First project with the loader

[aarolar]

This is my first project with the loader and one of my main reasons for buying it. This little hill at the edge of our front yard has been an eyesore since we bought the place. The previous owners had let the azelas get completely out of hand and it had tons of saplings and bamboo briars in it to the point it was unmanageable. Today I started ripping out the bushes and piling them and I gotta say that tooth bar is the shiznit. Next I'll work on grading it more gradual so it can just be mowed instead of replanting shubbery. The wife and I like to be able to see the pond from the house.

 

[aarolar]

How should I go about grading this

Work it from downhill side

Work it from uphill side

Or work it along the way I took this picture?

 

[RNeumann]

It's easier to push downhill. Small bites and repetition will make it go away. When you have roughed it in with the tooth bar then back drag with the bucket to smooth things out. Back drag with only a few degrees of downward angle of the bucket.

 

[Woody65]

I would work it from the downhill side. Tilt the bucket so all the weight is on th bucket and drag the material down and ease up on the pressure as you backup depositing the material where you need it. Nice job so far. Good luck

 

[dragoneggs]

I think it really depends in which direction you want the dirt to end up. Easier to work down hill but on my steep slope property I try not to pull the hill away from my house which sits at the top.

 

[aarolar]

I'm planning on moving the material elsewhere not really anywhere for it to go right now. Just planning on piling it and using it later for other projects. There is another situation similar to this further down my driveway I kinda want to do the same with later.

 

[Thomas]

Working smart not hard as they say...looking good. :thumbsup:

 

[aarolar]

Here's some more shots of the one up by the house and the one further down my road. I just want both gradual enough to bush hog and not wash out.



Down the road

 

[nybirdman]

Looks like a job for a box blade.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Looks like a job for a box blade.

X2....

 

[aarolar]

X2....

Looks like a job for a box blade.

Care to explain your method I have access to one of those.

 

[RNeumann]

I thought from your first description you were just leveling it out and "loosing" the material right there. If you are making piles to be moved run parallel with the road starting on top and work your way down.

If you have access to a box blade with rippers you will have an easier time. Use the rippers to loosen things up and drag the material toward a pile. Typically a full/over flowing box holds more than your bucket. Plus the rippers are loosening and raising material into the box as you go.

Set the box up with your adjustable links so it is parallel with the machine side to side. The top gets adjusted depending on how aggressive you can cut. The lower the front of the box (when attached to the machine) the more aggressive the cut. If you get the front too high it will just smooth things out (but not take much material) and get the front too low and you will bog the machine down or spin the tires. If you try and adjust with the 3 point height every time you will just frustrate yourself- given the amount of material to move. So take a bit of time to get the top link set up front and the rest will be much easier. You will just need to raise the top link if you hit a big rock or root.

Get some earbuds for your phone...you have some seat time ahead of you!

 

[ustmd]

I thought from your first description you were just leveling it out and "loosing" the material right there. If you are making piles to be moved run parallel with the road starting on top and work your way down.

If you have access to a box blade with rippers you will have an easier time. Use the rippers to loosen things up and drag the material toward a pile. Typically a full/over flowing box holds more than your bucket. Plus the rippers are loosening and raising material into the box as you go.

Set the box up with your adjustable links so it is parallel with the machine side to side. The top gets adjusted depending on how aggressive you can cut. The lower the front of the box (when attached to the machine) the more aggressive the cut. If you get the front too high it will just smooth things out (but not take much material) and get the front too low and you will bog the machine down or spin the tires. If you try and adjust with the 3 point height every time you will just frustrate yourself- given the amount of material to move. So take a bit of time to get the top link set up front and the rest will be much easier. You will just need to raise the top link if you hit a big rock or root.

Get some earbuds for your phone...you have some sear time ahead of you!

+3

Additionally, loaders for tractors are generally not as "robust" as loaders for other equipment. There are numerous posts here about owners damaging their loaders trying to use them to grade or dig up compacted material.

The box blade is designed for this type of work.

 

[aarolar]

+3

Additionally, loaders for tractors are generally not as "robust" as loaders for other equipment. There are numerous posts here about owners damaging their loaders trying to use them to grade or dig up compacted material.

The box blade is designed for this type of work.

Good news is my dirt is very soft sandy loam so I don't see many issues at all there.

 

[aarolar]

I thought from your first description you were just leveling it out and "loosing" the material right there. If you are making piles to be moved run parallel with the road starting on top and work your way down.

If you have access to a box blade with rippers you will have an easier time. Use the rippers to loosen things up and drag the material toward a pile. Typically a full/over flowing box holds more than your bucket. Plus the rippers are loosening and raising material into the box as you go.

Set the box up with your adjustable links so it is parallel with the machine side to side. The top gets adjusted depending on how aggressive you can cut. The lower the front of the box (when attached to the machine) the more aggressive the cut. If you get the front too high it will just smooth things out (but not take much material) and get the front too low and you will bog the machine down or spin the tires. If you try and adjust with the 3 point height every time you will just frustrate yourself- given the amount of material to move. So take a bit of time to get the top link set up front and the rest will be much easier. You will just need to raise the top link if you hit a big rock or root.

Get some earbuds for your phone...you have some sear time ahead of you!

So the lift is just all the way down when working and the amount of cut is controlled by the top link correct? And when you say,

You will just need to raise the top link if you hit a big rock or root.

you mean to raise the lift of I hit a root (I don't have rocks here) not the top link right?

 

[RNeumann]

Good news is my dirt is very soft sandy loam so I don't see many issues at all there.

Good news- based on the pictures and the amount of material you want to move you will be an expert BEFORE you are done!!!

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

I'm sure there are many threads on here on how to use/adjust boxblades.

Where it's steep, I'd work top to bottom.
Where it is possible, side-hilling will be much faster.

 

[aarolar]

I'm sure there are many threads on here on how to use/adjust boxblades.

Where it's steep, I'd work top to bottom.
Where it is possible, side-hilling will be much faster.

Where I can side hill I can mow. I'll see what I can find in a search.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Pictures in post #8 LOOK like your tractor could straddle the hill with one set of tire on the flat top so the tractor will be less 'sloped' than the dirt even where you cant mow. As you move alone the blade will cut the 'peak' off.

 

[aarolar]

Pictures in post #8 LOOK like your tractor could straddle the hill with one set of tire on the flat top so the tractor will be less 'sloped' than the dirt even where you cant mow. As you move alone the blade will cut the 'peak' off.

My cajones ain't big enough for that especially on that hill further down my drive.