change V to ^ with box scrapper?

[miles2go]

I have a section of driveway made of the native decomposed shale that is higher on the sides than the middle, and I'm trying build up the middle and reduce the edges.

I have a box scraper, which I'm just starting to use again, after first playing with it a year ago when I bought the tractor.

I've set the rippers down on the right side and adjusted the hitch so that the right edge is lower, but I'd like to get the left edge to stay clear of the road, so that the scraped material will naturally empty towards the center of the road. My goal is to turn my V-profile into a crowned road.

Is there any easy (and inexpensive) way to get the left edge of the scraper to stay clear of the road bed?

Would it help to reverse the left-most ripper and drop it so it dragged on the road bed? Ideas? Thanks!

 

[MrJimi]

Jusy an idea, how about you bolt some metal by your scraper edge to divert material towards center in the shape of a V, loose material would get spread in center more

 

[thcri]

On my New Holland I can adjust the arms independently from each other by moving pins. I also have a screw adjustment on the right side that allows me to move the right arm also. I know it is for mostly leveling the arms but in this case you could unlevel them.


murph

 

[miles2go]

The V in the road is pronounced enough that the left edge of the scraper tends to drag, even though I've adjusted the arms to make the right edge of the scraper "lower".

I think I need something to actually elevate the left edge of the scraper off the road bed.

 

[miles2go]

I notice that my left arm does have another hole to shorten its length with; will give that a try. Thanks for the tips so far. I may also ask the dealer about the cost of putting an adjustable arm of the left, like I have on the right.

 

[Ben3130]

This happens to my gravel driveway all the time (due to rain washout), and I've found that a rear blade works better than a box blade for this type of work. I can angle the blade so that it pulls dirt from the edges of the driveway and "funnels" it towards the center of the driveway. You can change the level of the lower links to make the blade dig in more at the edge of the driveway as well, like you're doing with your box blade. But since the rear blade does not trap the dirt, it just follows the angle of the blade and falls into the low area. I don't know if you have a rear blade or could borrow one, but it always helps to have options

 

[miles2go]

Don't have a rear blade, and unlikely my wife will authorize ... but I might have a neighbor with one. Thanks for the idea. Hopefully neighbors will be more willing to lend implements than tractors.

Bought the box blade over the rear blade because the dealer recommended. (Until yesterday, I've mainly used the FEL instead for road-work. I like backdragging with the bucket.)

In defense of the box blade, the design (with rippers) is more efficient than a back blade for digging up the decomposed shale on the high edges of the road. A blade will tend to catch, and make the tractor hard to steer.

 

[schmism]

In defense of the box blade, the design (with rippers) is more efficient than a back blade for digging up the decomposed shale on the high edges of the road. A blade will tend to catch, and make the tractor hard to steer.

yes a BB is better for hard cutting, but it lacks the fine-tune-ablity of a rear blade, and not being able to angle it to bring material from the right edge of the blade to the center is another downfall (IMHO)

so work your toplink on the BB all the way in bringing the rippers down, then tilt all the way right (or left depending on direction of travel) and rip up the surface.

Then come back with the rear blade and move the material around with the rear blade.

 

[3RRL]

miles2go,
As suggested, a back blade is really the way to go, but you don't have one.
How long is that section of road you are fixing up anyway? You can still do it with the boxblade and get some seat time as well.

I you don't have enough sideways tilt to do what you want, instead of following the road, go perpendicular to it (if you have enough room). You could drop the boxblade down over the edge and drag that shale towards the center and feather it out. Then move a blade's width and do it again. If you don't have enough room on your road to go fully perpendicular, then do the same thing at a diagonal, like a chevron shape on both sides.

Each pass will drag a lot off the sides and quickly build up the center. Dragging the boxblade a long ways works good until it fills up, then it stops cutting down, or removing the same amount as when you started. Doing it perpendicular or diagonal lets you control the amount of cut better and you can "see" the amount of difference easier, because you're dumping the load and starting a new cut every time. It may seem to be the long way around, but really goes pretty fast because of the amount of material you drag from the edge towards the center. The center will fill up fast that way.

After doing the section of road in that manner, you can lower one side of the boxblade and grade along the length of the road to get your "crown" and smooth the road. Here's what I've found out too, at least in my case. Going lengthwise down the road with a tilted boxblade, instead of starting at the gutter or edge, start closer to the center of the road and make passes each way. Then move over to the edge and do the same thing. It seems to work better that way, at least for me. I can see the edge disappear and move shale or dirt towards the center that way. That's how I'd do it with what you've got. Others may have different opinions, of course.

 

[miles2go]

Thanks for all the good ideas! (Keep 'em coming.)

In truth, my current project is only about 150' (the rest of my driveway is flat or crowned). But in the future I might want to use this technique in improving older logging roads on my property.

If I go perpendicular or chevron, I'll probably just use the front loader, which is how I've been relocating the shale I ripped yesterday.

I guess I've been trying to find a good use for the box scraper and trying to learn useful technique with it. So far, the FEL has been handier for me. Though the BS is a better ripper.