Raise my Drive (pic)

[Racer71]

I am going to raise my drive 2-3 feet. The fence and ditch make a great snow fence. Here is the "Before" picture. I estimate it will take 1,000 buckets of dirt. I wish I owned a dump turck.

 

[sandman2234]

I am having to do something very similar on my property, except it is just along my property line. My neighbor changed the drainage on his property, and it started messing with mine. I started by raising the critical areas of my property line first and will work on the rest as dirt becomes available. I built a dump bed for a trailer and used it to move dirt three tenths of a mile to here. A dump truck would be easier, also.
David from jax

 

[john_bud]

I'm guessing that the distance is about 1000' long, 10' wide and 3' high that you are wanting to add. If that's correct, then that's 30,000 cu ft or 1111 cu yd of dirt. Your bucket is about 8 -9 cu ft. so you have 3000 buckets full to do.

Don't forget to compact the soil every 8-12".

I'd laugh, but I have a similar job to do. I'm looking for a small 1 ton with a dump box... It sure does look like a lot of work in that picture! Good luck.


jb

 

[Racer71]

I'm looking at about 400 yards with a 1/3 yard bucket. I am placing 1 bucket dump side by side and leveling it. This rasies the drive about 2-4 inches at a time. Pack it in for awhile at add some more. It will take time.

 

[johnk]

Why don't you just knock down the fence on the right and grade that out. Would save a lot of work.

 

[sandman2234]

Building a dump trailer is easier than finding a dump one ton around here, and cheaper also.
David from jax

 

[Egon]

The amount you raise that driveway will make it a major hill in your area!!

Is this the type of project that ensures you get to practice you skills rather than one being done out of dire necessity??

 

[sandman2234]

I don't understand snow and it's properties, but would be concerned about what will happen in the low lying area if you put an additional 2-3 feet of dirt in what amounts to a dam across that. Since snow isn't like water that we deal with here, it seems like it would require some consideration, but I don't know how to advise you on that. It just seems like there ought to be something different in the low part of your driveway.
I can understand where a snow fence would be nice, we used them on the beach to create dunes of sand. Even those require some considerations of what happens when you build a wall.
David from jax

 

[john_bud]

. It will take time.

Yeah, that's an understatement if ever I heard one!

Still, by the time you're done, you will be a pretty good FEL operator!

Don't forget to share the after pictures!

jb

 

[Racer71]

Johnk,

The horses would like me to take down the fence but my wife????

Sandman,

Snow collects in the low areas. Today this is my drive. It will blow off of the high ground. That is why I am raising it. The drainage is taken care of.

 

[R_Walter]

Out in that kind of country, there must be lots of guys with bulldozers and graders who could push up a lot of dirt from beside the road for you. That would certainly be a lot more efficient than trying to do it with a 30+ HP CUT.

 

[WayneB]

I am going to raise my drive 2-3 feet. The fence and ditch make a great snow fence. Here is the "Before" picture. I estimate it will take 1,000 buckets of dirt. I wish I owned a dump turck.

Can you add a snow fence out in the field? I would think this would be easier and do a better job then trying to raise the driveway itself?

The winds must be someting else around there. Darn not a tree anywhere. There isn't a field that large in the entire state of New Hampshire! Might be able to add all of the field together in my town and it wouldn't be is large as that field in your trator picture.

As for a dump truck, I think you would be ahead of the game, if you wish to raise the road, to hire someone with a dump truck to bring in a couple loads for you and then use the tractor to grade it.


Wayne

 

[Renze]

Snow collects in the low areas. Today this is my drive. It will blow off of the high ground. That is why I am raising it. The drainage is taken care of.

Ahh now i see: I was thinking, cutting a ditch along the road and use that dirt to crown up the road a bit, would be enough: The idea of raising it is that the wind collects snow in low spots and raising the road would make the wind keep it snow free ??

 

[charlz]

Building a dump trailer is easier than finding a dump one ton around here, and cheaper also.

No kidding! I was at a farm auction the other day and a 1971 Ford 1 ton with a flatbed dump and gooseneck hitch went for $3500! (plus any buyers premium, title transfer fees, sales tax etc.) Meanwhile late 80's pickups were going for $700.

Probably what you would pay for delivery charges on that much dirt would pay for a dump truck or at least a dump trailer. I called the other day for 10 yards of road mix from a place about 5 miles from my house. $53 for the dirt and $70 for delivery.

 

[wushaw]

You can make a dump bed out of a one ton for reasonable price if you have a truck you can do this with. Just do a search on the net.

If you have the dirt on your property to do this with then the one ton dump truck or a small dump trailer is the best route.

If you have to bring it in from another source buy a GN dump trailer and haul it yourself then sell the trailer if you won't need it anymore.

It will take forever to move that much dirt any amout of distance with just your tractor.

 

[sandman2234]

Even if you have that much time, you will do a lot of wear to your tractor that would be too easy for a dump trailer to handle. Too bad your halfway across the continent, or I would let you use mine. It ain't pretty, but it does move dirt.
David from jax

 

[Silver_Knight]

Can you add a snow fence out in the field? I would think this would be easier and do a better job then trying to raise the driveway itself?

But he has a tractor...

 

[WayneB]

But he has a tractor...

Oh that is so true........................but, keep in mind that good fences make good neighbors and stop invasions by nasty snow. I would rather put up a little fence in the fall wearing a tee shirt, than be out in December plowing drifted snow.

 

[excelagator]

The first photo there is a low part in the middle of the driveway. I would gather that would be the worst part for drifting snow. I would buy a snow fence and a blower and say heck with raising it.

Dan

 

[Racer71]

What would be the fun of not raising it???? You are right about the low spot filling in.

I have the snow blower and so far it hasn't snowed

My fear is that I raise the drive and don't need the blower. After all the snowed in drive was the justification for the tractor.