Our 3320 and a Driveway

[picframer]

My 2520 is in for service (my personal favorite of the herd) so I have been using our 3320 for about a week or so, there are many things I really miss about the 2520 and I have little seat time on a 3320, although I have put more on in the past week than the past 18 months as she is generally with another crew. Today's job, spread 38 yards of crusher run, I started this project a month ago but haven't been able to get the right rock for the driveway due to highway construction. The client didn't like their narrow driveway, it wasn't crowned, the culvert was too narrow and they were buying a 30 foot travel trailer and needed an area excavated to park it, so all of that was done while we waited for the rock. I always do these jobs with the 2520 as it's easy to get around however this one is wide open, after friggin around for a few moments I found the sweet spot for the top link and the depth control, it's second nature on the 2520 as I do so many of these. If someone were to ask me what the main difference is between these two tractors, one word Traction, this 3320 is shocking, drop the box blade and go, where I may have to make a few pass's with the 2520 this thing just takes it and runs. Power in my experience is never the issue, I even use a BB on the X749, it is always traction. Anyhow a few pics 1) Start of the project, 19 yards has already been dumped 2) Image 2 & 3 my quarry supplier probably has 60 trucks however there are 5 or 6 drivers there I always ask for as they really know their stuff when it comes to spreader chains, a good driver can save me over an hour per load, get a rookie and it can be a mess getting everything the way I like it 3)It only took me 1 hr and 15 min to complete the BB work, she is now ready for compacting, generally I would be about 3 hours at this point 4) The 3320 - I put a rock on all the BB for two reasons, first is down pressure which the 2000 series does not have, second is ballast, we carry some insane weights in the buckets at times and the ballast box even with cement isn't heavy enough for the 2520 or 2570 5) We are finished. Client is happy My helper and I spent the afternoon on a tree cleanup job, I am not kidding when I say we will be there until the snow flies, the place is a mess with downfall....I will work there a couple of days then send in a different crew as I like variety!

Attached Images

	start.jpg (82.7 KB, 16 views)
	spreaderchains.jpg (105.5 KB, 14 views)
	spreaderchains2.jpg (67.1 KB, 11 views)
	bbfinished.jpg (106.5 KB, 14 views)
	3320bb.jpg (109.6 KB, 17 views)
	finished.jpg (133.9 KB, 14 views)

__________________
Andy
Halifax, Nova Scotia

[justin_time]

Lawn care business tips

Originally Posted by picframer My 2520 is in for service (my personal favorite of the herd) so I have been using our 3320 for about a week or so, there are many things I really miss about the 2520 and I have little seat time on a 3320, although I have put more on in the past week than the past 18 months as she is generally with another crew. Today's job, spread 38 yards of crusher run, I started this project a month ago but haven't been able to get the right rock for the driveway due to highway construction. The client didn't like their narrow driveway, it wasn't crowned, the culvert was too narrow and they were buying a 30 foot travel trailer and needed an area excavated to park it, so all of that was done while we waited for the rock. I always do these jobs with the 2520 as it's easy to get around however this one is wide open, after friggin around for a few moments I found the sweet spot for the top link and the depth control, it's second nature on the 2520 as I do so many of these. If someone were to ask me what the main difference is between these two tractors, one word Traction, this 3320 is shocking, drop the box blade and go, where I may have to make a few pass's with the 2520 this thing just takes it and runs. Power in my experience is never the issue, I even use a BB on the X749, it is always traction. Anyhow a few pics 1) Start of the project, 19 yards has already been dumped 2) Image 2 & 3 my quarry supplier probably has 60 trucks however there are 5 or 6 drivers there I always ask for as they really know their stuff when it comes to spreader chains, a good driver can save me over an hour per load, get a rookie and it can be a mess getting everything the way I like it 3)It only took me 1 hr and 15 min to complete the BB work, she is now ready for compacting, generally I would be about 3 hours at this point 4) The 3320 - I put a rock on all the BB for two reasons, first is down pressure which the 2000 series does not have, second is ballast, we carry some insane weights in the buckets at times and the ballast box even with cement isn't heavy enough for the 2520 or 2570 5) We are finished. Client is happy My helper and I spent the afternoon on a tree cleanup job, I am not kidding when I say we will be there until the snow flies, the place is a mess with downfall....I will work there a couple of days then send in a different crew as I like variety! When you quote this job do you pay for the dump truck loads or do you get a separate quote for that ?

