Out with the Wheelbarrow

[picframer]

Well the guys have been after me most of the summer to find something less back breaking for when we are doing drains to cart the material we dig away (generally compacted clay) and to haul rock in to cover the pipe. I have had it on my mind for a while as we go through wheel barrows every few weeks and the box stores will not give any type of replacement. I went into John Deere this morning to pick up a couple of fittings and spied this unit on the lot, they just started carrying them, took it for a spin around their lot, it was a demo unit so they gave me a very good deal. It has a Honda gas engine and will haul 1,100 pounds. It will get a test on Monday as the guys are doing a drain on a side hill which would have been desperate hard to cart stuff away and into the trench. First two images are from home and the third from the manufacturers website showing the dump, it comes with a Poly box and a steel Box, the sides fold down and it will carry logs if you wish.

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Andy
Halifax, Nova Scotia

[swstout]

Lawn care business tips

What is the cost? I did a Google search and could not find any non UK outlets. Is it gas or desiel? Steve

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[Little's]

That is awesome. That unit could be very useful for me. Whewn Im taking down large trees and hauling them away, sometimes I need to carry large rounds a lot further than I like. Sometimes on hills or slopes. This could make my guys very happy!

Product looks awesome, but I saw this picture and it made me laugh, The guy has his safety vest on, his hard hat, and his work boots, but still in his gym shorts, hahaha!

[picframer]

Originally Posted by swstout

What is the cost? I did a Google search and could not find any non UK outlets. Is it gas or desiel?

Steve

I have seen Honda and CAT units around passing other job sites, this unit cost me $6,850, it's 13 HP Gas. I played around with it this evening in the driveway and on the lawn both empty and full, doesn't leave a mark on the lawn which is nice.

We have been doing so many drains I had to do something as wheeling product around is just too hard, I would guess we can get our loader into 70% of the spots but it's the other 30% that kill us.

[picframer]

Originally Posted by Little's

That is awesome. That unit could be very useful for me. Whewn Im taking down large trees and hauling them away, sometimes I need to carry large rounds a lot further than I like. Sometimes on hills or slopes. This could make my guys very happy!

Yes it would be good, I built the guys a little log hauler they pull behind one of the ATV's or the tractors, It isn't fancy but man this thing has been worth it's weight in gold.

[Steve]

Oh that looks like a back saver! Keep us posted on how you like it as you use it on monday.

[picframer]

Originally Posted by Steve

Oh that looks like a back saver! Keep us posted on how you like it as you use it on monday.

I built a liner for the dump using 3/4" plywood, I will be on this site tomorrow running the excavator while the guys give this barrow a work out.

I delivered the equipment this evening to the clients and I think tomorrow will be interesting, there is a 25 degree grade they need to go up that is about 500 feet long, one of the main reasons I bought this as I can't get in there with a loader so a wheel barrow would have meant 6 guys for two days and I don't have the resources now that university has started.

Personally I think it is a bit under powered or they do not have it geared low enough, it's pretty fast and something we don't need is speed, this is why I lined the dump, if it doesn't perform it will be going back.

Here is an image of it loaded, not sure I would want to pull much more weight with this truck.....it's a full load weight wise.

[Steve]

You got me thinking, could you use an atv with a cart? Would that help at all? Are they geared lower or would they rip up the turf?

[picframer]

Originally Posted by Steve

You got me thinking, could you use an atv with a cart? Would that help at all? Are they geared lower or would they rip up the turf?

Depending on the job we do use an ATV and a Cart, problem has been the carts last about two months (box), that is 12 jobs +/- so I was trying to find something better, the ATV's and the Carts do dig in deep and can make quite a mess.

I am not going to keep this track dump, we finished an 8 hour day with it all three of us agree it's not worth close to what I paid and we would be better off with a small four wheel drive tractor with a loader, that way we can use it for more things and there is one thats smaller than anything we have that would have worked today.

I have to head out to do two quotes, just stopped by while having a coffee on route will write what we did and did not like later on

[picframer]

Perpahs I am spoiled when it comes to machinery and meeting our needs but for the cost of this unit here is what I and the guys did not car for:

The tracks are controled by two levers one for each hand when you are going up a hill its desperate hard to control both levers with one hand, granted you would walk behind it and have more control but I would have thought they would incorporate foot levers to give you the option.

The tracks are brutal on the clients lawn, not sure if it's the tread design, hardness of the rubber or what but it really tears up.

Under powered, they need a two speed transmission when carrying a load up a hill

The dump gate is far too tight and a real pain to put on and remove

Other than that it worked well, great design but the devil is in the small details, we could over look most of this but the fact that you can't stand on the ramp and go up a hill is a big down side for us.