cat 631d scrapers

[fiat41b]

would a fleet of 631d cat scrapers be a good choice for a really big earthmoving project here in illinois soil im talking really big job
or would a fleet of terex 18's in great condition work better, back to that production and cost per cubic yard thought
there is going to be very tall scraper mounds and some stuff will be stickey
some fill will be heavy wet clay and soft conditions for sure
I have never seen anyone use 31's around here i have seen 37's in landfills with alot of hardpan in the cells
would 31 be a good choice or would the terex be better choice

[Panhandler Bob]

Double barrels beat singles in soft conditions

[fiat41b]

i know, really as i have a few twin engine scrapers of my own, just wanted to see if any one had opinions i think 631's will have trouble especially if it rains as they dont have all wheel drive and would'nt you think that they might need to be pushed and maybe pushed in the fill if it gets bad. just wondering how they would do surely they would cost more per yd for even stripping topsoil than the terex 500,000 plus yds topsoil to be stockpiled high anyone operating 631's that can compare them

[BrianHay]

Hi fiat

A few questions that may help us give you a better answer.

What would you be building?

How long of hauls and from where? Borrow pit or common dirt?

What do you have to push them with? (ratio of cats to scrapers and size of cats)

I have built a lot of roads, highways and subdivisions in heavy wet clay with 31's. It's slow going until you get a good haul road built....traveling at old Terex speed. But throw all support equipment you can at it. Disks, Graders and Packers. Scrapers travel one side while support equipment works the other. Once the Scrapers side gets punched out bad enough trade sides. Each time you trade sides you will get going a little faster and before you know it you are hauling in eighth gear.
Also keep loaded Scrapers and empty Scrapers on their own trail....kinda hard to do because Scrapers of course always want to take the smoothest trail when they can. But if you can keep them apart the return road last longer speeding up the cycle times.

If the method above can be used I would go with the 31's. If not then the twins could be the better choice.

I guess a lot would depend on the quality of Operators available to you as well.

[fiat41b]

well first just the 200 plus acres need stripped of topsoil black dirt and 3 stock piles of where to put the dirt, haul is going to be 2500 to 2800 at the longest other you wont have good clay to build a haul road until till this is done and the next step 0f the project begins

[alan627b]

If you do decide 631D's will work, the people I normally work for might be looking to sell some of them. Or so I was told. They have 8 or 9 of them and they are located in Council Bluffs, Iowa, right now and have been sitting for the greater part of the last 3 years due to slow work.
Email or PM me if you are interested, I'll do some checking.
alan627b AT hotmail.com

[BrianHay]

Wouldn't it be worth it to strip an area to mine some clay for haul roads? It's hard to say without actually seeing the site, but I would likely build some haul roads strategically placed so that they could be used for the stripping as well as getting to the largest fills.

[dirt doc]

I am looking for the CAT equivelant of a WABCO 333F Scraper?

[surfer-joe]

See if you can find some reference on the internet to Cat's former model 639. They haven't been produced in years. The closest thing today would probably be a 637 auger scraper. I'n not sure they are in production anymore either, maybe as a special order....

Good Luck.