Driveway project

If it's outside and you walk on it (or if you can't until you repair it)
kevm14
Posts: 15201
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Driveway project

Post by kevm14 »

Oh I'm in it now.

I'd like to have my driveway paved. I have accomplished the tree removal from the front yard per that plan. But before it gets paved, I wanted to move this hill back that's across from my garage. It'll make a larger pad for activities and also make it a lot easier to pull into the garage. The SRX can actually make it in with one shot but it takes almost full lock and turning within a fairly narrow range to pull it off. Jamie usually takes a two step process to square up before pulling in.

The other bay? Forgetaboutit. I actually awkwardly back my CTS-V in every single time (which is rarely). I think I could actually pull in though. And it may get a little easier with the completion of this project.

I was all hot on a retaining wall but that quotation ended up in the $3-4k range and I think that's just too much. So I will just remove some earth, effectively pushing the hill back like 10 feet, maintaining the 45° slope. Over time if it erodes, I can still add a wall at the bottom or whatever. If I am smart, I'll plant some grass on it to keep erosion to a minimum. Cool sledding hill for the kids also.

Some pics:
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kevm14
Posts: 15201
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: Driveway project

Post by kevm14 »

Mid July I got the Bobcat 325 delivered (borrowed of course). I decided to start learning how to use it. I scooped dirt into my "new" garden trailer. It holds about 3 full scoops which I guess isn't bad. Then I drive around to the back of the house to dump, which takes a bit of time.
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Already used almost a full tube of this. Grease all of the joints every 8-10 hours of use...should have bought the box. Did an oil change, also. Had to buy the 5 gallon hydraulic fluid bucket from Tractor Supply, as it leaks some.
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That tractor I bought is a workhorse. And this trailer is pretty sweet for a garden trailer. But this is soooo sloooow like this. I just noticed that the lawn tractor sort of matches the Bobcat motif. I like it.
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Not even close to the big one I moved. Goddamn that thing was probably almost as heavy as the machine. I was spinning track trying to push it across the driveway at points.
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I actually really like the machine. It was easy to learn and while I am no professional, I think I am doing alright for never having used a piece of equipment like this before. I can basically make the bucket move exactly how I want which I thought would be hard.
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7/23 status check
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I drove around the yard and dug from up top for a while. Both to speed up the digging (just made a pile up there, way faster) and to see if I could get a stump out. Still there at this time...
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7/24
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kevm14
Posts: 15201
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: Driveway project

Post by kevm14 »

So I got tired of the lawn tractor routine. Which I never thought I'd say.

The solution is I am renting one of these babies all next week:
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http://www.ritchiespecs.com/specificati ... lid=108939

7 day rental (considered a week), 40 hours max machine use (extra hours are just the daily rate applied hourly which is fair). Case SR250. 7700 lb machine, 2500 lb lift. With an operator on each machine, I think we will make very quick work of finishing this. At least I have plenty of places to put the dirt on my property.

Oh, comes to almost exactly $1000 all in for the rental. $25/machine hour. Or $142 a calendar day. Not bad really. I could get a much smaller machine for 3 days for $550 from a local place but 3 days on a small machine may not be enough and if I don't finish, I didn't really get the job done and the savings doesn't count. I went with United Rentals which, so far, I have had a great experience. Borrowing a 3/4 ton truck and trailer to haul it back from southeastern CT.

If I return early, they just charge the daily rate for however many days ($329/day) so the whole thing is pretty fair.

I am lumping this equipment rental in with the capital investment of the driveway itself. Plus this will be fun.
kevm14
Posts: 15201
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: Driveway project

Post by kevm14 »

A lot of pics to catch up on.

Prepping the trailer last weekend. The new trailer tires supposedly had 70 psi in them and I wanted to put at least 100 psi. I have no way to measure anything over 60 so I just filled until the air stopped which turns out is probably around 100 psi. I had to cycle the compressor for each tire since it gets down to 80 psi before cycling.
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Monday morning I arrived at United Rentals in North Stonington. Only a 30 minute drive, and you can see them from exit 93. Pretty easy to get to. Loaded up the Case SR250.
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The bucket fills the trailer with no room to spare. Which is convenient because with the machine, the trailer was probably about 1,000 lbs away from max capacity.
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It so happens that pulling it as far forward as possible is about the ideal tongue weight, as well. Convenient. This whole rig was probably grossing 17,500 lbs or thereabouts.
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kevm14
Posts: 15201
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: Driveway project

Post by kevm14 »

The Case is very computerized. Even has hydraulic fluid level indication (and temp). It is a 2011 and even used these machines go for $25k up to almost $40k.
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It is supposed to have A/C and I put part of a can in. It came right out this line. Oh well.
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Smallest turbo ever?
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Progress as of Monday afternoon:
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Moving big boulders. It handled them well. 2500 lb operating weight and 5000 lb tipping capacity. That's a lot. The long wheelbase helps.
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kevm14
Posts: 15201
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: Driveway project

Post by kevm14 »

As of Monday evening.
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The fleet.
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Broke a bolt on one of the bucket teeth. Repaired with 1/2" grade 8 bolts from TSC (very good hardware prices).
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Adam doing some hauling.
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Everything was fine until this happened. These old tracks just couldn't stand up to some of the pulling I was doing with the machine. They were beat 10 years ago so I don't feel too bad. Ordered two new tracks, hopefully picking up today to the tune of ~$800/ea. Ouch. They weigh about 270 lbs each.
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Then, this happened to the loader! Busted a pin on the bucket.
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I had only put 6 hours on it through Wednesday and from the first hour I did notice a creaking sound. I greased everything before working on Monday but it persisted. I think this was previously damaged. I returned it to United yesterday and the mechanic did not blame me at all when he saw what happened. I came home with a John Deere 318D which is a smaller machine. At least it has working A/C, which is going to be nice when I get the excavator going again.
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kevm14
Posts: 15201
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: Driveway project

Post by kevm14 »

As of last night. I got the big dirt pile pushed down and hauled it out.
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kevm14
Posts: 15201
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: Driveway project

Post by kevm14 »

Comparison from May 26th:
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To now:
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kevm14
Posts: 15201
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: Driveway project

Post by kevm14 »

Tomorrow at 7am my driveway paving project will begin. This is exciting. There will be pics...and videos. Stay tuned.
kevm14
Posts: 15201
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: Driveway project

Post by kevm14 »

I am just going to post a Onedrive link with the pics. There are a lot.

Here are some from my phone.

7:30am
Shockingly, all excavation and grading was done with this John Deere skid steer loader. For some reason I expected an excavator but that would take forever. They were done by 2pm.
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Actually the other pics are all at the end. I will post the link when the upload finishes (2Mbit limit, sigh).
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