[KUBOTA B3200] Grader Blade / Box Blade Recommendation for Driveway Maintenance

[Forest_Man]

D&D indicates another important point. Weight is your friend with land engagement implements.

What would you recommend for box blade length and weight for my setup: 32HP + R4 tires + loaded tires + 8" spacers + quick hitch.

 

[Forest_Man]

I would remove a couple more trees and straighten it out. Looks tough to get a large truck in there (when dry). 2% slope to the downhill side might do wonders also.

Right now it looks really terrible because we had a timber sale few months ago AND it is rainy. But normally it only looks normal bad and we have propane and sewage pump trucks driving in and out when it is dry with no issues. If anything I got stuck in the past with my van in wet season.

Yes, 50% of the reason I bought the Kubota was to maintain the driveway. Right now I need to get it fixed by the Timber company then hopefully I'll be able to maintain it with a box blade after they are done with the work.

 

[paulsharvey]

What would you recommend for box blade length and weight for my setup: 32HP + R4 tires + loaded tires + 8" spacers + quick hitch.

You might be able to get away with a 6 ft box blade? I have used one with my old L285, which is a similar size/power, 2WD, loaded ag tires. Frontier is a good brand as well.

I would try to get the water off the subgrade, and get an idea how much rock is needed. If it's 10-15-20 loads, I would consider renting a track skid steer for a week for that, and use the tractor for maintenance.

If money is tight, and drive is long; consider this a multi year deal. Add 2 or 3 loads per year, and spreading with the tractor will be fine.

 

[paulsharvey]

@Forest_Man Don't know your area, or what materials are available locally or if you have freeze-thaw stuff, so I'm gonna try to be as General as possible;

Step 0; get a string line, tape measure, and marking paint, maybe some lathe, and lay out the drive

Step 1; strip organics and add a way for water to get off the subgrade

Step 2; 'box out' the base area; 12 ft wide is a good number; but cut down maybe 4"; only in the roadway, roll, or track everything in well; remember you can't pack mud or dust; some moisture is good, too much is bad. If anything is really mushy, cut that out and add decent fill

Step 3; add whatever the cheap base material available locally; to get it back upto grade; roll/pack

Step 4; seed any slopes and ditches, to prevent erosion getting out of hand

Step 5 (optional); finish grade, roll, and if you want a 'pretty' top lift,



Define your goals; if pretty isn't one of them, or even smooth, but 365 day access is the goal; you might be able to get by with cheap dirty rock, ball field clay, ect

To do the dirt work portion; if it's longer than maybe 500lf, I think your gonna need more than a 3 point attachment; but spreading base can easily be accomplished a box blade as long as you get the dirt work done.

Although not ideal; you could simply add gravel/rock/base to that subgrade; 100% over the next few months it will sink into the mud, but you can get it passable, and you can add additional rock/base as time goes by. People often want a one time solution, when really just ordering 3 loads of base every 2 years isn't the worst thing in the world. You will want to stop water crossing the drive,

 

[Forest_Man]

Holy crap, thats your driveway? No offense intended, its just so, so far away from being ready for daily automobile/truck traffic. Is this your future homestead? Beautiful forest!

Dang bro... i don't want to tell you that I've been living here for almost 4 years and without a AWD car.... Yes, it is doable. Only got stuck once. But yeah... it looks a lot worse now than normal. Normally it only looks bad.

You need an excavator first, not a box blade for your tractor. (ok you need that also, but not as tool #1). You could rent a mini-ex for a weekend and get things shaped up.

My plan is to rent excavator as needed - already have a french drainage project coming up this year.

I plan on playing with the excavator at the same time and try creating some drainage ditches - what bucket size would be the best for someone that doesn't know **** about what they are doing? A 9" 12" 18"?

You need a 12' wide, crowned or sloped road bed, with drainage/ditches on each side.

Drainage on each side and 12' wide is not going to happen. God bless you and I hope one day we'll do it. But not for now.

Crowned x Sloped Road: could you expand a bit on this or point me to good literature that explains exactly the cons and pro's of each; costs differences; degree of complexity and energy spend building these two solutions? I need to understand this better.

This is just my opinion, but if you don't start with a proper base, you'll be fighting this driveway for the rest of your life.

My commitment to the cause is solid. I am even trying to learn as much as I can about all of this.

 

[Forest_Man]

Forrest Man - how long is your driveway.

About 955 yards.

 

[Forest_Man]

You might be able to get away with a 6 ft box blade?

Is this something that it is worth trying to buy the 6 ft box and if too much raise some scarifies or take more passes with less load? Or will I need to sell it and buy a 5 ft instead?

If money is tight, and drive is long; consider this a multi year deal. Add 2 or 3 loads per year, and spreading with the tractor will be fine.

Hearing you say it and made my remember that I don't need to stress (too much) about it. It will be fine!

 

[paulsharvey]

No offense; but looking at what you have now; Why would you have scarifiers down? Your gonna want to drag the slop off, not loosen up the ground more. You should only need rippers in hard, packed, heavy soils,

 

[paulsharvey]

I would see what's available and if a 6 ft is available for the right price, buy it; if you end up going rear blade, it's going to have to be min 6 ft to reach outside the tires when angled.

 

[Forest_Man]

I literally cannot do those steps. Not right now. I am maybe 2 years away from having the minimum required knowledge to do it.

But I will price the job, just to understand the value of the work, and if I decide to do it with a professional, I'll be watching and learning every step.

Although not ideal; you could simply add gravel/rock/base to that subgrade

Okay, what you think about "crusher run"? Is that acceptable for the gravel?

How about rock and base? What are those? Are these required required? How do I properly shop for these?

People often want a one time solution, when really just ordering 3 loads of base every 2 years isn't the worst thing in the world. You will want to stop water crossing the drive,