Road maintenance
- Thread starter BSK
- Start date
Omega
Well-Known Member
I think the plane can handle that, but like I said, downhill is better. I have worked this with a 4' box blade and a 5' or 6' rotatable blade with just my Kubota BX1870, which pretty much forced me to do it downhill.
DoubleRidge
Well-Known Member
Heavier duty work like filling in ruts or gulleys its the box blade...for developed driveway or road work I'll use the landscape rake set to draw material off shoulder of driveway into tire track then back drag with bucket to smooth...if there is enough stone or loose dirt to work with you can lay it out and smooth it nice with rake and tractor bucket....and building new roads...on the steepest sections...try to crown the road or roll it to one side towards a ditch...this will help some with the washouts....also turn ditches out midway down long runs of steep sections to try and slow ditches from washing out....and Im no road builder...but my driveway is 3/4 mile long and we have several long farm roads...so I've seen whats worked and what hadnt worked over the years...soon as ground thaws and everything drys up a bit...I have some road improvements to make myself.
BSK
Well-Known Member
All road-building will be done by bulldozer. It is road maintenance that will fall to me! Most of this road-building will just be reopening very old log-skidder roads (unmaintained or used for 50 years, literally). They have grown in with timber, and in some places completely washed away, but those old skidder roads still exist. The tough part is the roads leading from the old skidder roads on the ridge-top down to and connecting those along the bottoms of all the valleys. Those are the ones that have serious erosion problems. The toughest part for me has been trying to explain to a bulldozer operator how to build roads that don't wash-out. I guess the idea of broad-based dips and water turn-outs, etc. instead of water bars is just an unknown to some. I hate water bars.
backyardtndeer
Well-Known Member
Box blade, hands down for moving material grading, and maintaining. You should be able to cant your lift if needed with a turnbuckle.
With that being said, for gravel maintenance on my driveway i most often use my fel. I can grade the gravel in reverse and pack it as I am going with the weight of the front of the tractor, much better than leaving it loose with a blade behind a tractor.
After the recent storms i need more gravel now. Curious how much 25 tons of 33c is running now.
With that being said, for gravel maintenance on my driveway i most often use my fel. I can grade the gravel in reverse and pack it as I am going with the weight of the front of the tractor, much better than leaving it loose with a blade behind a tractor.
After the recent storms i need more gravel now. Curious how much 25 tons of 33c is running now.
BSK
Well-Known Member
Hadn't thought of that. Great advice.
I use the heck out of my grader blade for spreading/leveling gravel on driveway. I also use it like a dozer with tractor in reverse to push earth when making new trails. But when I've got to bust up roots, rocks, or flatten lumpy ground in food plots I use a box blade. Both implements are super handy in their own way but not the same way.
But I have found the most use by far out of my Piranha tooth bar on the front bucket. I can't imagine having a tractor without one. Best yet they're made in Knoxville. You never knew how efficiently your tractor could dig until you have one of those bars. Even hard pack clay cuts & breaks up. I also use it to rip saplings & brush out by the roots. Best $300 I ever spent for my tractor. I've used it to cut new trails through the woods and a few with culvert ditch crossings. No way I could have even thought about trying that with a smooth lip bucket.
But I have found the most use by far out of my Piranha tooth bar on the front bucket. I can't imagine having a tractor without one. Best yet they're made in Knoxville. You never knew how efficiently your tractor could dig until you have one of those bars. Even hard pack clay cuts & breaks up. I also use it to rip saplings & brush out by the roots. Best $300 I ever spent for my tractor. I've used it to cut new trails through the woods and a few with culvert ditch crossings. No way I could have even thought about trying that with a smooth lip bucket.
Piranha® Tooth Bar - Official Site
www.bxpanded.com
@fulldraw
Well-Known Member
Just curious, who are you hiring to build these roads? If you want broad based dips and turn outs along with knowing when the road needs to be sloped in and out I'd suggest going with someone that has a forestry background. I can ask around for your area if you're still looking or getting estimates.
BSK
Well-Known Member
Never seen anything like that. Very cool!I use the heck out of my grader blade for spreading/leveling gravel on driveway. I also use it like a dozer with tractor in reverse to push earth when making new trails. But when I've got to bust up roots, rocks, or flatten lumpy ground in food plots I use a box blade. Both implements are super handy in their own way but not the same way.
But I have found the most use by far out of my Piranha tooth bar on the front bucket. I can't imagine having a tractor without one. Best yet they're made in Knoxville. You never knew how efficiently your tractor could dig until you have one of those bars. Even hard pack clay cuts & breaks up. I also use it to rip saplings & brush out by the roots. Best $300 I ever spent for my tractor. I've used it to cut new trails through the woods and a few with culvert ditch crossings. No way I could have even thought about trying that with a smooth lip bucket.
Piranha® Tooth Bar - Official Site
www.bxpanded.com
BSK
Well-Known Member
Have not found anyone yet. Any connections would be MUCH appreciated! I've had the hardest time finding dozer owner/operators willing to make back-country roads. With all the home-building going on, much easier to make money leveling home sites.
@fulldraw
Well-Known Member
BSK
Well-Known Member
Thank you!
BSK
Well-Known Member
Odd question, but for those who have driven heavy ground-moving equipment, when is the best time of year to do so? I'm assuming breaking roads would be more difficult in the driest time of year, when ground gets concrete hard, but am I wrong about that? I saw what happened when logging equipment was used on my place in February/March during a VERY wet period. It was a total disaster of equipment sinking into the mud and resulting washed-out roads.
