Operating on slope ~30 -40 degrees

[landforthewin]

Hi there. I am grinding the gears. Got 2 ways to do this. 1. Hire someone to do it and pay 1-2 grand 2. Rent a skid-steer for a day for about $300 + $200 delivery. I am a skilled Bobcat operator on flat ground and have thousands of hours in. But never been on a hilll before. The ground is clay and rock, pretty hard pack but gets loose in spots with dry cracking. The slope is pretty steep, around 30-40 degrees. I want to cut in a road down about 200 feet distance. I think that will be the hard part. Once I get down there, I want to make a good size turn around for a car. I also want to make a nice flat area for a campfire and a patio. From there, I want to see how it goes, but I want to make some more roads/paths around the property (2.5 acres). But the problem is it gets steeper from there, so don't know how far I'll push it. Part of me just thinks pay someone to do it, but another part of me thinks I can do it and I WANT to do it. I just don't want to flip the thing and start rolling, lol. Any suggestions /advice will be appreciated. Thank you, have a good one. -landforthewin

 

[foton]

skid steers are great tools but I think what you need is a small to med. dozer they are made to cut and push dirt just like what you describe

 

[Hotrod1830]

I would rent a track loader if you try it yourself. If your cutting INTO the hill and making a level, descending driveway/road then you should have no problems with a track loader. If your road will have a 30-40 degree slope, it can be done with a loader, but MUST travel uphill with a loaded bucket and downhill with a empty bucket. NEVER raise the the bucket when on a incline. Always keep it at ground level. As far as tipping, they will usually slide before they tip. You will have a little warning and usually enough time to point it downhill and stop the tip.
A dozer will tip just the same if they start sliding.

 

[Hotrod1830]

I would rent a track loader if you try it yourself. If your cutting INTO the hill and making a level, descending driveway/road then you should have no problems with a track loader. If your road will have a 30-40 degree slope, it can be done with a loader, but MUST travel uphill with a loaded bucket and downhill with a empty bucket. NEVER raise the the bucket when on a incline. Always keep it at ground level. As far as tipping, they will usually slide before they tip. You will have a little warning and usually enough time to point it downhill and stop the tip.
A dozer will tip just the same if they start sliding.

Just to clarify, gong against(sideways) a 30-40 degree slope in anything isnt a good idea. keep it uphill or downhill. They will only slide if going against a slope (sideways) They will flip going up/down if you dont counter it. Little to no warning that way.

 

[landforthewin]

Just to clarify, gong against(sideways) a 30-40 degree slope in anything isnt a good idea. keep it uphill or downhill. They will only slide if going against a slope (sideways) They will flip going up/down if you dont counter it. Little to no warning that way.

I can't get a track loader out to my property for cheap. I hear what you're saying though, thanks for the advice.

 

[Wayne440]

I can't get a track loader out to my property for cheap. I hear what you're saying though, thanks for the advice.

The aftermath of an accident with a piece of equipment and yourself on that slope won't be "for cheap" either. I enjoy doing things myself as well, but there is a time when a checkbook and a lawn chair are the best tools to bring to a job.

 

[Hotrod1830]

The more work you do, they less you have to pay someone else. Rent a loader and do what you can to the camping area. Try out the hills. If you dont feel comfortable, just call it quits and call someone in. no shame in that
I dug a lagoon with a skid loader. Banks where around 30 degrees. It made me pucker the whole time, but I wasnt paying someone $8k to do it.

 

[landforthewin]

The more work you do, they less you have to pay someone else. Rent a loader and do what you can to the camping area. Try out the hills. If you dont feel comfortable, just call it quits and call someone in. no shame in that
I dug a lagoon with a skid loader. Banks where around 30 degrees. It made me pucker the whole time, but I wasnt paying someone $8k to do it.

Yeah I wanted to do that but I was doing the cost analysis. It's about $300 for delivery from the nearest town and another $300 per day for the smallest Bobcat, $600 + gas, so another $100 after I get some 5 gallon gas cans and fill up the thing after I'm done (I'm guessing, have no idea.) There's this backhoe guy that I"ve been trying to get ahold of for years and finally he called me back today. He said he'll come out for $100/ hr plus $100 out and back (he lives close by). So Even if it takes 8 hours, it's only a bit more so gonna go with that. Thanks everyone for the encouragement and advice.

 

[Tazza]

Yeah I wanted to do that but I was doing the cost analysis. It's about $300 for delivery from the nearest town and another $300 per day for the smallest Bobcat, $600 + gas, so another $100 after I get some 5 gallon gas cans and fill up the thing after I'm done (I'm guessing, have no idea.) There's this backhoe guy that I"ve been trying to get ahold of for years and finally he called me back today. He said he'll come out for $100/ hr plus $100 out and back (he lives close by). So Even if it takes 8 hours, it's only a bit more so gonna go with that. Thanks everyone for the encouragement and advice.

That sounds like a pretty good deal to me too.
I think an excivator will cut into a slope better than a skidder would. Skid steers are good at moving piles of dirt.

 

[Hotrod1830]

That sounds like a pretty good deal to me too.
I think an excivator will cut into a slope better than a skidder would. Skid steers are good at moving piles of dirt.

You actually dont want the smallest bobcat they have. You want as big of a machine as you can afford when digging.
If I ever meet the crazy sumbitch on the backhoe, ill buy him a beer.