Need some advice

[CausticUrbanCoast]

In my experience, the front bucket of my tractor, dragged backwards is just about the best thing ever at smoothing out dirt. Just adjust the angle of the bucket to either dig in a little to lower high spots, or smooth over low areas.

I've also had great results using a plate compactor on clients yards with sprinklers and lots of landscaping. the dirt was still there, but he ruts had raised it along the sides of the ruts. Just run the compactor next to the rut and the dirt fills back into the rut. Rarely have I ever had to buy or bring in more dirt to fix ruts.

i would agree except that the soil is so saturated from all the rain. After all they drove on it within 24 hours after 3 plus inches of rain that was preceeded by additional rain some of the ruts are about a foot deep and it’s multiple lines of deep ruts covering a large portion of a yard that is about 100x 200 a mess to say the least . It will be several days before I would even put my “L” series tractor on it

If you run a compactor on his septic feild, you would be guaranteeing that it will fail.

The warning is that he will come back on you when it does!


Edit: if he is that intent on "fixing" his lawn you might concider renting him your tractor, but not doing it yourself. Maybe you will not get blamed for breaking something and ending up in court with a $20k+ bill.

 

[arto98607]

In my experience, the front bucket of my tractor, dragged backwards is just about the best thing ever at smoothing out dirt. Just adjust the angle of the bucket to either dig in a little to lower high spots, or smooth over low areas.

I've also had great results using a plate compactor on clients yards with sprinklers and lots of landscaping. the dirt was still there, but he ruts had raised it along the sides of the ruts. Just run the compactor next to the rut and the dirt fills back into the rut. Rarely have I ever had to buy or bring in more dirt to fix ruts.

Wow, run a compactor over your neighbors septic field!

Nothing like free advice.

 

[EddieWalker]

A plate compactor. It will flatten the ruts and smooth out the lawn, but it won't do much of anything else. It's a small machine, similar to a walk behind lawn mower.

If there is any damage to the leach field, it was done by the tires of the vehicles that created the ruts. The plate compactor doesn't come anywhere near the weight or ability to compact the soil as each tire does from a vehicle.

 

[JJZ 109]

i would agree except that the soil is so saturated from all the rain. After all they drove on it within 24 hours after 3 plus inches of rain that was preceeded by additional rain some of the ruts are about a foot deep and it’s multiple lines of deep ruts covering a large portion of a yard that is about 100x 200 a mess to say the least . It will be several days before I would even put my “L” series tractor on it

I haven't seen it mentioned, but has anyone checked for leach field damage? To me it wouldn't make a lot of sense to bring in dirt and grade if there's underlying damage.
And I agree with Eddie's post above. With some practice a person can get pretty good at back dragging with a bucket to smooth things up. I find that I like doing it much better with my skid steer because I'm right there on top of the bucket. But it doesn't work bad with the little BX2380 in other situations either.

 

[arto98607]

I haven't seen it mentioned, but has anyone checked for leach field damage? To me it wouldn't make a lot of sense to bring in dirt and grade if there's underlying damage.
And I agree with Eddie's post above. With some practice a person can get pretty good at back dragging with a bucket to smooth things up. I find that I like doing it much better with my skid steer because I'm right there on top of the bucket. But it doesn't work bad with the little BX2380 in other situations either.

Maybe so but I think it's still wise to stay away from disaster like this done by contractor to OP's neighbor!

 

[JJZ 109]

Maybe so but I think it's still wise to stay away from disaster like this done by contractor to OP's neighbor!

Absolutely. I would not attempt a fix if the person is going after the contractor. Which they should be.

 

[gstrom99]

IMHO, you should not get involved at all. A leach field inspection is mandatory. Let your neighbor haul them into court, if needed.

If that is not gonna happen, a landscape rake (best used backwards) would be my chosen weapon - if your ground is not rock hard by then. A small dozer would work, if so. Septic crews back fill with this kind of equipment all the time.

 

[CausticUrbanCoast]

IMHO, you should not get involved at all. A leach field inspection is mandatory. Let your neighbor haul them into court, if needed.

If that is not gonna happen, a landscape rake (best used backwards) would be my chosen weapon - if your ground is not rock hard by then. A small dozer would work, if so. Septic crews back fill with this kind of equipment all the time.

Difference is that the ground/soil/septic mix is not saturated and wet when crews install a field.

 

[Deere Dude]

My neighbor , we are related is having his roof replaced and the low budget crew he chose showed up today. We had 2.4” inches of rain last night and the soil is already very moist. The workers drove their trucks and trailers on his front lawn and left ruts some 10” plus deep. Naturally he, my cousin called me and said would you use your tractor and repair my lawn. I have a front loader but no rear implements except a mower. I told him at a minimum he needed to get at least three to four yards of good topsoil delivered.
what I’m looking for is advice of what implement may be best to re grade the lawn with minimum damage to the existing lawn. Oh by the way it is over his septic leach field . Ok experts looking for comments
thanks

Was the roof contractors given permission or the go ahead to drive on his lawn and septic? If he was he may be off the hook. Anyone with common sense would have stopped as soon as it started to rut up.

 

[Williy]

IMHO you should have the roof contractor come out and show
him what his crew did to your lawn and tell him about the leech
field and ask him what he is going to do about the repairs! If he
is negative about it just say you can consult my lawyer if you have
any questions, see you in court! Just plain and simple don't mess
around you need results quick and simple!

willy

 

[crashz]

I would take a look at the ruts right now and inspect for leach field sand or stone. Or exposed pipe / infiltrators. If you see or suspect you see anything like that, then damage was done. If all you see is mud, that DOESN'T mean its not damaged, you just can see it.

The field needs to be inspected and repaired. Forget about the lawn, that's just lipstick.

 

[check 6]

Even though he is my cousin I’m out of it, he is having two workers hand fill the ruts and not doing anything about the leach field ….oh well not my problem anymore

 

[Deere Dude]

I was building a house 40+ years ago and I needed a big dump truck load of gravel for cement. He asked if he could drive and turn around in my hay field. I gave him the go ahead.

I had maybe 6" ruts where he drove and didn't think to much about it. When the house was done I decided I wanted that for a lawn. I just started mowing it and it as a nice lawn except every time I hit a rut I could kick myself. I rolled it as best I could but was never the same.

This was pre-tractor time.