How much weight is too much?

[AndyM]

I don't make a regular habit of driving my 8N over my septic field because I figure it weighs too much, being that it's close to 3000 pounds. However, I'm seriously considering the purchase of a TC18, and this will also be my primary mower.

Is a 1400 pound tractor (plus whatever the RFM weighs) too much to regularly drive over my septic field?

What is the general guideline for TOO much weight???

 

[DieselD]

If it sinks, its too much weight
Danny

 

[Docsknotinn]

now that advice stinks /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Dave

 

[TC18guy]

I regularly mow with my TC18. With the turf tires it does not compress the ground much at all. I've tried to flatten mole holes and compact filled areas by driving over them, it only compresses about the top 1" of my soils. Your tile field should be down about 12", the only thing you should really have to watch for is heavy trucks, etc.

 

[pruntyc]

Mine weighs about 1600 without the bushog behind it, and I don't run over mine. I figure I can use my lawn tractor for that small part of what I mow. You know, why take a chance. It may not hurt, but it will cost a lot if it does. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[dmftoy1]

I know septic design varies from region to region, but when I bought this house, the guy who owned it had been mowing for 7 years with a Farmall H (I think it weighs more than an 8n). I figure my 2910 weighs quite a bit less than that H, so I'll just keep on using it to mow. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Just my .02

Regards,
Dave

 

[chrisjbell]

I've been told to keep off the septic tank and leach field completely. The tank can crack - someone posted a pretty interesting picture of a loader that had broken the tank and fallen in a while back. And the leach field gets compacted, reducing the ability to perc.

But I do mow my leach field a couple times a year. I just try to do it rarely.

 

[Soundguy]

While my septic tank is outside the pasture, and away from anything heavier than my riding lawnmower, the drain field is in the front pasture, and i regularly mow over it with my NH 1920 or my 8n.. the 1920 is 3300 plus about 500 for the mower. I've got cacl in the rears on the 1920.. so add a couple hundered too.

I've never had a problem yet.

Soundguy

 

[8561]

I'll relay an experience for you to consider. I built a house about 6 years ago. Due to space limitations, I had an Eljen "In Drain" leach field installed. This system is sort of like a chambered one but is somewhat different. It has manufactured parts that are buried about 12 to 15 inches below ground. After we moved in, I ordered the loam to be delivered. When I got home from work, to my horror, the gravel pit had backed their 10 wheel dump trucks onto the leach bed, sat there and raised the boxes to dump the loam. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Not only are we talking the weight of the back half of the truck, but the entire weight of the loam as they raised the box was on those rear wheels.

I decided to dig up the diverter box and ran a snake down each tube, It ran freely so I figured I would go with it. Assuming I couldn't make the situation any worse, I then used my father's old International TD6 bulldozer with a Drott Skid Shovel with a clamshell bucket to move and spread the loam, driving over the leachfield more times than I can count, with that bulldozer bucket full of dirt.

I lived there trouble free for 5 years and sold the property last year. As a part of the sale, the prospective buyer had a septic inspection done. Two inspectors were there for 4 hours hand digging up different sections of the field. Not a problem to be found. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I guess the point is that that although I'm no engineer, that system I had looked a lot more delicate than a standard pipe and stone bed. I think I can safely say that those dump trucks and certainly that shovel dozer weigh far more than most anything used by a majority of the readers on this site, and I got away with it. I can't speak for anyone else, and please don't come looking for me if you damage your field with your tractor, but I no longer worry about my leach field. I think they are tougher than you might think!

 

[chrisjbell]

<font color="blue"> but I no longer worry about my leach field. I think they are tougher than you might think </font>

That's good to hear. I do mow mine, so if one can handle the weight you're talking about it can certainly handle my little B7300... /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif