Stripping overburden topsoil/clay. Loading into belly dump semi-trailers. Maybe around 250 loads a day. I was thinking a cat 385 with a 80 inch 5 yard bucket. What are some other options I may have? I want to be fast and efficient. Stripping 40 acres 5 ft deep. I was thinking I would rent rather than purchase a machine. Thank You for your comments Mudober
What sort of material density are you looking at..? For only digging 5ft deep reach wouldn't appear to be your issue so what about a Mass Excavator configuration..? Shorter boom and stick so you lose out a bit on reach but gain with a bigger bucket capacity bucket so could move more tons/hour. I think a 374ME would comfortably handle a 5cu.yd. bucket, and depending on material density a 365ME might just handle one as well.
when loading topsoil / clay material into hwy trucks you have be careful how big of a bucket you use cause material will stick and clump together and not flow smooth out of the bucket it will bend or knock the gates off belly dumps I have loaded with 100,000 pd excavators with short sticks and 4-5 yd buckets and you still had to be careful especially on the first bucket in the truck and then if it's real heavy clay the bigger chunk's don't what to break up and come out very smooth :my2c
The company I used to work for had a couple hitachi 450's with short sticks and 4.75yd buckets. They handled the big buckets well although I think a 65-75 ton machine would have a little faster cycle time.
Company I work for, our 345 LME's had 5 (4.88 with side cutters) YD buckets, and handled them fine. I think a 365/74 would handle 6-7 yard buckets just fine. Like clintm said though, if it's a sticky soil, you have to be careful with that first bucket into on road trucks, especially belly dumps.
Thanks Guys, I didn't think about the the big chunks not passing thru. Rent will be cheaper on a smaller machine too. So I am learning I know this is the site for that. The clay around here can be pretty hard if dry and chunky and sticky if a little wet. Mudober
sometimes in these situations a smaller bucket will give you the same or better production because of faster cycle times
Also the smaller a machine you go to I would imagine the more machines will be available in the rental market, plus transport costs would be less. Larger models don't usually appear in rental fleets at all.
The shorter boom and stick of an ME machine will also improve cycles times because there is less weight to swing. Set up properly (truck position with respect to the excavator) ME machines are super-quick on cycle times.