ROAD MAINTENANCE/EQUIPMENT with PICS

[markct]

Real nice informative post, enjoyed the photos too!

I maintain a 3.5 mile road primarily with my Kubota L-3130 GST with a BushHog 96" box blade and 3pt TNT setup on the rear end. Our road is limerock base with recycled concrete gravel on top about #57 size. Lots of rain and lots of dry heat throughout the year. The landscape rake doesn't work on our road since about 3/4 of the road is hard base capped off, only about 1/4 of it is soft due to drainage and that is the part I work the most on.

One of the main points is to NOT grade too fast. I normally grade at around 3.2-3.7 miles per hour and find that even going 4.0mph is too fast. That is about 1,500rpm in 10th gear.

Here are a couple of pics:

good point about grading at the right speed, i know my old cat grader gets just that right speed where it has the momentum to knock stuff free without shaking and the speed to spread the dirt in a nice even flow

 

[BayouMan]

dirtworksequip,

I'm impressed with how you are able to maintain grade with your FEL. In S. Louisiana, bionic blade boxes are the ticket. I'm sure you are familiar with them. Makes even a novice look good. I generally grade both outer edges first and then finish up in the center on the last run. Usually end up with a good crown.

 

[Boomerang1]

When I blade a road with a motor grader, I will pull the windrow from one side to the other which levels out the road. Then I make a second pass with the blade slightly off the ground. This removes the rocks and leaves the fines. The fines are what gets compacted with traffic and makes a durable road. I don't like to leave any rocks that are larger than 1/2". Crusher run is ideal for a road because the sharp angled edges lock together unlike round stone which will push out from the tires.

 

[dirtworksequip]

Thanks BayouMan, I always pride myself in doing the best I can. I had thought of purchasing a bionic blade,but just couldn't justify the cost.
They do an incredible job though.Some of PA townships use them on the stone roads they maintaine.

 

[BayouMan]

My brother and I made our own bionic blade. Probably cost us about $200, 7 or 8 years ago.

If you are interested, I can take some pictures of ours, along with some recommended changes. Took us about 2 weeks working evenings and weekends to complete.

 

[dirtworksequip]

BayouMan
Thanks for the offer on the bionic blade, but I'll just stick to using my front blade and landscape rake for the maintenance I have. If it was going to be an on going thing I would consider the bionic blade,but eventually the road will be shot and chipped or paved. Thanks again.