Pushing gravel for a driveway

[Reddart 207]

I have a C101 and a 48” plow. I’d like to use it to assist pushing gravel on my driveway. The driveway currently is gravel, but crowned in the middle and with ruts, so I plan on getting a pile of gravel delivered and push gravel down the driveway to try to make it more even. 

Any tips for this endeavor?

[The Tuul Crib 7,336]

None other than hop on and enjoy

some seat time! 

[oliver2-44 9,684]

I moved a lot of dirt/granite gravel with my C160 and even my C81 the last 2 years regrading the whole back and side yard over at my sons new house.  

Since you will be moving loose material I suggest you set the vertical blade angle (by moving the spring position) with the top slightly ahead of the bottom.  Play with this spring adjustment do your blade is less aggressive (biting in) so it will slide across the existing hard gravel.

Take small bites from the side of the pile. change the angle that your cutting from the side of the pile every few bites so your never trying to cut from a long face.

Cutting from the side at angles keeps you from driving on the pile and backing it, which would make it harder to spread.    

Spread it as soon after its delivered as you can. Just a few rains will settle and pack the pile more than you think.   

As you backup from a push, back drag any tire spin ruts or ridges to keep your working area smooth. 

 

Once you have it spread, if you don't have a roller,  you can back drag it to help pack it and smooth it. this also give you  more seat time.

Then, water it, packit, water it pack it.

Also, this is a great project to justify buying a mid mount grader blade. You can really level and slick that drive off with a mid mount blade 

Have fun and enjoy lots of seat time.

[Reddart 207]

Thanks Oliver, yes, would love to get a mid mount grader blade 

[oliver2-44 9,684]

3 minutes ago, Reddart said:

Thanks Oliver, yes, would love to get a mid mount grader blade 

If your initial spreading just somehow happens to leave the drive like a roller coaster, it might help justify a mid-mount blade to the significant other!

[Lee1977 6,642]

I spread 20 tons of crush run stone with my 312-8 and a grader blade with some help frome the rear mounted pulvizere.

The truck could only spread it on half the drive because of the trees.

 

 

[Reddart 207]

Got ‘er done.  My neighbor with a 100+hp New Holland tractor with a bucket loader helped me out a bit  this morning by moving some of the pile down the driveway, but was very satisfied with my C101’s performance. 
 

[cschannuth 3,816]

I usually just have the dump truck driver spread the rock with the truck and then I clean it up with my smaller equipment. I do usually keep a pile of rock around though to fill holes and maintain the road.

[c-series don 8,665]

Here’s a couple little tricks I’ve learned about spreading gravel. BEFORE loading the truck if you want to keep most of the material in the center of the driveway to build a crown or to keep it from spilling onto the grass place two 6”x6”x24” blocks inside the dump body placed against the tailgate. Keep them to the far left and right. Then chain the gate so it can only open 3-4” on the bottom. This will allow the material to only come out in the center of the body and at a controlled rate. The smaller the stone the tighter you want the opening of the gate. Some people like the grass strip in the center, so place a 6”x6” by whatever the width of the grass is inside the center of the dump body. Again chain the gate and it will only allow the stone to drop in the tire tracks. This can be a little tricky if you’re spreading stone blend or recycled concrete(RCA) the trick there is it needs to be dry. Wet material will bunch up. I usually would raise the body to check the width of the opening before loading. Most bodies have provisions in them and the tailgate to chain the gate in this manner. Speed of the truck with also determined the thickness of the spread. Happy spreading and grading, I hope this helps someone! 

[BobBelcher 42]

This is an older thread but thought I would mention this. Pulling a heavy wood pallet with some weight on the top up and down your driveway will do wonders to flatten and clean the driveway up. not as nice as the grader blade but in a pinch, works very well.

[Southern_Secret 463]

@MartyB913  Your best chance of getting people to help you with the info you are looking for is to start a new thread! (P.S. once you go down the wheel horse path you never go back )

[Handy Don 12,151]

 

I encourage you to spend some time reading a bunch of the threads here to get a feel for how we operate

 

Also check out the different forums under the "Browse" item in the main banner at the top of this page so you can start your own thread in a suitable place (the Guidelines are very helpful!).

 

And welcome!

 

[kpinnc 11,905]

On 8/17/2020 at 6:54 AM, Reddart said:

I have a C101 and a 48” plow. I’d like to use it to assist pushing gravel on my driveway. The driveway currently is gravel, but crowned in the middle and with ruts, so I plan on getting a pile of gravel delivered and push gravel down the driveway to try to make it more even. 

Any tips for this endeavor?

 

You'll be fine to push gravel, but in so far as a grading function- the dozer blade won't work great. The dial-a-height setting will help, but the best grading will be if you drive backwards with the dozer blade. 

 

The belly mount grader blades work decent, but even those can be a pain to give a smooth grade. 

 

Whatever you grade gravel with should be floating and drug behind. Dozers and graders tend to "dig in" rather than float- hence the backwards direction giving better results.

[peter lena 8,580]

@kpinnc done quite a bit of grading work , only thing I can add is to find out how your approach is working , constantly vary and try a different approach as to effect , also obviously going at it in a very small blade size way .. that back drag will often show you the way , with ease for motion and control . done both gravel and many yards of top soil , just constantly watch your effect , thats what works for me , pete  

[Snoopy11 5,714]

16 hours ago, kpinnc said:

the best grading will be if you drive backwards with the dozer blade

Amen. I have pushed massive piles of gravel, dirt, etc, around, and I always put the blade down and back-up to grade. 

 

Don