suggestions for grooming / smoothing gravel drive

[KiwiKid72]

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[moparedtn]

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View attachment 1465199

Well, that's got me covered...

I've had this Massey-Ferguson 1428V compact for over 20 years now, bought new.
It's an Iseki under the skin, with a 3 cylinder diesel that's just been amazing, no other term for it.
It's just big enough to safely handle full sized implements off the 3-point hitch.
I have a bush hog, finish mower, box blade and grader blade for it; anything else like this auger,
I borrow or rent.

When it's not busy being the "Trent Lane Highway Department" in winter, it's busy with this:

(A fraction of the acreage I finish mow about 7 months out of the year - former pasture/
"Johnson grass").
(Yes, there's 4 Rams in this pic )

That's the little tractor that survived a recent dosing of straight gas, thanks to an idjit...
(I wrote a post about it here on FBBO). Darn thing runs all day on 5 gallons of diesel.

 

[Hey-O]

Well, that's got me covered...
View attachment 1465220
I've had this Massey-Ferguson 1428V compact for over 20 years now, bought new.
It's an Iseki under the skin, with a 3 cylinder diesel that's just been amazing, no other term for it.
It's just big enough to safely handle full sized implements off the 3-point hitch.
I have a bush hog, finish mower, box blade and grader blade for it; anything else like this auger,
I borrow or rent.

When it's not busy being the "Trent Lane Highway Department" in winter, it's busy with this:
View attachment 1465221
(A fraction of the acreage I finish mow about 7 months out of the year - former pasture/
"Johnson grass").
(Yes, there's 4 Rams in this pic )

That's the little tractor that survived a recent dosing of straight gas, thanks to an idjit...
(I wrote a post about it here on FBBO). Darn thing runs all day on 5 gallons of diesel.

The tractor is great and I remember the story, the rest is real great. I can only imagine the view!!

 

[Cranky]

Well, that's got me covered...
View attachment 1465220
I've had this Massey-Ferguson 1428V compact for over 20 years now, bought new.
It's an Iseki under the skin, with a 3 cylinder diesel that's just been amazing, no other term for it.
It's just big enough to safely handle full sized implements off the 3-point hitch.
I have a bush hog, finish mower, box blade and grader blade for it; anything else like this auger,
I borrow or rent.

When it's not busy being the "Trent Lane Highway Department" in winter, it's busy with this:
View attachment 1465221
(A fraction of the acreage I finish mow about 7 months out of the year - former pasture/
"Johnson grass").
(Yes, there's 4 Rams in this pic )

That's the little tractor that survived a recent dosing of straight gas, thanks to an idjit...
(I wrote a post about it here on FBBO). Darn thing runs all day on 5 gallons of diesel.

Which is worse....gas in a diesel or diesel fuel in a gas car? I know what it can do and I know what it does to a gas engine because one day I filled up my little Dodge Colt with diesel at the station that was across the street from the refinery I worked in. It made it nearly a 1/4 of a mile before it started rolling smoke. That was back in 86 and it taught me to pay more attention to the station's pumps.

 

[70ChargerRT]

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View attachment 1465199

Which is worse....gas in a diesel or diesel fuel in a gas car? I know what it can do and I know what it does to a gas engine because one day I filled up my little Dodge Colt with diesel at the station that was across the street from the refinery I worked in. It made it nearly a 1/4 of a mile before it started rolling smoke. That was back in 86 and it taught me to pay more attention to the station's pumps.

I’ll never forget the first time they started putting diesel in with the gas pumps many years ago. I pulled my dads old gas C-70 dump trump in to the station to fill it up, take note I was hauling gravel when I was 16 with farm tags lol and I was 18 when this happened. I didn’t pay attention and didn’t have a clue I was filling it up with diesel. I started down the road and it started missing real bad so I limped it back to the house. You talk about an *** tearing when he figured out what I did. Got it drained and running and about 2 weeks later I blowed the motor up in it. He always blamed me for it, I’d say he was right lol.

 

[Ron H]

I've had this Massey-Ferguson 1428V

You wouldn't mind driving that up to WI would ya? Need to dig 20 post holes. The trek could gain you international fame. I'll cover the tolls for you.

 

[Cranky]

I’ll never forget the first time they started putting diesel in with the gas pumps many years ago. I pulled my dads old gas C-70 dump trump in to the station to fill it up, take note I was hauling gravel when I was 16 with farm tags lol and I was 18 when this happened. I didn’t pay attention and didn’t have a clue I was filling it up with diesel. I started down the road and it started missing real bad so I limped it back to the house. You talk about an *** tearing when he figured out what I did. Got it drained and running and about 2 weeks later I blowed the motor up in it. He always blamed me for it, I’d say he was right lol.

The truck's tank must have had more gas in it....? Mine just shut down and didn't miss or buck at all. My car was running on fumes when I gassed uh, dieseled it up. That's the reason I went to that station otherwise usually stayed away from it as it had the highest prices than everyone else and I'm talking about like 10 to 15 cents more.

