JD110TLB capability

[skidoo]

Well, I had a concrete contractor stop by today to talk about the foundation for a 40 x 80 building. The area has a drop off at one end such that I need to excavate about two feet down at one end and move it to the other end.

Anyway, the contractor suggested that the tractor may not be big enough and knows someone with a big excavator. What do you think? Isn't this sort of stuff what the 110TLB is made for?

 

[CurlyDave]

I would be more concerned about compacting the material moved than actually moving it.

I would do that with my 110 without hesitating. A contractor wouldn't because he has to pay the operator by the hour. If your own time is free, go for it.

Think about it this way: you are moving the material in a 40' x 40' x 1' area to another area. That is roughly 60 cubic yards.

I have put 40 yards into a dump truck from a loose pile in ~2 hours, which included the time for the truck to drive a mile, dump the load and come back.

I have trenched 100' x 3' deep x 20" through the woods in one day with the hoe. That is only 18.5 yards of material, but I had to dodge trees, pull out big roots, work on a significant slope, and build a dirt ramp to get in there.

My guess is that this would be 2-3 days of work, mostly digging with the FEL, dumping, backdragging and compacting with the tires. Maybe loosen some material with the hoe as it gets deeper. You didn't mention a footer for the foundation, which might add another day or two. You might want to dig the footer first using the hoe just so you don't have to deal with a 2' step right where you want to position the machine for trenching the footer.

Plan this out ahead of time. I am pretty fearless on the size of project I will take on. I would be tempted to dig out the footer around the low end, hire a helper to assist with building forms for just that end and pour a footer high enough that it would act as a retaining wall for the fill material. Then dig the footer around the high end, re-use the same form material and pour a footer that would act as a retaining wall to keep the earth out of the high end. Then move and compact the material with the 110 and pour a slab floor. Might take a while longer, but you would save $$$. Most places you can design a 2' retaining wall without an engineer. It would be even less expensive to use cinderblock for the retaining wall/stem wall. I would use forms and a poured wall just because I am terrible at laying block.

 

[john_bud]

The deere is made to do that. The excavator will be faster, etc but the 110 will do it just fine.

The contractor may have had doubts about your skill level and used that as a way to get a known good sub on the job for a quality dig. (?)

jb

 

[powerstroke444e]

I would say you could do that with any kind of equipment. I would use a bobcat or excavator if I had one but if you have a JD110 it should be easy work for it, I would tackle it with a b26 it that was all I had. Just remeber it may take a while. And you need to compact the dirt you move every 4" to 6" you place or it will settle.

 

[skidoo]

I would say you could do that with any kind of equipment. I would use a bobcat or excavator if I had one but if you have a JD110 it should be easy work for it, I would tackle it with a b26 it that was all I had. Just remeber it may take a while. And you need to compact the dirt you move every 4" to 6" you place or it will settle.

You think compacting with the FEL backdrag is sufficient, or would I need something more specialized...

 

[CurlyDave]

Backdragging will not compact the material sufficiently.

If you fill your FEL bucket with material, you can slowly drive back and forth over every square inch with your front tires and probably get the job done, especially if you have a water source and wet it down slightly. Moisten it just slightly short of becoming mud when you hit it with the front tires. Go over it all at least twice for each lift. If you put too much water on and it turns to mud, spread & backdrag about another inch of material on top of what you already have. Or, call it quits for the day and compact the next day.

I have one of these Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices, which I got on sale, and which will surely do the job.

Keep your lifts less than 6".

 

[radioman]

do it your self. whats the point of having a tractor like yours then if you dont do it. He proabably had too many experiences where homeowners dont have anything do do what you need to do and when they try to do it anyway, it ends up being a diaster of some sort. Curly's advice is pretty sound.