using tractor to compact soil?

[BrettW]

HI, I've got a wall to build and then a barn to put on it. I'll need to use fill dirt and compact it. Problem is I don't want to rent a compactor over and over. Can I use my tractor and pack it down well enough? It only weights about 2,000 lbs.
thanks, bret w

 

[rdln]

You want to pour footings on VIRGIN, nonorganic soil, If you dont have that, dig deeper and pay for more concrete/block.

What you describe is not recommended.

 

[Mark4510]

I think Steve is correct.

Having said that, I used my JD 4510 for a barn pad and 4' high retaining wall.

I took a load of dirt in the FEL, spread it around with the box scraper and then wheel rolled it when I brought the next load of dirt. I did this in about 2-4" increments and it worked for me. I made sure that the dirt was wet enough so it would compact but not so wet it was mushing around.

On top of that I spread about 12" of road base and then sunk my piers.

So far so good with lots of wind and rain but I could have probably would have been better off with a more engineered effort.

Mark

 

[BrettW]

Thanks,
This is not for the footers of course, just the pad. Here is SC we only need to go about 6" down to for frost but I'll need a wall on the sloped side about 3' high or so. I could just pay someone to build the entire pad site and build the barn myself.
b w

 

[rdln]

In that case have at it, especially the front tires with a bucket full of dirt.

 

[theboman]

Can you drive your truck/car over the same area? It's a lot heavier than a tractor.

 

[BrettW]

yes, I can drive the truck over it I think but getting in close to the wall would be a tight fit. How about a loader full of dirt and a heavy implement on the back?

 

[Soundguy]

Small lifts, and for non-footer work.. might do ok.

I've used larger tractors to compact before...
takes quite a while though...

Soundguy

 

[LBrown59]

The problem I'm having is that i can't get close enough to the walls inside the building with my BX23.

Anyone got any others ideas on how I can do the compacting??

 

[keeney]

Rent a small walk-along compactor like the ones used in compacting the back-fill of utility trenches and stuff.

Not the vibrating plate kind or the bouncy pogo-stick kind, but the kind with the vibrating lumpy rollers.

Another method is to do all your fill work with sand and/or mixed crushed stone / fines. These materials will compact much easier and more reliably than random soil.