More ruts from not plowing the drive?

RedMF40 · Feb 27, 2021

I'm five years into living with a dirt and gravel driveway about a thousand feet long, give or take a few feet. It could use some work. Probably more dirt and more gravel are in order. Or just gravel. I don't know.

Big recent snows, one on top of the other, gave me about 7" of snow that I just drove through. Once the tracks froze in place, it was like one of those theme park cars where you get in and pretend you're driving an old car but it's just put putting around on a track and it doesn't matter if you turn the wheel or not. It'll steer itself. My driveway was like that.

[b:5dd395d9cd]Do you think this approach to driveway non-plowing is going to result in greater wear/ruts?[/b:5dd395d9cd]

(The above is the main question. The rest is just blah blah blah)

I am looking for answers that will support my justification for getting an old plow truck. I have my eye on one, haven't talked price or when the guy wants to sell, but it'll probably be after winter is over and there's no more snow. It's a rust-bucket Ford 4X4 that will never be street legal.

At this point I'm not so worried about not being able to get the car in and out--it's proven more than capable. The problem is actually my ability to WALK on the frozen drive when it's not cleared. Also, now that there's a lot of snow melt with thawing temps, I see two small rivers coursing down the tire tracks. Can't be good.

Thanks for any thoughts.

Gerrit

super99 · Feb 27, 2021

So do you not have a tractor and blade or just choose no to plow snow?? If you get the snow pushed off of the driveway, when it warms up it will dry up quicker than having all of the snow melt slowly and keep it a muddy mess, it'll take it a lot longer to dry up. If you don't have much rock on the drive, you need to put down big rock to make a base and then when it gets packed in, put small rock over it with a crown in the middle.

Janicholson · Feb 27, 2021

Put a back blade on the Red MF 40! A 2.5 inch schedule 40 (or 80 plastic pipe cut longways and slipped on the cutting edge keeps the gravel on
the drive. Jim

RedMF40 · Feb 27, 2021

(quoted from post at 18:39:24 02/27/21) Put a back blade on the Red MF 40! A 2.5 inch schedule 40 (or 80 plastic pipe cut longways and slipped on the cutting edge keeps the gravel on
the drive. Jim

Yeah, that option would make more sense instead of having another vehicle around for only driveway use.

It's a loader tractor, light in the rear. I'd need chains at the very least and make sure both tires have ballast. But the blade and chains would probably still be less than buying and maintaining a junkyard truck. Thanks for the suggestion.

Gerrit

Janicholson · Feb 27, 2021

You could also remove the bucket and adapt a pickup plow to the boom arms. a blade on the back would also add weight, or make a concrete barrel
weight to use on the 3 point. I would never use CaCl in the tires, only Rim Guard, windshield washer fluid. Jim

VicS · Feb 27, 2021

I usted to think like you, put big rock 1.5 to3.0" down first. But in the early 2000's I hauled Lime stone that was a very fine and pure. Blew it into 6x6 trucks that spread it on fresh watered mud. Then they ran big Self propelled tillers about 8" deep. 24 to 36 hrs later you could dolly a loaded semi trailer down where was a soybean field 2 days ago. We were building a new road across open fields. Would do this 2 times sometimes more. Also did a lot of big parking lots and big buildings Lowes stores. Would do 2 lifts on whole lot then maybe 3 more just on building footprint. Concrete was poured on this. They trenched the footer about 6 ft deep. And filled with concrete. So I use Ca 6. 3/4" and about 30% lime. Will get hard and end up costing you less. My son has a 1400 ft drive and It takes at least 30 tons of rock a.year. more would be better.

JK-NY · Feb 27, 2021

Not plowing will save you from pushing some stone off the driveway and save you some raking in the spring. Not sure how much snow
you usually get in a winter - biggest danger from not plowing is if you have a lot of snow in your driveway that you just about can
mash through and then get a big snowfall(12-24" or more) at once it will be harder to plow when you really need to. I have gravel
driveways and usually try to drive over small snow falls (1-4") till there is a little packed snow base which prevents digging up
the gravel.

Adrian Billheimer · Feb 27, 2021

I had a little bit of that same rut problem this year as I had to rely on calling a friend to plow, and my
drive is 3/10 of a mile long, a concern that came to my mind was possible tire sidewall damage from the
ruts, even though it is ice and not rock.
I will have my tractor running for next year, AND an old Ford pickup that is no longer road worthy.

showcrop · Feb 28, 2021

Probably the biggest factor is does the driveway typically freeze solid or not. But you don't tell about that. I wouldn't want an old truck to maintain, but your safety when walking is important. I like Janicholson's idea of an old pick-up truck plow on your MF. I see them mounted in the bucket with two pins. Then for traction, chains and a counter weight on the three point. As Super 99 said you can add rock, BUT, ONLY if the ground is soft enough for it to pack down in. Then put 3/4 crusher run skim coat over it. Don't add dirt! that is going backwards! The limestone is a good idea BUT, ONLY if it is nearby and cheap. Around here it is $$$$.

