Grading Best way to regrade hill to reduce slope?

[SManZ350]

I'm planning two projects for this fall and one of them is to reduce the slope of a grassy hill right behind my house. We would like to make it easier to walk up, and then flatten out an area at the top to be a small level yard. The slope is between 3:1 and 2.5:1, 30-40% and is about 30ft long, and then it starts to flatten out. The slope face is about 50' wide. Our house is on a hillside and we'd like more flat space than we've got.

I'll have a FEL and a rear blade. The spoils will be moved to another side of the lot so it doesn't matter if the dirt ends up at the top or bottom of the hill when I'm grading. I can easily drive to the top area from another side without driving up this steep slope, so I can work from the top down or vice versa.

What is the best and safest way to cut the steepest part of the slope? I'm thinking the best options are driving up the slope from the bottom and picking at the top of the steep part with the FEL and grading from the top down, or starting at the top and cutting into it with the blade and dragging it down the hill. The latter seems more efficient and avoids the risk of flipping the tractor over backward so that's my inclination right now.

We'll be mapping out the various elevations and figuring out exactly where and how much to cut this weekend with a transit.

Thanks!

 

[atsah]

From the top start to take the grade down and use that scraped material to fill towards the bottom, I do my best work with the fel, when you have the grade right, back drag the flat part of the bucket to smooth it out from the bottom.. I have a mini shovel dozer that works really well for things like this, you can do the same with a tractor you just can't take as much material at once like you can with a tracked shovel..

 

[bcp]

Don't fight gravity. Move dirt sideways or down.

Put side plates on your rear blade, or buy a box blade. Scarifiers on either may be a big help.



Do you have tractor experience? Hillside work isn't the best place to learn. Maybe hire a dozer or tracked skid steer with operator for a half day.

Bruce

 

[SManZ350]

Thanks for the replies and for confirming the best method! I don't have tractor experience but I do have time on a skid-steer and rubber tire loader through work. I've not had the opportunity to use either on any significant hill other than a road salt pile. I'm planning on driving it around the property for a while, piddling, and doing the easier ditch cutting project first before moving on to this slope project, so I am hoping to be comfortable enough with the machine by then.

I will definitely look into the side plates and scarifiers.

 

[johncanfield]

.....Do you have tractor experience? Hillside work isn't the best place to learn. Maybe hire a dozer or tracked skid steer with operator for a half day.

Bruce

Exactly! You don't want to learn on a 30-40% grade. I have hundreds of hours operating tractors but I would be very leery of your project using a tractor. Dozer, compact track loader or tracked mini-excavator would be my equipment choices.

 

[Imold]

I have the same issue with about 27 feet of my ditch that I want to smooth out to match the rest of the ditch and I am also new to this so I will watch this thread.
I do have a box blade and a back blade, I like the scarifiers on the back blade and the side plate idea, gives the lighter back blade a few more useable options.


Jim.

 

[oosik]

I, also, don't think a grade like you indicate is the place to learn. Bad things can/do happen on slopes like that and they happen fast.

 

[MossRoad]

You said you have an FEL and a rear blade. What tractor is it? Might be helpful for suggestions.

3:1 slope. I'm guessing that's:

3' forward for every 1' up.
30' forward would be 10' up.
That's not very steep if you're just going up and down it. Just don't go across the slope.
Since you have a rear blade, if it were me, I'd drive around to the top of the hill like you said you can and start pulling 1" at a time down the hill.

 

[oosik]

So - I went out in the yard to get a better idea of the slope. Measured 10' up a pine tree - pulled back 30'. That not as bad as it sounds. I think my driveway is close to that - going into and out of the valley. Moss it right. Just don't turn the tractor sideways on the slope. Do any/all turns at the very top or bottom where it will be flat.

Don't fight gravity & Mother Nature. Grade with your rear blade - from the top down.

 

[Henro]

As stated above, take material off the top and use it to fill in the bottom.

I recently did this on a bank at my place in front of the house. About 80 or 90 feet long. But not as high as yours. But the technique is the same.

Work your way down gradually. Take a cut on the top and push it down a bit, then take another cut and push it down, using what is in the bucket to push the previous material further down. Do this gradually and the slope can be changed relatively safely.

Also, you really need a good tooth bar on your loader when you are doing this work.

Action shot:



PS - remove all the top soil first if possible. Use it to cover the final surface so you can get something to grow. Box blade works good for this if the tractor can handle the current slope.