Gravel drive repair

[greenthumb]

All right here is the project. 20 year old gravel driveway/road in Michigan still seems to have good gravel base. Did a grade best I could late fall before a little freeze. Can't have a lot of frost in it right now because it never got cold this winter. It has a lot of potholes right now. My question is best way to get rid of potholes right now without buying gravel since I don't think people are hauling yet and funds are low.
Any ideas would be welcomed

Tools I have to work with :
Hand Shovel
Hand Rake
40 hp compact tractor with loader
Box blade
Loader snow plow
Back blade
Homemade toothbar for bucket

 

[SPYDERLK]

Make sure holes have no water. Back drag near each hole til you bring up fines. Fill hole with this and put gravel on top of the fill. Pack it by driving over it dry and damp -- not wet. Once you get a good pack then you can drive over it wet. Once the holes are ok get gravel spread over the whole thing. If you have a good base you wont need more than an inch or 2.
larry

 

[MasseyWV]

I would use the box blade (first video) to try and achive results similar to those shown in the second video.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxuEDGSGOZA]How to Use a Box Blade - YouTube[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIed2lzfQ-g]How To - Tractor Land Plane - Gravel Road Maintenance - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Soundguy]

might stabilize the holes with a lil cement mix too..

 

[rsewill]

As mentioned, don't do anything to it if it is wet. Working wet road gravel destabilizes the material and it is near impossible to bring it back.

 

[like2wheel]

As mentioned, don't do anything to it if it is wet. Working wet road gravel destabilizes the material and it is near impossible to bring it back.

Is that because the fines get washed down out of the gravel?

 

[Soundguy]

playing in wet mix = ruts, and can damage the subbase...

 

[radair]

Can I piggy back on your thread instead of starting a new one? I have a 1/4 mile long gravel driveway that is steep in both directions. Much of it is comprised of what's locally known as rotten rock, which is decomposed granite that packs and drains well. But I have a long flat section that is all hardpan, which is pretty much like clay. Lots of fines and muddy as heck in spring. It hardens like concrete and is fine most of the year, but when the frost comes out of the ground it is a major mess (like right now). I have put crushed gravel on it and it really helps but once spring hits it is like I never put it down.

I'm thinking i need to dig out 6" of material, put down landscape fabric, then put down good processed gravel. Any other suggestions? I don't have a box blade but am thinking I could really use one.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Can I piggy back on your thread instead of starting a new one? I have a 1/4 mile long gravel driveway that is steep in both directions. Much of it is comprised of what's locally known as rotten rock, which is decomposed granite that packs and drains well. But I have a long flat section that is all hardpan, which is pretty much like clay. Lots of fines and muddy as heck in spring. It hardens like concrete and is fine most of the year, but when the frost comes out of the ground it is a major mess (like right now). I have put crushed gravel on it and it really helps but once spring hits it is like I never put it down.

I'm thinking i need to dig out 6" of material, put down landscape fabric, then put down good processed gravel. Any other suggestions? I don't have a box blade but am thinking I could really use one.

Maybe. ... But Iv found a 2 inch layer of 57 gravel to do a pretty durable fix of that. [Dont use crushed. Frost heave turns it to putty.] I put gravel down at beginning of winter when surface is good and drive the whole road surface - not just std wheel tracks. Gravel spreads the force out some and stabilizes a thawing frost heave. It sinks in a bit, but seems to carry thru yr to yr with just periodic minor touch up necessary after the 1st application. I keep a reserve pile of gravel here. A great timesaver cuz it lets you respond instantly without having to plan.
larry

 

[Welshman]

might stabilize the holes with a lil cement mix too..

Can you please expand on that a bit? I've wondered if that may be effective, but haven't seen anything on it. I'm up north too.