Cutting ATV trails into cross slopes

[idiggplants]

We have a 30 horse kubota. I'm looking to pick up a back blade to maintain our cabin driveway and maybe do a little snowplowing. Looking at the different units(pretty sure we will get one used), I see that some articulate in addition to rotate(4 way). Those units are obviously more $. we dont have any ditches to cut in, but we would love an easier way to cut atv trails in on cross slopes. obviously a dozer would do the job much better, but be way too expensive, and make way wider of a trail than we are looking to create..
i was thinking that i could articulate the blade and grade a section to flat, and then flatten the blade and slowly extend the flattened area. I'm wondering if the tilt function would be useful for that, or if that is just wishful thinking that will just end up being a waste of money for a feature we wouldnt otherwise need.

also open to suggestions for other implements that might do this job. currently we use a backhoe to cut the high side and fill the low side, but its slow going because after we do what we can with the backhoe, we have to drive a very long distance to turn around and use the front bucket to back blade. its very slow going.

thanks.

 

[oosik]

Just my humble opinion. An ATV is going to be too lite to do much cross slope cutting. If it does work - it's most likely going to be a very slow job. Don't purchase the dozer - hire a dozer & operator to just rough in the trails. ATV is much more attuned to doing final grading, leveling and ditching.

 

[BlueKnife]

FWIW, any slope that a 30 hp Kubota can navigate safely, your ATV's can too. A back blade isn't going to be able to cut into a hillside very effectively, especially if there's any sod, roots, rocks, clay, etc. Might be better to just run the ATV's on the slopes for a year, see where you really want roads and then hire someone with a small dozer. Once the roads are in you can maintain them with a standard backblade. They can be tilted a bit by adjusting the 3 point lift arms.

 

[WranglerX]

Unless a blade has tilt feature, you are not going to cut a flat trail across hillside, a blade without tilt will alway be parallel to rear tires on tractor.... ITs simple geometry.... Dealing with same issue while contemplating a blade for behind my tractor and need to cut flat trail across a slope... As for rocks and roots, that is why you have tools to deal with them as they rear their ugly heads.. . Trail building is not for the lazy....

 

[BlueKnife]

Just my humble opinion. An ATV is going to be too lite to do much cross slope cutting. If it does work - it's most likely going to be a very slow job. Don't purchase the dozer - hire a dozer & operator to just rough in the trails. ATV is much more attuned to doing final grading, leveling and ditching.

He's talking about building trails for ATV's, not with them.

 

[idiggplants]

Just my humble opinion. An ATV is going to be too lite to do much cross slope cutting. If it does work - it's most likely going to be a very slow job. Don't purchase the dozer - hire a dozer & operator to just rough in the trails. ATV is much more attuned to doing final grading, leveling and ditching.

I'm not doing the work with an ATV, I'm doing the work with a 30hp kubota. The work I'm doing is installing the trails FOR the atvs

FWIW, any slope that a 30 hp Kubota can navigate safely, your ATV's can too.

The idea would be that I would be working from an area the kubota and atv's can navigate. Aka, a trail that transitions from flat to steep cross slope. Id work with the machine on the flat area, with the blade facing the cross slope. Backing farther into the cross slope area. Making the cross slope flatter as I work my way down the trail.

A back blade isn't going to be able to cut into a hillside very effectively, especially if there's any sod, roots, rocks, clay, etc. Might be better to just run the ATV's on the slopes for a year, see where you really want roads and then hire someone with a small dozer. Once the roads are in you can maintain them with a standard backblade. They can be tilted a bit by adjusting the 3 point lift arms.

Yes, see that's what I wasn't sure about. The ability to actually cut into the hillside. These slopes are ones that the atvs can't run on. One in particular is 2 old forest trails that end about 50 yards apart, with a steep cross slope that can't be navigated between them. A dozer won't be an option. Too wide, and too expensive. If I can't do it myself, its simply not getting done. Once they are in they don't need maintenance. They are only for atvs.

Unless a blade has tilt feature, you are not going to cut a flat trail across hillside, a blade without tilt will alway be parallel to rear tires on tractor.... ITs simple geometry.... Dealing with same issue while contemplating a blade for behind my tractor and need to cut flat trail across a slope... As for rocks and roots, that is why you have tools to deal with them as they rear their ugly heads.. . Trail building is not for the lazy....

