Digging stumps with a BX25D

Code54 · May 18, 2014

Today I was working on cleaning up the property some more and figured I really only have one stump left so I may was well take it out. It is sort of on the edge of the woods but figured if I am cleaning up all the downed trees the stump may was well go also. It is maybe 14-15" across so I pulled the BX up and started digging. I was able to rip most of the roots by picking at them with the hoe but two of them were a solid 5" so I cleaned them off with the hoe and just cut them with an axe. Pretty easy really and only took maybe 5 minutes. From start to finish I had about 45 minutes invested and the stump was out.
Now came the one problem - the stump was way to big to load in the bucket of the BX and I figured it was also going to be too heavy for me to lift. Ok, no problem I will go get the other tractor and put the forks on and just take it over to the other side of the property and get rid of it where we are filling in the ravine. Came over with the other machine, scooped it right up and off I went.
At this point I was thinking, sweet, I am going to be done in under and hour and can go work on my rear weight box and mounting the mirrors on the tractor. This is where it all went south. I went down in the ravine and started into a slight 4 wheel skid as the leaves below slid on top of the mud. Thats never good, but I kept it straight and was able to get her stopped in about 10 feet and dumped the stump.
Now getting out became a real chore as I didn't bother putting on a rear implement for weight/traction because the stump was not super heavy. When I went to back up the rears both spun and the fronts spun and dug. I stopped and starting gathering rocks and building up under the tires, would try and back out, spin again and sink more. Well after about an hour and a half of that I was starting to get sideway and in to deep to self extract. I ended up calling my neighbor and we hooked his ｾ ton diesel to it via about 75 feet of straps and pulled it out pretty easily.
At the end of the day a simple project took a bit longer than expected:
Digging stump - 45 minutes
Moving stump - 5 minutes
Getting tractor out - 2 Hours.....

Sorry I didn't get any photos of the tractor stuck - I was too busy thinking I need to get this thing out!

AStanton · May 18, 2014

That sure is a monster stump. I always said, "If you're out there doin it, you will get stuck sooner or later." Here's a pic of my first stump with my first Kubota--a used BX23. The stump was so big, I had to drag it out with a chain.

smitesmash · May 18, 2014

Glax to hear that you're all right.

Years go, when my dad was in the coast guard aux. They had a saying. " five minute of properation could be the difference between an amusing story, and a tragic event.

AStanton · May 18, 2014

Forgot to mention, that I filled the stump hole with this.

KevinN · May 19, 2014

I have used my BX24 to dig out more stumps than I can even remember. I have found with ones that size you can usually pick it up with the hoe and pinch in between the arms with the bucket under it. Make sure to get some extra weight in the FEL bucket for the big ones, otherwise your front tires will have hardly any control.

JRL305 · May 20, 2014

I got my B3200 sunk in the mud a few times like that. I just curl the fel bucket all the way down and force it down into the dirt, then curl it back up as you try to back up the tractor. You only go a few inches at a time but if you time the motions right, you'll get out.

Code54 · May 20, 2014

JRL305 said:
I got my B3200 sunk in the mud a few times like that. I just curl the fel bucket all the way down and force it down into the dirt, then curl it back up as you try to back up the tractor. You only go a few inches at a time but if you time the motions right, you'll get out.

That does normally work but with the forks on I was having no luck with that option. With our terrain it s not too unusual to get stuck but most of the time I can pop it back out but this time I couldn't make any headway. If I had a backhoe I would have been set...... Wonder if the wife will bite off on that one????

CHDinCT · May 20, 2014

So when I read your first post, I was sure you were going to say you pulled out the MX with the BX. Any reason you didn't give that a try - guess you'd need two operators, so perhaps your wife wasn't available. Anyway, all's well that ends well.

Code54 · May 20, 2014

CHDinCT said:
So when I read your first post, I was sure you were going to say you pulled out the MX with the BX. Any reason you didn't give that a try - guess you'd need two operators, so perhaps your wife wasn't available. Anyway, all's well that ends well.

Good guess! The wife was out with the kids so I was kicking around using the BX backhoe and to pull the strap but I was so far over the edge I figured I would just slide the BX or something would slip and the MX would head deeper in. I knew my neighbor/friend was home and could get pretty close with a truck so I figured I was set. I have to admit I was sort of wondering if the BX would pull it out - pretty sure it could have. That BX is pretty darn impressive for the size!