anyone ever rent earthmoving equipment?

[greenbean]

Need to clear my 70 acres of heavy bush & dig a septic tank hole. I need to rent a small backhoe & a small cat maybe D4 for a couple of days. Anyone ever rent this heavy equipment? How much did it cost & were you hit with any surprise fees when you returned it?

[Rowdy]

Around here (Abilene Texas) a D-4 can be had for $265 a day. (I think the brush rake is an extra $20 a day though)
A small backhoe (like a john deere 110) run about $140 a day.
A regular sized backhoe (JD 310, case 580, cat 416, etc) about $180 or so.

There is only one place around here that has reasonable haul fees and/or includes a trailer. Most places here charge about $1.50 per loaded mile to deliver/pick up equipment.

They also charge you a very high price per gallon if they have to refuel the equipment. Gets tricky if you cannot haul the equipment yourself to fill it up. Personally, I have a red diesel permit, so I take a couple of drums and buy bulk and just refill myself... ALOT cheaper.

As for the septic tank, a 110 sized backhoe will not lift a concrete tank, and if it is a very big tank, or the ground is soft a full sized one might not either. Just becareful and you'll be okay! Of course, if you're using poly tanks, then it doesn't matter anyway.

When calling for around for prices, be sure to ask how many hours on the machine they count as a day. Not all places charge the same. Around here the better places allow ten hours on the machine, some others as few as seven hours (for the same daily rate!!! ) The place I usually deal with are good people and don't sweat an hour or two over the day rate, some of the others try to charge another full day's rent... but I guess there are crooks in any industry.

Good luck with your dirt work!

Rowdy

[fordy]

............................I'm in weatherford , tx about 140 miles east of Rowdy . An experienced operator running say a Cat 963 track loader would probably take about two full , 8 hour days to clear your property . In my area they would probably charge about 80\per hour , or 640 x 2 = 1280 for both days . An experienced operator can perform in two days what it would take you a week to achieve . I'm assuming here that you basically have NO proficiency running a Cat . Personally , I'd hire the clearing , then have the operator build several small piles of brush on your land , then , hire a backhoe operator to come in and dig your septic system AND also dig a hole for each pile of brush , then push IT into each hole with his hoe . This way you can Safely burn the brush in a confined area and rent a small tractor with frontend loader\boxblade and fill each hole back in and coverup your septic system at the same time . fordy...

[TnAndy]

If all you need the backhoe for is a septic tank ( and I assume the field lines or bed ? ), you'd most likely be better off hiring someone for a day that has a machine and runs it themself.....they will be quite a bit faster and more efficient than you for a small job.....takes some time to get up to speed on handling the machine, for which you will be paying rental time, plus the transport costs.

70 acres of brush clearing is probably going to take a bit longer than a "few days"....again, you'll have to get up to speed on the machine handling, AND that is flat a lot of ground to cover.......I'd figure not more than 2-3 ac/day assuming you have pretty light brush.

You 'might' do better to buy a decent used machine and then sell it after you finish up what you want to do.

I bought a Mitsubishi BD2H, which is about slightly smaller than a D-3 or 450 JD machine for 18.5K.....it was a 98 model with only 185 hrs on it, got it thru a local equipment dealer who got it out of Japan. It was so cherry, the tracks had rubber pads on them between the cleats, and the tracks I don't think had ever even been IN dirt....looked like a machine some utility company used for back filling ditches......even has an 8 way blade which I've never seen ( has side shift on the blade...which is REALLY cool in some situations )......Mitsubishi in cahoots with Caterpillar, and the design is basically a Cat ( C frame on the blade, recessed grease fittings, all the things you see on a Cat...even Cat symbols on the info stickers )....and it's the quietest, smoothest running diesel I've ever seen. I've used it to clean up several building lots, build some roads around my place....and my intend was to sell it, but I've fallen 'in love' with the little booger, and probably never let it go.

[TnAndy]

And after reading Fordy's comments, I'd agree with him..... in light brush, which is what I guess you guys have there, a front loader is a better machine.......they can use the teeth of the bucket to 'rake' out brush, and not pull a lot of dirt with it......you have to be real good with a dozer to NOT get a lot of dirt with brush......just too easy to roll dirt up with the blade ( which is what dozers do best )

But even with light brush, I'd be suprised at covering 35 acres a day.....ya'll must have pretty whimpy brush down there......ahahahahaaaa

[kemrefarms]

Not sure if it was mentioned but if you decide to rent equipment, make sure you have some experience, unless you have money to blow. Lotsa people think they can save a bunch of money by renting their own equipment only to find out it takes hours to learn how to do even simple things, if they dont have the experience. good luck with yer project

[OneWheelBiting]

I rent a lot of equipment when logging land that is to be cleared. I find sending out a notice of bid in the local papers seems to get the best results and all you do is point fingers and let some fellow run the machine and do the work. Write a notice of bid asking for a hourly rate man and machine and state a minium machine weight of 30k lbs. for the dozer.

Later,
Keith

[mightybooboo]

If you arent an experienced operator,cheaper to hire it out.Also beware on the high priced insurance.Might find out like my nephew "Oh,that only covers theft,sorry you misunderstood" Think that cost him 500-700,something like that.And yes he rented,he is a very good/experienced operator.He could do in a day what I bet would take me a week.

BooBoo

[OneWheelBiting]

I average 1500 Hours a year on my little loader(JD350C) so I am a good operator. I still prefer to let other people bid clearing work as a total job or by the hour.....It is easier then buying someone elses equipment when you tear it up. Clearing isn't like push dirt, lots of wear and tear.