Cheap 1.5t mini excavator for septic field?

[Tom Sestito]

I know I'll get a variety of opinions here - I'm looking to dig a septic field in the spring and wondering if I can use a small 1.5t excavator to do it.

Prices to rent a 3.5 ton are pretty significant and having a little machine around the property would be handy for a bunch of tasks.

So, I'm considering buying a cheap Chinese 1.5t excavator, for about twice the price of what I can pay to rent a larger 3.5t for a month.

Am I crazy to think a 1.5t can dig a septic field? Is there anyone with real world experience on this? I've been watching some youtube videos and can find lots of people testing them but can't find anyone working with them.

Because of the lay of the land, I don't have to dig very deep - I need to dig the tank in about 5' deep and the field will be 4'd x 8'w x 16' long. Plus a trench.

I'm not in a hurry to get this dug, either. I'm only out there on weekends and it could take me all spring to dig it for all I care.

Just don't want to buy a small machine and find it's useless for the task.

 

[finn]

Depends on the soil composition.

Our house is on sand, so my little Deere 26g has no issues digging holes and removing stumps. I dug a drainage ditch at a friend’s farm in gravel with 1’ or smaller rocks without issue.

We have another house on the same lake as our residence, about ten miles away as the crow flies, where the soil is largely gravel and two to three foot boulders, which would make the same job an ordeal. I could do it with the 2.6 ton machine, but it’s unlikely a 1.6 ton machine would manage.

So the answer is, “it depends”.

Those little gas powered imports are popping up everywhere. Looks like there was an untapped market.

 

[bb29510]

be nice if you could find a used rubber tire hoe for sale

 

[loganb]

When they installed my septic at a prior house they dug the tank in about 12' deep to the bottom, the lines to connect and the 300' of laterals in less then a day with a 3.5 or 4 ton unit. That's with a skilled operator, with a learner I would expect even 2 days would be more then enough to do what you need with extra time to spare if you did the rental and you have a lot less digging then mine did.

As with most things, long term parts availability may be a challenge. They're going to be using off the shelf parts on these...but from whose shelf? So if it breaks(which it may not), finding parts may seriously test your time, patience and Google abilities

Depending on your desire/willingness to work on older stuff, an older open station(no cab) Case, Ford or Deere backhoe likely offers far more flexibility and versatility with loader on front and hoe on the rear. The downside of course being a candidate for OPEC favored equipment due to the qty of hydraulic seaps and leaks it has... but it's simpler and at least has a local dealer network

 

[jack stand]

I'd be concerned that a "cheap little Chinese excavator" could turn into a "project" itself.

 

[Tom Sestito]

Thanks all. Good feedback. The soil is mostly sandy dirt with some wet clay.

As I see it the options are:
1. Buy a cheap mini and do it myself. Take the risk on the reliability/support/repair network.. $15k
2. Rent a 3.5t for a week - $3.5k
4. Buy a clapped out backhoe - one on my local marketplace for $20k
5. Buy an older exccavator - reasonable mini's (3t-ish) are $40k in my market.

The solution is obvious if I'm just looking at dollars. I have other longer term plans though that might make the other options good as well.

(edited to change weekly rental cost. Previously had monthly in there)

 

[purplezr2]

I dug mine with a skid steer. Took a little more space to create a ramp.

Clay and gumbo for soil. Fairly heavy. Work worked well took me about. Took me about 6 hours to dig 100 ft trench.

 

[Firebrick43]

Are you using chambers, a sand line, or pipe/rock?


Also, how is a one week rental costing you 6.5k?????

Sunbelt rental in Winnipeg has 7500lbs for $1,690 a week and an 11,000 for 2100.

An 11000 can excavate full width for chamber in one pass if you get the proper width bucket and you can dig everything in one day and install cover the next.

I find 7500 lbs excavators to be right on the limit of useful do to reach issues with chambers. Also reach issues for digging perimeter drains at 72”. They will do it be you constantly moving because it’s only in a small a place of their digging arc will they do it in.

A little 1.5t would be maddening because it couldn’t get the dirt far enough back from the trench.

 

[ctandc72]

I dug mine with a skid steer. Took a little more space to create a ramp.

Clay and gumbo for soil. Fairly heavy. Work worked well took me about. Took me about 6 hours to dig 100 ft trench.

This right here. The smaller skid steers can do A LOT more than most people think.

 

[Firebrick43]

This right here. The smaller skid steers can do A LOT more than most people think.

Here you can not use a skid steer because they smear the soil and close it off to percolation.

It has to be a toothed bucket cutting at the correct angle and you definitely can’t do that with any wheeled skid steer.