__________________
Justin Pitre
Just in Time Yard Services

[mzlawncare]

nice work.

[picframer]

Originally Posted by justin_time

When you quote this job do you pay for the dump truck loads or do you get a separate quote for that ?

I have an account with the quarry as we order so much and I get a very good discount. I can tell from looking at a driveway how many yards I will need, when it comes to driveways I only order full loads as 1/3 of the cost is transportation. I take my cost and double it for a quote and we get every driveway quote I give.

[LawnMoore]

Maybe i will get me a CUT so i can do these driveways!

Is this the same with a new construction?

What exactly is this rock material? granite,concrete, what?

Basically spread it with the BB and then compact it with a water filled roller?

[Steve]

Great job on the driveway! You make it look so easy!

Were there any lessons you learned from this specific job or no?

This may be a dumb question, but when presented with a new driver, can you get up there in the drivers seat and dump the rock? Or is this a skill you would only have after driving such a truck for quite some time?

when it comes to driveways I only order full loads as 1/3 of the cost is transportation.

What do you do with leftover rock? Can you always find a way to use it all?

[picframer]

There is very good money in gravel driveways, both new and reconstruction, it's easy, fast and simple once you are onto it and when people see your work as they drive or walk by, you will be shocked at the number of people who will want their done, prime time is spring due to snow plowing or after a major rain, look for wash outs but don;t only sell a fixed driveway, fix the problem with proper drainage, it's how we really made our mark last year and business just pours in.

This is what we call crusher run, it's 1/2" rock and crusher dust, 60 percent rock, 40 percent dust, compacts like concrete.

We compact flat driveways with a roller and rent a 3 ton ride on roller for driveways with a grade.

[picframer]

[Thanks Steve, it looks easy as it is easy to do, I bet I can train anyone in three hours to get these results, I train staff and some have never sat on a tractor before.

No lessons on this driveway, I have done probably 200 or so, have learned all the tricks, what to do and what not to do, I simply eye ball it, order the rock and do it.

Yes, I have my Class 1, I dump probably 30 loads of stuff a year, sometimes the driver is not comfortable doing what I ask or they may be new and if they do not do it the way I ask, they can get out with a shovel and make it right, I am not kidding, I did this twice last year so the point was made. The companies we buy from know me well now so they know who to send, any of the drivers however will let me drive their trucks, it's somewhat of a small world, we get pretty tight fast, they bring us coffee sometimes, we sometimes have donuts etc.

Never have too much rock, I can eye ball an area for driveways, lawns, mulch and be bang on every time without measuring.

[LawnMoore]

Im going to have to actually call a quarry out here Andy.

Could you be a little more specific on what i would need for a new drive, now remember im not in the snow either.

I thought i remember you saying something about huge boulders maybe or larger rock.

but there arent many of these around my area so im actually lighting up with

'$_$' behind my eyes!

but i want to really get a good idea from the quarry on prices so if you can let me know any info on laying down a new drive with materials, i'd love it.

[picframer]

I use two products and two only.

If the client can afford it I use crushed granite, OMG it looks nice but cost twice as much.

The quarry will be familiar with Class "A", which is what we call 3/4" crusher run, however I buy an even finer grade which is a little more money, it's is 1/2" crushed rock mixed with crusher dust. PM me and I can mail you a small box

Now since you do not have snow, you can use Class A, the reason I refuse is it doesn't pack super tight so the first snow fall part of the friggin driveway is plowed away.