Rebar cattleguard

[slowa]

I want to build my dream home for $50/sq ft but it isn't likely to happen.

This is a grate for a truck to drive over and keep cattle from walking on.

 

[slowa]

6x12!!!!
Ain't gonna happen with that design.
Keep in mind anything you lay on top of that pit has to be completely self supporting and any bolting you do is only to keep it from vibrating out of place.

You can't just stack some concrete blocks up for a foundation wall on a road way.

Have you thought about just putting a gate in?

There is a gate, but I am tasked with putting an electric opener on it, so the owner can get in and out without suffering the weather. In case the opener malfunctions, there has to be a grate in place.

That span is ridiculous, I agree. That is why I am asking for advice on how to improve it (without adding a bunch of expensive steel).

 

[Rock knocker]

If you're not the owner, why do you care how much it costs to do it right? Cutting corners will only result in liability to you or others.

 

[slowa]

Would storm inlet grates work for your use? They aren't cheap, but if you contact some road builders, they probably have some in there bone yards. They can be hard to scrap (need a letter from city/county Public Works departments) and often road builders will have some old ones around. I would support them on 8" wide reinforced concrete footer, that locks them in; not CMUs.

I was trying to avoid scrap yards, not because I am against re-use, but for repeatability. In case I need to put in more of these, which is likely the case. The specifications for cattle guards I read everywhere is 4 inch gaps between bars. I will call around to the road guys to get an idea for price and availability. Thank you.

 

[Renze]

That span is ridiculous, I agree. That is why I am asking for advice on how to improve it (without adding a bunch of expensive steel).

You need to truss it like \/\/\/\/ with lots of these rebar, and do that every 15 inch so theres allways a truss underneath the truck wheels. Then add a similar truss crosswise in the middle so you wont roll it out and the ends stick up. And these need to be full penetrating welds.

If trusses are too much work for you, you need to weld I or C channel underneath it of at least 8 inches high. These could probably sit on a concrete bottom of this pit so they dont take any bend strain anymore.

 

[slowa]

If you're not the owner, why do you care how much it costs to do it right? Cutting corners will only result in liability to you or others.

I am asking for advice because I want to make something affordable, functional and safe. Plain and simple.

 

[RickB]

I want to build my dream home for $50/sq ft but it isn't likely to happen.

This is a grate for a truck to drive over and keep cattle from walking on.

My point is there is no free lunch. You build something like your first posted design, somebody will own you. Not sure why you refuse to understand that.

 

[Rock knocker]

The prefab guards are thousands of dollars. Thus the search for a better DIY plan.

Certainly not "thousands" as in plural. More like fourteen hundred
American Fence & Supply Co., Inc. E-Store

 

[slowa]

You need to truss it like \/\/\/\/ with lots of these rebar, and do that every 15 inch so theres allways a truss underneath the truck wheels. Then add a similar truss crosswise in the middle so you wont roll it out and the ends stick up. And these need to be full penetrating welds.

If trusses are too much work for you, you need to weld I or C channel underneath it of at least 8 inches high. These could probably sit on a concrete bottom of this pit so they dont take any bend strain anymore.

The truss is a great idea. I wonder if I could build up concrete walls in place of the I beams you mention.

 

[slowa]

Certainly not "thousands" as in plural. More like fourteen hundred
American Fence & Supply Co., Inc. E-Store

Certainly would be a lot easier... I am getting a freight quote.

 

[Rock knocker]

There probably locals who could do it for the same sans freight

 

[rtimgray]

I've always built my cattle guards from scavenged pipes or tubes (which I know the OP is trying to avoid for repeatability, and I completely understand that). I've had lots of concrete (no cement) trucks come over mine with no problem, but that's because I'm not spanning a pit with it - I always placed steel beams/tubing underneath the wheel track of where large trucks tires are located, and it sets on poured concrete footers. Neither here nor there...

...another option, that some of my neighbors use, is to make them completely out of 4x6 and 6x6 treated timbers. Basically, they dig a hole, lay 6x6's parallel with the edges of the pit and spaced so that they will be under the tires of vehicles passing over them, then lay 4x6's on edge on top (perpendicular to them and lag screw them to the 6x6 sleepers. Treated 2x12's enclose the pit area and they backfill with gravel. I think some of them have a 4" pvc pipe draining the water out, others don't because they are the low point, and water just sits in them til it absorbs or evaporates. At any rate, their cattle don't cross them, and they don't seem to care if it's wood or metal or cement or concrete.

Just an alternate idea.

Good luck and take care.

 

[7879fordman]

The best thing to use is drill stem . That's what we make them with . Couple 100 bucks and ya got a super strong cattle guard .

Sent from my iPhone 5 using TractorByNet

 

[blueriver]

9 out of 10 of us here in Oklahoma have these and most of us build our own .. 7' by 16' is common .. The unit is premade in the shop .. 4 pipes 6-8 inches diameter cut 7' long and spaced equally ... then 2 n 3/8 pipe 16' long placed 6" o/c ... Welded to the larger pipe ... Wala one cattle guard!!!

Yes it cost a little .. About $700 bucks plus you gotta weld it .. We drive "cement" trucks on them ... once I had a concrete truck come in !!!

 

[rsallen]

Ya'll ain't gonna let me live down my ceement truck are ya. lol

 

[7879fordman]

9 out of 10 of us here in Oklahoma have these and most of us build our own .. 7' by 16' is common .. The unit is premade in the shop .. 4 pipes 6-8 inches diameter cut 7' long and spaced equally ... then 2 n 3/8 pipe 16' long placed 6" o/c ... Welded to the larger pipe ... Wala one cattle guard!!!

Yes it cost a little .. About $700 bucks plus you gotta weld it .. We drive "cement" trucks on them ... once I had a concrete truck come in !!!

This is how ours are build also . But cheaper steal prices apparently .

We have loaded feed trucks 80,000 pounds . cross ours weekly .

Sent from my iPhone 5 using TractorByNet

 

[blueriver]

This is how ours are build also . But cheaper steal prices apparently . We have loaded feed trucks 80,000 pounds . cross ours weekly . Sent from my iPhone 5 using TractorByNet

I haven't bought any 4-6 inch lately .. 2 n 3/8 cost about $1.30 a ft ... 16' would be $21 about $300 for the top .. I was just guessing on the 4/6 inch .. Yes I was probably high .. Maybe more like $500 for the project ... We have hauled dozers in on lowboys and all is well

To the OP .. If you have no place to buy used lengths of pipe check scrap yards for pipe

 

[blueriver]

Ya'll ain't gonna let me live down my ceement truck are ya. lol

Listen it's not everyday we can pick on someone for a simple play on words .. I think we all know what you meant .. Just hadn't heard "Ceeement" truck in a long time!!!

 

[CNC Dan]

Ya'll ain't gonna let me live down my ceement truck are ya. lol

That's not so bad. I once saw:
'seament' truck.

 

[rtimgray]

That's not so bad. I once saw:
'seament' truck.

I once saw somebody spell "Voila" - Wala...at least, that's what I assumed they meant..

heehee