Is there any secrets to know about renting heavy equipment ?
I know you gotta take note of every tiny scratch, ding etc. When renting a car, but I am thinking about renting a very large loader.
To push logs and push out stumps.
A dozer would be better, but alas they don't own one.
A safety study might be the best secret. How not to tip or wheelie. Unlevel ground ect.. With much torque comes much risk. The great transfer of energy can twist something over by it's gearing in less than a second. (And roll bars and cages are not the answer.)
Friends house burned,
He really tore up a set of loader tires in the remains and expected to get charged for the damage. He wasn't charged for it.
I'd certainly expect such though...
Anything pulled or pushed needs to be below "hitch" level. So not to create tipping leverage of equipment. (Per me and tractors.)
That can mean attaching to the front of equipment , running cable /rope/chain under the belly and out the back to pull. With risk if not routed right of causing damage.
And weighting a chain/pulling medium with a tire or similar can rob some energy if it comes loose instead of whipping through the air like a giant sword.
Stumps left high , 4-5 foot , allow leverage by pulling at thier tops. However , heed the hitch point to equipment rule mentioned....
A huge wooden mallet with a six foot handle 12-14 inches in diameter of hardwood and three foot diameter head can be built. Handle up against a short stump and chain around stump(preferably under off side roots) and handle at head ;another chain can be attached to top of handle to pull. (per a diagram describing such years ago. I just dig around stump cutting roots to weaken them on big ones).
I don't like straining equipment though. For safeties sake , and the equipment's.
Stumps can be worried by digging and cutting roots till like a loose tooth.
Even then , some like white pine can have a serious tap root straight below them. Been chest deep on a giant before. No , I don't recommend being in a hole that deep anymore , even with shoring.
If your rental has down pressure on the loader (it should) you might be able to dig an offside from the direction you want stump to tip before testing it with a push.
A backhoe can pop a stump better than a loader on bigger ones.
Weaken the stumps grip by undercutting some of it's feet on big ones. Then lift from the backside.
Breakout force of backhoe is X amount. (a loader's too)Exceed that and you'll know from the hydraulics complaint , and the equipment tilting.