 

[Budnicks]

I didn't read them all, it may have been suggested already
some good Ideas on the 1st page

make sure to use road base/with lime gravel too
it last longer & stays compacted a while longer too

I use to use a box style grader 8'x 4' with like 8" hardened/doubled steel blade
up at my dad's old ranch
behind an old rusty Case 560 tractor/backhoe
needed some added weight
so it doesn't just bounce off the high spot on the center & outside edges
did it twice a year fall & spring

could always rent one for a day too

I said to my dad, just buy an old used tractor, I'll do it
that tractor paid for itself after 2 year 4 times, the road base is extra
lil' did I know, I was in for a job 2 times a year...
The 1st few times my parents had a civil engineering contractor
company friend come & do it, he made good $$ too...
I sort of enjoyed riding up & down all damn day, a bit dirty dusty work...
I remembered now, that I needed to rent a roller &
also have someone there spraying it down with water & compact it good
(or rent/pay for a water truck for a day)
after the new gravel/road base is added, works better/stay good longer that way...

especially
if you have 8 cars going & coming daily, like we had
& dirt-bikes/motorcycles, horses, 4x4s, minibikes & gocarts
going up & down etc.
and whatever other guests in & out...

good luck

 

[70ChargerRT]

I didn't read them all, it may have been suggested already
some good Ideas on the 1st page

make sure to use road base/with lime gravel too
it last longer & stays compacted a while longer too

I use to use a box style grader 8'x 4' with like 8" hardened/doubled steel blade
up at my dad's old ranch
behind an old rusty Case 560 tractor/backhoe
needed some added weight
so it doesn't just bounce off the high spot on the center & outside edges
did it twice a year fall & spring

could always rent one for a day too

I said to my dad, just buy an old used tractor, I'll do it
that tractor paid for itself after 2 year 4 times, the road base is extra
lil' did I know, I was in for a job 2 times a year...
The 1st few times my parents had a civil engineering contractor
company friend come & do it, he made good $$ too...
I sort of enjoyed riding up & down all damn day, a bit dirty dusty work...
I remembered now, that I needed to rent a roller &
also have someone there spraying it down with water & compact it good
(or rent/pay for a water truck for a day)
after the new gravel/road base is added, works better/stay good longer that way...

especially
if you have 8 cars going & coming daily, like we had
& dirt-bikes/motorcycles, horses, 4x4s, minibikes & gocarts
going up & down etc.
and whatever other guests in & out...

good luck

If you want your driveway to last One of the most important things you can do before even laying down the base is putting down geotextile. Ask me how I know. I’ve built thousands of miles of road. I’m not going to even get started started on how to properly build a road before you even get to the geo-tech lol

 

[moparedtn]

Which is worse....gas in a diesel or diesel fuel in a gas car? I know what it can do and I know what it does to a gas engine because one day I filled up my little Dodge Colt with diesel at the station that was across the street from the refinery I worked in. It made it nearly a 1/4 of a mile before it started rolling smoke. That was back in 86 and it taught me to pay more attention to the station's pumps.

I had a mid-70's Toyota Celica given to me back in college days, which turned into the party transport on
Friday nights since I refrained from drinking amongst the bunch of friends most of the time....
We stop for fuel one night and the chosen friend went about filling the tank.
Only a few miles later, that poor car lost about half power, but still soldiered on!
Took a few minutes to figure out what he'd done (car ran on regular, so it had the larger fill tube the diesel
nozzle easily fit).
I spent the next week topping off the tank every day with premium. Eventually, smoke and such was gone.
I figured it was a free valve job and went on with life.

 

[moparedtn]

You wouldn't mind driving that up to WI would ya? Need to dig 20 post holes. The trek could gain you international fame. I'll cover the tolls for you.

That auger was a co-op rental - and damn near killed me and the tractor. It was a Big un!

 

[Ron H]

and damn near killed me and the tractor

It’s ahh big for sure. 20+ years ago, building our deck with my FIL on our new house with an octagon section, needed to dig 19 post holes. We live in Waukesha Cty, nicknamed Rockesha cuz of all the rocks in the ground. Rented a two-man digger and that was a joke! My wife’s cousin who lived about two miles away fortunately had a digger similar to what you had. Still was a bee-itch as the auger would go anywhere but straight down when hitting rocks.

FIL had an old RR car mover I used to dig out the rocks. Oly chit what a job. Ended up herniating a disk in my neck needing fusion surgery a couple years later, and another last year, thanks to the first one. My daughter bought an old house and wants to put up a fence…nope, can’t do that job if I want my head to stay on..

 

[70ChargerRT]

It’s ahh big for sure. 20+ years ago, building our deck with my FIL on our new house with an octagon section, needed to dig 19 post holes. We live in Waukesha Cty, nicknamed Rockesha cuz of all the rocks in the ground. Rented a two-man digger and that was a joke! My wife’s cousin who lived about two miles away fortunately had a digger similar to what you had. Still was a bee-itch as the auger would go anywhere but straight down when hitting rocks.

