out to the side to give a reference where I need to dig etc that helps a lot, I find trying to "see" the grade from the seat isn't that great for me anyway.

I have a box blade and it does a fair job of fluffing the surface if I use the scarifiers and then drag it with a heavy drag to do the actual leveling, using the box blade to level a grade as a "do all in one tool" isn't all its cracked up to be I don't think anyway a drag works better for me afterwards.