sheepsfoot compactors

[JS82]

How do you guys run them? just back and forth using the blade only to knock down piles? or do you back drag with the blade everytime you back up? Also how far do you overlap? a full tractors width? or half width each pass?

[heavylift]

most of ours have the blades removed... for the most part they are just hole diggers....
that's the dozer or blades job to knock down piles

Passes that all depends on soil.. half at a time.... maybe 5 or 6 passes.... sometimes vibrate all the time... then some soil maybe vibrate one time then just roll 4 or 5 passes.... some soil doesn't like vibration at all.
It depends on the material....
visual test is when the pad feet are making 1/2 " or less mark in the soil
The guy with the nuke will generally have an idea of what in needs.
Standard proctor tests usually get compaction really easily..

Then you get the brilliant engineer that wants modified proctor.... at 95% or more compaction... really tough to get... sometime the bosses write lots of letters trying to get it changed to standard procter.

[tripper_174]

If you use the sheepsfoot in combination with a grader be sure the grader operator just trickles material into the holes but doesn't do any cutting. The foot then compacts the material in the holes and gets your compaction up much more easily. Have harsh words with the operator who cuts the surface of your compacted area!

[JS82]

thanks guys, im going to be taking a job interview test for one of these and some other equipment. i have ran them before but was never taught a specific way, "just get it compacted" was pretty much all i was taught. so i was just making sure there is no by the book way to run one.