Implement & Gravel Size?

pauly · Aug 19, 2018

Quick question,
I have a quarter mile long gravel drive with an uphill grade. I currently use a box blade/scrapper and a home made drag harrow to maintain it. I get fair results with this combination. I decided to get the Land Pride GS1560 land plane so I would not have to use the harrow and because it just looks easier. My question is, I am going to get 20 tons of crushed limestone with fines delivered to touch the drive up. I have a choice between 3/4" size and 1/2" size material. What size do folks use? Does the land plane work just as good with either size material?
Current material is a mix of recycled asphalt and 3/4" TB. I'm leaning towards the 1/2.

Thanks

Sammy3700 · Aug 19, 2018

Not an expert on rock sizes but as far as the land plane it works great on all rock drives and parking lots I have done for people. Also works great on dirt drives. Once you figure it out you will have very little use for a box blade. Can also pull the pills down as the truck dumps them.

D2Cat · Aug 19, 2018

I'd get 3/4" and have the driver spread it as he pulls out. Won't take long to get it where you want it.

pauly · Aug 19, 2018

Wouldn’t the smaller material flow and compact better?

North Idaho Wolfman · Aug 19, 2018

If your looking for the material to compact, then 1/2 plus fines will do that.

eipo · Aug 19, 2018

The land plane wont care... But if you're topdressing, the land plane will need some feathering to "apply" material to any sort of depth. Ive found that I have to lengthen the top link so the front of the plane isn't digging in.

Since you're topdressing, go with the 1/2" minus

Tim Horton · Aug 19, 2018

At the pit in our area of the bush, the choices are 1/2" screened or pit run. Pit run is actually screened to 2" material.

Years ago the driveway was initially built with pit run. Several times it has been top dressed with 1/2" screened compaction gravel.

It still has 2" rock the works up to the surface, but has worked well considering our frost depth and all.

lordulrich · Aug 20, 2018

pauly said:
Wouldn’t the smaller material flow and compact better?

Yes it will compact better but it will also get muddier and softer when wet. I recommend the 3/4 -

altoonapillarrock · Aug 20, 2018

pauly said:
Quick question,

I have a quarter mile long gravel drive with an uphill grade. I currently use a box blade/scrapper and a home made drag harrow to maintain it. I get fair results with this combination. I decided to get the Land Pride GS1560 land plane so I would not have to use the harrow and because it just looks easier. My question is, I am going to get 20 tons of crushed limestone with fines delivered to touch the drive up. I have a choice between 3/4" size and 1/2" size material. What size do folks use? Does the land plane work just as good with either size material?

Current material is a mix of recycled asphalt and 3/4" TB. I'm leaning towards the 1/2.

Thanks

I have a 1/2 mile long driveway with a 21 percent grade. I have a BX24 and a Land Pride grading scraper. I have learned to use 1 1/4” gravel. It does not pack down as well as the smaller stuff with fines. We have some real gully washers here. We can get over 100” per year, multiple inches per day. The grading scraper keeps the driveway crowned and prevents the mini Lahars which wash the smaller gravel off the driveway.

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altoonapillarrock · Aug 20, 2018

altoonapillarrock said:
I have a 1/2 mile long driveway with a 21 percent grade. I have a BX24 and a Land Pride grading scraper. I have learned to use 1 1/4” gravel. It does not pack down as well as the smaller stuff with fines. We have some real gully washers here. We can get over 100” per year, multiple inches per day. The grading scraper keeps the driveway crowned and prevents the mini Lahars which wash the smaller gravel off the driveway.

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Here is a picture of the tractor on one of the less steep parts of the driveway.

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bcp · Aug 20, 2018

altoonapillarrock said:
I have a 1/2 mile long driveway with a 21 percent grade. I have a BX24 and a Land Pride grading scraper. I have learned to use 1 1/4***8221; gravel. It does not pack down as well as the smaller stuff with fines. We have some real gully washers here. We can get over 100***8221; per year, multiple inches per day. The grading scraper keeps the driveway crowned and prevents the mini Lahars which wash the smaller gravel off the driveway.

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Same here. I used 3/4 and it washed away in one winter. I now use 1 1/4 minus, and for 5-6 years, haven't had to do anything but slight touch-up with a reversed rear blade where car tires tend to pack it down and let water run down.

Bruce

mikester · Aug 21, 2018

Looks like you have a good coarse base. I'd go 3/4" limestone crusher run (crushed with fines) 4" thick. Compact it well. After a couple years put down 1" of 1/2" with crushed fines for a nice smooth surface. If washout or ruts are a problem you might consider laying a geotextile fabric under the 3/4" layer.

pauly · Aug 22, 2018

Gents,
Thanks for all the advice. Picking up the GS tomorrow, I ‘ll give it a run on the drive and then figure out the gravel choice. Leaning towards the 3/4 at this time.
I do get some washout on the downhill section during heavy rain, not sure this can be avoided due to the pitch. The drive is not crowned so doing that may help some. I want to keep the stone small so I can run the front mount snowblower.

FrozenInTime · Aug 25, 2018

I had 2 semi loads dumped on mine, driver spread it as he drove. I got 2 loads of class 13 I think it was, same stuff they dump on country roads. All I had to do was lightly touch it up with a 6 foot blade and it worked out perfectly. Good mix of sand/small gravel, I think up to 3/4 inch.

flashhole · Jan 8, 2019

Very nice.

Your pic shows a GS1548. How do you like it.?

I just picked up a GS1560 for my tractor. I'm looking for any pointers you can share.

SidecarFlip · Jan 8, 2019

I'm with 3/4" as well. Reason being is that 1/2" will 'vanish' faster than 3/4" Our drive is 3/4". Used to use 1/2" and did it every other year. The 3/4" lasts about 3 years on the average.

My next implement will be a land plane.

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Implement & Gravel Size?

pauly

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