Best Implement to build a dirt road?

[ids]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone had a suggestion on the best implement to build a dirt road...Its about a mile long, it was clear cut a few months ago, and its starting to build back up, just the normal stuff, vines, bushes, leveling dirt, etc., no stumps, I can easily just go around them...

I am getting a new L5240 with a rake and loader, but I was thinking about a box blade w/teeth or one of those newer ones ( I think they are called a rollover box blade?) and I was thinking about just dragging the box blade with the teeth embedded and smooth out the dirt, then come back with a rake to finish it

thanks for any advice..

steve

 

[BruceWard]

I was thinking a box blade or a dozer.

Seriously if you knew someone with a dozer or found one nearby it could probably do the work for less than the cost of a box blade.

 

[teg]

Sounds like you may have a road that was used for logging so you are not really cutting in a new road... just maintaining one that nature is trying to reclaim? Is that correct?

I would try out the rake and see how it does... I also think you could use a Box Blade (just to have around ) Take your time and try and find a used one.

 

[CurlyDave]

In many ways it depends on the type of dirt and the traffic you expect. In Oregon, for my driveway the county required 6-8" of pit run shale with 2-3" of 3/4 minus crushed rock on top of it. They preferred it compacted with a vibrator , but you were allowed to compact it by running a fully loaded dump truck over it. So, in that case we roughed it in with a dozer and finished it off with a dump truck. Possibly not the implements you were thinking of.

If you have different soil, or very light usage you could get someone with a dozer to rough it in, or do it yourself with a box blade, if you have a big enough tractor and lots of time.

 

[easygo]

If it's going to be for occasional use (when not muddy) than I think you could get away with the box blade. Fill in the holes, shave off the big bumps and use the road on nice dry days. If you expect to use it more than that and think about laying some gravel or crushed stone, use a bulldozed as it was previously suggested. Around here those are the norms. The occasional use logging road is dirt but no one expects to get on them after long heavy rains or in the Spring when the ground thaws and it's mud up the wazzooo.

 

[MyKubota]

A day laborer with a shovel and a fully stocked cooler!

 

[Botabill]

If it's just for occassional use you may be able to get away with a grass road. If that'll work for you a bush hog or rotary mower will keep the brush from taking over. If you want a real road a track loader or bull dozer may be required to remove the topsoil then a mile of gravel can be laid using the same machines or in a pinch a FEL on a tractor with scraper blade on back. It'll cost you a fortune to do the right way. There are lots of other ways and machines you can use to do the job though.

 

[ids]

Thanks for all the comments..

There is no road yet - I just wanted to make one, e.g., hunting, ATVing, etc., its not a road that will be used daily. It just about 60 acres, they went through and clear-cut it, it was just herbecided, and now, everything is dead, so I though now would be a good time and run some paths through the place so I could get around when things start to grow again...I was just thinking about running the box blade or rake through a path, then come back and fill in any holes with the loader, then maybe once or two a year, bush hog the trails..I really don't need to move any dirt, basically just a simple path..

thanks

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Sounds to me like a boxblade with front loader will do the job you've described. You probably need a box blade anyway. A small dozer could do it a lot quicker but some times we just want to "do it ourself" and justify our purchase.

 

[TUG HILL ADDICT]

Box Scraper but NOT the rake. Once you get to know how to use a box scraper you'll understand why.

It's amazing how smooth you can make a road or trail with a box scraper filled with material.

Again, once you figure out how to use it you'll understand.

Two ways to use a box scraper, teeth up, teeth down. The options have two uses, two results.

One of the greatest implements ever

 

[Botabill]

I don't know about conditions where you live but where I am it is best not to disturb the natural soil. The roots of the grass on your road will help hold it together when it is wet. Once you disturb the path grass by blading you create a perfect mud hole option. That's not necessarily bad if you like mudding on your ATV.

 

[airbiscuit]

After some logging on my property, I picked off the branches and slash, then took after it with disc and a drag. Seeded it, and now maintain it with a rotary cutter.

 

[beowulf]

So many variables - how often you need to use it, what will you be driving on it, type of soil. .. . For me, on a drive way - I think a nice crown is really important - sheds the water. At least a bit of a ditch on each side - does not have to be that deep. I have both a box blade and grader blade and use both, but I like the grader blade angled to throw up gravel and build a crown. Of course, you may not plan on having any gravel if it is not regularly needed for access.

But again - it depends a lot on the variables... and as stated you may not want to disturb the dirt too much.

 

[roadhunter]

I have found a heavy box blade with hydraulic rippers and a top n tilt kit works great for grading and shaping as well as snow removal. Also works great for a counterweight doing FEL work and with a receiver hitch can be useful for moving trailers and dragging things.

 

[AStanton]

I found the best way to keep a trail open is to tear it up with an ATV.

 

[countrybumpkin]

After 8 years I bet he has it figured out.

 

[rmk700]

After 8 years I bet he has it figured out.

:laughing: very likely.

 

[repete]

Hire a skilled operator on a cat to build the bed with a crown like beowolf says above. Ditches for drainage on both sides if possible. If you have any really mucky places consider road fabric WF2 12.5 ft. x 432 ft. Polypropylene Black Woven Stabilization Fabric-2-125-432 - The Home Depot under gravel. If you have watched gravel disappear into mud you will know why.

If you gravel it then use a rake to distribute the gravel and maintain the crown. No crown (drainage) means potholes in your future.

My driveway is nearly a mile long and I give it about an inch of gravel every year and a blade never touches it. Just the rake. I distribute toward the center one month and the next month or so I distribute to the outside. The rake allows it to fall evenly as I move. KEEP THE CROWN ONCE YOU GET IT!

About everyone coming up my driveway comments on it. I even get the mail delivered to my house if it won't fit in my box as the delivery gal says ours is the only driveway without a mud hole.

 

[Tollster]

I found a York rake to be invaluable for the final leveling and working various grades of stone. I found an older one with adjustable rear casters, Safire and dozen blade.
The Safire and blade also help break loose the smaller imbedded stones, and smooth out the contour prior to stone, then it was all rake.
3 tools in one

Got it used for 600

 

[ovrszd]

After 8 years I bet he has it figured out.

I've made this mistake a couple times. Now I research the past posts before speaking up.