Moving a small mountain

Pks · Feb 20, 2001

This is a photo of my little tractor trying to turn a small mountain into a mole hill, in my backyard. As the photo shows, I've been able to cut into it somewhat. Now all I need to do is continue the cut for another 30 feet or so. This little mountain got put here by a landscape company before Mary and I baught the place.

The box-scraper on the back of the tractor has been converted into a weight box. I put about 500 lbs of "one man rocks" on the platform I made. It helps the R4 tires to dig into the sand. It's also helpful for pulling out 30 year old wild grape vines. Those things are all over the propery.

Peter

Thomas · Feb 20, 2001

Pks,
What..did all the snow melt already out there. /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Sure wish I had some wild grapes growing, /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif and I rather play in dirt than snow anytime.

Looks like you got the right tool for the job, /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif and good dirt pile there.

Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

paccorti · Feb 20, 2001

Pks,

Good thing you have a tractor! That looks like fun. BTW do you have a toothbar... think it would help?

Peter

Bird · Feb 20, 2001

How long is it taking? I've got a little mound of dirt at my brother's place about 12' high and 40-50' diameter that needs to be moved and spread about 50 yards from where it is now./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

Bird

Pks · Feb 21, 2001

Let's see... The amount of dirt I've already moved measures about 15 ft x 15 ft x 4 ft. With no toothbar and about 1000 lbs on the 3PH and R4 tires, it has taken about 5 hours. That includes transportation time to the "dirt relocation area".

I think the best setup would be to use Ag tires and a toothbar, but hey I mow the lawn and mix contrete too.

The snow is not yet completely gone in lower Michigan-note the green leaves on the trees. That picture is dated July of last year.

I'm using the sand to raise the level of my yard near the house to correct drainage problems. I'll try to post more photos of that. I don't have any pictures of the actual raising of the yard but I think you can imagine it pretty well. The immediate area behind the house is just big enough to throw a ball or the like. The dirt I moved from the top of the hill raised that playing surface about 9 inches. Now the water from heavy rains and the spring runoff moves past the house instead of creating a lake.

Again, I'll post better photos.

Pks · Feb 21, 2001

Bird,

For my little B2400, the speed of moving dirt is related to how hard the dirt is. I'll post a good example of moving a semi truck load of woodchips. That was a pile of fresh chips that was about 10 ft x 4 ft x 60 ft. That pile was easy to dig into. It took about 16 hours, including the time to transport and spread the stuff. If my hauling vehicle had been a hydraulilc dump trailer, my time would have been cut in half. I used a 5 ft x 6 ft motorcycle trailer with 3 ft sides. I had to unload it by hand-ugh!

Peter

RobS · Feb 21, 2001

Peter, how far are you moving the dirt? I've found that dragging it in the box is a lot quicker for short moves than the loader.

Looks like fun/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Bird · Feb 21, 2001

Sand? What's that? Ain't none of that stuff around here. I'm talking about hard clay./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Bird

Bird · Feb 21, 2001

Yep, those wood chips are a lot easier to move. The contractor who was clearing power lines a couple of years ago dumped 3 truckloads for me. Of course, when we start moving that mountain at my brother's place, we'll be loading the bed of his Kawasaki Mule with the Kubota and then it has an electric dump, so there won't be any of that work with long handled tools.

Bird

Pks · Feb 21, 2001

The dirt was moved about 80 yards. I use the box scraper to move small amounts of dirt and shape things a bit. I also use the box to cut up, dig up, tear into and annoy 30 year old poison ivy vines that have been running amuck (sp) in the back yard-until "junior" showed up that is.

What's really fun is knowing I'm doing something that will eventually improve our place (and make the neighbor a little happier too).

Pks · Feb 21, 2001

Maybe I'll make a toothbar with my new welder. Gosh, birthday's sure are great to have. Ought to have them more often. ;-)

Bird · Feb 21, 2001

Now I don't know what I'd do without a welder, but I don't consider myself good enough to build a proper toothbar, so UPS is supposed to deliver mine tonight./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Bird

Pks · Feb 21, 2001

Where'd you get it and can you post a picture of it before it goes onto the bucket?

Bird · Feb 21, 2001

Pks, I bought the one DDT had listed in the classified section and mentioned in the attachments forum awhile back, so you can go to http://www.tractorbynet.com/forumfiles/5-29967-Mvc-007f.jpg and see the picture he posted. I also found similar new ones at http://www.ssbtractor.com at more than double the price.

Bird

Pks · Feb 21, 2001

Thanks Bird,

I'll have to straighten out the lip on my bucket before I do any welding or buying. The previous owner bent it a little.

Peter

Anonymous Poster · Mar 4, 2001

<font color=blue> I think the best setup would be to use Ag tires and a toothbar, but hey I mow the lawn and mix contrete too. </font color=blue>

What concrete mixer do you have? I don't own a tractor, but I own a 3-point concrete mixer of the type sold by TSC and Worksaver. See at http://www.worksaver.com/product/mix.html

Worksaver and other OEMs have rated this mixer for a minimum PTO HP of 25; because of this I have been reluctant to look at the smaller tractors such as your B2400.

Are you using this same mixer? If so, have you had any performance problems. This mixer is capable of 5 to 6 cu. ft. of mix; that plus the weight of the mixer itself would be pushing the 3-point lift limit of 1300 lbs at 24" on the B2400.

Thanks for any feed back you may have.

ClayG

Pks · Mar 5, 2001

Hi ClayG,

The concrete mixing that I do is in the loader bucket with my wife's garden hoe and a small coal shovel. Works great for low volume work like fence posts.

The B2400 is rated at 18 hp at the rear pto. So the required 25 hp at the pto would be in excess of what the tractor can deliver. Also, I think the mixer you mentioned would really tax the strength of the 3 ph.

Peter