How to spread gravel and other types of soils more evenly

[Alex]

I've been playing the game for a while with a friend but we've always got stuck on missions such as "spread gravel" and we aren't sure whats the most optimal way to spread it without having to buy a lot of it.

[Shadow Lunatale]

The most time efficient way is to just spread it with a dump truck while driving forward and slowly raising the dump body. When it's empty refill with the helper quick fill menu.

If you are into something more realistic, i.e. if you're a player that tends to get the gravel from the gravel plant, you can spread it out with the dump truck like I said earlier but then use a grader to spread it out more evenly. By my experience, using a grader can save you about 1 to 2 trips for refilling the dump truck, so it is cheaper but more time consuming. You can also use a dozer but in that chase, you need to be really careful how far you lower the shield. Too low and it will sometimes scratch away the gravel layer, but not always. I have not found out why it does that sometimes, maybe it depends on how the mission progress is made in the level editor.

[bigD]

I use the Kenworth T880 dump truck and the LH PR736 dozer. At first I just spread the gravel with dump truck but noticed the big piles and thought am I wasting money? Gravel is expensive. I did try using the motor grader but piles too big and it had tough time getting through it. Mostly now while I'm waiting for dump truck to fill up I doze the spread gravel. Depending on the job it can take 10% progress from just spreading with dump truck to 20% by further dozer leveling. Most jobs you save at least one truck load if not a couple. Gravel is ~ $36k per load the easy way (15% discount). Think it like $19k if you travel to Gravel Pit, so just picking up gravel is good savings.

For example a straight road job I position the dump truck leaving a couple wheel widths from shoulder. Open dumper full blast and press the gas the same. Usually run out of gravel before end of road. Fast travel for next load and while dump truck loading I start leveling with dozer. I like the LH PR736 because you can tilt the blade left or right. I tilt the blade in direction of next gravel spread and mostly blade is all the way down. So if road shoulder is on left, I would tilt blade right to center of road. When driving I try my best to keep in center, works best. Usually there is an additional row on the tilted side, I go back and level it also but it only increases progress by couple percentages. But I like driving my dozers:)

[Gh0stWrecker]

Soil compactor is the easiest but, it takes longer. Always look at the recommended vehicle for each step. Most of the time there are multiple options.

[GreywolfConstruction]

Originally posted by Quantavius:

I've been playing the game for a while with a friend but we've always got stuck on missions such as "spread gravel" and we aren't sure whats the most optimal way to spread it without having to buy a lot of it.

I dont think this bug exists anymore, but you used to be able to drop some gravel and spread it by using the wheel loader and just putting the bucket partly into the ground.

Try this for a good multi man operation.

Dump the gravel, soil, sand in a pile on the site. In a corner preferably. Use a wheel loader, backhoe, skid steers to grab from the pile and dump it around the plot.

Get inside the CASE bulldozer and spread the material.

Now use a grader to level it out.

This is probably the most "efficient" way you can spread gravel/sand/soil imo. (and the most fun tbh)