Best ground breaking method?

[smokedtires]

Hi all, I'm wanting to start digging the to remove about 4-5" for a stone driveway on some land I bought. It will be a minimum of 100' because of deed restriction. I have a JD4100 that is a 20hp diesel with a frontend loader and Cat1 3ph and a drawbar. I'm thinking it would be best to break the groung 1st, then scoop the dirt with the FEL. So what would be the best way for me to go about this? Thanks!

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Whatta you have to work with? I've done essentially the same thing, using a 6' tiller to loosen up the dirt first, then drag it off with a box blade and loader. You could use a plow if you have one. Maybe even use the rippers on your box blade. Tiller worked better than anything else I've tried though.

 

[Nasty135]

Smoked, If you are in a rocky region of NY you may have to modify your plan of attack... A tiller might self destruct on a heavy stone diet! I do however think a plow would be a fiesable alternative or even a sub-soiler or perhaps the little less rock durable middle buster(also cheaper than a tiller)...but a box scraper is always a good investment, I wish I had one /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

If you have any of these implements you could be on your way..

Just Ideas, good or bad ,you make the choice , Have fun /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Gatorboy]

I thought the best ground breaking method was to wear a nice suit and use a golden shovel. I see that all the time in the newspapers. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[RalphVa]

Best thing is a tiller or rotary plow (think only Gravely had these), then scoop out with the FEL. Could rent a big tiller to do this.

Next best is a toothbar on the FEL or teeth on a box blade in "down" position. Don't think the 4100 has the moxy/weight to push the FEL in level position to get the dirt out. What you can do is to do it little by little by using up curl and a little forward motion. I've scooped out dirt with my 4010/410 this way. You can get more force via the up curl than you can via the wheels/push. Start with the FEL angled down a little bit, lower, go forward slightly and up curl, all at the same time.

Another possibility is a back blade on a tilt (set via the levelling screw on the 3 ph). Make several grooves with it and scoop out the loose stuff with a FEL or push to the side with the blade swung to do this.

 

[JerryG]

If I had that long of a new drive to put in I would pick up a cheap used moldboard plow. Plow it and then scoop the loose dirt out. It works well and cuts down on the time it takes.

 

[flusher]

Here's a benchmark for you.

I have a Kubota B7510HST (21 HP engine) with an LA302 FEL (48" wide) and a KK box blade (also 48" wide).

Last week I excavated a path for a paver block walkway from the driveway to the front porch steps, about 4.5 ft wide x 70 ft long and 6" deep.

Used the box blade with the scarifiers all the way down to loosen the soil, which was really damp because of all the rain we've had here in the North Valley.

Then I used the FEL with a Markham toothbar to dig the rest of the way. Took me about 2.5 hours to get it the way I wanted it.

Last April I had a driveway installed (20 ft wide, 260 ft long with 6" thick roadbase gravel). The contractor used a JD 210LE tractor (73 net HP, 86" wide) with FEL and a box blade with hydraulic scarifiers. Took Mike, the operator, about 90 minutes to do the excavation. The ground was soft enough and the box blade was a heavy beast, so he didn't have to use the scarifiers.

Looks to me like you have an all-day job ahead of you with your CUT.

 

[daTeacha]

I know you want to do it yourself, but check into the cost of hiring a guy with a small dozer for the job. Around here, the going rate is about $125 per hour from when they leave the shop 'til they get back. Most of them can give you a firm price for the job if you prefer. You might save a lot of wear and tear on the tractor if you have seriously rocky soil.

How far are you going to move the dirt you take out?

 

[smokedtires]

I know that I'll need to buy some implements as I go which I don't mind, I just want to buy the right ones. It looks like the advertiser above sells the tiller which isn't as bad a price as I feared it would be, not sure about shipping though.

I like the thought of buying something and having it later for things like gardens or landscaping after the house is built. It looks like either a box blade, or mold board may be a good consideration for this. I plan on working there on the weekends and taking my time doing this as I have no rush at this time.

Thanks everyone for your replys and feedback.

 

[Toolguy]

I bought a used 2 bottom plow to loosen the sod in my back yard remodel project last fall. It makes moving dirt with the FEL a breeze. Problem was finding a used plow. They are hard to come by around here and when you do find one they are pricey. I went to a large used farm equipment dealer and bought the cheapest one I could find and it was still $250. I'll use it for the garden this year and in the future so I didn't mind the price. They are handy to have around. You will need a 1 bottom plow for your tractor. They are even harder to find. Good luck.

 

[browns40]

Hey smokedtires,

Most cost-effective route (which would garner a multipurpose implement) would be a nice heavy box blade...

loosen up the material with the scarifiers, the scoop it up with your bucket...

I nearly excavated a pond using this method... 18-24 inches of soil, and 36 of clay & rock in the deepest point... used the "fill" to dam up the sides of the stream bed...

Not the fastest or easiest method... but what fun "working the pit"

once the frost is out I'll finish it up & have my backyard pond... my boy will have frogs in the summer & skating in the winter! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[3RRL]

browns40,
I agree with you. Many useful applications for the boxblade. In addition to scooping the dirt out with the FEL, I also drag a boxblade full of dirt out at the same time. Doubling the amount of dirt moved each pass.

 

[flusher]

Not far. Just spread it around the front yard by FEL backblading. With 10 acres, I have space for a lot of excavated dirt.

 

[RalphVa]

When they back-filled dirt around my carriage house basement, they used a Bob Cat on tracks. He has some extra time on the machine that my contractor had paid for. So, he asked me if I had any other dirt to be moved. I showed him the back end of the slope from my swimming pool. Could he remove it wide enough for me to drive my tractor through? This was before I had the JD 4010, only had a Gravely.

He dug it out, even though the ground was dry. Don't think there's any way I could do that now with my 4010 and 410 loader, even with the Markham toothbar on it, especially in the dry when he did it.

You can rent Bob Cats around here. That is maybe the quickest way to go. Think they'll need the tracks if the ground is dry at all.

Ralph

 

[Farwell]

I live in Mid Michigan and find that there are 1 bottom and 2 bottom plows all over the place but they are used as yard decorations instead of farm implements. Must be a message in that somewhere.
Farwell

 

[GeneD14]

About 2.5 years ago I put in a 120 foot long driveway in hard clay soil. I dug it down about 6" deep using a box scraper and a Markham tooth bar in less than 3 hours. The tractor was an Agco ST35 which is about 33 hp.
With a toothbar and a plow or box blade with scrarifers I wouldn't hesitate to use your JD tractor.

 

[ibuildcars4u]

ever use a power rake? these work extremily well for any hard surface that contains rocks, etc.. it will bust up the ground faster than any rotertiller, and it will not beat you and the attachment up

 

[smokedtires]

It looks like I'll be getting a boxblade for the job. I would love a tiller, but I can get a boxblade, rearblade, and landscape rack for about the same price. My local Tractor Supply Co carries a boxblade in stock that I'll probably get it from. I haven't seen much locally available in the used equipment section.

I have 7 acres of old farm pasture so I have a lot of area that I can move to the dirt to /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Thanks for all the advice, I truely appreciate it.