I know I won't be able to do it with a non tilt blade. I understand geometry. I'm more concerned about if a tilt blade will do the job, or if its wishful thinking and we would be better off doing it with the backhoe.. If it won't do the job, then its a feature we don't need, as we don't need it for anything else.


Thanks all for the responses. I appreciate it!

 

[2manyrocks]

A compact track loader would be the right size and have the manuverability you want. Cheaper than renting a dozer, too.

 

[jjeff]

Need to hog up that hillside and potential pathways than you'd have loose dirt to work with easier with a tractor, back blade, loader. In my experiences.

 

[Smokeydog]

Improved many trails using a back blade on a small tractor on our hillside farm. Going from a standard back blade to one that offsets made a big difference. Weight, quality and adjustability all improved with a premium blade. Gear leveling box on a 3pt hitch saves considerable time. TopNtilt would be sweet. Time of year makes a different too. Spring is a good time to break ground. I have to deal with a lot of trees. Some paths took many years effort to get established. Backhoe helps with tough spots. With 60” rain per year always have to consider where water is going to run.

 

[rgr33]

I just did that last fall using my 33 hp tractor, fel, and box blade.
It was about a 400 ft section that gave me the Willie’s when crossing the hill side to side.

It takes more effort than you might think, you can’t do it all from the seat of your tractor, but I had the time and tools and it cost me nothing. Set belt and low center of gravity on implements an absolute must.

after finishing the cut, I spread some old hay on top for winter erosion, and reseeding.
I am happy with results.

 

[bcp]

I did about a 50 ft section of hillside by using my walk-behind tiller for a couple of pass on what would by the uphill wheeltrack. Them moved the loose dirt to the low side. This made a slight terrace that reduced the risk for the tractor.

Bruce

 

[old and tired]

Tufline has angle, tilt and offset adjustments, I got mine for $250. Great rear blade, but I've cut side slope with a box blade with good results, tilt it as far as you can to one side to cut the uphill side. BUT your backhoe is the best for the job!!!!

Can you drive across the side slope with the tractor? or too steep? If you can, a plow helps.

 

[BlueKnife]

Yes, see that's what I wasn't sure about. The ability to actually cut into the hillside. These slopes are ones that the atvs can't run on. One in particular is 2 old forest trails that end about 50 yards apart, with a steep cross slope that can't be navigated between them. A dozer won't be an option. Too wide, and too expensive. If I can't do it myself, its simply not getting done. Once they are in they don't need maintenance. They are only for atvs.


I know I won't be able to do it with a non tilt blade. I understand geometry. I'm more concerned about if a tilt blade will do the job, or if its wishful thinking and we would be better off doing it with the backhoe.. If it won't do the job, then its a feature we don't need, as we don't need it for anything else.


Thanks all for the responses. I appreciate it!

I don't think a back blade is gonna do it, unless you're dealing with soil that's already loose. Could probably be done with a mini excavator. They can be rented inexpensively for a day.

 

[ArlyA]

Without knowing his soil type and a thousand other details, its hard to say much. Having been trained in trail construction, I will say you don't pull material out of some hillside, then use it for your trail. It doesn't work that way.

 

[2manyrocks]

If a rear dirt blade hangs on a firmly embedded rock trying to cut into too much of a slope on a tractor, there's a risk of a flip or turnover.

 

[dirttoys]

Depending on soil type, it will be tough. You can certainly maintain with a blade. My best advice would be to rent an x, rough in the trails and get the drainage good, then finish and maintain with you tractor and blade.

Best,

ed

 

[ZTMAN]

If there is enough room to safely get your tractor perpendicular to the trail head, you can use your loader to level out an area on the sloped trail. Once leveled get on the trail and start digging with your loader. Dig the high side and dump on the low side. It may take awhile but it will get done.
A tooth bar on the loader is very helpful.
I have done a few trails this way and they turned out great.

For the areas with lesser slope, the box blade comes in handy when tilted to the high side.

 

[trueg50]

How rocky is the soil? Around here with all the rocks trail building can be very difficult. A Mini-excavator can be hugely more productive than a large tractor for trail building.

 

[Fixastuff]

Everyone that I know that makes new trails in mountains or hilly areas uses a mini excavator.

 

[leonz]

Before you do anything you should contact United Rentals as they have mini excavators
like the old DROTT excavators that had the ability to dig level trenches on slopes.
I am not sure if you could successfully use a mini excavator with a tilting bucket if you
have rock ledges on the hill side.