Best way to level land with a sub compact BX23s?

[RCW]

I see you have chains on the tires? You need them? They work? Doesn't it tear up the yard?

I use them in winter with snowblower. I need them in upstate New York with a gravel driveway. Gets icy.

This was early spring.. since I was doing dirt work didn't take them off. Probably came off right after the picture was taken, as lawn was seeded then.

They would tear up the lawn if I left them on.

 

[OrangePower]

Ahh, cool, thanks for the response.

 

[Digger.Jeep]

My 2 cents: Given the short distance you plan to move the dirt, a box blade with rippers is by far the most efficient method using your tractor, with the least chance of damage. The loader buckets just aren't great for digging.
Pre-ripping the ground, and then moving the dirt with the box blade is the way to go. I agree with the suggestion to pile up all the sod and topsoil, and the move the sub-grade. Just did this at my place when cutting in a driveway and large parking area in front of my shop. After sitting 6 months, that pile is now good dirt for topping with. Your tractor will definitely get the work done, but it will take patience.

 

[RCW]

I should clarify most of the material I moved a few years ago was with the box blade.

I had to deal with some work that was too steep to work on with the loader. I would've been wheels up.

Before loader went on, eased some of the angles with just the Box blade. This was quite steep.

I look stuck, but no issue.

If time isn't terribly critical, OrangePower should be able to accomplish it without a great deal of abuse to the machine.

Could be accomplished exactly as Digger.Jeep said.

While trying to help, I'm also honestly trying a better way to upload photos....

 

[B737]

wow that is steep like a ski slope! Great job!!

 

[OrangePower]

Sell some tickets for that ski slope and drag em up the hill with the tractor to recoup some money, lol.

Talking to a person that has a woods box blade HD for $200. Bad news is I am second in line to a guy thats not sure if he can pick it up. She is HD clevis and 60". I know its a little too big for the tractor, but, if I only use a few teeth and or dont dig into the dirt like an idiot, that should get me going for a bit. At $200, that leaves logical room for a hydraulic tilt-y arm-y thing up top.

Wish me luck!!

 

[OrangePower]

Wow, time flys when your having fun!! I stopped by for those that are still lingering when this thread was made and for others. I just wanted to post a belated update for everyone.

I got the tractor in November and by end of December, you can see the tree I took out in the above pic and here in this pic, to the left is where the tree "was". Also, note that the paint on the bottom of the house was the original dirt line and you can see to the right where I cut into the hill to make it all level (for the most part). Puddles of water have of course been filled and everything regraded so all water now flow to middle points and out the front to the woods and or to the back.

Funny thing is, that taller area was even TALLER as I cut about half of that off to fill a pond that was behind the tractor.

The first 6 months I put 620 hours on that tractor, and loved every minute of it. Did I have better things to do, meh, not really. Easier to hire someone, probably, but now I have an adventure under my belt and used the $1-2k hire out fees for tractor payments. As of today, she has 790.5 hours.

So, in a way, this thread is totally finished, lol. Just wanted to drop the last photo to conclude the thread and thank everyone for the help. Ate that elephant one bite at a time, and, it was delicious!!

 

[OrangePower]

Yup.
Yup.
Yup.
Not sure about the backhoe part, but once you're pulling box-blades-full of earth from a to b for a few hours this will all be a lot clearer for you.
Good luck have fun!

This is what did it. A LOT of box blade dragging and about 30% backhoe (rocks and to establish grade levels, fight tree stumps etc). "A to B for a few hours"..... There was more than 1 day of sun up to sun down on that tractor. Man, it was epic!

Another pic of past progress...

 

[JeremyBX2200]

Its amazing what you can accomplish with these machines.

 

[OrangePower]

Yea, I was surprised that even though I was putting in hours a day and all weekends it only took me like 1.5 months to level it all out. Was a bit tiring at times but soooooo therapeutic, I have actually been kind of depressed there is nothing to really do on the tractor anymore, lol. Oh, there is some fun things here and there to do on her, but, to hop on her for a mission and see the results of a full days work, miss that.

This is all I am left with....

 

[JeremyBX2200]

Yea, I was surprised that even though I was putting in hours a day and all weekends it only took me like 1.5 months to level it all out. Was a bit tiring at times but soooooo therapeutic, I have actually been kind of depressed there is nothing to really do on the tractor anymore, lol. Oh, there is some fun things here and there to do on her, but, to hop on her for a mission and see the results of a full days work, miss that.

This is all I am left with....

View attachment 110010

Yep. There have been plenty of times I have told the wife I was going outside to find a tractor project to do.

I also tell my friends that anytime they have a project that "Might" be easier with a tractor to hit me up....simply because I enjoy it.

 

[Trustable]

Looks great!

 

[OrangePower]

Looks great!

Thank you.