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How to move a lot of dirt

I only read the first post. I had a giant hump of dirt from leveling the ground where I built my shop. It was problem 6-7' high and 20' across. I moved it about 350' to a corner of my property with a 30 hp tractor/5' front end loader. I only did it for a few hours at a time every couple days. I did not have any trailer. I just got a bucket and drove over there and dumped. It took awhile, but not ridiculous.
 
ExWrench said:
Did you just call 2BB a pussy who doesn't hand-pour his own concrete?
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No just need a point of reference to justify a crazy purchase. I would just buy the largest skid steer I can afford and have at it.
 
I'd probably go with renting or buying a good size backhoe. Should make pretty quick work of it. It's still a hell of a lot of dirt to move though. Or you could use that excavator you got and a dump trailer.
 
Give dan a call. He has a backhoe with a brand new motor that needs to be broke in. One yard bucket on it. It would only take 1000 trips up the hill.
 
WaterH said:
I only read the first post. I had a giant hump of dirt from leveling the ground where I built my shop. It was problem 6-7' high and 20' across. I moved it about 350' to a corner of my property with a 30 hp tractor/5' front end loader. I only did it for a few hours at a time every couple days. I did not have any trailer. I just got a bucket and drove over there and dumped. It took awhile, but not ridiculous.
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:laughing:

7 high 20 x 20 reduced by 30% for sloping is less than 70 yards. Which is probably double what it really was.

1000 yards is a lot to move with just a bucket. But not insane.
 
Ok I'm in the dirt moving industry, and i agree it will need ripping before a wheel loader is going to do a damn thing with it besides spin wheels. I noticed in your overhead picture though that you want to move the fill to where all those trees are...they'll be gone i assume? If you bury the roots on those trees too deep they're going to die. Sorry if i missed all this somewhere in the 7 pages, I responded to page one.

Edit: after reading all 7 pages, I'd agree with whoever said backhoe. use the hoe to rip up loose piles and the bucket to move the fill. This is one scenario when a backhoe is really useful, but if money wasn't an issue would still rather have a mini ex and skidsteer than a backhoe. A backhoe is decent at digging and decent as a loader, but not ideal for either in my 20 years of experience, but sometimes it's just the right machine for a job. This sounds like one of those cases.
 
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YotaAtieToo said:
:laughing:

7 high 20 x 20 reduced by 30% for sloping is less than 70 yards. Which is probably double what it really was.

1000 yards is a lot to move with just a bucket. But not insane.
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Yeah I'm also wondering if 2BB forgot to divide by 27?
 
Drummer79 said:
Ok I'm in the dirt moving industry, and i agree it will need ripping before a wheel loader is going to do a damn thing with it besides spin wheels. I noticed in your overhead picture though that you want to move the fill to where all those trees are...they'll be gone i assume? If you bury the roots on those trees too deep they're going to die. Sorry if i missed all this somewhere in the 7 pages, I responded to page one.

Edit: after reading all 7 pages, I'd agree with whoever said backhoe. use the hoe to rip up loose piles and the bucket to move the fill. This is one scenario when a backhoe is really useful, but if money wasn't an issue would still rather have a mini ex and skidsteer than a backhoe. A backhoe is decent at digging and decent as a loader, but not ideal for either in my 20 years of experience, but sometimes it's just the right machine for a job. This sounds like one of those cases.
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The majority of those trees are coming out. The shed and the awning could be moved if I had to so after the first 8' of dirt got dug you could pretty easily swing something 10' wide around the garage.

A large loaded dump truck wouldnt stand a chance in the sand and wouldnt be able to turn around. A dump trailer could work but I think I would have a problem keeping the batterey charged dumping every 5 -10 minutes.
 
Drummer79 said:
Ok I'm in the dirt moving industry, and i agree it will need ripping before a wheel loader is going to do a damn thing with it besides spin wheels. I noticed in your overhead picture though that you want to move the fill to where all those trees are...they'll be gone i assume? If you bury the roots on those trees too deep they're going to die. Sorry if i missed all this somewhere in the 7 pages, I responded to page one.

Edit: after reading all 7 pages, I'd agree with whoever said backhoe. use the hoe to rip up loose piles and the bucket to move the fill. This is one scenario when a backhoe is really useful, but if money wasn't an issue would still rather have a mini ex and skidsteer than a backhoe. A backhoe is decent at digging and decent as a loader, but not ideal for either in my 20 years of experience, but sometimes it's just the right machine for a job. This sounds like one of those cases.
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I'd normally agree 100%, but he said it's sand. Did you see the big hole he dug by hand in a few hours a while back?
 
2big bronco said:
A dump trailer could work but I think I would have a problem keeping the batterey charged dumping every 5 -10 minutes.
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get a dump trailer with a small gas powered engine, rental places have them(ive rented one 3 times and was always a small gas engine)
 
2big bronco said:
Can you get it to my side of the boarder somewhere near the west coast? Do you have a box scraper or anything for the back?
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It would probably be pretty expensive to ship that far. A guy bought my JD and had it shipped to TN, I may have the shippers number somewhere.
I only have a pile of parts that is a backhoe attachment with a subframe. It needs 1/2 the cylinders replaced or possibly just the shafts, all the hoses(approx $500 online if I remember correctlt) the pins are great, the bucket is good, the controls are stored inside for now. It was one size under the one I normally see this tractor with but I did find where dealers had put tgese on. I had a backhoe attachment for a 40hp JD and this one was way beefier. It is a project though. I think I had a place you could order the shafts but I never called them to verify.
 
