I need to bury a gutter drain under a sidewalk

[Birdhunter1]

The sidewalk is approx. 5' wide and I need to bury a 4" pipe under it, and I don't really want to cut the concrete out and repour it.
I've got a few ideas but lets here what the TBN braintrusts come up with.

 

[Birdhunter1]

Idea #1, dig a hole deep enough on each side to stand in and use post hole diggers vertically do dig from each side till I can get the pipe through.

Idead #2: Hammer a steel rod through, weld a ring of some sorts to it on each end, acttach a chain and run it through a length of steel pipe that is sharpened and then hook the chain to the backside of the pipe somehow and then pull it all through with a tractor thus basically taking a core out and then run my pipe.

 

[beenthere]

Rig a pipe (1/2" galv or so) with a short bolt on the 'cutting' end and a 1/2" drive bolt on the other (through a pipe cap) that can be driven by a 1/2" electric drill. Get that through (won't go through rock, but should dirt) and then you can widen the hole any number of ways; by pulling a chain with a knot tied in it back and forth being just one.

Also, your idea of pounding a 1/2" pipe or steel rod through using a maul (probably the easiest).

 

[CurlyDave]

Try some of the methods here Tunnel under sidewalks and driveways .

I have seen devices for using water pressure to tunnel under sidewalks advertised, but have never seen one used.

 

[KennethBrown]

A waterhose with a small tip nozzle on it will cut well. I have a piece of PVC that has a cap with a 1/8 hole in the end and a water hose connection on the other end to do this with. Works well.

 

[Farwell]

I am assuming that you want to go across the 5 foot side walk and not the length.
Using 4 inch by 10 foot ABS plastic sewer pipe with notches/teeth cut in the end, I drove approximately 20 feet under the slab of my small barn. I dug a trench about 15 long and 3 feet deep and started the hole by twisting the pipe as I hammered on the outer end with a small sledge hammer. I would pull the pipe out every foot and clean out the dirt. It took me approximately and hour of driving to get 20 feet of the pipe through. There is a lot of sand in my soil so it was not really too difficult. If I did this for approximately 20 feet, 5 feet should be a snap. Another way I go under concrete is to dig a trench on one side of the slab, get a 1/2 inch copper pipe cut to the length of the hole, in your case about 5 feet, take a hack saw and cut one end of the pipe at a sharp angle and solder a brass nut (a number 10 nut should work) inside the pipe at the base of the angle. On the other end of the pipe solder a fitting that can be threaded onto a garden hose. Fasten the hose to the pipe, turn on the water and pressure wash out a hole under your concrete slab where you want the 4 inch pipe to pass.
Good luck.
Farwell

 

[Birdhunter1]

Thanks guys, I knew I'd get a few creative ways here.

I'll post results and the solution after I get it done (hopefully tomorrow).

If none of the above ideas work then I do have a few hundred rounds for my .30-.30 I could keep firing till one reaches the other side!!!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Dk45_Jeff]

You could try my father in law's technique. A few years ago (not saying how many), when my wife was still in high school, he had the same problem at their town house. His solution was just to run the pipe over the lawn to the edge of the sidewalk and wait until my mother in law got tired of looking at it. She then drafted my wife and they spent a saturday with garden trowels digging a 15' trench, including digging under the sidewalk. They did a pretty good job back filling too, even today the only visible evidence of the drain is the exit hole about three feet below the sidewalk on the hill side.

His technique had a side benefit that worked pretty well for me. My wife doesn't complain about any equipment purchases. He on the other hand still avoids the topic if my mother in law is in ear shot.

 

[EddieWalker]

Use water preasure.

Lowes and Home Depot, plus probably anybody else who sell sprinkler supplies has the ends you glue on PVC pipe to tunnel under sidewalks.

It takes a little time because that dirt is usally very hard and dry, but it works well.

Make sure to dig your ditches on either side deep enough toget the pipe through. I've seen small hole that didn't allow the pipe to remain flat as it went under the sidewalk. If it goes at an angle, it could be fairl deep on the other side when it comes through.

Also make sure your entranch ditch is deep enough to hold all the water that will fill it up. Nothing worse than having to work on it in a pond!!!

Eddie

 

[trippsgirl]

hello thanks to you all for the words about pipe and sidewalks just finished one but stupid me i can't figure out how the elbow end piece goes on the 4 in pipe. it looks like it should go straight up with its slotted cap in to block debris entry...could this be true?? or should i mount it pointing to the side with slotted insert to protect from...??i just can't get it. Help, please