clearing rock

[jarbill]

I'm new to tractor usage, and I need to make a road onto our new property. We have very rocky soil, and I am wanting to know the best way to scrape some of the top off to fill in later with crushed rock or something for the actual road material. I can't really get a good bite with the FEL because of the rocks, and I don't want to go too much deeper and take a chance on bending either the FEL frame or bucket. Can I use a box blade lifted up off the ground with only the scarifiers digging in to break up the soil and then come back later with the FEL and scoop it up, or should I put a tooth bar on the FEL and try to rip up and scoop the soil/rocks at the same time, or should I just hire a bulldozer to come in and not worry about it and just use my tractor to clean up the bulldozer mess?

Any input would be appreciated.

Jerry in Texas

 

[jbrumberg]

Let the bulldozer at it first. It will be a lot quicker and it will save a lot of wear and tear on your tractor. Jay

 

[john_bud]

Plan "D" as in Dozer!

jb

 

[texasjohn]

Welcome to TBN... Suggest you expand your profile so we know more what you are trying to do, your equipment, etc.... it helps when we answer your questions.

Where in Texas are you..tell me more and I may be able to help more..there are lots of type of soil/rock here... some, like caliche, can be ripped up and redistributed for road base. If you have solid limestone, get truly heavy equipment and bring in road base. If you are around Marble Falls... it's marble

In any event, I highly recommend you get a toothbar for your FEL. No question you ARE going to need it and getting it now will hopefully avoid you bending the lip of your FEL.

 

[truejourney]

I've found that a subsoiler works best for areas with larger rocks (tractor tire size and up) and once they have been broken free, the front end loader or boxblade can move them where needed. It's worked on rock so large that the loader won't lift even once free.

The problem I've experienced with the boxblade and scarifiers alone is that it will often roll over many of the larger rocks and the hooks aren't always long enough to get underneath.

I've moved a lot of hillside dirt and rock (sandstone & shale) while building a road to a more gentle slope with my Kubota B-2710 and KingKutter boxblade and sub-soiler.

 

[Egon]

Evaluate your situation. With that many rocks maybe you don't have to dig things up.

 

[CurlyDave]

I think Egon has the right idea.

Lots & lots of rocks means you can build up a slightly elevated roadway from imported base rock (around here that is ~6" and smaller angular rock) surfaced with some 3/4" minus angular rock.

If you can scrape up rocks from somewhere else on your property you may be able to save some of the cost of the base rock.

 

[jarbill]

Let the bulldozer at it first. It will be a lot quicker and it will save a lot of wear and tear on your tractor. Jay

You can see the kind of soil if you look on the other side of the rotary cutter. The rocks are not very big, but there are many of them.

 

[jarbill]

Welcome to TBN... Suggest you expand your profile so we know more what you are trying to do, your equipment, etc.... it helps when we answer your questions.

Where in Texas are you..tell me more and I may be able to help more..there are lots of type of soil/rock here... some, like caliche, can be ripped up and redistributed for road base. If you have solid limestone, get truly heavy equipment and bring in road base. If you are around Marble Falls... it's marble

In any event, I highly recommend you get a toothbar for your FEL. No question you ARE going to need it and getting it now will hopefully avoid you bending the lip of your FEL.

Texas John:

I put a picture of my new tractor D) along with some of the rock that a bulldozer had turned up right next to it in the thread so you can see what it looks like.

BTW, I'm up in the North Texas area. I think our rock is called shale around here, although I always thought shale was the kind of black or gray coal-like brittle rock sheets like you see up in the Appalachian mountains.

Jerry in Texas

 

[Coolnslo]

I have the same kind of soil and rocks and didn't dig anything up for my road. Just had base rock trucked in by a local builder and laid along the top of the soil. In a short amount of time, and after getting wet a couple of times, this road became solid and carries everything without any problem. It's been in use for about 2 years and shows no sign of wear. If I had felt like I needed to dig it up, I would have gone with the dozer. Have used a dozer for other dirt work and it is amazingly quick and easy when compared to what you would have to do with the tractor. Good Luck with whatever you choose!