Implement Advice Needed

[Scotty Dive]

Folks...

I have a very steep hill on my property - at some points is almost 45 degrees.

What I was trying to do this weekend was angle my back blade using the lift arm adjustment and back into the side of the hill to pull material forward and build a path that is more horizontal so I can travel across the steep part of the hill - like terracing. I didn't have much luck scraping a horizontal path especially with the New England rocks that the blade kept finding.

Is there an implement that might make this job easier? I saw a video of using a box blade to dig a trench (which is sort of what I am trying to do) I just wonder about the tines just skipping over the large rocks.

Also - after getting my tractor stuck in wetlands area of my property (and it rained 3 + inches the night before) I broke my cheap HF come along. I am in need of a high quality winching system in case this happens again - and it will!!!! Anyone know of a better way than a come along to pull out a tractor or a high quality USA manufactured come along?

 

[deepNdirt]

Compacted soil is always difficult to move, especially with only the use of a scrape blade, I use a plow or disk harrow to get the soil broken up first, usually a couple of passes with a plow will get the harden surface crust loose enough to move, you can probably still use the scrape blade as you were although a box scrape would be a more Beneficial tool to own, a Box Scrape has scarifier teeth that will help to break up the soil and move it all in one pass, If once owning a box scrape you will find multiple uses for this tool,
I bet I have moved hundreds tons of soil with only the use of a box scrap
As for a way to pull the tractor out from being stuck in the mud and you stated having to do this frequently,
Perhaps you should invest into an electric wench for the tractor, actually there is a portable unit that can be hooked onto either front or rear,

 

[Scotty Dive]

I was thinking about an electric winch but I doubt the dynamo/battery would be able to handle the amp draw for very long. I guess I could bring a spare charged battery down to where I get stuck....

I am heading to an Ag auction in a few weeks - hopefully they will have a box blade I can pick up reasonable. What should I look for?

 

[winston1]

Here is mine. Not been tested in a real situation. Did run it playing around for several pulls. Definitely think your battery should have enough juice to get you out of a mud hole. I have it wire up where I can just plug it in when needed. Not sure the winch is big enough. It is this one from Harbor Freight. Camouflage 12 Volt 3000 Lb. Capacity Wireless Remote Controlled Portable Winch with Roller Fairlead Mounted on this. Hitch Mount Vise Plate I think I gave $49 or $59 for the winch with a saver coupon.

 

[284 International]

What about trying a tool bar or Keulavator frame with a ripping shank or two on the side you're trying to cut the hillside with? If the rocks are really big you'll be stuck no matter what, but with only one or two of the rippers the tractor may be able to power through, or pull the rock to the top. Do as many passes as needed to get some loose spoil, then use the blade to pull it out and level it.

Something like that would be easy and cheap to make, or purchase. I'm thinking of something like a subsoiler, but maybe not as deep, with the ripper offset to one side. I've done that to cut trenches where I can't get the tractor to straddle the path I need.

 

[deepNdirt]

Most of the better made Box scraps will have cutting edges on both side of the rear of the box, this is good when needing to pull or push when moving dirt,
I prefer to use the kind that has only the inside cutting edge,
can drag the soil to the location and then back-blade/ or push backward over the soil to buildup and smooth over, while if having an outer blade it gets more difficult to regulate the adjustment of the blade to keep from pushing the soil again, I suppose it would depend on the need you have? I got this Box scrap as a package deal when buying my Kubota, I'm sure it was an el-cheap-o although has last me 12 years through vigorous use, I thought about buying a heavier duty with double edge blades,
although after borrowing one and using it for a day I soon realized this was not the kind I needed to own and use with the size tractor I had,
here are the 2 options available, Note: the one with the outside cutting edge, and mine with no outer cutting edge, I'm sure you can see how much easier it would be to smooth without the edge when pushing backward,:thumbsup:
if you look hard enough to the left side of my Box scrape you will See 2 holes along the lower edge, It has another set of holes on the right side as well, I drilled these holes so that I can attach a spade cutting blade to either side when needing to cut trenches, I fist start out with using the spade and making several passes to establish the line of the trench, I then remove the spade and lower the corner of the box into the cut soil and pull,
You could do this as well when needing to dig down only one side of a hill to level a pathway,

 

[Scotty Dive]

I have a Cat 0 bottom plow I was thinking of doing something like that Keulavator frame would do...trying to offset it.

Keep the ideas coming!

 

[Egon]

Sidehill:
Use the bucket. First thing is to make a level spot where you plan to start. Then hook the inside corner of the bucket and dig out some dirt. Dump this dirt on the downhill side. Keep doing this but do not advance ahead until you have dug out enough dirt to extend the original level start. Just keep repeating the procedure and make sure the base your tractor is sitting on is kept level.

Note: Level means a horizontal road surface. The steepness will vary as to where you wish the road to go.

The first part is difficult. As you progress it gets easier.

