I was wondering if anyone here has experience with concrete arch pipe? I'm looking at a job sitting some 18 by 28.5 arch pipe. I've did lots of rcp but didn't know what you all would consider the smallest machine possible to lay this with. The joints are 8 feet long and weigh about 2500 lbs.
I am currently laying a lot of 24x38 rcp easily with a Komatsu PC 138 which is around 15 ton. You could probably get away using a 50 sized machine if space is an issue.
Thanks for the reply 02silver. I am hoping to lay it with either my 580l backhoe or an e45 bobcat mini. But I wasn't sure if have enuf machine. I've also got an old 690d excavator, but I really don't want to use it if I can advoid it. It's a really shallow run at about 5 feet.
You're going to have to break out the big boy. 2500 lbs doesn't sound like much, but you get it on the end of the stick, it gets heavy quick. We used to set 2 piece concrete septic tanks with a 780C. Top half weighed 3000 lbs. Was tricky sometimes, and a 780 is twice the machine a 580 is. I looked at the specs for your 45. Max lift at 10' radius is 5100 lbs. Unless you can set the 8' section right off the end of the tracks, you're going to run out of @ss as soon as you extend the stick. My dad has a 304 CCR which is a little heavier than your Bobcat. I tried many times to move my 4' dirt bucket for the 9030, couldn't do any more than pick it straight up right in front of the tracks. The bucket weighs about 2500 lbs. The capacity falls off quick when you extend out away from the machine. I would fire up the 690 if it was me.
How many LF of pipe do you have to lay? What are the job site conditions?
Only 50lf condition is not bad for a 120 machine anything bigger and it's going to get crowded quick.
It sounds like renting a 120 size machine for a day or two would be the best solution....
I've laid a little arch pipe. It's a little more aggravating to lay because it's elliptical so it will take a machine that can handle it. I've set 4x4 pre-cast boxes (3300 lbs give or take) with my 420DIT but it didn't like it and wasn't safe enough for me. Your backhoe or mini will struggle handling the pipe 5' deep. An 18K machine would work. Only 50' will be hard to justify a rental and make money depending on what you can charge.
If you have room and good soil you could set it from the side ,it's a pain but should be doable