Texas97 said:
2BB hasn't learned the value of his time yet. One day he'll figure out you can replenish your bank account but time spent is gone forever.
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Possibly, the problem with me that I cant seem to get past is that if I'm not working on making something better I instantly feel guilty and start getting down on myself. So much so that I pretty much hate vacations or little trips. If I went to the lake for the weekend I'll wake up with a knot in my stomach and be extremely irritable all day instead of enjoying the water and my beer.

If I'm digging a big septic tank hole by hand I'm happy as can be while doing it and I dont want to stop to even eat lunch. In my mind I'm bettering my situation while saving $350 on a rental.

I'm all for balancing efficiency with cost but it's not so I can do something other then work, it's so I can start working on the next thing sooner.
 
YotaAtieToo said:
I'd normally agree 100%, but he said it's sand. Did you see the big hole he dug by hand in a few hours a while back?
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So, if it's that easy to dig then there's wheel spin. It's a double edged sword. I won't definitively say what's the best way without laying eyes on it in person, however, with the information provided I'd say a backhoe with an experienced operator would take care of that faster than you'd think.

Edit: tree roots in the cut adds a degree of difficulty for the loader in the sandy material from what I can see which is what I am basing this off of. 3rd generation ca cslb "A" contractor opinion.​​​
I don't know anything though so have at it.
 
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2big bronco said:
Possibly, the problem with me that I cant seem to get past is that if I'm not working on making something better I instantly feel guilty and start getting down on myself. So much so that I pretty much hate vacations or little trips. If I went to the lake for the weekend I'll wake up with a knot in my stomach and be extremely irritable all day instead of enjoying the water and my beer.

If I'm digging a big septic tank hole by hand I'm happy as can be while doing it and I dont want to stop to even eat lunch. In my mind I'm bettering my situation while saving $350 on a rental.

I'm all for balancing efficiency with cost but it's not so I can do something other then work, it's so I can start working on the next thing sooner.
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I say this without sarcasm: please look into some counseling. Go enjoy your rugrats. They grow fast, there's no do-overs.
 
So where the hill drops off is where the dirt will be going. Shed needs to move anyway and horse shelter needs to come down. I don't plan on doing anything till winter as it's way to dusty right now

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Captain Call said:
So, if it's that easy to dig then there's wheel spin. It's a double edged sword. I won't definitively say what's the best way without laying eyes on it in person, however, with the information provided I'd say a backhoe with an experienced operator would take care of that faster than you'd think.

I don't know anything though so have at it.
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I've worked in dirt moving also, mostly larger scale stuff though.

It's funny because I remember someone asking what machine to take a chunk out a hill and load into dump trucks. I said excavator and everyone thought I was dumb because "excavators are for digging holes" everyone said loader. Now here I am saying loader :rolleyes:

I've been to his place but it's been a while, I think the flat area is hard, maybe road base, so getting started should be easy, until your tires get into the soft material. I think maybe alternating between scooping down hill to have gravity on your side, then scooping up the spoils when they get built up would work well. I'm not a loader guy, but if it's sandy, I'd think it would work.
 
I have the perfect pile of junk you can borrow. Make a few repairs now and be working this winter.
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4 in 1 bucket, ripper on the back, runs great, steers for shit. I've got new tracks for it but the drive wheels need help. If you can get it back and forth from Wisconsin it's yours to use
 
ConwayMuddy said:
I have the perfect pile of junk you can borrow. Make a few repairs now and be working this winter.
4 in 1 bucket, ripper on the back, runs great, steers for shit. I've got new tracks for it but the drive wheels need help. If you can get it back and forth from Wisconsin it's yours to use
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I know of a story that started like this. Guy borrowed a dozer from friends in UT, trucking is no big deal since he has a trucking company.

Transmission goes out in dozer while it being borrowed. Guy does the right thing and takes it to a shop to have the trans fixed.

Shop owner tries having his son help, who is a tweaker and next thing you know, the thing is about in pieces. Son and shop guy basically disappeared (my buddies family owns the building and now have an immobile dozer and F550 in their shop with no rent paid for 2 years)

Guy who borrowed dozer is pissed, guy who owns dozer is pissed. Then it all burned up and I have no idea what happened after that.

Hopefully yours goes better :flipoff2:
 
Texas97 said:
I say this without sarcasm: please look into some counseling. Go enjoy your rugrats. They grow fast, there's no do-overs.
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I genuinely appreciate your input and will probably keep that in the back of my mind but not act on it. My plan is to keep going full steam and retire in 10 years around 45-46. I suppose I could die in 5 years but in my mind I'm giving up 25% of my time now (hours outside of my actual job) for 100% of my time once my kids are 10 and 12. Hopefully I dont look back and regret it... but I'm scared I would regret having to continue working 100 miles from home through thier middle and high school years.
 
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