Plowing Snow Over Gravel in Spring

[Katahdin]

First day of Spring in Maine. I just box-bladed the driveway on Sunday to fill in the ruts and potholes and mix in all the driveway gravel I've power-broomed off the lawn from a heavy plow season. Today is Wednesday, three days later, the first day of Spring. Naturally we got a foot of snow last night, so here's what I did to keep from ripping up the soft gravel.

My tractor has a front plow and rear box blade. I raised the front blade just off the surface by a couple inches or so, to shave off the top layer of snow. On the three point, I full extended the top link so the rear-most blade on the box would compress the bottom layer of snow at an acute "\" angle.

Worked out pretty good me thinks. The box blade didn't fill up and did a great job of packing down the bottom layer of snow. I didn't rip up the gravel at all. Here's some pics.

 

[dave1949]

I like it.

We got about 10" here. I used the blower on it, but kept the cutting edge high to avoid shaving off the rut ridges that formed the last couple days. Mud season with a gravel drive is always not fun.

 

[Thomas]

Good idea..doesn't your plow have adjustable shoes/skids?

 

[milkman636]

My experience is that the skid shoes would have just left some grooves in the fresh gravel, but if you are careful you can center them nicely between the gravel windrows on the sides of the driveway.

 

[dave1949]

Good idea..doesn't your plow have adjustable shoes/skids?

My experience is that the skid shoes would have just left some grooves in the fresh gravel, but if you are careful you can center them nicely between the gravel windrows on the sides of the driveway.

Yes it has shoes, set for good clearance too. Like milkman said, they do dig into the soft driveway topping. It's 1" minus, so it can get pretty soupy on top during mud season. It had gotten soupy, driven on and re-froze. So, it had some ruts but not dried out enough to work. I learned to not mess with a gravel drive until the frost is completely out of the ground last year.

 

[Katahdin]

Yep, I've had my plow shoes on all winter and it doesn't help much when the gravel is soft/wet. Note, my problem may have been exacerbated by the fact I spread 60 tons of new gravel on the drive last summer (and the almost 100 inches of snow fall!). In any event, this next picture is of the mess from the melt just before this last storm....oh well, it gave me an excuse to go out and buy a power broom to sweep the displaced gravel back onto the driveway. I highly recommend buying or renting a power broom if you find yourself in the same predicament. :thumbsup:

 

[JJZ 109]

I highly recommend buying or renting a power broom if you find yourself in the same predicament. :thumbsup:

View attachment 309321

I agree with that. This'll be my third spring with a broom similar to the one pictured. Takes a pretty good man to run one for any length of time. But still a big time saver. Beats the heck of out the old fashioned way.

 

[jjlite]

Take a 1inch to 1/1/4 pipe and cut a notch down the whole lenght and fit it to the bottom of your plow (weld or Bolt)I like to bolt mine so it can be removed. It should take care of your problem and keep the yard looking nice for the boss in the spring! good luck

 

[Gator6x4]

First day of Spring in Maine. I just box-bladed the driveway on Sunday to fill in the ruts and potholes and mix in all the driveway gravel I've power-broomed off the lawn from a heavy plow season. Today is Wednesday, three days later, the first day of Spring. Naturally we got a foot of snow last night, so here's what I did to keep from ripping up the soft gravel.

My tractor has a front plow and rear box blade. I raised the front blade just off the surface by a couple inches or so, to shave off the top layer of snow. On the three point, I full extended the top link so the rear-most blade on the box would compress the bottom layer of snow at an acute "\" angle.

Worked out pretty good me thinks. The box blade didn't fill up and did a great job of packing down the bottom layer of snow. I didn't rip up the gravel at all. Here's some pics.

View attachment 309182View attachment 309183

Did the supervisor approve after he finished his inspection?

 

[dave1949]

Yep, I've had my plow shoes on all winter and it doesn't help much when the gravel is soft/wet. Note, my problem may have been exacerbated by the fact I spread 60 tons of new gravel on the drive last summer (and the almost 100 inches of snow fall!). In any event, this next picture is of the mess from the melt just before this last storm....oh well, it gave me an excuse to go out and buy a power broom to sweep the displaced gravel back onto the driveway. I highly recommend buying or renting a power broom if you find yourself in the same predicament. :thumbsup:

View attachment 309313 View attachment 309321

I never heard of "mud season" before living in Maine. If some are wondering what that is, it's when the ground is frozen and the top inch or two thaws. With ice below it, it can't drain into the ground, so it just sits there in soupy saturation, then refreezes overnight.

My driveway is generously wide in several places. I try to stack the snow in those wide areas. When the snow melts the gravel lands on driveway. All summer I think my drive is ridiculously spread out. All winter I think it's too small. :laughing:

This winter had it share of thaws making it impossible to have a frozen snow-packed driveway surface for very long.

Asphalt would be nice, but not with my chains and I don't want to give those up.