[cutntrim]

Got a recycling plant that I'll be plowing this year. We'll be using our Bobcat 553 with blade to do it (likely 4hrs/plow). Anyhow, a large portion of the lot is gravel and parts of it look something like the surface of the moon. The plant manager says they regularly fill in the craters with gravel but it only lasts a few days, and then the trucks wash it out with their tires running over them constantly.

I'm thinking that maybe crusher run wetted down, then compacted might help. Any other suggestions? I don't really want to have my guy bottoming-out the skidsteer all over the place.

[scl]

The big thing you need to do is get under it some, turn it over, like with a box scraper with the tinees all the way down. Crusher runs a great idea, but you have to get it down far enough that you can still topcoat with a couple inches of road rock. Compactings not a bad idea, but probably a waste of time unless you can do it with a big roller. Just scarify it up real good and level it off.

[PSUscaper]

A few years ago I had parking space at a large industrial park mainly owned by a garbage trucking company.....all day long, garbage trucks and roll-off trucks rolled in and out.

About every month, the parking lot would get so bad, trailers behind the back of the truck would bottom out, and you'd lose a trailer jack pretty easily if you weren't careful.

Well, they'd fix him, and well, a month later they'd be back.

And that was summer!.....I don't want to talk about winter!

If they don't want to get the placed paved, don't bother! They did gravel, quarry process, millings, etc .......nothing lasted.

If it looked like that when you bid it, then I'm sure they expected you to plow it like that. I don't think they are going to fix it for the sole reason of making your job easier. And like I said, I'm sure they know that they need to do a lot more than fill in a few holes to make it better.

They used a old beat up garbage truck with a beat up old plow to do the lot (when they did)......I wouldn't bring anything nice and new there......and hope you are getting well paid.

I'd try to sub it out to some local with a 87 chevy blazer and beat up meyer plow for $45 an hour.....let him beat the life (or what life is left) out of his truck, give him the satisfaction of being able to make a 200 bucks, and walk away with whatever is left.

[MarkH]

We have alot of gravel lots and roads we maintain in our park system and have the same problem of ruts. All we can do is run with the plow raised a little, and we never salt the lot. We may put sand down for traction, but the salt works its way it and with the freeze/thaw the holes get worse. If they are willing to fill in the ruts every month for free, thats a bonus.

[Pelican]

I'm not sure what crusher run is, here we call a material of 3/4" stone with fines item 4, it's used as road base. You could fill the holes with this material and compact, but the repairs will most likely be temporary as stated.

I don't know if you are familiar with polyurethane cutting edges, but it sounds like one would help in this location. These are polymer edges that are rigid enough to move the snow, yet flexible enough to absorb the impact of pavement (or lack of) imperfections. You won't move near as much gravel with one of these installed either.

I've been using one on my truck for three seasons and was so impressed with the performance that I've begun selling them. I also outfitted my second truck with one.

Drop me a PM if you'd like more info.

[guido]

Filling in the holes (no matter what you use to fill them with) will keep giving you the same results because of bonding problems.

The correct way would be with a grader and a large vibratory roller.

1) Pass through the lot with the scarifier to loosen up all the old material and level with blade if neccessary.

2) Dump a few yards of 3/4" - and spread around, mixing it with the first 6 - 10 inches of the old material. This helps bring the integrity of the material back since the old material is probobly very segregated as it sits right now.

3) Roll, roll, and roll some more!

If you can't get your hands on that kind of equipment, offer to sub the job out to someone in your area that specializes in that type of work. The cost will be less than you expect.


That will be a lot nicer that it is now to plow, but even than, skim accoross the top of it after the first snow and the ice should fill in the voids to help the next time you have to come in there.

[cutntrim]

I appreciate the replies. As mentioned I'm dedicating a small skidsteer to this site (plus another just down the road). I'm hoping that a new skidsteer won't be trashed by doing the lot, since they oughta be a lot more rugged than a pickup w/plow. Two employees will be trading shifts in the skidsteer, and both have never used a skidsteer before...ever. I'll be nearby to help out if necessary in asphalt areas, but I'm not going to put my '04 truck on that gravel. The recycling plant runs very lean, which explains why they'll be doing their own salting, so I don't know how likely it would be to get them to repair it the right way. I will, however, suggest it to the manager and see what he says. I would sub the work out for sure.

I don't know anyone using a poly cutting edge on a skidder around here, and I don't have the cash to do so for this season. Would you recommend using the plow shoes, or just "floating" slightly above the gravel and nevermind the shoes?

[scl]

Shoes work well IF the gravels hard or frozen. If its wet or soft they just dig their own trenches. Floating works pretty well, jus skim the top , or, look into a rubber edge. Rubber is less than half the price of urethane, about as durable, and has the same properties as far as floating over rock. I was quoted $20 a running foot for rubber, versus >$60 for urethane. Their big downfall is the get a little bounce or chatter on blacktop or crete, but that doesn't sound like a problem for you.

[Pelican]

I don't want to turn this in to an advertisement, but would like to clarify that the price scl has been quoted for urethane edges is substantially more than the pricing on the product I handle. Urethane is however higher in price than rubber with numerous advantages.

cutntrim, that lot sounds like it will be a bear no matter how you clear it. Unless it pays well and on time, I might be inclined to pass on it unless they make the repairs. Be sure to consider repair costs to your machine and plow in bidding it.

[cutntrim]

The way my route is set up I've got two pickups with full lists, and the skidder is parked at one location. That location takes 4hrs to plow and is 1min. down the street from the recycling plant. I've declined in the past to do the plant, but figured with the machine and operator available, I might as well give it a shot. If it turns out to be a job from hell, then I'll drop it. They used to do all their own plowing (with their two 900 series Bobcats), but would rather keep the machines busy inside instead of tied-up outdoors.
If it doesn't work out with me, they can just finish off the rest of the season themselves. But I won't know until I try it.

[scl]

OOPS! Sorry, thats right at $50 a foot Pelican.