Spreading Gravel

[carpetfarmer]

Here in the next few weeks I'm going to be getting probably 30-40 tons of asphalt millings delivered for my funky shaped little driveway (highlighted in the picture). I've spread dirt and gravel plenty with a skid loader but I don't have one, and I don't have a loader on the tractor. I would like to try and spread it myself before I get ticked off and ask to borrow a skid loader. I have an angle/grader blade, a box blade and a dirt scoop. Does anyone have any tips they would be willing to share? Which implement would you recommend, and what techniques do you recommend?

 

[Lynn Patrick]

Use each of them as needed and have fun!

 

[waynesteuck]

Watch Letsdig18 you tube ,Chris does a lot of drive ways , U. should be able to get a few ideas
Wayne

 

[PatrickB]

If it were me I would have the majority of that tailgated, then use the tools mentioned to do the rest.

 

[steve19438]

yup. multiple small piles.

 

[carpetfarmer]

I'm borrowing a dump truck and will be hauling it myself.

A) I've never tried tailgating, we normally just dump in piles

B) Its a really odd shape and small spaces. For comparison, the white trailer is 8' x 20' and the black trailer is a 24' gooseneck. Even if I could tailgate it, the size and shape doesn't seem too conducive to tailgating. Also, there are two power lines overhead, one running top to bottom of the picture just in front of the white trailer and one running left to right between the two buildings opposite each other.

I hadn't thought of several small piles, that's why I asked here!!

 

[carpetfarmer]

I may try to tailgate some of it which will probably result in multiple smallish piles lol

 

[Scott(Ks.)]

I don't know if asphalt millings will tailgate well, or if it would be a little more clumpy or sticky. Dry gravel will tailgate. Depending on the truck, if your load doesn't tailgate and it gets a little high you could be looking at the sky with the truck sitting on it's end gate.

I did that with a borrowed truck and ended up pulling it back down slowly with my tractor. It doesn't always turn out that well. I told the trucks owner what I had done and he told me "You should have greased it while it was sitting up like that".

I think I would go with the small piles and use the box blade, finishing with your grader blade.

 

[carpetfarmer]

Its a real, full size dump truck...tandem
axle Ford L9000, 15 ton loads.

 

[Kirk-NJ]

I'm lucky enough to have a bunch of tractors to work with. I would use the loader with the box blade to level and back drag much like the skid steer. And would also set chains at bottom of dump tailgate to open to let a certain amount out at a time. Any driver who has dumped gravel will know the process. You can dump in small piles and level it yourself but will be easier if driver can do it with the chains.

<a href="https://imgur.com/LMbhKE5">

</a>

<a href="https://imgur.com/XyF2Lpg">

</a>

<a href="https://imgur.com/HTdwkaV">

</a>

 

[Billy NY]

1st consideration is the power lines, be nice if you could safely prop higher, but electricity is nothing to fool with. If too risky, make sure to have a spotter and keep the cab shield and any other part of the dump box at a specified safe distance for the amount of power going through them. If this is beyond 240V, it may not be worthy any kind of risk. Small piles are just as easy to spread, connect and finish grade.

Where it's clear, make sure you can keep the truck level to spread and do not overload it, heck you might best take a small load to get used to chaining the tail gate and spreading some of without that raised high center of gravity monkey on your back. Check the material, see what the sieve size aggregate it would look like, ( meaning see if there are chunks that will get caught in the narrow opening when the tailgate is chained ). Finer, more free flowing material needs less of an opening. The distance you chain the tailgate open and the travel speed used must be coordinated to get the desired result. In short, might take a little practice to get it to spread like you want it. If by chance you can at the stockpile, try 1/2 a load where you can push it back into the pile. If you can run a dump truck, then you certainly can do this just as well.

I used to do this quite often and when I first learned, the owner told me how much to leave it open and what gear and or approximate travel speed to use. It worked great the first time because he told me exactly how to do it, and I had never done this prior to. Later on I was on the truck spreading the fine stone chips onto the cold applied type asphalt work used on secondary roads, mastered that, thought it was fun !

 

[carpetfarmer]

What size gap would you recommend setting the tailgate at to start out? I know its hard to say without seeing the material but would you recommend closer to 1" or closer to 6"?

 

[Billy NY]

For asphalt pavement millings, knowing there will be chunks in there, closer to 6", possibly out to 8". That is approximately what I recall for crusher run, ( 3/4 crushed stone, with fines/dust etc.) 1" won't do it, and you do not want to stand the front end of the truck up. I liked a steady flow of material to get the weight off the front of the box, but you have to watch the flow, I'd rather err on more flow than not, won't hurt a thing for grading, you'll just work it down with the box blade, rear blade or what you have similar. Heck even if you spread a foot over a short distance you've saved some grading time and hassle having to work a pile down or bucket it in to the other areas.

I have, with a large tri-axle, reluctantly, on parking lot jobs, with hot asphalt pavement, backed up to paver hoppers for very short runs by the paver. I remember a long time friend who is very successful in the black top business, busting my chops to do this because it was difficult. I hated the guy in high school, big time bully, we had some choice words that day, but I did it for 25 tons worth until empty. He no sooner got it rolled and the worst downpour came in, had to have ruined a bunch of it. Reason I mention it is that if you have the skills to drive the truck, you'll figure this out easily, just don't restrict it too much, I'd rather open it the max on the chains than get hung up and have problems. I always hated setting down a fully loaded dump box or close to it, they never land easy, can't be good for the truck either.

 

[showcrop]

I agree with the 6-8 inch tailgate opening. You also keep one hand on the hydraulic valve lever so that if the body seems to be initially going up too fast you can put it in hold position. It isn't that tough to do. I didn't do it very much but it worked well when I did it.

 

[carpetfarmer]

Thank you kindly!