Reclaiming Gravel.

[Gordon Gould]

Try a board or 2X6 clamped or bolted ( "U" bolts ?? / Sandwich the tine between the 2X6 and a backing board with bolts running thru both ??) to the inside of your rake tines.

gg

 

[BufordBoone]

Try a board or 2X6 clamped or bolted ( "U" bolts ?? / Sandwich the tine between the 2X6 and a backing board with bolts running thru both ??) to the inside of your rake tines.

gg

What a great idea!

The thickness of the 2x6 would also help prevent it from digging in and moving dirt as well as the gravel I want it to move.

Thanks.

 

[nyone]

I'm thinking a light blade might just do a good job of reclaiming gravel without reshaping the dirt underneath

No it wont. They just bend in half.

I also have a heavy cat 1/2 rear blade I ran down my driveway once. It was way to aggressive. I use a landscape rake fully angled with every other tooth removed. Does fine for my 700' driveway with a wide turn in it.

 

[RayIN]

What a great idea!

The thickness of the 2x6 would also help prevent it from digging in and moving dirt as well as the gravel I want it to move.

Thanks.

I was thinking of this while reading all the replies. I'd leave the rake teeth exposed about 1" to loosen lodged gravel/ crushed stone. Yes, lengthen top link to reduce aggressiveness.

 

[zzvyb6]

3pt rototiller/ Wait for a heavy rain. Wear ear muffs to lessen the noise. The dirt & sand that comes up with it will disappear after another rain. Then comb and crown it with a landscape rake. I've done it many times. a bit of wear on the teeth, but nothing compared to truckloads of new gravel.

 

[Chewwy]

Current blade is too long to turn around when on my tractor (I inherited it when I bought the farm).

Current blade is so heavy duty that my welding friend said "Don't ever get rid of that".

Perhaps I should try shortening the top link to make mine less aggressive?

Just how wide is your blade? I can turn the 5 ft. blade around on my Kubota without any difficulty. Your 2 listed machines are larger than my L3240.

Are you sure you can’t shorten the top link and then raise the 3 pt sufficiently to gain enough clearance to rotate your blade?

 

[dodge man]

You can turn your blade around, you just have to take it off to do it.

 

[BufordBoone]

Just how wide is your blade? I can turn the 5 ft. blade around on my Kubota without any difficulty. Your 2 listed machines are larger than my L3240.

Are you sure you can’t shorten the top link and then raise the 3 pt sufficiently to gain enough clearance to rotate your blade?

I think the blade is 8'. I'll try shortening the top link. Didn't think of that last time.

Thanks.

 

[CoyPatton]

Current blade is too long to turn around when on my tractor (I inherited it when I bought the farm).

Current blade is so heavy duty that my welding friend said "Don't ever get rid of that".

Perhaps I should try shortening the top link to make mine less aggressive?

Set the bland down leaned against a low object (I have used stumps). Disconnect and swing the lift frame around. Then hook back up. Yes your object needs to be approachable from both directions. Or after swung around, lift with loader (if tractor has one) spin the blade around and lower, the reconnect.
If you can push your gravel in reverse you can test for results.

Also consider a cross brace in the tines of your rake. Get 2 pieces of steel the length of your rake’s width. Use bolts that will fit between your times, drill matching holes about every 6” across your rake and bolt the pieces of steel to your rake. You can vary the tension of your tines be height placement of the brace. I would think 1/8 or 3/16 steel would be plenty strong and then wide enough to provide strength at drilled holes 1” or 1 1/4” should be find.
If it doesn’t work, holes in steel can be used for plug welds on other projects.

 

[bdhsfz6]

I use the same approach to maintaining my 1.25 mile private road. I have an 8' York rake with grader blade and gauge wheels. I also use a T&T kit, which makes the rake far more useful for cleaning ditches and getting a good crown:

Without the grader blade, the tines are spaced too far apart and leave the fines behind. Working the material too much tends to separate out the coarse gravel, and without the fines, it's difficult to get the graded surface to hold its shape.