My first track loader!

[boone]

The fence posts show roughly where the house will be. He cut in the drive and the garage.

Took it down anywhere from 6" to 18" trying to find the subsoil. Stock piled the topsoil to the side as it will be needed later.

Went a little lower in some spots as the ground was a bit soft.

He'd push up a pile and then sweep it off to the side.

 

[boone]

I left after the rough cut in with the loader. Came back that evening with the fam on our way to eat and took a photo from the dash.

Saturday, it was back filled with chert. Pictures to come.

 

[CM1995]

Nice work Boone! Is this a paying job or is it for personal use?

Are ya'll digging the chert with the loader or having it brought to you? If you're using the loader in the chert pit go ahead and get an extra set of teeth.

 

[AllDodge]

Man I like that transporters trailer. My guy does very well, but the does not have the double load ramp.

 

[boone]

Nice work Boone! Is this a paying job or is it for personal use?

Well, it paid pretty good. My brother took us out to eat at the country buffet after we finished. Dad and I kept kidding him about the rental bill he was racking up by using the loader. It's for his personal drive. He and his wife are about to build a new house. They're planning to move the current house in the pics once the new house is built. Unfortunately, the old barn will probably go as well.

Are ya'll digging the chert with the loader or having it brought to you? If you're using the loader in the chert pit go ahead and get an extra set of teeth.

It was brought in. Not sure what they were using to load it. No doubt on wearing out teeth. This stuff packed perfectly and dried as hard as concrete. It really will make a great base for the drive. He'll put gravel on top and let it settle in for a couple of years and then concrete it.

 

[boone]

Man I like that transporters trailer. My guy does very well, but the does not have the double load ramp.

Yes, those double ramps take the drama out of loading a tracked machine. We love using this guy for many reasons - shows up when he says and his trailer is another.

 

[Metalman 55]

Nice looking machine & job too!!

 

[boone]

Nice looking machine & job too!!

Thanks Metalman. I've really enjoyed your posts and projects on the Cats. Looks like you've got a good machine too. We've got a leak on a hose in the cabinet that holds the suction filters. You can see it leaking on the final on the lowboy picture. That'll be the next thing we address. Other than that, she's never run better.

 

[boone]

On Saturday, trucks rolled most all day. Three were running and there were a total of 24 loads.

Dad and brother enjoying some Italian ice between trucks.

 

[boone]

The M9540 did most of the fine spreading. The 175 would pitch in when trucks were back to back.

Dad having a good time tracking in the chert.

This is the drive into the garage

 

[boone]

Small circle drive will go in front of the house.

The 175 barely fit in the shed. She's tucked in for the night.

 

[Armorer]

Just joined this forum a couple of days ago, this was the first thread/novel I have read.
You have a beautiful place and a very good story going with family and this machine.

 

[boone]

Welcome to the forum Armorer. There's a lot great threads here...some of them inspired me to start this one. Can't believe this thread started 7 years ago! Thanks for the comments.

 

[boone]

This was bound to happen sooner or later...

 

[Metalman 55]

Call out the cavalry!!

 

[jughead]

been there done that twice with my d75 s3

 

[CM1995]

Me too. Is it still there?

I know too well the unforeseen mucky bottom lurking below what looks to be hard ground.

What's your plan of action to get it out?

 

[DMiller]

Man that sucks Boone, Been there done that with a Deere 555G, in a old pond bottom, took a five ton wrecker and two farm tractors to get it out. Just remember once out get the mud out of the rails and track trucks.

 

[boone]

Had to call out the heavy artillery. We got her out. A little back story...

After my brother's project was done, dad wanted to get the 175 to his house to fix a leak in the cabinet by the main transmission filter, behind the suction filters. Also, he wanted to cut a road through some woods on his neighbors property. His property line and his neighbors go right down the middle of a big open hay field. The man who has been haying it is retiring and dad doesn't want to cut it and the neighbor has nothing to cut it with, so dad thought he'd offer to cut a road through their woods so a farmer friend could get in there to work it in beans, cotton, etc. Neighbor said go for it.

So all this happened a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, I was out of town when all the fun happened. Dad calls me up, "We got big problems! Got the loader stuck". He said he was pushing through some privet on what seem to be solid ground and before he new it, the loader sank to the belly. He tried to push with the bucket a little, but it wasn't working.

We talked it over and our farmer friend who has tractors probably big enough to pull it out was in the middle of harvesting beans so we didn't want to bother him. I suggested just calling a wrecker service in town. One of them has a big semi wrecker and I'm sure he could pull it out. So he called the guy up. Guy said he probably had something to pull it out. Haha, he was right!

Luckily, access was good. Cost $275 on a Saturday or he could wait till Monday and it'd be $250. Dad told him to come on. He pulled it out no problem.

 

[CM1995]

WOW that's a cheap wrecker bill - got his number?

Glad it's out and all is good.