best way to prep soil so a loader can scoop it up - middle buster?

Tonyinohio · Mar 10, 2016

I have my first big project with the new tractor this weekend or next: using the new middle buster to trench drain tile lines down a sloped gravel driveway to hopefully reduce the weeks of water weeping out of the gravel after a rain. Not sure how effective but I'm not on a huge time limit so I figure any mechanized savings will help one way or the other. Thinking about a crossline linking all three lines (each tire track and one down the center) together at the top, middle and end then draining the bottom crossline to the ditch line along the road. I figure 1 foot deep with #57's in the trench over the drain tile and then chips/dust over that so it will pack. Thoughts?

Now that I have the middle buster I'm thinking I could use it to break up the soil where I plan on expanding my parking area. I have access to a skidsteer but if I could use my little loader it makes my life a little more self reliant. Seems to me I could run the middle buster over the area several inches deep and easily scoop up the remains rather than straining the tractor and loader to cut into long established turf. You experienced guys....is this good idea?

k0ua · Mar 10, 2016

It sounds like a good plan to me.

LD1 · Mar 10, 2016

For going down a foot deep, yea a middle buster would probably work as would a bottom plow, and plow twice to get the depth.

A tiller also works good, but you will disturb a wider area.

I did a driveway job last year for a guy. Bout 300' long and cut it in ~4-6" deep. Had everything marked where he wanted the drive to be. So I just tilled everything like it were a garden and scooped out the loose stuff. Worked better than I could have hoped for, and was able to leave a nice looking end result, without all the highs and lows that one would normally get just trying to dig it in with a loader. It was easy to control the depth with the tiller.

k0ua · Mar 10, 2016

LD1 said:
For going down a foot deep, yea a middle buster would probably work as would a bottom plow, and plow twice to get the depth.

A tiller also works good, but you will disturb a wider area.

I did a driveway job last year for a guy. Bout 300' long and cut it in ~4-6" deep. Had everything marked where he wanted the drive to be. So I just tilled everything like it were a garden and scooped out the loose stuff. Worked better than I could have hoped for, and was able to leave a nice looking end result, without all the highs and lows that one would normally get just trying to dig it in with a loader. It was easy to control the depth with the tiller.

I bet that worked pretty good, and easier on your own equipment too!

LD1 · Mar 10, 2016

I wish I would have got some pics, but yea, it was easy going and worked well.

Once everything was tilled, I came in from the side, and scooped the dirt across the drive and piled on one side with the FEL. Rather than trying to move it all length-ways to one end. And didnt want to give the blade a try, because after I ran over the tilled area a few times, it would have been packed down again.

The guy actually attempted this drive himself. With a 9n and a light duty blade. Best he could do was scrape of some corn stubble.

And even with my much heavier blade that would have cut in, I think it would have taken me alot longer to get the desired 4-6" depth.

All finished it was about 3700 sq ft, and took only about 4 hours, but I could have probably could have done it in 2 or 2.5 hours, but the guy wanted alot of dirt hauled to the inside of his polebarn to level it up. It was something around a 30x40 but one corner being ~18" lower than the opposite side. So that took about 1000 cu ft of the dirt. And figuring 3700 sq ft @ 4" is ~1200 cu ft....it took most of the dirt from the driveway. And I only had a small bit left.

This was the first drive I have done like this, with a tiller. And the precise depth control and and easy to go in a nice straight line (or make the curve up to the homesite) was nice. I dont think I could have done it any faster with my big backhoe and 3' bucket. And certainly wouldnt have been as clean of finish without going over it with a blade or something once roughed in.

Botaskinner · Mar 10, 2016

I had to break up lots of topsoil on our lot last fall, and once past that, there was about 6-12" of clay that needed to be removed in places.

Not sure if you have a boxblade, but on mine I dropped the scarifiers to their lowest level, set the tilt on the top link for an aggressive angle and went after it. It was amazing what that tool could do. My 23HP Hydro drive pulled a full box of soil without even breaking a sweat, or breaking traction.

I also have a MB, but realistically it only goes about 8-10" down. It's OK for small ditches, as well as general breaking of larger areas of soil..I went in a cross hatch pattern, then diagonally in both directions.

Actual use of the FEL was just to scoop up the displaced soil...the boxblade did the majority of the heavy work.

If you don't have a BB, you might want to invest in a Pirhana tooth bar. That will make your FEL work a bit easier.

I may have to sacrifice about 8' off the length of an old concrete slab for a new septic project..Can't wait to tear that up if need be.