FIL had an old RR car mover I used to dig out the rocks. Oly chit what a job. Ended up herniating a disk in my neck needing fusion surgery a couple years later, and another last year, thanks to the first one. My daughter bought an old house and wants to put up a fence…nope, can’t do that job if I want my head to stay on..

I live in Eastern, Ky and it seems like that’s all we have on the ridges where the fence line needs to go. Thank goodness for old fence line trees. I have an auger on my Tractor and decided to plant 250 Chestnut trees with it. Never again. Back and neck was screwed up for months. At the time Covid was wide open and I couldn’t find a skid steer or mini Hoe auger to rent. I rented an auger for my dads JD 50G with rock teeth this past year and that’s best method I’ve ever used or seen for digging holes. You might as well forget about using a driver for fence post on a tractor or skid steer. They will not hold up in rock country. Don’t ask me how I know lol

 

[Cranky]

It’s ahh big for sure. 20+ years ago, building our deck with my FIL on our new house with an octagon section, needed to dig 19 post holes. We live in Waukesha Cty, nicknamed Rockesha cuz of all the rocks in the ground. Rented a two-man digger and that was a joke! My wife’s cousin who lived about two miles away fortunately had a digger similar to what you had. Still was a bee-itch as the auger would go anywhere but straight down when hitting rocks.

FIL had an old RR car mover I used to dig out the rocks. Oly chit what a job. Ended up herniating a disk in my neck needing fusion surgery a couple years later, and another last year, thanks to the first one. My daughter bought an old house and wants to put up a fence…nope, can’t do that job if I want my head to stay on..

Yup, finally had to tell everyone that needed help moving that I wasn't the one to call anymore....especially the oldest. Seems like one year she moved 3 times!

 

[Dennis H]

Pave it.

 

[Triplegreen500]

Pave it.

My drive was unpaved when I bought the house. Family I bought it from WAS the builder, and he had loaders and stuff to re-drag anytime he wanted, in about 5 minutes. I'm about 1/8 mile from house to road; a quarter of that again around back to the workshop behind the house; and about a 3000sf area between house and garage for maneuvering (3 garage doors next to a 100' retaining wall).

It's on a hill.

It washed out quickly when it rained hard.

I have motorcycles in addition to my car-toys.

I did NOT like shoveling all that, nor did I like driving over it and turning it into hard-packed ice, the first winter I was there - and a snowblower would simply toss gravel everywhere.

One day the first spring I was there, on the way to work (on my motorcycle) I was first in line where they were paving the road. Flipped up my helmet and asked the guy "do you do residential", he said go talk to that guy, I did, he came up that evening and looked around. Asked what I wanted. I sprayed some outlines on the grass for a parking pad; asked him to clear a bank by the workshop and take it from a single-lane to the single garage door, to a double to the door and wall with plans to make it a double door. They were paving the road I live on, working their way towards my house. He said "we can do it once we get up here". Cool. One day, prep/scrape/dig/mark, next day pave, day after that I could drive on it. Not cheap...but probably the best money I've spent thus far on the house. I think it was about $25k, back in '12.

If I had it to do over, I'd have put heat pipes under it first....

Road is top right corner. Garage is building on the bottom, with the red google pin on it. House is labeled "14216". For size perspective, the white vehicle up and right from garage is my old '02 Jeep XJ Cherokee; square behind the garage is my 24' enclosed trailer.

 

[Ron H]

Yup, finally had to tell everyone that needed help moving that I wasn't the one to call anymore....especially the oldest. Seems like one year she moved 3 times!

Not far off! College and off to a job in Miami, we moved her there...in June. HOT. Then to another apartment upstairs the next summer - more HOT. Then 3 years later, moved her back that time getting movers for the big stuff. Then she bought a house few weeks ago where she lives 220 miles away built in - 1881! It needs MAJOR work. Geezuz hey! Had fun taking out a claw-foot tub this past weekend that hadn't been moved in 80 years and hanging a door that wouldn't - ahh - hang. Next job is tearing out the frame and replacing it to install the door. At 68 and five surgeries later, not limber as I used to be. I've restored old cars - not houses. Man's got to know his limitations - just have more of them now, lol.

 

[Scott Engelhardt]

I got a quote for concrete and asphalt. I was shocked at the price 40K for concrete and 34 for asphalt.

 

[70ChargerRT]

I got a quote for concrete and asphalt. I was shocked at the price 40K for concrete and 34 for asphalt.

At what thickness was the concrete vs the asphalt?

 

[Ron H]

I got a quote for concrete and asphalt. I was shocked at the price 40K for concrete and 34 for asphalt.

Yeah, I was too late finally building my 2nd garage I put off for 10+ years. Roughly 26 wide x 54 long. Just btw the initial quote and end price, span of about 45 days - cost went up a grand.