How to save money when graveling a road

[ragkar]

I came across this idea by Darol Dickinson that I thought I might share.

The problem: He has a large ranch with pasture roads that sometimes need maintenance. The gravel trucks spread a three inch layer of gravel across the road at the cost of about $200 per 200 feet. Then the owner touches up the distribution. The difficulty is that only the ruts really need more gravel.

The solution: A four foot length of 6x6 is placed inside the empty truck centered at the dump gate. When the truck raises the gate an inch to begin dumping, gravel only falls in the ruts and not in the road center. That is, eighteen inches of gravel waterfall on both sides. As a result, a truck with an 8 1/2 ft wide bed can go twice as far before it runs out of gravel.

 

[ToadHill]

The trucks in our area have dump gates on each side of the tailgate that can be opened to only let the gravel flow into the ruts. I'm didn't realize that they don't have them all over.

 

[tony123]

How would you secure the 6x6 in place? clamps?

 

[greasemonkeyok]

If the dump gate is only open an inch or so, the pressure of the gravel against the 6x6 holds it in place.

 

[rambler]

Wouldn't hold in place when driving empty, nor when dumping gravel in the empty truck, at least not all the time, so I'd want it held in place somehow.

--->Paul

 

[brucew44guns]

Wouldn't hold in place when driving empty, nor when dumping gravel in the empty truck, at least not all the time, so I'd want it held in place somehow.

--->Paul

The driver will have to position the wood in the center at the quarry. The gravel load will keep it in place as it returns to the farm. I think this is a great idea, I don't get ruts, but the left and right side is always more naked than the center.

 

[ragkar]

I've reread Dickinson's suggestion and it reads as though he uses the gravel yard's trucks. He probably goes to the yard with his 6x6 and places it in the dump truck himself. The weight of the gravel holds the timber in place. Anyhow, I can't conceive how the gravel would exert side pressure on the timber.
This suggestion of Dickinson is not a blue sky idea that he had. It is a working solution that he shares.

 

[TRR]

If you plan to place the beam in the truck at the quarry, better check to see if you can. At the quarry I go to, nobody is allowed outside the cab while on the quarry property. Penalty is that you're banned from the quarry - big signs as you enter.

 

[Duffster]

I've reread Dickinson's suggestion and it reads as though he uses the gravel yard's trucks. He probably goes to the yard with his 6x6 and places it in the dump truck himself. The weight of the gravel holds the timber in place. Anyhow, I can't conceive how the gravel would exert side pressure on the timber.
This suggestion of Dickinson is not a blue sky idea that he had. It is a working solution that he shares.

It's a great idea. Thanks for sharing.