Sixteen Dollar Tractor Bridge

BrokenTrack · Jul 28, 2019

I have been redoing an old house that I have, and redid the driveway with gravel and such. It was no big deal, but I wanted a way to get across the new ditch. I thought about a culvert, but they are ugly, and cost money, so I decided to go with a bridge instead.

I admit that it took me 8 hours to build, but in the end it holds up my tractor/truck just fine, and only cost $16.50 for the long spikes I had to buy. Gathering up the logs did not take too long, but sawing the logs into lumber kind of did, taking the most time. But by noon I was starting to build the bridge.

It is 8 feet long, and 12 feet wide, the bridge resting on cedar supports, with the main beams being 5"x10". These I spaced at 5'-6" wide because my tractor has a 5 foot wide wheel base, and my truck has a 6 foot wheel base, so I split the difference. Over that I put down 3"x6" Hemlock planting, with a 2x4 hemlock spanning the outside edges to keep them from flexing. Over that I put 1 inch spruce boards so I know where to drive and have the main beams under me.

Overall, it was a rewarding project that turned out nice (I think anyway). I have used it now almost daily for a few months and have had no issues with it.

So if anyone has a stream or ditch they need to cross, his might be a cheap and easy way to do it.

EddieWalker · Jul 28, 2019

Never thought of a culvert as being ugly. LOL

Your bridge looks nice. Do you have any humidity there?

lilranch2001 · Jul 28, 2019

Culvert ugly?
I wonder how that wood will hold up in a year or two and start coming apart, how will it look?

flyerdan · Jul 28, 2019

Is that the only access to the property? Just thinking down the line if you ever need a septic or fuel truck with a 20000 lb axle.

searcyfarms · Jul 28, 2019

thats a 5 yr bridge tops in our weather here - nice job and resourceful

1010 · Jul 28, 2019

Looks nice man!

3930dave · Jul 28, 2019

Cedar base will last (relatively speaking) with moderate weights...... excellent performance, esp. given how little $ you have in it.

Counting your time, of course it's worth more, but most of us don't pay ourselves on projects like this

.

Things I don't like about small dia. culverts:

1) Debris, dead critters etc..... often easily accumulates, sometimes not easy to clear out.....

2) Early Spring Melt - often the culvert is frozen solid, to the top.

Your bridge BT, much like what would have been farm-built years-past, does the job for low dollars, and mostly bypasses the problems I just listed.....

:thumbsup: Rgds, D.

Thomas · Jul 28, 2019

That will save time getting from point A to B also crossing ditch by foot with items...plus winter use.

bullbreaker · Jul 28, 2019

Hey BrokenTrack good day Sir ! I hope you didn't get that handle building $16 tractor bridges .

I hope it last Ya's (wooden bridge) and serves it temporary purpose ! I really LIKE your TRACTOR :thumbsup: ! However just a question ? What happened to the top part of your ROPS ? Play Safe

Gordon Gould · Jul 28, 2019

I like that and it is a nice job especially seeing that you sawed out your own lumber. I build stuff out of wood too. Never a bridge yet though but I could use a couple. Wood doesn't last forever but it lasts longer than you would think. These open culverts are good on woods roads because are easy to keep clean.

gg

BrokenTrack · Jul 28, 2019

bullbreaker said:
Hey BrokenTrack good day Sir ! I hope you didn't get that handle building $16 tractor bridges . I hope it last Ya's (wooden bridge) and serves it temporary purpose ! I really LIKE your TRACTOR :thumbsup: ! However just a question ? What happened to the top part of your ROPS ? Play Safe

No, I was clearing land on a mountainside, and went to back up and my left track went zinging back and piled up on my bulldozer blade. I was at the highest point on the mountain of course, and with a 700 John Deere, so it was no small feat to get that tractor fixed. hence the name: BrokenTrack.

But the ROPS did not fit inside my sheep barn! I had to take the ROPS off my bulldozer too, but then, you have to really work hard to flop a bulldozer over!

I have never had to use it though. I did roll the tractor over once, but not enough to flop it on its side. Slowest roll over I ever had. I literally just stepped off the tractor as it laid over. I just hooked on to it with the skidder and put it rubber side down, and I was off running again.

stuckmotor · Jul 28, 2019

Looks nice. How did you saw the lumber?

bullbreaker · Jul 28, 2019

BrokenTrack thanks for response . Thanks for shareing experience and pic (yikes ) , glad your ok ! :thumbsup:

searcyfarms · Jul 28, 2019

here i one i rebuilt two summers ago, i was able to obtain old light poles for material then took them to a sawmill and they make them into 5 inch thick slabs to put down as the floor across the steel beams - this old bridge is on an abandoned road that connects land that used to be my mothers when she was a child and was sold after her parents died, i am fortunate to have gotten to use the land and maintain it for the lady that now owns it for many years - this was very neat for me to get to do as its kind of sentimental and i was able to take my mom down to the old creek/bridge where she used to play as a kid 70 yrs ago - yes we cried and hugged in the middle of the bridge ;-)

15 x 13 feet i believe it was and it was about 12 feet deep in the deepest spot from the bridge to the creek bed.

side view of creek bed before i started

cleaning old bridge decking and dirt.jpg

cleaning dirt and rotted timbers off old deck/beams

cleaned and ready for new timberts/deck

laying new planks

installing treads

treads painted

graded out

rd_macgregor · Jul 31, 2019

With concrete abutments and steel support beams, searcyfarms, you were halfway there! I wish my project was starting from that same point...I need abutments, beams and deck, so a lot more work. Your finished bridge looks really nice.

lilranch2001 · Jul 31, 2019

rd_macgregor said:
With concrete abutments and steel support beams, searcyfarms, you were halfway there! I wish my project was starting from that same point...I need abutments, beams and deck, so a lot more work. Your finished bridge looks really nice.

LOL, exactly what I thought when I saw his post!