Field Road Maintenance

[bat man]

Those who have experience, what is your favorite tool or sequence for field road maintenance. I have an 8 foot grader (little guy) I can crown the field roads with. I would likely need to best way to rough up the road and then pack it firm again?

 

[foggy]

Lots will depend on the soils in that field road. My land is sandy.....so it works pretty easy. On my trails......after getting the timber off......I grind the stumps out. Then I pull my disc over it and drag it some until reasonably smooth for low speed travel. Oftentimes I till mine and then plant clover on it.

On non cultivated trails and on the gravel / dirt road in front of my place. I use my box blade to move dirt......and a landscape rake to grade the road (works better than a blade IMO).

My neighbor has quite a bit of traffic (he built the road years ago) and tears up the road pretty bad. We really need some class 5 and gravel on it....but we get along.

I JUST THIS MORNING saw a good old road grader for sale on Brainerd Craigs List. $500. Pulls with a ball hitch. Looks nice for road grading.

http://brainerd.craigslist.org/grd/4673350751.html

 

[bat man]

I have that same grader less the front axle. There is a hole that slides right over my ball. Used it on the driveway 2 years ago after roughing with a brush disc and the results were Camry like.

 

[foggy]

I have that same grader less the front axle. There is a hole that slides right over my ball. Used it on the driveway 2 years ago after roughing with a brush disc and the results were Camry like.

"Camry Like" huh. New term for me. Is that a good thing?.....or bad? Was considering buying it myself for 1/4 mile road in front of my place.

The driveway is pretty rough from all the traffic to my resident neighbor's place. My neighbor is the one that really needs it.....and I offered to pay 1/2 if he'd chip in the other half (he lives past my place and could really use it). He declined the offer. Duh!

It's really hard to grade a road without a blade positioned between two axels.....IMO. I have a tractor and fair amount of equipment....but a smooth grade is elusive without the right implement.