Limitations of a Mahindra 3616 backhoe?

Sysop · Apr 8, 2015

Around here 1000 and 1500 gallon 2-compartment concrete boxes are the standard.

Agvg · Apr 9, 2015

No glasfiber tanks?

DavesTractor · Apr 9, 2015

It seems that septic system design is really regional. What is totally normal in one area may be strictly forbidden elsewhere. Some areas use pressurized leach fields, some use a second tank, some use rock in the leach fields, some use the fancy plastic tunnel deals. We see very few glasfiber tanks in our area, mostly 1500 gallon concrete.

moparrob · Apr 9, 2015

Its encouraging to me that such a large hole was dug by a tractor of this size. Wife wants a pool also....hmmm....

Sysop · Apr 9, 2015

moparrob said:
Its encouraging to me that such a large hole was dug by a tractor of this size. Wife wants a pool also....hmmm....

My 4035 is slightly larger, so times on such a hole would by slightly longer for the 3616 with an operator of my skillset; but to give you an idea, the squared hole (11'x6'x8') I had ready in about 4-5 hours and after the side fell in it took me another 4 or 5 to make the ramp down into it. Happy I had the ramp in the end. We would have never got it setting in the leveled area without being able to get the tractor down in the hole with it...

DavesTractor · Apr 9, 2015

A 3720 backhoe is marginally big enough to put in a septic. It will dig 7'10", and you can get 8' out of it if you pick the front of the tractor up some and keep the outriggers fairly low. But if I had to dig 8' deep often, I'd want a backhoe that digs 12' deep. Digging at the far reaches of the hoes capacity is not real fast. And you need careful planning, because once you move the tractor a time or two, you cannot reach back where you first dug, at least not easily. Or in the case above, a cave in can't be dug out worth beans. But it can be done, and is so very much faster than a shovel. Most folks, unless doing a septic, find themselves seldom digging deeper than 3-4 feet for typical small ranch chores. Footings, water lines, digging out stumps, planting trees, etc.

Sysop · Apr 9, 2015

Just for clarification, the specs for that tank only called for the hole to be 7' deep, but to meet up with my existing lines I had to set mine 8' down. Coming out of the tank to the drain field is going downhill, so I was able to keep the lines up where they should be. Each system is different, but as Dave says make sure you'll have the reach for what you need to do. Needing to get deeper than you can reach is a hassle at a minimum and can turn into major excavation or disaster at worst...

bindian · Apr 10, 2015

DavesTractor said:
A 3720 backhoe is marginally big enough to put in a septic. It will dig 7'10", and you can get 8' out of it if you pick the front of the tractor up some and keep the outriggers fairly low. But if I had to dig 8' deep often, I'd want a backhoe that digs 12' deep. Digging at the far reaches of the hoes capacity is not real fast. And you need careful planning, because once you move the tractor a time or two, you cannot reach back where you first dug, at least not easily. Or in the case above, a cave in can't be dug out worth beans. But it can be done, and is so very much faster than a shovel. Most folks, unless doing a septic, find themselves seldom digging deeper than 3-4 feet for typical small ranch chores. Footings, water lines, digging out stumps, planting trees, etc.

......................Yeah...................most folks.

Not anyone that digs ponds or 2 foot diameter yellow pine stumps.

hugs, Brandi

bindian · Apr 10, 2015

Here is the 750 gallon tank I installed. I barely got it off of the trailer. Once we lowered it, I couldn't pick it back up. I could take enough weight off it, in the hole, to reposition it with the help of a long 2x4.