Dirt Moving First timer embarking on multiple tasks - rented tractor.

[RadarTech]

P.S. Now that I've put all this out there, I s'pose someone will be expecting before-and-after pictures. :confused2:

Um... That is an underwritten rule.... I think I need to get Muhammed to add that to the official rules somewhere...

 

[TripleR]

Thanks for the reminder of the Everything Attachments site; I'd looked at a couple things, and looked at some more. Then went to look for FEL techniques, safety, dangers, and really found enough to make you never want to sit in a tractor seat! Obviously, that's not the right conclusion, but it's just to say I got a healthy dose of learning, and a healthy dose of caution which is proper. Have any of you ever had a BB hang up on a rock (read "underground boulder")... I saw that the consequences of trying to pull an immovable object tend to be a flipover, one way or another, if the tractor has enough torque.

A lot of the dirt I'm moving from the berm is laced with the baseball to cantaloupe size stuff. I'm going to have to scratch at it with the loader a lot, I know, and it's a bummer that there is no toothbar on the loader edge (rental shop doesn't have). I'll just do what I can.

With a tractor the size of the 3320, especially with 4WD, HST and R4 tires, I wouldn't be overly concerned about flipping over backwards if you hook your bb on something. My L5030 just spins the tires. Even our Case CX80 never lifted the front with Ag tires doing a full pull. Some are more inclined than others.

As for the rocks, I would probably tilt the bb forward and lower the scarifiers to dig the rocks out and go slow. This also works pretty good to loosen the soil to make it easier to dig with the FEL.

 

[troutsqueezer]

I'm going to predict that one day is not going to be enough time for you, Good Buddy.

Might as well take the plunge now, and buy a tractor.

 

[k0ua]

P.S. Now that I've put all this out there, I s'pose someone will be expecting before-and-after pictures.

Darn right!, thats a given. I am curious to see how well you do, It's been so long since I got my first tractor, I cannot remember everything about the first days, but the wife says I got stuck within the first 3 days, I remember getting stuck but I though it was much later. Anyway, I do remember, not doing very well with the loader at first, just did not have the technique down, and sometimes moved a "bucket full" of dirt from one place to another, and being very disapointed how little I actually moved. I bet others were like that too at first, but they might not admit it:laughing: You will do much better when you get your own tractor, and can spend some real seat time learning the ropes. And if you have any success at all with the rented tractor, you will be hooked:thumbsup: Good luck,
James K0UA

 

[jenkinsph]

Over the last two months I have worked in the Durango area digging trenches and moving rocks, lots of rocks. I used my rock bucket to sort out the largest rocks and had to order in some clean fill to bed the pipes with. I will say that trying to dig large rocks with the 3320 and fel with a materials bucket will be a difficult task at best. You need the right bucket and or grapple setup to make this easier to do.

I recommend that you take the day and focus on smoothing the driveway and moving some fill to get a feel for the tractor first.

FWIW, I had a friend years ago who carried a cheap lawn chair around with him he would set it on cross slope to see how it felt to him before putting his equipment on it. He got the seat of the pants experience without the risk was his thoughts.

 

[crazyal]

You should ask the rental place if they loaded the tires. Loaded tires is adding a fluid inside them to add weight. Chances are they did. Even if you don't finish the projects the time will give you a feeling for what it's like to operate one. It will also give you an idea on what size you may want. Having loaded tires will change the feel of a tractor so it would be nice to know.

Just remember keep the ROPS (roll bar) up and wear your seat belt. Safety first.

 

[Don87]

If your measurements are accurate(15 foot rise in 150 feet), you'll need a com-a-long to flip the tractor.
But as to what you have planned.........ain't possible in 1 day, even with an experienced operator.

IMHO.

 

[PatasColo]

Well folks, it really helped to hear from you all, and to set my expectations appropriately. Safety first is always the good rule, and I was glad I did extra reading on TBN for warnings & no-no's, as well as techniques.

Long story short, I got all the berm backfill dirt moved, I got all the rocks moved (didn't have to dig them out, as mentioned by a previous poster, just move them... I'd rolled or dollied every last one down our considerable slope, so they were sitting beside the dirt drive), I made an attempt at the swale, and I did some driveway infilling and leveling. Wah! It seems incredible the amount I got done. Having my brother here for the rock-moving part helped, as we positioned the JD, slid/placed rocks in the bucket, carried them to the new backfill, and then he directed my positioning of FEL for easiest and most accurate unloading.

So for an absolute newbie, all the things you guys mentioned were useful. Here's a few more that I "learned" while in the seat:
- If your wheels spin while digging with the FEL, watch out for the ruts you just created
- The range shift lever either slipped or I bumped it getting in and out... three times. Not sure which. In any case, finding yourself in neutral when you expected mid-range is not a good thing.
- The tractor handles very differently with FEL loaded vs. unloaded... be aware of the difference.
- Sometimes the hydraulics seemed speedier/more jerky than others. Be careful if bucket lowers fast and then taking hand off the lever (stops bucket). This can lift a rear wheel (as I found out... twice :ashamed: ).

For all my work newbie-ness, I have only one battle scar: a small tree branch got pulled back by ROPS, and then branded me across the cheek as it let go. It'll make for fun stories at work on Monday.

I'll post before-and-after pics within the next 24 hours. Thanks Again! :thumbsup:

 

[PatasColo]

Here's the"Before" pics... the berm (source of our dirt with filled with rocks), the place where the dirt is going, and the mossrock we will put on top (rock garden). We only have to fill the left side and a little on the right, and want to leave the old root cellar wall exposed. That pile of mossrock you see is one of about 6 piles of that size... plenty mossrock to move.

 

[PatasColo]

Here's a few "in progress" pics.
First, used the BB with teeth to break down the berm to start... made all the difference. Then, delivering dirt to the site... half buckets had me very happy early in the day (learning to scoop with the FEL). Third, nothing beats having your brother over for some mossrock loading. And lastly, you can see that by evening, I was getting fuller scoops in the FEL bucket.