Ice-Wheely

[njrqs]

OOh dear.

We don't have ice but I did that in mud and it wasn't fun.

I hope you get it out soon.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I second the suggestion of get it out of there immediately. One of my neighbors had a old ford tractor buried to its belly in a field. The next day he took his other tractor out to pull it out and buried that one to its belly. They both sat there the rest of the winter froze in the ground.

 

[beenthere]

Wishing you the best of luck, and do hope the front end doesn't drop through the ice before you get it out, or worse yet, one side goes through the ice (building a platform under it may help) and the tractor tips on its side. I would have more than one come-along or winch tied to this when trying to remove it.

So far, I think you have been lucky with your efforts to get it out. Keep up the lucky streak.

Not a pretty sight, and ice under snow doesn't get too thick, as you already know.

 

[powershop]

If you can clear the ice away for the rear. Pull the pins or unbolt the pins and leave the grader box till spring, but get the tractor out!

 

[JohnMiller3]

<font color=blue>...Does anyone have other ideas?...</font color=blue>

Hi Chris,

I sure hope you're out by now... /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

I don't know exactly what part of Upstate NY you're at... but our sub-zero temps the last few days (-12F Sat) will be a disaster for ya... unless you quickly bite the bullet and get a tow/recovery rig out there immediately... /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

 

[RoyJackson]

Back when I was running a backhoe, we ended up using a jackhammer (with a spade type blade) to break up frozen ground. Looks like your rear wheels may be to that point now.
With turf tires and about 400-600 pounds of box blade, it's gonna be tough getting adequate traction.
One of the guys said to unhook the box blade. That is probably a good idea if you haven't done it by now.
Once you get the tractor out, you can light a fire around the blade blade to loosen up the ice, then pull it out with the tractor.
<font color=red>SAFETY FIRST!!!</font color=red>

 

[Buck]

Thanks everybody for the suggestions and empathy. Yesterday I axed the ice, I broke the winch and unsuccessfully used my pick-up to pull it out. (Incidentally the ice that I broke up when the incident occurred measured out at 5.5 inches thick.)

This afternoon my neighbor is bringing over his backhoe. Recall that the ice formed over a drainage area. The reason that the area was not draining was that my neighbor put in a road to move dirt that was excavated from his pond; This formed a dam that cause the drainage system to become a small shallow skating rink that both my neighbor and I thought we'd keep for the kids this winter. Thus, one of the options is to break the dam.

Attached is another view of the disaster, my neighbors house is in the background. Note the thickness of the ice.

Thanks again and I will let you know how things work out!

Buck

 

[MossRoad]

I'd get that rear end and wheel bearings looked at as soon as possible(any other part that was under, for that matter) Being submerged for that long, water has most likely infiltrated everything. I wouldn't drive it until it has been disassembled, cleaned and re-lubed.

Let us know how it turns out.

 

[RobS]

Best of luck to you Buck. You've got a great shot at the years best stuck award if that's any consolation to your situation /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Buck]

Re: Ice-Wheely-SUCCESS!

My neighbor brought not a backhoe, but an excavator and an operator. Was like watching a neurosurgeon the way he expertly and effortless broke up the ice in strategic locations with a bucket the size of the tractors back half.

Here is a shot of the rescued tractor in front of my pole barn.

She is currently in my heated garage (special treatment tonight) getting heated up for a full fluid change (MossRoad) and prepped for the TBN Best-Stuck (RobS) award.

Thanks again, all...

Buck