Sod/Top Soil Weight

JimBinMI · Jun 21, 2000

Does anyone know how much a cubic foot of top soil weighs?

I've been using my rear scoop to remove sod and top soil from a low area at the end of my barn so that I can add fill dirt and then put the top soil back on so I have a smooth gradual approach to the end door. My tractor is only rated for the 6 cubic foot scoop but I use a 9 cubic foot because my dad found it at a yard sale for a good price. Just want to be careful not to lift too much.

I do fill it as full as possible and the 3 pt. has no problem, my 3 pt. is rated at 1265 lbs. at 24" aft the hitch. If you've looked at these ratings on other tractors, you know that this is very well rated for an 18.5 hp tractor. For example, the similarly priced but sub-compact BX2200 is only rated at 680 lbs.! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

JimBinMI

We boys and our toys!

ejb · Jun 21, 2000

I don't know how much a cubic foot of dirt weighs, but I do happen to know that a cubic foot or marble (which I would presume is considerably heavier than dirt) weights approx 165 pounds. So 9 X 165 = 1350...it sounds like you will be OK to me....

JimBinMI · Jun 21, 2000

ejb,

Are those your initials, if so that's weird, mine are jeb!

Thanks for the information, yes, I think that my soil weighs less than marble! /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

JimBinMI

We boys and our toys!

Bird · Jun 21, 2000

As long as the front wheels stay on the ground and the 3-point doesn't seem to be straining, I wouldn't worry about it, but of course, I don't know what dirt weighs either, but I do know the kind of soil, moisture content, etc. made a considerable difference.

Bird

JimBinMI · Jun 21, 2000

Bird,

I keep the front wheels on the ground with a little help from about 190 lbs. of suitcase weights hanging on the front bumper! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

JimBinMI

We boys and our toys!

W5FL · Jun 21, 2000

Jim,

You can figure about 3000# for 27 cu ft or 1 cu yd. That would be approximately 1000# and probably a little less since it is not packed very tight.

JimBinMI · Jun 22, 2000

Wen,

Thanks for the info, I appreciate your help! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Just don't want to overwork my tractor and end up kicking myself.

JimBinMI

We boys and our toys!

gordon · Jun 22, 2000

Jim your a teacher right? Well you more so than me should know that the greek word tractorous means---work the tar out of me and I will come back for more!!!!! I have time tested that definition with my tractor time and time again and I know your little blue could do the same. As long as the front wheels are still on the ground your up town./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Gordon

JimBinMI · Jun 23, 2000

Gordon,

Thanks for the insight! I just wanted reassurance, that's all. Since I'm using the next size up for what's rated for my tractor in a rear scoop, I just wanted to be sure. If I had a front end loader, I could probably "burn the candle at both ends" if you know what I mean! I'm dumping the top soil about 30' away so it's not bad, but I sure do a lot of trips. Once I move it I can call a co-worker that has a dump truck and he'll get me some fill, then I can spread that and then go through the process of putting the top soil back on top!

My co-worker also owns a Hough FEL, 300+ hp that rocks! For $80/each trip he would have the removal and replacement done in about 10-20 minutes, his bucket is about 11' wide! But what the heck, I have the time and my tractor still needs broken in...have about 75 hours on it now.

JimBinMI

We boys and our toys!

Mike H · Jun 23, 2000

Jim: I felt challenged so I dusted off an old college textbook "The Nature and Properties of Soils". Yes folks, an entire book on dirt! Fortunately, I've also got "Tractors and Their Power Units" which was a much more interesting class. Anyway, Wen's response was right on. I've got a table with the bulk densities of some topsoils from various states, various cropping, blah, blah, blah - it boils down to: "Clayey and silty surface soils may vary from 65 to 100 lb to the cubic foot; sands and sandy loams may show a variation of 75 to 110 pounds." (this is dry) Thank you Jim, I now know why I saved a book on dirt for 15 years!

W5FL · Jun 23, 2000

Mike,

The guys at the sand and gravel pits know, too. They really enjoy it when a guy with a 1/2 ton pickup pulls up and says he wants a yard of sand. If they are really feeling good, they will say, how about us loading 1/2 yard and see how the springs hold that up, but if they find a know it all, they will just drop 1 yard or a little more and watch the tires pooch out and the springs set on the axle.

