Dirt Scoop

[mowingcorey]

I purchased a dirt scoop for my tractor this weekend - no front loader. I friend once told me that it would take me getting used to using it. He was right. Does anyone have any tips/tricks on how to use a dirt scoop?

 

[Taylortractornut]

It does take getting used to, most of the hard work is getting the edge at the right pitch. If the edge is turned down too low it digs in too much and has alot of resistance. If it has a negative angle it wouldnt dig in ad the back of the bowl will rub first. as for dumping alot of them have to be set down then tripped until they are broken in. In the reverse setting to scoop out of a pile Ill let my bowl almost dig into the soil and back into the pile as it fills raise the bowl up and this gives traction to load with.

 

[BXMMCC]

Some-one else may have said it, but here goes again:
If you're digging, have the open end of the scoop facing forward.
If you're moving material that's in a pile, have the scoop facing backwards.
Do a search on pond scoops - you might pick up a few tips.

 

[jinman]

Digging a deep trench with a dirt scoop is one of the hardest techniques to learn, especially if the dirt scoop is much narrower than the trench you want to dig. You can only dig so deep until the 3PH won't go any lower. If you then try to dig the sides, you end up with two wheels in the original trench and two on the high side. That's a pretty dangerous situation.

You can make a couple of swaths on the side and then cut the middle, but when you go back to cut the siide swaths again, you end up in the unstable/leaning position again. Many years ago my dad set out to prove he could excavate for a septic tank with his dirt scoop. Since he had a good strong 15 yr old son (me), he would dig as deep as he could in the middle and then have me cut the sides down with a shovel and throw the dirt to the middle of the deep trench so he could back down into the trench and fill the scoop.

This went on and on until the trench was about 4' deep. At that point, he got a full load and started up the dirt ramp. Suddenly, the tractor's front tires started to go skyward. He stood up and leaned forward and the tires just barely sat back down. I screamed at him to drop the scoop, but he was a hard-headed sort of guy and kept trying to keep control of the tractor. In a flash, one of the rear tires lost traction while the other got a grip (I think my dad was trying to do differential braking/steering.). The tractor wheeled around with two wheels in the trench and two on top of the bank.

I was yelling at my dad to get off and let it go, but he waited too long. At the last instant, he jumped across the trench, but only managed to hit the edge of the bank and slide to the bottom as the tractor rolled over onto him, pinning him against the bank and pummelling him with one of the rear tires. I grabbed one fender and reached over and shut off the ignition while lifting with all my might to hold the tractor off my dad. I screamed for help and a neighbor and my uncle who lived close-by came running to help.

My dad spent almost 6 months in the hospital with a broken arm, crushed ribs, and a bruised and enlarged heart. He survived; we got a backhoe to dig the hole for the septic tanks; life eventually got back to normal.

I've used a dirt scoop many times since then, but I always remember that hard-learned lesson. They are a great little tool, but some counterweight on the front of the tractor is good insurance for safe operation. Two wheels in the trench and two out, should be avoided when the trench gets very deep. Just use your head everytime you use your scoop and you will be happy with it. That's the best advice I can offer. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Henro]

Jinman,

Thanks for sharing that experience with us. It may save some of us great grief if we keep it in mind.

There are so many ways one can get into trouble with a tractor.

I am not sure if you have posted this here before. Thanks again for taking the time to share it with us. Glad you dad came out of it OK in the end...