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Setting up for use with Profile Blades
On a flat surface, raise the Rascal high enough to remove
the scarifiers (if attached) and insert the profile blades into
position. The outside profile blade mounting bar must be
in the mounting pocket that is farthest out on both sides
of the unit (
Fig 26
). Pin the profile blades thru the 3rd hole
from the top in the monting pocket. Crank the front wheel
jack so that both the wheels and profile blades resting on
the ground. The bottom surface of the profile blades must
be parallel to the ground (
Fig 27
). If the blades are tilted
upwards, this will cause the Rascal to “ski” upward, causing
waves in the footing. If the blades are tilted downwards, this
will cause the Rascal to dig in more, endangering the base.
Use the toplink to adjust the pitch of the blades by rotating
it cloclwise or counterclockwise as needed to make the
bottom surface of the blades parallel to the footing.
The wheels maintain the depth of the profile blades. Crank
the front jack wheel up so the wheels rise off the ground to
the desired depth the profile blades are to go. If the blades
are 2” below the bottom of the wheels, that is how deep
the blades will run in the footing.
HINT:
If some blocks are
available that are the same height as the depth the profile
blades are to dig into the footing, the blocks can be put
under each tire then crank the front wheel jack as need until
the profile blades are resting on the ground then remove the
blocks (
Fig 28
).
If the footing of the area your ripping is soft, the tires may
sink into the footing up to 1/2" so minor height adjustments
may be necessary to get the desired depth.
Once the Rascal has been setup for a particular depth and
ready for transportation to a worksite for use, use a marker
to mark that depth on the non-painted portion of the wheel
jack (
Fig 29
). After using the Rascal for other jobs at different
depths and it's time to set the height again for a previous
setting, just crank the wheel jack until the bottom of the
black portion of the wheel jack lines up with the mark to
avoid the time it takes to go thru the setup procedure.
Adjusting the Finish Rake
The finish rake will be adjusted with the Rascal in use. Take
the Rascal to the area where it will be used. Raise the wheels
to allow the scarifiers/profile blades to enter the surface at
the desired depth. Pull the Rascal forward several feet and
come to a slow stop. Adjust the finish rake to rest firmly on
the surface of the material by cranking the rear jack up or
down as needed to get about 1/2” of penetration into the
material (
Fig 30
).
Fig 26.
Fig 27.
Fig 28.
Fig 30.
Bottom surface
of Finish Blades
parallel to footing.
Use a marker to mark that
depth on the non-painted
portion of the wheel jack.
Outside profile blade mounting
bar must be in the mounting
pocket that is farthest out on
both sides of the unit.
Blocks under the wheels can help the depth setup
and help visually see if the bottom surface of the
profile blades are parallel to the footing.
Fig 29.
Setup and Guide for Grooming Driveways
One of the many uses for a Rascal is for driveway repair, or maintenance. The setup and maintenance is covered
in the setup guide. This section will cover how to manage problems that may come up in the driveway. One of
the most frequent issues with the Gravel Rascal happens when the operator uses an inconsistent speed, i.e.
stopping and starting, speeding up and slowing down.
Removing Pot holes and Washouts –
These are the easiest to handle. Lower the scarifiers down to the desired
ripping depth. Start the first pass with the wheels down, to help stabilize for the initial loosening. Travel at a
slow consistent speed, allowing the Rascal to dig in while traveling down the driveway. With each pass raise the
wheels more and drag the driveway till the washouts or potholes are gone. To give the driveway a finished look,
go back over for a last pass, setting the Profile Blades (as mentioned on the previous page "
Setting up for use
with Profile Blades
") about 1/2" below the surface and the finish rake digging into the surface about 1" to pack
the driveway and give it a clean finish. If more weight is required for deeper ripping, the weight rack and weights
for the Rascals are available (see "Options" section below). The weight rack holds suitcase weights, giving more
weight for deeper dragging/ripping.
Dragging with a Crown –
To keep the crown, drag only the outside of the crown at a slow steady pace. Avoid the
crown and allow the Rascal to rip the soil on the sides only.
Putting in a Crown –
To use the Gravel Rascal to put a crown into a driveway, drag the driveway as normal so
the scarifiers loosen the gravel as well as the edge of each side of the driveway, then put the Rascal into a grading
position. To setup the Rascal in grading position, adjust the scarifiers out of play by flipping each scarifier up
so the tips are on top (the scarifiers will be upside down). Pin the right wheel into either the middle hole or top
hole (depending on the desired amount of angle of the crown) as shown on page 16 (
Fig 31
). Adjust the finish
rake down to a 90 degree angle. Lower the wheels so the right side of the finish rake tips are down into the
gravel about 1/2". Pull material to the center of the driveway, raise the Rascal and leave the material behind in
the center of the driveway. This will need to be repeated down both sides of the driveway. Lowering the wheels
slightly after each pass down the driveway may be necessary until the desired crown height is achieved. This is
much easier with the Electric Actuator attached, but may result in battery drainage. Using the box blade option
helps prevent some gravel from rolling off the end of the Finish rake back out into the yard by capturing it within
the box and moving it to the center of the driveway.
Common things that cause Wash boarding -
One of the most common causes of wash boarding is inconsistent
speed. Using an inconsistent speed can cause a “bump” in the gravel. When multiple bumps occur, it becomes
what is classified as a washboard effect. Dragging at a higher speed may cause the Rascal to bounce or give it a
hopping motion, leaving behind bumps as it goes. Washboarding can also be caused by sudden acceleration, or
by starting and stopping. Once there is a bump that is not immediately cared for, it will continue to cause more
bumps as the Rascal travels over it. Eventually this will give the driveway a washboard effect.
Removing Washboard effect from a driveway –
When finished dragging the driveway and notice a washboard
effect, it will take more time to fix now but easier to fix while the groomed driveway is fresh rather than after
it has been driven on and repacked. If it has been driven on, or repacked, the driveway may need to be ripped
again. Once the material is loose, set up the Rascal in a grading position with the wheels down, and the scarifiers
out of play. This is done by moving the finish rake down more at a 90 degree angle. Going at a very slow speed,
perform a serpentine pattern to remove the waves. The illustrations below show one of ABI's serpentine patterns
that can remove the washboard effect:
Pass 1
The dotted line indicates the center or "crown" of the driveway.
Operation Guide (cont'd)