Posts
315
Joined
5/24/2023
Location
East Flat Rock, NC
US
The backyard track got a new addition yesterday. Sold my skid steer and bought a John Deere 317G Compact Track Loader. This thing is like a unicorn in the skid steer world. 65hp and lifts more than any 75hp machine out there. And weighs 1000lb less! Transformed a huge stump pile into a freestyle jump next to my track at the house. Launched the 09 KTM150SX a few times to try it out. Ill have to work on my whip skills. Right now, they dont exist. 
Thanks for the down vote. How's it going in Idaho?
Is that rider sitting down in the air?
Looks like a fun little unit. Dirt looks awesome!
Hell yea good for you. Don’t let the haters bother ya.
The Shop
Who gives a guy building a MX jump and riding his MX bike on his own MX track a thumbs down? In a MX forum? On a MX web site?
Whoever you are - Please leave as you're clearly mistaken about what this site is about.
I rented a Deere 333G and I was blown away at how strong it was compared to every other skidsteer/CTL I have run. I've mostly run 60-80 HP class skidsteers or CTL's . But spent thousands of hours in a D5 dozer and 25 ton Cat 320 excavators. Less time in 330's 980 loader, and various other machines. That Deere 333 felt stronger than the old D3 I learned how to run a dozer on. And that Deere 333G pushed like the D5. I was blown away with how strong it was. They seem to have a great design that leverages the power very well.
I want to buy a machine for my property too. I'm torn between a mini/midi excavator and CTL. I like running an excavator more. But building jumps and grading out stuff is faster with a CTL than the size excavator I would get. between 4 ton and 8 ton at the max. I figure with a CTL I could get attachments to do just about anything. I like building trails too though and MTB trails , so an excavator would work better for those.
I love having a little spot to go out and take a break from working and run a few laps on my EMTB or SXS. The Dirt at Your place looks awesome!! Congrats on the sweet machine! You should be able to add a lot more to your track faster and easier with the tracks! It looks nice and clean. Funny thing about my SXS is that it uses the same air filter as Cat CTL's do. I was thinking about how I could run a twin air filter in the Cat if I got one. Or maybe run Cat filters in my SXS.
Enjoy Your little slice of heaven and keep posting about it. There are more people that will be happy for you than there are that will give a thumbs down.
Nah, i have short legs. im only 5-9. But my butt is not on the seat at any point after seat bounce take off.
Haha, thanks man! Im sure i know who the down voter is. He is a regular on here. But, I have a .6 mile track at the house that we have worked on for the last year. Had the place logged off 2 years ago , and have been working on it since. The 317G is amazing so far. I had rented a Kubota SVL75-2 in February last year. I was thinking that was my dream track building machine. Then I saw a couple videos comparing the 317G to other 75hp machines out there. It outdid them all! Found this 2018 with 1600hrs and traded my New Holland L228 in on it a few days ago. Just refacing jumps now takes literally minutes, along with smoothing grades too. All with the enclosed cab and the A/C running in 85 degree NC weather yesterday afternoon! I love it so far. We get a group together every Wednesday afternoon to rip some laps. If i were buying new for track work, this 317G or the 325G would be my choice again!
Sweet!
You can always start with head whips, you know?
See if you can track down a power harrow/rake attachment for that thing and you can rip the track 😎
A friend of mine has the 333G I rented and a 325 he just got new. I want to try the 325 out sometime. I'll be getting something used too.
An enclosed cab is high on my list of wants. I have run into a wasps nest 2 times already while cutting in new sections. I got stung enough I was sick the first time. If somebody was watching , it would have looked funny. I noticed them surrounding me, started to run and felt them stinging me. Took off my shirt and started to swing it around my head to get them away. But there were already a bunch stuck in my pants and t shirt. So I stripped down to my boxers and boots out in the woods. Swinging my shirt around as I ran as far away as possible. After the second time, I started to bring a camera to record any crazy things that happen. And so far I've been safe. I'm thinking of renting a CTL or excavator with a mulching head to widen and clean up some of the area and hide from any more wasps .
I've got just under a mile long loop that I have been working on since I bought the place. A little here and there . It is very densely wooded though, and I've been cutting in a section, trying it out and then widening it up . Avoiding big trees whenever possible so that pulling stumps is not a big process. I burn the hardwood for heat and I plan on using the pine to build something. Benches, bridge, a fort for my sisters kids to play in when they visit, something. I made a hill/jump out of a stump pile too. My land is almost totally flat. About 20 feet of elevation drop/rise over the entire area. I'm making more of a rally style setup than a MX track. There is a highway that is on the other side of my property, so I want to leave as many trees as possible to block the sound from it . When there are leaves on the trees, You can not hear the highway from my house ,out in the yard. But in the winter You can hear the louder vehicles go by.
As a kid and young adult , I've been helping others build tracks and trails . And it still doesn't feel like I'm doing it on my own land . Its strange. The dirt here is awesome , Your dirt looks a little nicer, but I have some pretty good loamy stuff and if I dig down deep I can find some sand or gravel if I need it. I love seeing the tracks and trails people build. And I find myself working on my trails/track more than I ride/drive them.
