Dozer or Scraper Pan?

   / Dozer or Scraper Pan? #1  

marksmu

Bronze Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2008
Messages
50
Location
Houston TX
Tractor
66Kubota M900 92 Hp, Ford 6610, Ford 1700
Im getting contractors to quote me a job out on my ranch to repair an area that washed out by hurricane Ike...Because it is a Prior Converted Wetland and even a light rain will make it very boggy, none of the 9-10 contractors I have called are willing to give a set price. Only estimates - but pay on the actual hours used.

I have two that both seem to be pretty much in the ball park price wise, but they are proposing completely different methods...one intends to use a couple of D5 dozers to regrade the roads, and dig out a small area that holds water, and the other intends to use a large Case Steiger Bareback with a couple of Reynolds scraper pans....

Anyone got any input as to which of the two methods is actually a faster way to repair a washed out road, and dig out an embankment to let water flow?
 
   / Dozer or Scraper Pan? #2  
Dont know how many dirt needs to be moved on that road, but road building doesnt sound like a pan scraper job... or do you want to dig a hole and spread the dirt over a full length of road ?

If there are deep washout ruts, can the tractor with scraper pass them, or are they so deep that a dozer must fill them in by pushing from solid ground ?

If its just major regrading of a road and restoring a crown, its a dozer job. If you want to drag the dirt from a hole, onto the road, the scraper might be beneficial.
 
   / Dozer or Scraper Pan?
  • Thread Starter
#3  
They will be digging out the area to move the dirt to the road...I am going to try to re-route the water to one area, as opposed to having everything be boggy...I can save 50-60 acres from being mush, by redirecting the water to the area I create. From there I can use a lift pump to move it to a nearby canal.

Im just wondering if the dozer or scraper pan is better suited for this job. The distance from the deepened area to the road/fill places is very minimal, but it does seem a dozer would be less efficient at just pushing dirt..
 
   / Dozer or Scraper Pan? #4  
Mark, not sure I am answering your question but a lot of road building and dirt moving here is now done with 450 hp tractors pulling two dirt pans. Have no idea how well they spread the dirt or if they are using the pans to only move the dirt and then something else to grade but am under impression they are able to get the final grade they want with the pans. You might find a commercial equipment dealer to be a good source on thoughts on this.
 
   / Dozer or Scraper Pan? #5  
I am no expert but from what you wrote, it would seem the scrapers would be faster. Seen many roads built with scraper and earthmovers. They can dig, haul and spread it out very well. If it is too wet, the scrapers won't do well.
 
   / Dozer or Scraper Pan? #6  
A dozer doesnt do well unless pushing a slot to hold material infront of the blade. the pan is the most economical way to excavate and respread in alot of situations. They can rough in a grade and depending o nthe operator and typre of scraper/pan and if it has a laser grade can be set almost perfect. Its hardto say without looking at your site and beind there to look at the ground conditions.
 
   / Dozer or Scraper Pan? #7  
I dont think a scraper can make a proper crown to a road... a 6 way dozer would do that better, but are there any 6 way dozers available where you live ?

Even better would be a grader AND a pan...
 
   / Dozer or Scraper Pan?
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Im within an hour of Houston - weve got dozers coming out of our ears. If a scraper could build the road up - I could come back with my blade and put the crown on....

Its probably going to start raining now anyways - I tried to hire the scraper contractor and he cant start till end of March - and I am sure by then the place will be a swamp what with my luck.

Right now - dry as could be - I hire someone - it will start raining and wont stop raining till the middle of the summer.

Oh well - there is plenty of things left I could be doing - just will hope for just a little rain until then, and then tons if he can finish. Were dry down here for sure- and the salt left behind from the storm surge has not been gettin along too well with our grass.
 
   / Dozer or Scraper Pan? #9  
I cannot say which will work better for you, but I can offer some info for you to consider.

The tractor and pans will MOVE way more dirt. A good operator or a properly equipped tractor can make smooth cuts and even spread the material. It will also be WAY ahead of the dozer for packing the road.

The dozer will be able to crown the road and do a better grading job overall. On the negative side, the dozer will "obviously" push the dirt into location vs. being carried by the pans.

Back to the tractor being able to pack so much better, it will also get stuck much easier! And a large tractor with 2 loaded pans is NOT EASY to get out.

Without seing your situation, I would prefer to use the tractor and pans if the ground would hold up. But I would also like a dozer to accompany it. This way the tractor spends less time dumping since he is not trying to be on grade. The dozer can spread the material while the tractor is reloading. And now you also have a dozer to pull the tractor if he gets stuck.
 
 
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