Maybe loosing my mind, thinking of upgrading already..

[swampvol]

I'm guessing (and just guessing) you would be taking a $2000 hit if your machine is under 30 hrs and only a few months old.

 

[Chuck K.]

I'm always one for wanting more power. As my profile says, I'm a closet horsepower junkie. But I may want to steer you away from upgrading immediately. Have you considered renting a backhoe a few times for your stumps? You could use your loader to move them but it may take a bit longer. Then, later when you get your land you may be able to get something even bigger than planned. Plus you'd have that extra time to contemplate things and make a very informed decision on your upgrade. Now, if you just WANT to upgrade, I say go for it. But if you upgrade now, in two years you may want to upgrade yet again.

Thanks all for the input. I dropped off the tractor today to have a BH-75 installed. Either way I will take a pretty good hit money wise so I opted to keep what I have now add the BH then when/if I get more propery make my upgrade then. I will keep my little tractor clean and well maintained so hopefully it will retain its value as much as possible.

 

[machmeter62]

Thanks all for the input. I dropped off the tractor today to have a BH-75 installed. Either way I will take a pretty good hit money wise so I opted to keep what I have now add the BH then when/if I get more propery make my upgrade then. I will keep my little tractor clean and well maintained so hopefully it will retain its value as much as possible.

While your L3400 is at the dealer; see if Kubota will replace the 3 point position control free, and install the smooth infinite one like they have for many others on this site who complained about the "jerking" with the inching valve!?"

 

[machmeter62]

Dont get me wrong the L3400 is hard to beat bang for the buck. But before I spend 6K on a back hoe I want to be sure I am doing the right thing. The FEL lifting capacity of ~800 pounds could be an issue carring stumps to burn piles etc. The 3pt jerkyness bothers me. Last but not least the bad reports of the BH75 and limited reach have me considering upgrading.

The zinger is I am only maintaining 2 acres presently but have some pretty good projects, shop pad, house pad, remove several trees and maybe install my own septic system if the city allows it.. I do not believe the FEL I have would handle a 500 gallon holding tank.

Hope to buy 20-50 acres in next couple years in preparation for retirement.

With in reason give some ideas of what TLB with greater FEL lifting ability and capable of a larger BH. Thanks for any input. Chuck.

I did my own septic system in No. Calif. in rural county property with permits. Unless your home is extremely small, I think a 500 gal. tank is too small, but I maybe wrong? Is it a true holding tank that requires frequent pumping with a truck; or a septic tank that sends the fluids only to a leach field for the evaporation? If your area allows a fiberglass tank; your tractor can install that okay; but a larger tank depth may require more reach than the 7.5' BH capability? I purchased a 9' Kubota BH for my system with 1500 gallon tank that was constructed in concrete. I dug the hole, and the tank was set by them on delivery. Concrete septic tanks are extremely "HEAVY", and would take an awesome CUT to lift and install it?

 

[Chuck K.]

I did my own septic system in No. Calif. in rural county property with permits. Unless your home is extremely small, I think a 500 gal. tank is too small, but I maybe wrong? Is it a true holding tank that requires frequent pumping with a truck; or a septic tank that sends the fluids only to a leach field for the evaporation? If your area allows a fiberglass tank; your tractor can install that okay; but a larger tank depth may require more reach than the 7.5' BH capability? I purchased a 9' Kubota BH for my system with 1500 gallon tank that was constructed in concrete. I dug the hole, and the tank was set by them on delivery. Concrete septic tanks are extremely "HEAVY", and would take an awesome CUT to lift and install it?

I live in Texas pretty close to Galveston. The common set up was two 500 gallon holding tanks connected in series. Galveston county has been pushing arobic pressurized systems the last few years.

The sewage enteres the first tank with solids going to the bottom, a short section of ~3" PVC connects the tanks near the top, the first tank overflows to second from there it leaves the tank by way of perforated 3" or 4" PVC that is encased in large gravel, then covered with dirt. As long as the bacterial action is good in the first tank it "eats" up most the solids, using too much bleach etc. can kill the "bugs" causing the tank to have to be vacuumed more frequently.

The length of the field line varies I believe is based on the "percolation rate" test that the health department performs
I dont like putting more than ~1" of drop per 10' on the field lines because during times of heavy rains the water table can be hit as low as 2' below the surface, water dont drain real good into water if you know what I mean.

Disclaimer: I am not a septic system contrator and do not claim to be an authority on septic systems. I help install systems many years ago part time during my high school years. I have installed field lines recently and they still are functioning. Lines installed with too little gravel seem to get impacted with soil prematurely plugging the perforated field lines and fine hair like tree roots can really impair a septic system before its time.

 

[machmeter62]

I live in Texas pretty close to Galveston. The common set up was two 500 gallon holding tanks connected in series. Galveston county has been pushing arobic pressurized systems the last few years.

The sewage enteres the first tank with solids going to the bottom, a short section of ~3" PVC connects the tanks near the top, the first tank overflows to second from there it leaves the tank by way of perforated 3" or 4" PVC that is encased in large gravel, then covered with dirt. As long as the bacterial action is good in the first tank it "eats" up most the solids, using too much bleach etc. can kill the "bugs" causing the tank to have to be vacuumed more frequently.

The length of the field line varies I believe is based on the "percolation rate" test that the health department performs
I dont like putting more than ~1" of drop per 10' on the field lines because during times of heavy rains the water table can be hit as low as 2' below the surface, water dont drain real good into water if you know what I mean.

Disclaimer: I am not a septic system contrator and do not claim to be an authority on septic systems. I help install systems many years ago part time during my high school years. I have installed field lines recently and they still are functioning. Lines installed with too little gravel seem to get impacted with soil prematurely plugging the perforated field lines and fine hair like tree roots can really impair a septic system before its time.

Chuck: Our county bases the leach field on the number of bedrooms; in our case we have six, which requires 80' per bedroom (480'), and we also had to have two septic tanks, plus a sump tank in the middle, because of the length of the house 135'! There are bathrooms near each end of the home, and with a fall rate of 2.5"/10' or 1/4" per foot; the drain lines would be too deep in the ground for a single tank; requiring the single tank approach to be very deep in the ground! The two septics gravity flow into the sump tank (300 gal.), which pumps with a float system to the leach field. I am not a contractor either, but did have the system engineered, and enjoyed the challenge?
Also, I think the 7.5' foot BH would be a good investment; you will find many uses for it.