Got a little butt whip action so far. Bike moves 3-4 inches right , then left before i land . HaHa!
I love track building, now that ive started it for myself. I have a 67 acre hunting property in SC that has a lot of rolling hills and creek crossings. I have a 2.5 mile loop around the perimeter. Most of the trail was there already. Just wide enough for an ATV and perfect for MTB and MX bikes. I will take the bikes and Atv's down in summer a few times to ride a full day. I prefer the track , but this way everyone can ride and have fun too. Not just me. I have only owned tractors in the past. Now that ive had a skid loader for 7 months, its a whole new game.
The dirt at my house in NC is all black , with topsoil going down 3-4' before it hits clay. Great stuff! I have had 20 tri-axle loads of dirt brought in though. Its mostly red dirt, packs down like concrete on the jump face, landings and berms. That way we get a real tacky surface to rip up and the jump faces stay intact too.
Wow that sounds like an amazing property. I've made most of the main trails about 7 feet wide and sections are 16 or more feet wide. I prefer track style riding on dirt bikes and my SXS . So its a track through the woods . I got the EMTB recently and I made a small section of 4' wide trail that is good for the bike. I'll add more sections and hopefully make a loop that is a mix of trail style and bike park style stuff. There are some deer trails I can open up a little that will be good single track. Its not a lot of land that I have , so I'm trying to pack a lot into a little bit of space compared to the 67 acres You have.
I wish I had some real hills though.
Nice! Wish they had a jealous emoji on here!
Love the terrain and soil in western NC compared to the sand in the eastern part.
Mini/midi ex, 30-50hp tractor, and dump trailer is a pretty ideal combo for track building and property/track maintenance as long as you aren't rebuilding jumps all the time.
I was thinking about an excavator and dump trailer. I saw a combo listed on Marketplace. Had a hitch setup on the blade, at first I was wondering why. Then I realized they were using it to move the dump trailer. Something like that might be the way to go. And get a tractor at some point with a ripper and blade. With the right combo of dump trailer and mini, I could even move the mini inside the dump trailer.
I'll keep watching auctions and marketplace and rent every so often for now. Luckily I have a friend that I trade machine rental time with. I letter his stuff , make graphics , design , wrap a vehicle and than I get time on his 5 ton mini , or one of his CTL's when he doesn't have them on a job and I have some spare time. That's one reason I want to buy something. So I could go out for an hour or 2 here and there. And not try and do everything over a weekend or few days.
Nice! I've got a 333D. Super strong machines. Haven't built a track yet but use it move dirt around the property, clear snow, etc. Super handy!
Pit Row
Can't go wrong with a John Deere.
Looks like beautiful dirt. Enjoy! Nothing better than owning your own little slice of heaven
I’ve heard nothing but good things about deer CTL. Proud owner of a Kubota SVL-97, absolutely love it! Building tracks and shaping jumps/berms or tilling perfect dirt is almost as much fun as riding!!
That's a sweet looking berm!! I've got to get better at building those. I can do jumps and whoops pretty good now, but not as much practice on berms.
If you really do want to learn to whip...
Learn to be more upright, chest forward and over the front of the bike as you ride up and off of the jump face.
That requires you to come up the jump slower and roll the throttle on through the jump.
Next, blade out that rut on the jump face and come in from the left or right at about 20° off of the jump axis and turn very slightly up the face of the jump. You're turning a straight jump into almost a hip-jump when you whip.
Try that from both the left and the right... You'll probably find that leaning the bike over on the face is easier in one direction versus the other. As you get more and more comfortable the rear end while naturally start to whip out and you can start to lay the bike down more each time.
A big round landing would give you more room to learn.
Wasn't me dawg. But good to know that you're still obsessed with me. Sorry it affected your life so much when I called you out for being a shit talker for no good reason.
Wanna talk shit on anyones old lady or throw out any veiled threats?
Welcome to vital.
Where the men are babies and every comment or topic can be made toxic in just seconds.
I swear you grown ass men are the biggest bitches.
In my defense, I didn't say or start shit. I only sidetracked it when KHNC called me out for being his hater when it wasn't me. I actually liked his post, with the jump my kid could clear on his 50, and he still has the downvote that he's crying about so......
Maybe your kid can teach you how to jump a 50' jump then. Do you even MX brah?
I MX a hell of a lot better than you based off that jumping photo
*Edit to add* Did you learn how to measure jumps from Catanzaro? If that's 50' then I got a 16" pecker.
Ok Nutbutter, We all know you dont MX at all. Hell, Id be surprised if you even own a true MX bike.
But anyway, better warm up that pecker, the bitches are waiting.
47' 4" from the start of the ramp to the crest of the landing.
21' 9" extension to a second landing at just over 68'. Hopefully your kid on the fiddy can make it. You are always so quick to mouth off. Well , here you go. Somehow , im sure you will find a way to flap your lips about this too. I'll wait.
Post a reply to: JD 317G CTL- New Jump Build