MChalkley · Jun 23, 2000

It's never a good idea to be a know-it-all around folks with heavy machinery.

I've twice seen a smart-aleck foreman's truck or car with a two-foot deep ditch all the way around it. That always gives 'em a new perspective on reality.

A guy who works for a major engineering firm here in VA told me that the head of a department in the firm was famous for being a real jerk with contractors. To make matters worse, he drove a Cadillac and made a practice of parking where he knew it would be in the way. Well, one day, he had to report the car stolen, because when he came back to where he'd left it, it was gone. The real story is that the car is still on site, but it's in pretty deep. For some reason, the guy assumed that there might be some connection between the disappearance of his Cadillac and it being consistently parked where he'd been told not to, and was more discreet in where he parked his next vehicle, a pickup truck. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Mark

JimBinMI · Jun 24, 2000

Wen,

That is a good one! /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif !

JimBinMI

We boys and our toys!

_RaT_ · Jun 24, 2000

Jim, I don't know what a "scoop" is but figure it must be like a mini box scraper only narrow. I would wonder why use that instead of a box scraper since box scrapers even in the size for your tractor would presumably hold more then 9 cu ft. On top of that, I can't imagine a box scraper for a 18 hp tractor weighing more then 300lbs. Since all you need to lift is the weight of the scraper and virtually no dirt, lift capacity is a non issue. Even the BX 2200 rated at 680 lbs would easily handle a boxscraper. The issue would not be lift capacity as we all know, the issue is "pull capacity", this is where the weight of the tractor becomes huge. Tires and HP would also play an important roll. When I pull a 72" box scraper, I am always in 4WD, and often times load my loader to the hilt for extra traction on the front tires. The box scraper weighs 1200 lbs. I believe you mentioned you have turf tires, which for dirt work are OK, if you have a loader, you could fill it with dirt for added traction and front end ballast, or of course, just use the loader to move the dirt. I'm making some assumptions here I know, like you have a loader, a box scraper and that I even know what a scoop is. I checked some tractor places and scoops aren't even offered or mentioned. At any rate, it sounds like your enjoying yourself and finally getting some real time on your tractor. Don't worry about overloading your tractor. If it can lift or move it, it will. If your mowing and the RPM can't be maintained, your overloading. Rat...

Von · Jun 24, 2000

Paddock,
A scoop is a poorman's front end loader. It fits on the 3 pt. and dumps with a rope fixed to a catch. It can be mounted for going both foward and backwards.

Von

Bird · Jun 24, 2000

Paddock, you can check http://www.tractorsupply.com and look for their "bucket scoop" that weighs 180#. Don't know the price for sure now, but in my old catalog it was $199. The box scraper drags the dirt while the scoop carries it.

Bird

JimBinMI · Jun 24, 2000

Bird,

I got my rear scoop for $100, my dad found it from a guy he knew at the guy's yard sale, it had been used only a couple of times and is a King Kutter brand.

I know that they call them a poor man's front end loader, but this thing will lift more than IF I had a front end loader, since my rear 3 pt is rated at 1265 lbs.

I finished the job today, removing sod and top soil, found a really good spot full of top soil and dug is out for use too, it was about 2-3 ft. deep in an area about about 10' x 10'. The entire area that I cleared of sod and top soil is about 30' x 40'. Worked the tractor at about 1900 rpm and used low range 4x4, worked great, this tractor hasn't dissappointed me yet! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

When I got done with that, I took off the scoop and hooked up the 3 pt mower and mowed about 2/3 of the yard and came in for a break...so here I am, on "break"! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

JimBinMI

We boys and our toys!

JimBinMI · Jun 24, 2000

Guys,

Almost forgot, Made the wife walk out by the barn, not really that far, so I could show her all of the work I had been doing. After explaining everything and what I had to do next, her comment was "You've got way too much yard to play with!"

Women, huh!

JimBinMI

We boys and our toys!

Bird · Jun 25, 2000

It was well worth the $100, wasn't it?/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Bird

JimBinMI · Jun 25, 2000

Bird,

Last summer when my dad called me up and told me that he had seen it at a sale and I asked him to go right back and buy it for me. He always gets people down on price but I told him to buy it even if he couldn't, which he usually won't do. He paid full asking price and I've never regretted it! It has definitely paid for itself several times. /w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif

JimBinMI

We boys and our toys!