I'm chasing operating techniques to dig a grave.
The problem I have is a much loved, but failing, nag, belonging to the other half.
A hole is required. The equipment to hand is a 70hp dozer and a small backhoe.
The ground is rocky and hard. 300mm top soil, 600mm clay, 100mm indeterminate and then hard pan. The rocks are plentiful and large.
The backhoe will eat the top soil, struggle through the clay and then basically stop at the hard pan, assuming it doesn't hit a rock first.
The dozer will quickly tidy away the top soil, ready for re-use, peel away the clay, and providing the area's large enough to use the ripper, keep heading down through the hard pan.
The problem is the size of the hole. I've plenty of space to work in but I'd really like some advice as to how to maximise depth without covering too much ground.
The dozer has a single off-set ripper. Should I aim at a trench 1.5 dozer widths? Problem is it might rapidly narrow, as the ripper is well inside the line of the tracks, depends how much the blade corners can take out. Should I simply go for broke and build a huge mound whilst lowering a tennis court sized area into the ground. Might be the simplest but the chances are I'll hit some big rocks which will turn into projects of their own as I create another hole digging them out!
I'm wondering how practical it is to work the dozer in a circle, with a ramp leading out for the spoil. Seems hard on steering clutches and one rock would spoil the party.
Any advice from those who've had to dig a hole with a dozer will be much appreciated!
The problem I have is a much loved, but failing, nag, belonging to the other half.
A hole is required. The equipment to hand is a 70hp dozer and a small backhoe.
The ground is rocky and hard. 300mm top soil, 600mm clay, 100mm indeterminate and then hard pan. The rocks are plentiful and large.
The backhoe will eat the top soil, struggle through the clay and then basically stop at the hard pan, assuming it doesn't hit a rock first.
The dozer will quickly tidy away the top soil, ready for re-use, peel away the clay, and providing the area's large enough to use the ripper, keep heading down through the hard pan.
The problem is the size of the hole. I've plenty of space to work in but I'd really like some advice as to how to maximise depth without covering too much ground.
The dozer has a single off-set ripper. Should I aim at a trench 1.5 dozer widths? Problem is it might rapidly narrow, as the ripper is well inside the line of the tracks, depends how much the blade corners can take out. Should I simply go for broke and build a huge mound whilst lowering a tennis court sized area into the ground. Might be the simplest but the chances are I'll hit some big rocks which will turn into projects of their own as I create another hole digging them out!
I'm wondering how practical it is to work the dozer in a circle, with a ramp leading out for the spoil. Seems hard on steering clutches and one rock would spoil the party.
Any advice from those who've had to dig a hole with a dozer will be much appreciated!