comparison

[maq]

What are the pros and cons to a self-propelled scraper compared to scraper pans pulled behind a tractor? Which one do you prefer to run? I see different companies running either or and I just wondered what is the reasoning for the one or the other.

 

[Buckethead]

Self propelled (or farm tractor pulled pan) is much faster on the haul road. But crawler tractors are better in mud, sand, garbage dumps, or steep slopes. If the haul is short enough speed does not make a big difference.

 

[maq]

Thanks. What about cost like purchase cost and operating cost? Which one is easier to opperate?

 

[Greg]

If you already have Cats you can put pull type pans behind them for a relative small amount of money. Cat 435's or 70's behind D7's and Cat 463's or 80's behind D8's. Use both of them here and always drop the blade when pulling pans. Work the short haul jobs, sand, and soft ground with them. Good Cat hydraulic conversion pans will run in the $25 to $30 thousand range. You will need to do some work on the D7 and D8 hydraulics to run the pans, or just add a wet kit to the back of the tractor.

 

[surfer-joe]

Tractors and pans are much cheaper to purchase or rent than overhung rubber-tired scrapers. On longer hauls with good dirt, the scrapers will run circles around the tractors and pans. On small jobs with short hauls, the tractor pans do OK and run cheaper than the others. Single engine scrapers will require a push cat, the tractor pans usually do not. If you are to move a million yards a month, big scrapers are the only way to go provided the haul distance and material are right.

The tractor pans seem better suited to being laser controlled, and are better to be adapted with other attachments like discs, bee-gees, drags, or roller-compactors. You can rent out a big International or John Deere tractor to farmers for agriculture operations when earthmoving is slow.

Myself, I'd rather run a double-barrel scraper than just about anything else, besides my recliner that is.