Dirt moving with tractor

[Bikewanderer]

I have an IH 826 tractor with front end loader and a 5' box blade I just bought.

I need to move about 1000 yards of dirt to another location about 70 yards away. I'm just leveling and regrading dirt to build a barn (the barn would be at the high spot). Having never used the box blade with the tractor, I have no idea how good it is at moving dirt. Would I be able to do this in a reasonable amount of time without tearing up equipment? If not, is there another implement that would help me do this for a reasonable amount?

I would rather buy a tool and spend time making it pay for itself rather than paying someone else to do it, but I realize that may not be possible in this case. Just looking for opinions - that's all.

 

[Lunk]

Depending upon the composition of the dirt / soil, I'm sure it can be done. Keep in mind that it's going to take a lot of trips back and forth though...

Even if you could move a yard of dirt in one pass (unlikely), you are looking at 1000 passes...

 

[Bikewanderer]

Depending upon the composition of the dirt / soil, I'm sure it can be done. Keep in mind that it's going to take a lot of trips back and forth though...

Even if you could move a yard of dirt in one pass (unlikely), you are looking at 1000 passes...

That seems like a weekend project if I can do half a yard per and do a round trip once a minute. I think I could do it much faster than that...

 

[arrow]

A guy with a 10 yard dump is doing 100 cycles. I'm estimating he can do 5-6 cycles in an hour allowing for loader time. He should be done in approx. 3 days. A yard of dirt is about 4 of your buckets give or take. With your cycle time being the same, it is going to take you almost 10 times longer if you are putting in the same 8 hour days with a conveyance that carries a yard at a time. Is it feasible? Depends on your patience and work tolerance level.
Not that it means or adds anything to this discussion, for me it would not be.

 

[dex3361]

Welcome to TBN. I would get a bigger box blade like a 8 footer. Is your IH 826 a hydro? At the HP range (61HP for a Hydro and 79HP for a geared on the draw bar) of a tractor that size you should be able to move a good load of dirt if your soil is not to rocky. Another good option would be a scraper pan something like this http://www.durabiltindustries.com/pdfs/dirtpan.pdf

 

[arrow]

That seems like a weekend project if I can do half a yard per and do a round trip once a minute. I think I could do it much faster than that...

You did say 70 yds? I 'm not sure you can do a cycle in a minute with no dirt at all.
Also, I misread your tractor. I do not know what size your bucket holds.

 

[flusher]

I have an IH 826 tractor with front end loader and a 5' box blade I just bought.

I need to move about 1000 yards of dirt to another location about 70 yards away. I'm just leveling and regrading dirt to build a barn (the barn would be at the high spot). Having never used the box blade with the tractor, I have no idea how good it is at moving dirt. Would I be able to do this in a reasonable amount of time without tearing up equipment? If not, is there another implement that would help me do this for a reasonable amount?

I would rather buy a tool and spend time making it pay for itself rather than paying someone else to do it, but I realize that may not be possible in this case. Just looking for opinions - that's all.

That 5-ft wide BB has about 5 cu ft capacity, or 5/27 cu yd. You'll log plenty of seat time moving 1000 cu yd of dirt with that dinky implement.

Your FEL probably has somewhat larger capacity and might make this job go faster, especially if you have a toothbar on the FEL bucket. Your 826 has well over 70 hp on the drawbar and can handle a much larger box blade. You can find 8ft BBs from several vendors.

One commonly used implement for work like this is a Gannon box. Here's one in action excavating and grading for my gravel driveway.



Gannon's usually have hydraulically controlled scarifiers.
You may be able to rent one of these Gannons locally.

 

[Bikewanderer]

You did say 70 yds? I 'm not sure you can do a cycle in a minute with no dirt at all.
Also, I misread your tractor. I do not know what size your bucket holds.

It may only be 50 yards, and my time was just a guess. I have not tried it. I am doing some work tonight, I may time it then.

I don't know bucket size either.

 

[budlite]

How about using your FEL and box blade simultaneously?

 

[miramadar]

I'd try to locate a dump truck to help out. At a quarter-yard per bucket load, you're looking at 4000 round trips! At 100 yards per round trip, that equals to...yikes...227 MILES...half of which distance would be with the bucket loaded, putting considerable strain on the front axle and tires (depending on terrain).

Might want to consider renting some bigger equipment, unless you don't mind spending a number of days on this.

 

[Thomas]

Do you have friend you could borrow dump trailer?

 

[jenkinsph]

I think a 5 yd loader could do it in about 8 hours and a large boxblade could do it in about 40 hrs. That is a lot of dirt to move.

 

[Bikewanderer]

I think a 5 yd loader could do it in about 8 hours and a large boxblade could do it in about 40 hrs. That is a lot of dirt to move.

I just had the local excavator out here and he thought he could bring in a grader and get it done pretty fast. He's going to do my driveway too.

He did say I might consider buying a piece of equipment to do it and selling it when done....

 

[Ken Cunningham]

I really dont know how much dirt i moved, but dont underestimated the amount of time it will take you. Here are some pics of what i did with my yard and it took months of work during every free minute i had. I dont have all of the pics of the completed work but you can get the idea. I excavated to a depth of 6 feet in the deepest part. In the last picture you can see the edge of the trees up the hill, that i where i ended up digging to.

 

[pitt_md]

I did the same thing your talking about doing last summer. I used the FEL and a box blade to move the dirt. I had to travel about 200' to the shelter location. I am not sure how much dirt I moved but it was what was dug up for the full basement of my new house 30'X42'. Just moving the dirt went pretty fast. I had a hard time getting things level until I broke down and bought surveying equipment. I probably spent a 4-5 days @ 8 hours a day doing the work.

 

[beenthere]

A lot will depend on what the "dirt" is, whether sand like Ken Cunningham appears to have or clay that needs a sub-soiler to loosen it up before moving.

Keep us posted how the trial runs work out, and some pics would be great too.

 

[Bikewanderer]

A lot will depend on what the "dirt" is, whether sand like Ken Cunningham appears to have or clay that needs a sub-soiler to loosen it up before moving.

Keep us posted how the trial runs work out, and some pics would be great too.

I'll post back, but it's far too wet to try anything now.

 

[Bikewanderer]

I'll post back, but it's far too wet to try anything now.

Thanks a lot for the advice though!

 

[dave1949]

I did the same thing your talking about doing last summer. I used the FEL and a box blade to move the dirt. I had to travel about 200' to the shelter location. I am not sure how much dirt I moved but it was what was dug up for the full basement of my new house 30'X42'. Just moving the dirt went pretty fast. I had a hard time getting things level until I broke down and bought surveying equipment. I probably spent a 4-5 days @ 8 hours a day doing the work.

That was probably around 520 yds you moved. (34X46X9)/27

I don't think of a box blade as a very efficient tool to transport dirt? A dump trailer like Thomas mentioned or 1 ton dump truck, something your loader will reach above for dumping into.
Dave.

 

[arrow]

That was probably around 520 yds you moved. (34X46X9)/27

I don't think of a box blade as a very efficient tool to transport dirt? A dump trailer like Thomas mentioned or 1 ton dump truck, something your loader will reach above for dumping into.
Dave.

If he dug out his basement 5' deep, I get 237 yds. ( 30x42x5 / 27)