Implements for Gravel Road Maintenance

[Trailmaker1]

I'm looking for a way to maintain a gravel driveway with my 1140. I've found a couple of products, does anyone have experience or opinions on these?
http://www.abiattachments.com/products/innovation/gravel_rascal.html
http://www.drpower.com/power-grader.aspx

Are there other products I should consider?

 

[D&D Farm]

For me, and for quite a few years, if I don't take the time to break out my tractor with a blade, bucket, and or box scraper; I use the RTV, an 8" X 6' I beam, and chain link fencing wrapped around the I beam. Holes are cut in the I beam to attach a chain to the trailer hitch on the RTV. Usually I will rig it so it drags at an angle leaving a bit of crown. I do this on both sides of the road and wah lah it's smoothed out and ready to go. Sometimes, if I just want to smooth and not "cut", I will wrap the I beam with a piece of chain link fence and do the same thing as outlined above.........
I have been using this method on 1/2 mile of my private road for perhaps 11 or 12 years and again, for maintenance, not rebuilding or spreading gravel, it works just fine.......

God bless........Dennis

 

[bczoom]

My Dad has one of those DR Power rakes. He said he was happy with it grooming is trails but I don't believe he's used it on stone.

I'm fond of the York Rake. Model TA2 may be a nice option.

 

[Trailmaker1]

Thanks for the feedback guys. The I beam sounds like an effective inexpensive option, although it would be handy to be able to lift whatever I'm towing. The York Rake looks interesting, it seems like it might be able to clean rocks and sticks off of some of my dirt pathways as well. Are those rakes designed for a specific task? I guess I never considered one because I've only seen them used on loose soil. If it's sturdy enough to be pulled over a gravel driveway that's great.

 

[TWO GUNS]

For me, and for quite a few years, if I don't take the time to break out my tractor with a blade, bucket, and or box scraper; I use the RTV, an 8" X 6' I beam, and chain link fencing wrapped around the I beam. Holes are cut in the I beam to attach a chain to the trailer hitch on the RTV. Usually I will rig it so it drags at an angle leaving a bit of crown. I do this on both sides of the road and wah lah it's smoothed out and ready to go. Sometimes, if I just want to smooth and not "cut", I will wrap the I beam with a piece of chain link fence and do the same thing as outlined above.........
I have been using this method on 1/2 mile of my private road for perhaps 11 or 12 years and again, for maintenance, not rebuilding or spreading gravel, it works just fine.......

God bless........Dennis

Dennis,
I've seen this method used before. From what I've witnessed, it worked
great !!!!

On many contraptions that is sold on the market today. The biggest thing
on many is down pressure. Many can't get enough to do a road any good ...

...... two guns

 

[rj's barn]

http://www.domorequipment.com/atv-grader-attachment.php
They make graders on the itty bitty scale

 

[razerface]

Hold onto your wallet when you price that Rascal machine!!!

I use a Landpride scraper/grader. $1200
http://www.landpride.com/products/dirtworking/grading-scrapers

Box blades are ok for moving dirt and piles of stuff,,,but the grader/scraper will rip up a road and put it back down smooth. The box blades are too short and don't smooth things down without a lot of jockying on the levers,,,since they are so short.

A scraper/grader must have adjustable teeth to rip up the hardpack. If you don't get to the bottom of the pothole,,,might as well stay in the house. You need to destroy the pothole clear down to the bottom,,or it will be back shortly. You also need a good punishment to put on your boys when they "peel out" in the driveway,,,,cause it's cool to do and they like the holes the tires make.

Then on days you want simple smoothing of the gravel,,pick up the teeth and drive up and down the road,,,,done.

You need weight on whatever you use. The landpride does not have (angle) adjustable scrapers,,,i wish it did,,,but it works great anyway. I just like to adjust stuff. You can adjust height of blades for aggressiveness and crowning. The scrapers are angled which helps crown and move gravel sideways.

My driveway is beautiful since the day I bought it. Works better if hard pack is damp when you tear it up. Not as dusty too!

Be aware this all makes snowplowing harder since the gravel will be looser because you are out there playing with the grader and unpacking the gravel,,,,,,,

I don't know about the rtv pulling these. I use a tractor,,,so i guess all above comments are worthless!

 

[D&D Farm]

Dennis,
I've seen this method used before. From what I've witnessed, it worked
great !!!!

On many contraptions that is sold on the market today. The biggest thing
on many is down pressure. Many can't get enough to do a road any good ...

...... two guns

So right about the down pressure, Mr. TWO Guns. When I really want to "cut" down into the surface I strap a 100 lb weight from a set of dumbells left out at a local high school to go to rust. Actually, I use this weight on several implements to achieve that "down force". Good thought........God bless.......Dennis

 

[Doc]

Good info razerface. I have no intention of shelling out the big bucks for it but I will keep an eye out for a used one. You never know when you'll run on to something like that in our local bulletin board paper.