3 Point PTO Trencher

[Fishin-4-a-Livin]

I have been looking at used ride on, diesel powered Ditch Witch and Vermeer trenchers.

I will be running lines over a period of a few years and my place is long way from the nearest rental place.

I’m getting tons of good info in this thread. I appreciate the input from everyone.

 

[workinonit]

I went to look over some ag equipment that is selling this weekend on a farm sale near me. They have 2 SSQA hydraulic driven trenches opn there. They looked new and likely Chuna made stuff. Wouldn't be hard at all to make them 3 PH or global hook up for the FEL. Ant stabs at what those things would be worth?

 

[LD1]

You show a kubota slv75. Have you considered a skidloader trencher?

 

[Fishin-4-a-Livin]

You show a kubota slv75. Have you considered a skidloader trencher?

That was the first thing I checked into.

From what i gathered from several different forums is that the skid steer trencher is almost worthless. Supposedly extremely slow and diff to do pulling it while driving backwards.

 

[D2Cat]

Might keep an eye open for an older trencher. I have a Ditch Witch R40 with backhoe and 6 way blade. Had a boom that would dig 6' but I shortened it because it wasn't needed. Too handy to ever part with.

 

[Fishin-4-a-Livin]

Might keep an eye open for an older trencher. I have a Ditch Witch R40 with backhoe and 6 way blade. Had a boom that would dig 6' but I shortened it because it wasn't needed. Too handy to ever part with.

I have seen a few of those for sale, prices vary depending on the shape.

That machine is on my short list.

 

[D2Cat]

Be aware a typical full size trencher will cut a ditch about 6" wide, however you can get spacers that bolt to the existing teeth bolts and widen the cutting width up to at least 12". When using a bar that cuts 36-40" deep you only need about three sets of spacers.

A note to anyone burying a utility line with a specified depth of bury that will be inspected, that dimension is to the TOP of the conduit or direct bury wire. Always dig deep enough to meet that spec!

 

[Tony H]

I have a mini excavator but I have a whole bunch of trenching to do for water and power lines. The power company says they need to be 4 feet deep, but that seems a little overkill. 3 feet my be deeper than need be?

Some of the runs are going to be hundreds of feet. I didn’t know if a dedicated trencher or a trencher attachment would be faster

Let me throw in a disclaimer here….

I have been around big equipment my entire adult life, it’s just been on the water, not on dry land. So all of this is new to me and kinda learning as I go.

So I am all ears right now.

Wow, power, by me needs to be 30" by UL standards I ran my power from the pole to house 3 years ago. 300+'. I used my backhoe. Backfilled a bit and put in phone line. Same hole but kept it 12" away from power to eliminate EMI noise thru the phone. Both were in conduit. Do not try to pull that heavy gauge thru conduit. The scale by me will cut thru 'direct bury' cable so we put the cable in the hole and slid conduit over-the-counter cable. Not fun.