If you don’t operate your bucket correctly on an excavator and smear with the bottom they will fail you.

 

[vavet]

If you enjoy being out there with the equipment doing work with it, then buying the small one makes sense.
id rather use a nicer tool for a shorter period of time to get the job done.
this came up a few years ago. I wanted to rent a tiller to prepare an area for planting shrubs along our property line.
I rented the big rear tine tiller and only needed it for the 4 hour rental period. If I’d gotten the smaller tiller I wouldve needed it all day. I’d rather use the better tool for the shorter time.
ymmv

 

[loganb]

Wow that pricing is a lot higher then expected. I can get a 3 to 4 ton for a weekly rental pretty easily for $1,250 plus a $250 delivery/pickup fee if needed. Thats for retail/consumer rentals, if you're renting as a business it's cheaper. The used pricing for equipment is high to...my thought on an older backhoe would've been 5 to 7.5k around here.

 

[racecougar]

Agreed with those above; that rental cost is obscene. A 3-4t excavator rents for $1120 a 7-day week here in MO. $840 for a 5-day week.

 

[racecougar]

Just checked Sunbelt Rentals in Winnipeg: $1690 a week for a 3.5t.

 

[BillK]

This might be a stupid question but would a septic company charge you to just do the digging ? Just curious.

 

[mike93lx]

Even factoring delivery, fuel and run time overage, I can't imagine a 1k rental spiraling to 6k

 

[f121]

how much experience do you have driving an excavator? I was surprised how twitchy the 1.5t and below models are compared to 2.5t and above, first time I hooked a bit of concrete and had a 1.5t up on one track I near pooped myself. Not an issue for an experienced operator but exciting for a beginner.

A small machine might be the right one for the job, how much area/trench’s do you have to dig?

 

[CraigStu]

4-6 weeks ago I rented this for the second time.

CAT Mini Excavator – 303.5 – Heavener Rental

www.heavenerrental.com

2 years ago I rented it to expose about 20 ft of pipe house to septic tank. It did great and also dug a ditch to run an extra drain tile pipe.
They don't list by tons but it weighs >9000#. This time it did a fantastic job dragging tree trunks and limbs over to a hidden pile. BUT, I also had 6 tree stumps I was hoping to pull. Most 15" diameter trunks that have been down for 5 years. This thing wouldn't even touch them. I tried slamming the pointy fingers on the bucket down vertically hoping to split off pieces = fail. I tried digging beside the stump but there are roots there which would have required chain saw work in addition = fail. My point is that those tiny excavators might work but any small roots are rocks are going to be a real challenge. Also someone already made a comment about the hole for your tank. Notice the spec on the one I used lists a digging hole depth of 10.4ft. I have seen the tiny ones and they are very attractive but I have my doubts that they will do much. I could afford to buy a $15K machine but it would sure be sad to spend that $ and find out that the first project is more than it can do.

 

[Tom Sestito]

Are you using chambers, a sand line, or pipe/rock?


Also, how is a one week rental costing you 6.5k?????

I'm not sure of the terminology, but it's a tank to a small field which will be 'keyed' into the side of a slope. For a very small cottage.

Ya I misquoted and put a monthly rental price down. Weekly would be $3500. This is north of Kenora, including delivery. Sellers market there I think.

Otherwise good feedback thanks.

 

[Tom Sestito]

This might be a stupid question but would a septic company charge you to just do the digging ? Just curious.

After I wrote my post this morning, I asked myself that very question. I called my guy and he quoted me $4500 to dig it all and place the tank. I'll backfill with my tractor.

I'm allergic to paying someone to do something I could do, but in this case it makes sense.

I think we will go with it. Still a sellers market up there but this is the least amount of dollars and hassle.

 

[dutchgray]

Just checked Sunbelt Rentals in Winnipeg: $1180 a week for a 3.5t.

You know that's only a 1.6 ton or so machine.

 

[racecougar]

You know that's only a 1.6 ton or so machine.

Oops, I shared the wrong one.




Even larger ones are way under $6k a week:

 

[Rst277]

You know that's only a 1.6 ton or so machine.

That is also in Canadian dollars.....

 

[Rst277]

I'm not sure of the terminology, but it's a tank to a small field which will be 'keyed' into the side of a slope. For a very small cottage.

Ya I misquoted and put a monthly rental price down. Weekly would be $3500. This is north of Kenora, including delivery. Sellers market there I think.

Otherwise good feedback thanks.

That's a long way from "the city" so your drop off and pick up fee will be considerable.

 

[Tom Sestito]

That's a long way from "the city" so your drop off and pick up fee will be considerable.

Yep. $500 to drop off and $500 return from Kenora. Adds $1k to what ever time frame you rent it for.

