Kubota Swimming

[HR_Mutt]

RPM
LOL! That's a beauty/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gifWish I had a river to cross with a tractor project on the other side.Then I could take it up into the mountains in the background and do some leveling.
Mutt

 

[HR_Mutt]

JeffInDaUP
a recent pic posted elsewhere on TBN

 

[frank_f15]

jeff, i personally would not do it.i think a short time in water would not be a problem, but what happens if u get stuck? then it is just sitting there in water, and a totally different ball game. i adhere to murphys law # 7 IF ANYTHING CAN GO WRONG -- IT WILL.. just consertive me/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[JeffInDaUP]

Getting stuck is not a concern(given the current conditions). During early June when the water was still high with snowmelt and lots of rain(takes a month or two to disappear), I crossed a similar water hole that had the distance, but not the depth-somewhere a little over a foot. Same type of bottom though, hard sand with a silty muck layer(1-2"), and, I crossed it carrying my 17hp riding lawn mower with the FEL to mow a patch of clover on the other side and I crossed it while carrying 1300#'s of lime in the FEL, and 700#'s in the broadcaster. Tires didn't even come close to spinning while just skimming the water with the lawn tractor tires to keep a low center of gravity. I also know how hard the bottom is because I had to pound a 2' piece of re-rod into the bottom and it took a little umph with a 5# mallet. So....I appreciate all the comments but I'm still not sure what I will do. I will cross it, but maybe by bridge, or maybe by tractor. Will probably cross with ATV first to get a feel for the bottom, see how much the dry weather has lowered the water level, and talk to the dozer/backhoe operator to make my final decision. Sounds like most people are concerned about getting stuck, I'm more concerned with damaging the tractor with a 10 second, 2' soaking-waranted concern??? Thanks for all the input, and if I get into trouble on this one I'll be sure to include the pictures for everyone's viewing pleasure.
Thanks again!

Jeff...MI.

 

[r0GuE]

Just a thought, if it's only going to be a few seconds, why not buy some heavy plastic and duct tape and wrap everything up.
Don't contaminate it, LAMINATE IT!!!!

Rogue

 

[JeffInDaUP]

Rogue,
If that's all I need to do-I'd be happy to do it, like I said, it's only for twice a year at the most. My main concern is getting something wet(or soaked) that shouldn't be, and how or what to cover. If I thought there was a chance of getting stuck, I wouldn't consider it, but if you guys new how hard the sand is around here, and how much of it there actually is, you would see how easy it is to drive through it, even with water covering it. I have a spot on one of the logging trails that has had water covering it for the past 3 years for a distance of about 150'. I have never been close to getting stuck with my Honda Foreman in this spot-even while carrying 4 adults at one time, but the water is barely over a foot. I have been stuck in other areas with the ATV that the tractor had no trouble in, so I usually would trust the fact that if the ATV made it, the tractor would cross it even better-especially with solid ground somewhere on the bottom.

We will see what happens!!

Jeff...MI.

 

[r0GuE]

When we mountain bike, we cross through boggie areas by traversing low streams and creeks. The ground under the water is much firmer than the mud on either side.

Rogue

 

[JeffInDaUP]

HR Mutt was wondering about this a while back, but just wanted to update everyone-I didn't sink her!

Actually, working with her all summer, and into the fall, clearing food plots, planting, tilling, spreading lime, maintaining logging roads, carrying whatever, and a bunch of other real important tasks(well, I guess some were more fun, than important), it basically boiled down to I really didn't want to risk hurting her.

Sorry, no great, embarrassing, swamped pictures or anything for all to enjoy, but I ended up adding an acre to an existing plot, almost to the water's edge of the proposed crossing. That crossing has been a constant battle since last summer because of a beaver that insists on creating a dam in that same location. I tear it down, it builds it back up. I guess the beaver wins for now-for the time being anyways!

That 4610 has been better than expected! Plowing snow with the FEL has been a peice of cake, and the FEL made a nice hill for my nephews to sled down-definitely worth the $30,000 right there-well, just about!

She's been sitting pretty idle because of the light winter we are having, I think I've only put 10 hours on her since September, but she is leading a nice, sheltered, safe, life in the garage-bet she can't wait to get out and attack the dirt!!

