clearing rock

[jarbill]

I'm new to tractor usage, and I need to make a road onto our new property. We have very rocky soil, and I am wanting to know the best way to scrape some of the top off to fill in later with crushed rock or something for the actual road material. I can't really get a good bite with the FEL because of the rocks, and I don't want to go too much deeper and take a chance on bending either the FEL frame or bucket. Can I use a box blade lifted up off the ground with only the scarifiers digging in to break up the soil and then come back later with the FEL and scoop it up, or should I put a tooth bar on the FEL and try to rip up and scoop the soil/rocks at the same time, or should I just hire a bulldozer to come in and not worry about it and just use my tractor to clean up the bulldozer mess?

Any input would be appreciated.

Jerry in Texas

 

[jbrumberg]

Let the bulldozer at it first. It will be a lot quicker and it will save a lot of wear and tear on your tractor. Jay

 

[john_bud]

Plan "D" as in Dozer!

jb

 

[texasjohn]

Welcome to TBN... Suggest you expand your profile so we know more what you are trying to do, your equipment, etc.... it helps when we answer your questions.

Where in Texas are you..tell me more and I may be able to help more..there are lots of type of soil/rock here... some, like caliche, can be ripped up and redistributed for road base. If you have solid limestone, get truly heavy equipment and bring in road base. If you are around Marble Falls... it's marble

In any event, I highly recommend you get a toothbar for your FEL. No question you ARE going to need it and getting it now will hopefully avoid you bending the lip of your FEL.

 

[truejourney]

I've found that a subsoiler works best for areas with larger rocks (tractor tire size and up) and once they have been broken free, the front end loader or boxblade can move them where needed. It's worked on rock so large that the loader won't lift even once free.

The problem I've experienced with the boxblade and scarifiers alone is that it will often roll over many of the larger rocks and the hooks aren't always long enough to get underneath.

I've moved a lot of hillside dirt and rock (sandstone & shale) while building a road to a more gentle slope with my Kubota B-2710 and KingKutter boxblade and sub-soiler.

 

[Egon]

Evaluate your situation. With that many rocks maybe you don't have to dig things up.

 

[CurlyDave]

I think Egon has the right idea.

Lots & lots of rocks means you can build up a slightly elevated roadway from imported base rock (around here that is ~6" and smaller angular rock) surfaced with some 3/4" minus angular rock.

If you can scrape up rocks from somewhere else on your property you may be able to save some of the cost of the base rock.

 

[jarbill]

Let the bulldozer at it first. It will be a lot quicker and it will save a lot of wear and tear on your tractor. Jay

You can see the kind of soil if you look on the other side of the rotary cutter. The rocks are not very big, but there are many of them.

 

[jarbill]

Welcome to TBN... Suggest you expand your profile so we know more what you are trying to do, your equipment, etc.... it helps when we answer your questions.

Where in Texas are you..tell me more and I may be able to help more..there are lots of type of soil/rock here... some, like caliche, can be ripped up and redistributed for road base. If you have solid limestone, get truly heavy equipment and bring in road base. If you are around Marble Falls... it's marble

In any event, I highly recommend you get a toothbar for your FEL. No question you ARE going to need it and getting it now will hopefully avoid you bending the lip of your FEL.

Texas John:

I put a picture of my new tractor D) along with some of the rock that a bulldozer had turned up right next to it in the thread so you can see what it looks like.

BTW, I'm up in the North Texas area. I think our rock is called shale around here, although I always thought shale was the kind of black or gray coal-like brittle rock sheets like you see up in the Appalachian mountains.

Jerry in Texas

 

[Coolnslo]

I have the same kind of soil and rocks and didn't dig anything up for my road. Just had base rock trucked in by a local builder and laid along the top of the soil. In a short amount of time, and after getting wet a couple of times, this road became solid and carries everything without any problem. It's been in use for about 2 years and shows no sign of wear. If I had felt like I needed to dig it up, I would have gone with the dozer. Have used a dozer for other dirt work and it is amazingly quick and easy when compared to what you would have to do with the tractor. Good Luck with whatever you choose!

 

[ScottyChip]

I live in a province in Canada that has the nickname "The Rock". When I needed my driveway widened a couple years ago I left it to a professional dozen man. The disturbed rock I used as a base and covered with a gravel sand mix called "class A" which I compacted. Voilà, my new driveway.

 

[jarbill]

Okay.

Even though I would love to be able to do it myself, I think I'll either go with a dozer or just add crushed rock or caliche (sp??) on top and let it compact (or both). It's a lot cheaper to do that than to replace the FEL or repair the damage to the tractor. I really don't want to elevate the road unless I have to just because I don't want to mess up any natural drainage characteristics that the soil has.

Thanks for the input.

Jerry in Texas

 

[john_bud]

Those look to be basketball sized and smaller rocks (?) .

I'd just lay some geo-texile down and then lay the driveway stone on top and be done.

Use a box blade or back blade to ditch next to the drive to channel water away.

jb

 

[texasjohn]

Jarbill,
From the looks of your territory, I feel like I know the area well... I grew up in country looking much like that.

I'd suggest NOT digging up stuff... only where you need to cut something off to make it flat... In our area, we just added river gravel and drove on it. the area of the photo is flat....

Much depends on what use you are intending... if it is supposed to be a 50 mph road into your place, then it kinda needs to be smooth... if you have a place where you can get what is called road base, then I'd just install that. You will be surprised how smooth it will become in a short while.

If the rock is as close to the ground as I think it is from the trees, then for a ranch road I'd just drive on it and add road base where experience tells you extra traction is needed.

YOu are set with the tractor you have.... get a toothbar... you will never regret it... and, it WILL keep the lip of your FEL bucket in good shape. It is ENTIRELY likely that somewhere on your place will be material that you can dig up and use on your road...

So, I think the decision should be based on how much you want to do yourself and how much you want to pay to have done... and the schedule you have to get the job completed. Hmm.. maybe money is a factor too.... typically is for me.

 

[jarbill]

Hey, Texas John:

I think I am going to get the toothbar. That seems like the best tool for the money there is out there. And, like you said, I don't want to ruin the bucket edge.

Thanks for the info.

Jerry in Texas

 

[texasjohn]

Good to know. YOu will not be sorry you got the toothbar. There have been numerous TBN discussions about how to attach. Not to hard, drill holes in side of bucket, bolt in. I filled slight gap between bar tabs and bucket side with washers. I carry wrenches on tractor so I can remove bar if I want to.... VERY seldom do so. I discovered my local John Deer dealer has numerous bars in stock... from JD but one was just a smidgen shorter than what I needed (about .5 inches) and it was super, super heavy (130 lbs or so) and he sold it to me at a better price than I could buy on the net and have shipped in... and I got to transport it home and make sure it fit before purchase... can't beat that! HOpe you find one soon... many, many reasons it is handy.... increases usefulness of FEL about 50% in my opinion..more capacity, easy to hook chains on, etc. etc.