Also they told me they have a 10% 'damage fee' that they put on top of everything, but that if I damaged it, I would still have to pay to repair it?? Seems like a racket to me.

 

[Rst277]

Yep. $500 to drop off and $500 return from Kenora. Adds $1k to what ever time frame you rent it for.

Also they told me they have a 10% 'damage fee' that they put on top of everything, but that if I damaged it, I would still have to pay to repair it?? Seems like a racket to me.

From Kenora? That's pricey! Damage fee - that's a racket alright, 10% my ***! Might as well damage it since I'm paying.

 

[bluedog225]

Lots of utube vids on those little backhoes. As far as I can tell, no standardization of fittings, engines, hoses, etc.

Wish someone here would buy one….

 

[finn]

Lots of utube vids on those little backhoes. As far as I can tell, no standardization of fittings, engines, hoses, etc.

Wish someone here would buy one….

On the contrary, one video clearly made the point that it’s a standard Briggs engine and all the hydraulics, etc are off the shelf parts.

I can’t vouch for that statement personally, but it makes sense that a small manufacturer anywhere in the world would buy components rather than reinvent the wheel designing mundane and readily available components like pumps, valves, and fittings.

One downside is that the hydraulics are crude, and high effort since they’re standard valves, not purposely designed for the application, and lack pilot capability. That means it’s difficult to finesse the bucket motion.

 

[dutchgray]

Lots of utube vids on those little backhoes. As far as I can tell, no standardization of fittings, engines, hoses, etc.

Wish someone here would buy one….

Well it won't be me, we had a brand new Kubota in the 1.6 ton range delivered a couple days ago, it replaced our previous Kubota that we had from new in 2011.

 

[Kpaige]

5 ft deep does not seem deep enough. I would think the top of the tank needs to be a foot or two minimum below grade.

Other thing to consider you need a machine big enough to set the tank also correct? Will that machine be able to do that?

I have seen some YouTube reviews on those little excavators and the few longer term reviews were not good for repairs lots of issues.

 

[mike93lx]

5 ft deep does not seem deep enough. I would think the top of the tank needs to be a foot or two minimum below grade.

Other thing to consider you need a machine big enough to set the tank also correct? Will that machine be able to do that?

I have seen some YouTube reviews on those little excavators and the few longer term reviews were not good for repairs lots of issues.

Hopefully the OP isn't using a fiberglass tank... If it's concrete, I doubt it would even pick it up, let alone place it in the hole without placing the excavator on top

 

[Tom Sestito]

5 ft deep does not seem deep enough. I would think the top of the tank needs to be a foot or two minimum below grade.

Other thing to consider you need a machine big enough to set the tank also correct? Will that machine be able to do that?

I have seen some YouTube reviews on those little excavators and the few longer term reviews were not good for repairs lots of issues.

It's a poly tank. And only 800 gallons. My brother and I were going just just lower it in. It's pretty light.

The hole will be around 5' deep - and I would need to pile about a foot or so of dirt on top of the whole thing

 

[Tom Sestito]

Update - talked to the septic guy - he's going to install the tank and dig the field for me. I'll do the piping and backfill with my tractor.

Still not cheap but at least this way it'll be done and he knows what he's doing.

 

[mike93lx]

Update - talked to the septic guy - he's going to install the tank and dig the field for me. I'll do the piping and backfill with my tractor.

Still not cheap but at least this way it'll be done and he knows what he's doing.

Right call

 

[mike93lx]

Make sure you do risers so service is easy

 

[racecougar]

It's a poly tank. And only 800 gallons. My brother and I were going just just lower it in. It's pretty light.

The hole will be around 5' deep - and I would need to pile about a foot or so of dirt on top of the whole thing

Isn't the frost depth up there around 6' - 8'?

 

[Firebrick43]

we

Hopefully the OP isn't using a fiberglass tank... If it's concrete, I doubt it would even pick it up, let alone place it in the hole without placing the excavator on top

The trucks that deliver the concrete tanks lower them into the hole for you. You just have to have it dug and level.

Isn't the frost depth up there around 6' - 8'?

Doesn’t matter with a septic system if it’s used. Decomposing poo makes quite a bit of heat.

 

[racecougar]

Doesn’t matter with a septic system if it’s used. Decomposing poo makes quite a bit of heat.

Sure, but the OP only visits this cottage on the weekends per the initial post.

 

[Firebrick43]

Sure, but the OP only visits this cottage on the weekends per the initial post.

That’s enough

 

[Jim greengo]

Find yourself an old 435 series bobcat with an extenda hoe on it,you'll be much happier in my experiance anyway.