Looking forward to getting back on the board for spring time. Between the whitetail hunting in 3 states, field trialing and hunting with beagles, habitat improvement on my property, archery competition around the country, a 14 month old and another due in May, I still think I can manage some time on the best tractor site on the web! Looking forward to it!

Talk to you guys later!!

Jeff...U.P. of Michigan.

 

[HR_Mutt]

Jeff
Welcome Back/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif, and you know I was afraid(without seeing pics) that you'd sink it! Not sure from your post....did you actually cross the river?
Mutt

 

[JeffInDaUP]

I ended up basically "chickening out". I still made a new food plot, but the plot extended from an existing one up to the original crossing area-much safer! It added an acre for me, and that way I didn't have to deal with that dam building beaver, or the water crossing.

I guess if all the comments would have been along the lines of "no problem", "that's pretty shallow", or "you have at least a foot and a half", I would have felt pretty confident. But some of the comments gave me enough doubt-justified or not-to not risk swamping her.

I'm really hoping I get a good 30 years+ with the L4610, it does everything I need, and then some. I can see it being quite a while before I'd need to upgrade!

Thanks for the help.

Jeff...U.P. of Michigan.

 

[frank_f15]

jeff: glad u used the common sense approach. glad to see u back, been a rather mild winter down here also, lake erie is not even froze, excepth for the wicked 7 ft. we had over the christmas holidays not much snow after that. also waiting to get out , but will be a few months yet before it is dry enough. how did u make out in archery competion? been A VERY LONG TIME since i shot competion.

 

[Joeinindy]

I also run Beagles in field trials, though not as much as I used to. Do you run AKC or ?.

 

[JeffInDaUP]

I run in AKC large and small pack-13" females. Actually went to a field trial in Northern Indiana last May or June. Have you heard of the Burcelousis(sp?) outbreak in KY this year? I'm a little afraid to go south this year for any trials.

This year I was able to get a Factory Pro Sponsorship from Mathews archery. I've been shooting their bows for 8 years, and won a few national championships with them, but was still pretty lucky to get a sponsorship. This is my rookie season in the pro class, so we'll see what happens.

Jeff...U.P. of Michigan

 

[Bob_Trevithick]

Hi Jeff,

<font color=blue>... but I'm still not sure what I will do. I will cross it, but maybe by bridge, or maybe by tractor.</font color=blue>

Probably a silly and non-cost-effective idea, but could you build a bridge that could handle the tractor driving across it? Or maybe just buy or find a metal ramp of some kind that could just be layed across? If you built something, it would take some engineering, but maybe it would be worth it? Being able to just drive across and not worry about the tractor would seem a big plus.

Just a thot. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Bob

 

[JeffInDaUP]

Bob,

I actually chickened out in that spot, but I'm building a bridge in another. I'm using 25' Tamerack trees-12" at base, and 8" at 25'. I'm placing 2 on the left, 1 in the middle, and 2 on the right. They will lay on 2 railroad ties on both ends. The 2 tameracks on either side will will be bound together by cable, and I have some creosote treated 4x6's in 5' to 7' lengths that will be staggered accross the bridge to build a base. Then treated planks will be used on both sides-over the outside logs, for runners.

The center of the connected outside trees will be 6'-the width of the tractor. The middle trunk offers further support, and nothing will be actually be sunk into the creek, or bank. The actual creek width is around 13', so a little more than 5' will cover the bank on each side.

This is how the loggers build their bridges in the woods, they are considered "temporary". Most of the loggers don't have the luxury of using Tameracks, and they use cedar posts and dirt as a base.

The logger that completes my dozer work helped me design the bridge, and he offered to take his dozer over first to make sure of the strength. Nice guy!!

Jeff...U.P. of Michigan.

 

[MarkV]

Jeff,
I have seen the type of bridge you described many times and it should work well for what you need. I don’t know if your stream ever floods, but around here they often attach each end of the bridge to a tree with a length of cable. That way if the river floods the bridge does not end up down stream someplace it just floats until the water level goes down.

MarkV