Cutting Roads on Hillsides

[JoeL4330]

They make QA "dozer blades"...see skid steer accessories. A six-way can tilt the blade (would require another pair of remotes) and the tilt can bite into the upper side of the sidehill.

If you must start at the top, the real problem is that first transition where you want to get somewhat sideways. Bring some additional fill (from your "borrow pit") and roughly construct that first "turn". After that, as has been described, you can "borrow" from the high side to fill the low side using your "dozer blade" going forward, or your reversed, tilted rear blade (or, perhaps, your tilted box blade,) but that seems less suitable.

 

[Mike058]

Here's a couple of sites that might help: Trail Construction Related CAD Drawings and Specifications USFS R6 and Recreational Trail Design and Construction

 

[Gittyup]

I had a similar road to build. I started at the bottom and used my scraper blade offset and slightly tilted to the uphill side, angled toward the low side. Back up the hill as far as it feels safe. Take a bite and pull down and out. Repeat until you reach the top. When it's safe enough, finish from the top down.

If you dozer backwards, made sure you reinforce your 3pt arms. Going down hill with a heavy tractor like that is sure to bend them otherwise.

Borrowing some fill from another spot is also a good idea for the most dangerous of spots.

If your ground is real hard and/or rocky, this might be too tough a job for a small CUT. Know your equipment's limitations.

Be careful; wear your seat belt.

 

[Egon]

Heck; use your bucket, side cut and dump downhill and either start at the top or the bottom, whichever is handiest.

After the heavy work is done use the back blade to smooth everything off.

Keep it simple. And realistic!

 

[2manyrocks]

Why not hire a dozer operator with insurance? Dozers are designed for this work, and there should be plenty of operators who need the work in this economy.

 

[SFish]

I have some more general advice. I have worked utility tractors most of my life. When I purchased the last one I began working a variety of projects, but it was almost 150 hrs on the meter before my responses to the new controls became comfortably automatic. I changed from a gear jammer to a JD E-hydro, but this was not the major part of the differences by far. There were differences in the balance, traction, and the machine's reactions on hillsides. I made several mistakes, and one required a strong cable winch to get all 4 back on solid ground. I recommend that, in order to be safe, you do a variety of projects before you work your steep and potentially dangerous road. With some experience you may decide to not do it, or that it is no big deal.

Steve