30" scoop for gravel?

[Chuck52]

Re: 30\" scoop for gravel?

I moved about 10 yards of "road base", which is stuff from 1" down to dust using my old Kubota L210 and a 30" scoop. The L210 weighs about 2000 lbs, and I had to add about 150 lb of front weight so I wasn't doing the two-wheel dance when I got a full scoop. It worked great, but there was a learning curve. Picking up the scoop as you back into the pile is the way to go, and you have to have the angle set with the top link so it will dig in and not just ride up the slope of the pile. My KK scoop is also impossible to dump when full unless I set it down before pulling the trip cord. I got a nice stiff neck from twisting around to get in position for the drop for those 30+ loads of gravel..

Chuck

 

[Soundguy]

Re: 30\" scoop for gravel?

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I will respectivly disagree with sound guy. I have also moved a lot of dirt with my 30 inch scoop and ford 8n with no problem. However, I had a dump truck load of number 4 gravel delevered last year and I found it next to impossible to get much in the scoop without ramming the scoop in with momentum, even then I could never even get it half full. I had no trouble with fine gravel or dirt...the larger gravel was a problem though.
I have to admit my expierence is limited to my 2wd 8n. I know Soundguy has more expierence with older iron and Yanmar's though. I am also unsure of the HP difference between a 8n and a 2210. )</font>

Biggest difference is live hydraulics on the lift.

And yes.. I've moved loose gravel and rock with my rear scoop. Doing it ont he 8n is much more challenging. The lave hyds makes it a tad easier with scoop movement even after/while the clutch is being depressed. The 8n handled the weight of the scoop MUCH better than the 1700 did though...

And yes.. you do have to slide back into the gravel with a bit of momentum. You can't back up to the pile then ease in.. you won't get anywhere with it.

All that said.. it is much easier to work with my NAA or 660 as they have live hyds.. course.. now I'm spoiled.. the 660 has a front end loader.

If you look at the design of a fel, the rear scoop is almost doing the same thing, except you don't get the range of bucket motion... ya just DO have to hit the pile with the right angle, and with some force.

Soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

Re: 30\" scoop for gravel?

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Just wondering if you tried lifting the 3PH when you were backing into that pile of #4 gravel? Doing so might help. I would imagine you may have, but thought I would ask anyway )</font>

8N didn't have live hyd.. it was pto powered. PTO was tranny driven on a single stage clutch. By the time you are backing into a stockpile, you have probably less than a second to start the lift moving till you have to clutch to keep from spinning tires.. that means the lift has moved a couple inches.. you then have to shift to N, run the lift up with the clutch out, clutch, shift to a forward gear, and go.

Once you get good at it, you can do that all in about 3 seconds if you have good rythm.

Soundguy

 

[cwarrix]

Re: 30\" scoop for gravel?

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( now I'm spoiled.. the 660 has a front end loader.

If you look at the design of a fel, the rear scoop is almost doing the same thing, except you don't get the range of bucket motion... ya just DO have to hit the pile with the right angle, and with some force.

Soundguy )</font>

I could have got the FEL and been spoiled like you, but then I wouldn't be able to afford the gravel /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Thanks for the tips (everyone). I'm going to go with the bigger #4 stuff for a better base and hope the scoop works out. If not, it's another trip to town to rent a skidsteer for a couple of hours. Then I'll try the scoop again with the smaller stuff later.

 

[cwarrix]

Re: 30\" scoop for gravel?

I've got about 160# on the front bumper, so hopefully no wheelies for me /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

I've never used the scoop so I have no idea how well it trips when full yet. Never thought about the stiff neck... bet it's not as bad as it would be if you used a shovel /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Thanks for the tips! I'm going to try the #4 stuff and see what happens. Maybe this weekend if it doesn't rain. It's still kind of muddy from the last rain, don't want to make too big of a mess... or maybe I do! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Soundguy]

Re: 30\" scoop for gravel?

I think you'll be fine with it.

As for price.. I got a great deal ( in my opinion ) on my 660 with fel. 3500$ Just needed some minor attention to the electrics, fluids/filters and a tune up and brake adjustment.

Soundguy

 

[djradz]

Re: 30\" scoop for gravel?

I think you'll be OK. I've used both a 27 and a 40 hp tractors with the same bucket and each worked fine. I did have 4wd, so that may have helped a bit, but I may have did it in 2wd, I just can't recall. As others have noted, after filling, you may have to sit the scoop/bucket down, pull the trip cord, and then raise the scoop back up in order to get it to dump. The problem arises because there is so much weight on the trip mechanism that it can't slide. Mine's not a KK, much older but no-brand, but it still has a similar mechanism. Not something you want to grease however, with all the dust etc. Good luck, and get the motrin ready. You'll need it for all that looking-behind work.

 

[cwarrix]

Re: 30\" scoop for gravel?

OK guys, I ordered 20 tons of #4 gravel this morning /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I fired up the 2210, hooked up the 30" scoop and completely leveled the pile in under 2 hours. Then I spent a few more hours playing in the gravel with some other implements. For those who might be interested, here are a few notes on the whole process.

I hooked up the scoop and adjusted the top link so it was almost level with the ground. As other members suggested, I backed into the pile with a little speed and lifted the scoop at the same time. Doing it this way I was able to get a full load every time, no problem at all! The trip was very easy to pull and emptied completely and reset almost every time. The main problem I had here was rocks geting in the side of the scoop preventing it from swinging back into locking position. Also had a problem with all the little piles being hard to drive over, knocked me all over the place. I quickly figured out that after loading up, while on the way to the next drop, I could just drag the scoop on the ground and flatten the little piles made from the previous drops. Also found that I could speed up a bit while dumping and it spreads out better. After knocking the pile down to nothing, I decide to give the scoop a rest and try the box blade for a while... well I just couldn't seem to get the hang of that one /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif No matter how much I tried I ended up with a full box and spinning tires, or an empty box and a big pile. I was able to smooth it out somewhat. Then I decide to try the scraper blade to see what that would do. I was able to get it a lot smoother this way, but still kept digging in too much. Then I got the idea to turn the scraper blade around (like I was going to use it to push backwards) and tilt the bottom out away from the tractor. I then lowered it down while moving forward and basically used it as a drag to smooth the gravel out the rest of the way. It worked great that way, no more digging in. The weight of the blade pulled enough gravel to level it out, but not so much that it stopped the tractor. Hope that makes sense /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Anyway, sorry for the long post, just thought I'd pass some of that along in case it helps somebody else. Thanks for all the replies on this one, this site is a big help!

BTW - All in all, I am thrilled with the amount of work this little tractor did today without a complaint! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Soundguy]

Re: 30\" scoop for gravel?

Glad you had fun.

Soundguy

 

[Nuru]

Re: 30\" scoop for gravel?

I have a 30 inch scoop also and like your experience I can get a lot done very quickly. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif