J-Rod hydraulic wing plows

The CAT 299D XHP is the largest frame compact track loader Caterpillar makes in the D-Series line. It runs a 3.8L turbocharged diesel putting out 110 gross horsepower, with a rated operating capacity of 3,100 lbs at 50% tipping load. The XHP (Extra High Pressure) hydraulic package is what sets this machine apart from standard CTLs: 40.5 GPM high-flow auxiliary hydraulics at 4,061 PSI, which means it can run demanding attachments like brush cutters, cold planers, and high-flow mulchers without breaking a sweat. Operating weight sits around 11,500 lbs.

On a typical Truckee jobsite, this machine handles grading, backfill, material loading, snow removal, and brush clearing. The sealed and pressurized cab keeps the operator comfortable at 20 degrees or 95 degrees. The wide undercarriage and rubber tracks distribute ground pressure well enough to run on finished landscapes without tearing them up, which matters when you're working residential sites in neighborhoods where the homeowner is watching from the kitchen window.

The E Kerr LLC 299D runs year-round: excavation and grading April through November, snow removal November through April. Current attachments include a Skid Pro 124-inch hydraulic snow blade/pusher combo, Bobcat sweeper box, Skid Pro angle broom, and Bobcat earth auger with 9-inch, 12-inch, and 18-inch bits. Machine-only rental rate is $65 per hour, with day and project rates available on the rate sheet.

The John Deere 35G is a 3.7-ton class mini excavator powered by a Yanmar 3TNV88 diesel engine producing 24.7 net horsepower. It features zero-tail-swing design, meaning the counterweight stays within the track width during rotation. That matters in tight spaces: alongside buildings, between fence lines, in backyards where every inch counts. Maximum dig depth is 10 feet 2 inches, with a reach of 16 feet 7 inches at ground level.

The 35G is the first machine off the trailer on utility trenching, septic installs, French drains, footer excavation, and small grading jobs. The reduced-radius cab gives the operator good visibility to the bucket while keeping the overall footprint compact enough to work in spaces where a full-size excavator would never fit. It comes with a standard backfill blade that doubles as a stabilizer during deep digging.

Machine-only rental rate is $40 per hour. Like the 299D, day and project rates are on the rate sheet. Both machines are available in the Truckee, Tahoe, and Reno corridor.

Before the bucket goes in the ground, you want to know what's underneath. My team rents ground-penetrating radar units through DirtPrep, our local equipment provider for subsurface scanning. GPR sends radar pulses into the soil and maps what reflects back: water lines, gas mains, electrical conduit, fiber optic, abandoned infrastructure, storm drains, and anything else 811 didn't mark.

In Sierra Nevada soil conditions with granite and decomposed granite, expect reliable detection to 3 to 5 meters. Sandy or clay-heavy soils can scan deeper. The scan results give you a subsurface map before you cut a single inch of dirt, which means fewer utility strikes, fewer change orders, and fewer phone calls nobody wants to make.

GPR is rented on a per-job basis through DirtPrep. It's not an E Kerr LLC service. If your project needs subsurface scanning, reach out and we'll coordinate the rental.

Running equipment at 5,800 feet elevation in Truckee is not the same as running it at sea level in Sacramento. The air is thinner, which means turbocharged diesels lose roughly 3% power per 1,000 feet of elevation. A machine rated at 110 HP at sea level is making closer to 90 HP in Truckee. That affects digging force, pushing power, and cycle times. You compensate by sizing up: where a 75 HP machine handles the job at sea level, you need the 110 HP 299D up here.

Terrain is the other factor. Sierra jobsites mean steep grades, rocky soil, limited access roads, and ground that freezes 18 inches deep in January. Rubber tracks on the 299D handle slopes and soft ground far better than wheels. The 35G's zero-tail-swing lets it work in the narrow trenches between boulders and tree roots that define mountain excavation. Both machines carry ROPS/FOPS certified cabs because falling rocks and overhead hazards are part of the terrain.

Snow season adds another layer. From November through April, the 299D switches to snow duty with the pusher plow, sweeper box, and angle broom. Equipment that sits idle half the year doesn't earn its keep. These machines work 12 months.