# Blade on Tracked Dumper Hauler?



## aero901 (Apr 11, 2012)

Has anyone ever tried mounting a small grading blade on a mini tracked dumper? We're looking into purchasing a CanyCom BFP602. Specs say it can haul itself with load (~1400lbs/650kg) up a 15 deg. slope meaning it has a traction force of at least 370lbs/1650N (I suspect this is a conservative estimate). For comparison, the Singletrack 240 machine lists a traction force of 4000lbs; it also weighs +4k lbs.

Would 400lbs of push force be faster than moderate hand benching? It would obviously need to have weight in it to develop traction. Not expecting it to to hold a candle to equipment like a Mini Ex/Sweco/SK650. Just looking for ways to make it more useful when we're not using it for hauling. Would be used exclusively in non-rocky silt/clay soils.


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

We have CanyCom BFP602 that's now about 2 years in service. I was doing a service and tune-up on it a few weeks ago here and had the same thought. If linking the blade to frame is done thoughtfully, I think it would be a possibility to use it as such a device for previously broken and loose soils. It might be a little harsh on the wear & tear aspect of the machine, especially the steering brakes for maneuvering in such conditions. It would definitely be interesting to try. I had the machine for about a week before we sent it to a trail and I spent a whole lot of time studying it and thinking of all the possibilities of attachments that we could use. It's a solid unit.


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## HypNoTic (Jan 30, 2007)

I would not mount a blade on a Canycom 602. It's not designed to push dirt. Traction drive and tracks would not last a long time if used to bench trails. 

If you're looking at light benching, you might want to consider a Ditch Witch SK755 with a 6way blade. Works great in many conditions.


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## BikesOnSnow (Jan 23, 2004)

It would work well for leveling out loose material that was just dumped, but not for benching new trails. Just not enough weight, traction, or mechanical structure for that. If you want a multi purpose machine, look into the Cormidi MF series or the Ant BY800. 




I like my Ant BY800 more than the Canycom, but wouldn't use the blade for benching. Like Jerome said, a small DW with a 6 way blade is the minimum machine you'd want for benching.


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## Gigantic (Aug 31, 2012)

HypNoTic said:


> I would not mount a blade on a Canycom 602. It's not designed to push dirt. Traction drive and tracks would not last a long time if used to bench trails.
> 
> If you're looking at light benching, you might want to consider a Ditch Witch SK755 with a 6way blade. Works great in many conditions.


This. I use a cany com and SK 500 & 750's; I wouldn't want a blade on the cany, ever.


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## aero901 (Apr 11, 2012)

Thanks for the feedback. Have't run one or even seen one in person so good to hear from those who have.


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## JustMtnB44 (Nov 8, 2004)

I came across these Yardmax tracked wheelbarrows the other day and they do offer a blade accessory, but as mentioned above I think it would only work for light grading of loose material, not bench cutting.

https://yardmax.com/product/power-trackbarrow-w-hydraulic-assist/
https://yardmax.com/product/power-trackbarrow-plow-blade-for-yd8105-and-yd8205/

I don't know anything about these machines other than they are inexpensive and made in China.


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

Looks cheezy as hell! Great for pushing powder snow maybe? :lol:

One thing to add regarding the CanyCom. The deeper I think about it, the more of a death sentence a blade would be for the 602. In talking with a distributor very recently, there is one big killer of the transmissions on these and it's really one of the few weak points (intentionally) that they see on the machine when it comes to repairs. There is a keyway on a shaft in the trans that is considered sacrificial. One thing that they specify to preserve this is by never actuating the drive clutch (yellow bar) on an open throttle. The throttle should ALWAYS be at idle when actuating the drive and then throttle up to desired setting. 

The concept is pretty natural to me as a gear head and this is really no different than driving a stick shift in a car yet it seems to come very UNnaturally to many if not most users that I have observed using our machine on a recent, month long, everyday trail build we just accomplished and did so by putting some uber-serious hours on our 602. The machine is designed to NOT stall out when the clutch is engaged so there is a great deal of torque put on the keyway and when it goes, it's not a good thing. Not a massive repair requiring expensive parts but indeed a teardown of the machine when it happens, nonetheless. Relating this issue to the use of the blade, burying a blade in the earth and then powering up under a great deal of resistance would probably be putting those components under some extreme loads which can't be good.


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## twd953 (Aug 21, 2008)

JustMtnB44 said:


> I don't know anything about these machines other than they are inexpensive and made in China.


That is probably everything need to know actually.


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## JustMtnB44 (Nov 8, 2004)

twd953 said:


> That is probably everything need to know actually.


Haha true.

Does anyone know what a new Canycom BFP602 costs?

I think the weak link in all of these smaller tracked machines is the transmission system. I kind of want to build one that is either all electric or one with a gas engine with full hydraulic drive as both of those would be mechanically simpler without any belts to wear out. I haven't come across either of those in my searches.


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

All hydraulic would be very cool but my experience with hydraulic propelled and or accessorized equipment, stump grinders, chippers, and numerous other things is they're very expensive initially and the cost for big repairs can be insane! Hydraulic motors about the size of a small coffee can that turned the feed wheels on one of my Vermeer chippers...$2000 each and rebuilds were about half that or a little more but sometimes they can't be rebuilt to original spec. 

I'm gonna guess you're not finding them because nobody could afford to buy one, maybe?

Oh and I believe the BFP602 is a little bit south of $8000 dollars if memory serves me correctly.


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## aero901 (Apr 11, 2012)

We got a quote for $6750 + freight in 2018.


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## JustMtnB44 (Nov 8, 2004)

I keep thinking about this topic because I'm approaching 40 and trail work makes me pretty sore afterwards. I'm an engineer and keep 'work smarter, not harder' in the back of my mind, but that's hard to do with hand tools. I've used a Dingo and a gas powered wheelbarrow before but not a tracked hauler / dumper.

The Dingo and that type of machine is good for digging and moving material a short distance, but the bucket doesn't hold any more than a manual wheelbarrow. Also it's pretty wide and heavy which makes the areas I could get it to pretty limited. The power wheelbarrow (not sure on brand, similar to Muck Truck) holds a good amount but it was not very stable and very difficult to use on singletrack.

We often need to move rocks or gravel around to armor sections of trail, or just move dirt from one place to another when building berms or features, and may have a project coming up where we are going to elevate a 50 yard long section of trail by hauling in dirt. In all cases the material can only get so close to where you need it on the trail, and carrying it by hand or with a manual wheelbarrow gets old quick.

I could rent a concrete buggy like the Canycom SC75 but loading it with shovels still takes a while. I've seen a few of the tracked haulers with a shovel on the front to self load and those seem like they could be the ticket. It can scoop up loosened soil, maybe dig a little bit depending on the soil type, and load itself. You can ride on it so if you need to move the material a half mile or so it's not terrible. I recently came across the PowerPac RD620 which is the closest I have seen to ideal for trail use. Reasonably small size and weight, hydrostatic drive, ride on. Can swap the bucket for pallet forks or a snow blade so must be decently powerful. Anyone have any experience with these? It's German and pretty new so unlikely. Looks like cost is somewhere in the $8-10k range.


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http://instagr.am/p/CK0mjx9p11U/


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