Wheat47 · Feb 28, 2021

Over 10-12 years, I put 8+ inches of road mix on my driveway, 200 or so feet long.
Local guy finally conned me in to putting asphalt millings on top of that.
He put 4-6 inches of millings on the gravel, packed it well.
It seems to be holding up pretty good. It obvious where the driving tracks are,
but they only seem to have compacted an inch or so in the tracks.
It's been in place 3 or so years.
Not like pavemant, I can still scrape up a few small stones, but it's better than
just a gravel drive, in my case anyway. A good base and good packing is important.

RedMF40 · Mar 1, 2021

Thanks for the suggestions, had a full day yesterday, just now able to get back online.

Here in my part of Maryland hard winters are very rare. Sometimes almost no snow at all and relatively mild temps. Then every few years a blizzard. And even in blizzard times it's usually the case that it warms up right away and everything melts. The plow truck idea doesn't make much sense--as appealing as it is to have another broken-down piece of junk around that may or may not work when I ask it to. I have enough other projects.

I believe the driveway now is limestone. The former owner chose it because it's more attractive than crusher run or bluestone or something like that.. In any case, it's white. Came from a quarry not too far away so I have to figure out how to get more. I have contacts with dump trucks and skid steers who can help and it shouldn't cost huge money.

Long-term I'd like to put down asphalt. Driveway gets light use, nothing too heavy right now. Concrete would be ideal but I'd have to dig much deeper in my pocket for a driveway this long.

And yes, I could just pay someone to plow it the few times we get heavy snow. But it being dirt and gravel, I'd rather be the one doing any damage to it rather than paying someone else to tear up my driveway. Overall it's in pretty good shape.

It's something I'll have to sleep on.

Here's a visual. You can see the dark spots where ruts are starting to form. This is the worst part, everything else looks pretty good. Thanks again for the suggestions.

Gerrit

showcrop · Mar 1, 2021

(quoted from post at 07:05:36 03/01/21) Thanks for the suggestions, had a full day yesterday, just now able to get back online.

Here in my part of Maryland hard winters are very rare. Sometimes almost no snow at all and relatively mild temps. Then every few years a blizzard. And even in blizzard times it's usually the case that it warms up right away and everything melts. The plow truck idea doesn't make much sense--as appealing as it is to have another broken-down piece of junk around that may or may not work when I ask it to. I have enough other projects.

I believe the driveway now is limestone. The former owner chose it because it's more attractive than crusher run or bluestone or something like that.. In any case, it's white. Came from a quarry not too far away so I have to figure out how to get more. I have contacts with dump trucks and skid steers who can help and it shouldn't cost huge money.

Long-term I'd like to put down asphalt. Driveway gets light use, nothing too heavy right now. Concrete would be ideal but I'd have to dig much deeper in my pocket for a driveway this long.

And yes, I could just pay someone to plow it the few times we get heavy snow. But it being dirt and gravel, I'd rather be the one doing any damage to it rather than paying someone else to tear up my driveway. Overall it's in pretty good shape.

It's something I'll have to sleep on.

Here's a visual. You can see the dark spots where ruts are starting to form. This is the worst part, everything else looks pretty good. Thanks again for the suggestions.

Gerrit

With this additional information Janicholson's suggestion of the pipe on your back blade appears to be the best. for your situation. If you decide to go asphalt, the company rep will probably talk about your base. Gravel drives don't need much for a base. An asphalt drive without a good base will crack under the load of a medium weight truck.

Ozlander · Mar 1, 2021

If you're seeing mud don't have enough gravel.

showcrop · Mar 1, 2021

(quoted from post at 09:24:45 03/01/21)

If you're seeing mud don't have enough gravel.

Click to expand...

Ozlander, gravel on every construction site that I have ever worked on, even after compaction, is muddy on top when wet.

More ruts from not plowing the drive?

RedMF40

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super99

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Janicholson

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RedMF40

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Janicholson

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VicS

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JK-NY

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Adrian Billheimer

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showcrop

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Wheat47

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RedMF40

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showcrop

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Ozlander

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showcrop

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