Grader operation - difficult to learn?
Grader operation - difficult to learn?
(OP)
I have a quarter mile of very rural road, privately owned, that is currently mostly muck and ruts with a little washboard thrown in for fun. Can we say, Stuck Truck? The durn thing needs grading and soon. We don't have to worry about permits on this particular project, and the only users will be my family.
I've read some of the posts on list and figure I need to use a grader (NOT a backhoe) to smooth/dome the road, improve the roadside ditches (and install a few culverts by hand.) The road is not rocked yet.
Question is, how difficult is it to figure out how to manipulate a grader? I've used smaller heavy machinery with great success, but the size of a grader is a little intimidating.
Any helpful hints on what kind/size of a grader to rent, tips on operation, etc.? (or, am I completely insane to consider doing this myself?)
Mamagrrl
I've read some of the posts on list and figure I need to use a grader (NOT a backhoe) to smooth/dome the road, improve the roadside ditches (and install a few culverts by hand.) The road is not rocked yet.
Question is, how difficult is it to figure out how to manipulate a grader? I've used smaller heavy machinery with great success, but the size of a grader is a little intimidating.
Any helpful hints on what kind/size of a grader to rent, tips on operation, etc.? (or, am I completely insane to consider doing this myself?)
Mamagrrl





RE: Grader operation - difficult to learn?
RE: Grader operation - difficult to learn?
RE: Grader operation - difficult to learn?
KRS Services
www.krs-services.com
RE: Grader operation - difficult to learn?
At the moment, we're considering dragging an extremely heavy bit of wood horizontally behind the truck to try to level out some of the more egregious ruts before spring, so ANYTHING would be an improvement over that!
Do you think a dozer would be able to crown a road? I'd have thought they could only handle doing a 'flat' road. I'm a genius with a bobcat, so using one of those (instead of a full-fledged dozer) would be easy. I just didn't think crowning/pitching the road would be as easily done with anything but a grader.
I love KRSServices truck-invention. One of those and I'd be set. Do those get rented out in the middle-of-nowhere california? (and I wouldn't buy a grader, I'd rent one, even if it meant going through a contractor buddy to do it.)
RE: Grader operation - difficult to learn?
RE: Grader operation - difficult to learn?
Regarding grading with a truck, with a 12' grader blade mounted under the chassis, in an identical fashion as a conventional motor grader and the fact that the backweight is heavier than a grader when 3/4 loaded my unit performs better for general work than a conventional grader. Snow plowing is a bonus! But you are quite correct regarding the cost however. It is designed to maintain miles of rural road, and a 1/4 mile in itself would not really be too cost effective.
For crowning and shaping, a dozer will not cut it. I would still hire a local grader on an as-needed basis.
KRS Services
www.krs-services.com
RE: Grader operation - difficult to learn?
Having someone who knows how to operate the machine (whichever one you can get your hands on) will give you a much better product, and one that's easier to maintain.
Also, $70 an hour isn't a bad rate.
From a CE (PE) with many years running a CAT D6C and a 955L (mid-size dozer and loader, respectively)
RE: Grader operation - difficult to learn?
A word about scarifieing,compaction,and subdrainage. Unless you like the idea of doing this project every few years and can afford to replace all that expensive aggregate, you'll take the time to scarifie and compact this road. A scrarifier attachment is simply a row of 7-9 stiff teeth on a bar which is fastenened either underneath or on the rear of the machine,raised and lowered hydraulicaly. When forced into the ground it "rips up" the soil, breaking up the hard spots and mixing the mud in with the firmer material. What you'll wind up with is a uniformly dense, easily bladed surface which can be either wheel or steel rolled to promote proper sealing and subdrainage.Only after these operations are completed should any aggregate surfacing be applied. I'd recomend a 4" layer of 1 1/2" and minus crushed rock compacted and overlaid with a 2" layer of 3/4" crushed rock. If this is properly graded,compacted,and drained, you should have a good looking lane that will perform for years and years. As far as hand work, with a good blademan in the seat there shouldn't be much if any.
RE: Grader operation - difficult to learn?
The road is indeed Very rutted, badly sloped, and mucky (culverts will be needed). From what I'm hearing here, he'll need to install the culverts, dig out the scarify the base road, grade it, wheel/steel roll it and then layer it first with a 4" layer of 1 1/2", roll the 4" layer, then lay a 2" layer of 3/4" crushed rock.
From what I'm hearing,(if I keep an eye on him to keep his slopes good and work consistent,) the road guy won't be so terribly expensive. It seems like the 6" of rock will be the pocket breaker!
Out here, it's about $350 for a load of rock from the quarry. The load reportedly covers 50-70 feet of road. Is that fairly normal or a little high/low? (I'm going out on a limb and considering having the road guy do the dirt, and have us do the rock laying/spreading and compaction of the rock (with a wacker/jumping jack or roller) Am I insane again? Maybe I should just bite the bullet and have him do the whole thing from start to finish.)
Thanks a lot for the opinions on roads and grading. I'm great with biological processes, but this road is a first for me.
RE: Grader operation - difficult to learn?
I have faced this type of issue countless times in the past in dealing with my rural customers. Your description of this 1/4 of "road" may be better served if it was downgraded to an access or driveway. Your desire to have an all weather, non-4x4 road may come at a bit of a cost. Without viewing the area, but assuming a clay/sand/silt combination, all that may be required is constructing a grade (0.5 to 0.75 m). Here in Rural Alberta, I build roads of your description for the oilpatch, forestry and rural residents, using materials available. They understand though, that depending on the maaterial, under heavy loading or during wet periods, the road will rut and in some cases, the grade lost. There are remedies for those problems, but it will be up to you as to what you need. A 1/4 mile of road will not be costly and there are many options in keeping the costs down while providing the desired outcome. Email me some more info, including a photo of the site and soils and I can assist in providing some cost effective solutions.
KRS Services
www.krs-services.com