Excavation Work

[RUSSELL5000]

JR,

These are used Yanmar tractors which are imported, most often from Japan, to be refurbished. The one in the picture is a YM 3110D. The discussion boards indicate that a good supply of spare parts and manuals are available. You would need to work on yourself, which the consensus appears to be is feasible because of the simplicity of the older technology.

http://www.fredricksimporting.com/
https://www.hoyetractor.com/

 

[JR]

I understand, I'm just relating past experiences with non US market tractors. It is one thing to be made in Japan and imported for the US market, it's another to import a tractor from Japan meant for the Japanese or other markets. It looks like they are at least refurbishing the more popular models from what I can tell.

Here's a little more detail on what I'm talking about with parts availability.

https://www.hoyetractor.com/modelstoavoid.htm

 

[RUSSELL5000]

Thanks - I did not catch that page.

This sounds like the tractor for me (from hoyetractor site):

"YM2210 YM2210D ** If I had to be dropped on an island with just one tractor - this would be it. Simple, powershift, & built like a tank. If you break this tractor it is your own fault!"


If 26 HP adequate for me, I like the sounds of that description!

 

[JR]

I think that 37hp tractor would be a good size for property development. I deliberately kept mine under 40hp, generally as you cross that threshold the frames start getting bigger and heavier. I wanted to keep as light a foot print as possible so as not to tear up my woods any more than necessary or my yard. As it is, I pretty much have to stay off any grass this time of year or I'm leaving deep ruts.

Just curious, what is the shipping on something like that all the way from Alabama?

 

[RUSSELL5000]

Shipping is a good question. If I get that far I assumed I would drive down. Of course, it is a real burden for me to drive my truck somewhere ....

 

[RUSSELL5000]

Good morning. Have a question. My wife was talking to someone at work; seems guy has an early 1970s Ford 3000 tractor for sale. It looks pretty good in pictures - tires look good, looks like well maintained, etc. It is a 3 cyl diesel, 40 hp. I have only looked at pictures. Price is $3,000.

It is two wheel drive, not four wheel drive. Is four wheel drive significant - should I be overly concerned about 4WD?

My intended uses: driveway construction/maintenance, brush-hogging, ditching, post-hole digging, snow-blowing, moving dirt, picking things up and moving them, holding things up.

Thanks!

 

[JR]

4 wheel drive is a must for doing the kind of work you are looking to do. Remember when you are digging and hauling loads in the bucket you are unloading the rear tires and losing a lot of traction. In soft ground 2 wheel drive is all but worthless.

2 wheel drive loaders are good around the farm where you are on established ground, driveways, concrete, etc.

 

[Wiredawg]

I second the need for 4WD. Just remember to disengage on hard dry surfaces.

Cheers, Ron

 

[BSeyler]

You’ll do just fine with a two wheel drive - until you run a machine with front wheel assist. Night and day capability. Go for a FWD.

 

[Mark31]

Russell, I owned a 3600 which was a 3000 with a few little improvements. The engine is flawless---torque, economy. No synchronizers in the trans, 2 reverses( (It always seems that one is too slow, one too fast!), drum brakes leave a LOT to be desired, tractor is front heavy, it has a swept-back axle which contributes to bad geometry when turning. Not suited for a loader by any stretch of the imagination, I ran a 6 ft bushhog on it for years. It would do a good job with a boxblade, disc or any hitch mounted equipment

 

[petersonj]

@RUSSELL5000, you have been getting great advice here. I am a little late but I will throw in some info as well.

I have a 2000 model 4200 John Deere compact utility tractor that I bought new - 26 hp, 4WD, 9 forward gears, 3 reverse, manual transmission (wouldn't have it any other way), liquid filled tires, and MOST IMPORTANTLY - replaced side link and top link manual adjusters on the three point hitch with hydraulic side link and top link cylinders. This modification alone makes rear implements like a rear blade with trailing casters, a landscape rake with trailing casters, and a box scraper with a ripper control operating from the seat, all come alive on the fly.

Implements I own:

5 ft Rankin box scraper with manual lever to operate rippers from the tractor seat
6 ft landscape rake with trailing casters (my modification)
7 ft rear blade with trailing casters and hydraulic left / right angle cylinder (my modification)
5 ft heavy duty tilller
grapples for front end
42" forks for front end
14 ton 3 pt hitch very customized log splitter operated with tractor hydraulics.
backhoe attachment (sold in 2014 after purchasing a used mini-excavator (Takeuchi TB016)

Some photos showing different work. The grading was performed by me on a 900 ft section of access road to our property. I kept this road in very good condition for several years.

The photo of the house and yard is what I did with the tractor over a period of several years (a 2 1/2 acre lot). Note the boulder below the retaining wall.

The last photo was brushing out and leveling an acre of ground for a relative.

I have over 3,300 operating hours on this tractor and I have done many projects similar to what you want to do. Tractors can do amazing work if you have the right one for the job and it is set up properly.

- John

 

[Wiredawg]

Another favorite attachment is the forklift. Great for unloading freight from 18wheelers at my home and nice for other things too. This one made by a local fabricator about half the price of a mass produced one. I'm moving heavy and expensive table top to install and wire exterior 96" ceiling fan.

Another valuable tool in my toolbox.

Cheers, Ron

 

[RUSSELL5000]

You guys are impressive!

 

[RUSSELL5000]

Well, permit arrived in mail. So, can begin moving on driveway. Will try to get some pictures after brush-hogging. Probably will not be under multiple feet of snow until January - but you never know.

 

[RUSSELL5000]

Well, been a while but the culvert and driveway apron is in, the open area o the lot is brush-hogged.

Here is across the street - a home with fenced in fields with horses.

 

[RUSSELL5000]

Here is from the tree line out.

 

[RUSSELL5000]

Another from the tree line out.

 

[RUSSELL5000]

Here is one looking at the tree line. The back 2.5 acres is wooded.

 

[RUSSELL5000]

Here is a view after walking back past the tree line into the treed part.

 

[RUSSELL5000]

All the open area is what got brush-hogged. Could not walk through it summer.

So, nice to be able to pull off the road and onto the land. Nice to be able to walk around. Now I can take a tape out and start to make a plan.

I suppose the next thing I will do is figure out how to contact the electric company and get electricity on to the lot.