Caution: The dumped dirt on the side will be loose so use caution as you drive the tractor on it. Basically keep the rear wheels on the level semi packed surface you are making.

 

[California]

Here is mine.

It is this one from Harbor Freight. Camouflage 12 Volt 3000 Lb. Capacity Wireless Remote Controlled Portable Winch with Roller Fairlead Mounted on this. Hitch Mount Vise Plate

I have the HF Camo Winch too. I don't know if it would pull a stuck tractor alone, but with the line doubled I think it would give enough assist to help the tractor drive itself out of trouble.

They often advertise it at $59, occasionally at $49. Well worth it.

In my light use, it hardly draws this auxiliary battery down at all.

More description of my trailer lift.

 

[California]

Sidehill:
Use the bucket. First thing is to make a level spot where you plan to start. Then hook the inside corner of the bucket and dig out some dirt. Dump this dirt on the downhill side. Keep doing this but do not advance ahead until you have dug out enough dirt to extend the original level start.

Egon speaks from experience. Listen to him.



From the textbooks, no personal experience here. This might give you some ideas:
Moving the Earth, the classic on earthmoving, says use a bulldozer and drive downhill at right angles to your intended road cut. Cut and push material forward from the uphill side of the road to fill the downhill side. Move the crawler a few feet sideways, repeat....

 

[shawnjvl]

http://images.harborfreight.com/cpi/emails/1611/b_retail/16C_Facebook.html
Heres a 20% coupon and a sale on a winch.

 

[Ginormous]

thanks!

 

[Scotty Dive]

I have a 2000 lb superwinch. I have used it to haul my Jeep onto a trailer. It struggles with it on the ramp part and there is no way it would get a stuck tractor out. I am hesitant that a HF 3000 lb would do much better....anyone have any luck?

I am considering as larger winch...HF has a 8000 lb one....that might be a good investment....not sure though

 

[deepNdirt]

forget the winch, we need this tractor
YouTube - Kubota 4x4 demonstration

 

[Boeing]

Scotty, give some thought to buying a pulley and hooking it on your 2000# winches line. Look at reply #4 (winston),the photos are showing his winch bolted on a vice mount with the multiplying pulley. The pulley would double your pulling capacity......it does take twice the line though.:thumbsup:

 

[rScotty]

Our little tractors just don't do this job all that well. I've built several woodland roads and the key for me seems to be to hire a guy with a small bulldozer to make the road and then use the tractor to improve it. Price for a guy with a dozer is surprisingly reasonable. And building roads is what they do well.
rScotty

 

[Boeing]

Fellas, help me muddle thru this one....I almost got stuck last month with my tractor....so I just bought a winch...and pulleys.:thumbsup:
BUT......I recall years ago when a different tractor decided that it would not start. A new battery did not help so I called the dealer who sent a trailer around and picked it up. I wasn't there to witness this and they charged a $400 transport fee. Now I have a trailer so if that happened again, HOW do you winch a dead tractor up onto a trailer? The tractor has a FEL which if dead would be full down and dragging. If a winch were attached at the REAR of the tractor on a "tow" bar attachment could a winch drag it up onto a trailer....sure would be alot of weight going up that ramp? Thoughts here? my whole career has been preparing for things that you hope will never happen

 

[winston1]

Might be considerable work but I don't see why you couldn't jack your loader up in stages by jacking, pull control valve lift handle to allow it to raise, release it while re setting jack, etc. Loader in air will make the task much easier. Not sure that will even work, never tried it. Don't know what size trailer you have so that will be the extent of my opinion for now.

 

[284 International]

Boeing, I've lifted the bucket just as Winston suggested on a dead tractor. Get pressure applied upward, whether by a jack underneath it, or a board on a fulcrum. Pull the lift control for the loader, and it will go up, repeat as needed. I bought a little Kubota B6000 that was dead, and needed to winch it out of a horse stall around a 90 degree corner. I finally got it where I could reach it the front of the machine, and was able to lift the bucket by hand enough to do this, until I could reach it with a set of jumper cables and spin the motor to power the pump.

If the tractor will crank, but not start, just spin the engine and the hydraulics will all work. Make sure to raise any implement on the back too, obviously, before the battery goes dead.

If you're dragging it on backwards with the bucket down, as it starts to go up the ramps it will start running on the bucket-pull the lift control and it will float up.

With a rolling load, a good sized winch should pull anything you can trailer behind a regular pickup up a set of ramps. With a 2:1 block it should be no sweat at all, but may take awhile to get it close enough.

If you can't get the bucket to raise, or don't have a jack, once the cable is wormed underneath the bucket, when you apply tension on the cable you can work the controls of the loader and it will be pushed upward by the cable.

 

[Boeing]

OK, thanks Winston and International.....that's what I needed. Hopefully I'll NEVER have to deal with this but it feels good KNOWING that there is a way.
Thanks again.....Happy Bunny