Pulling Rocks with M7040 (w/ video)

[mdelmarcelle]

Just posted a new video to YouTube of me pulling rocks out of the woods using my metal sled and my Kubota M7040. Maybe about 1500lbs of rocks.

Only folks that truly appreciate tractors will enjoy this video. All other normal folks will quickly realize that this was a complete waste of digital video camera.

Pulling rocks with Kubota M7040 - YouTube

 

[TripleR]

Nothing quite like working in the woods especially with family.:thumbsup:

 

[ccdck20hst]

Nice video. Moving rocks can be fun and gratifying. A few questions come to mind. How did you make that rock sled and what gauge metal or type of metal is it made of? What is your tow point on the sled? I have a small yard but it is filled with rocks many of which I need to move with my Kioti CK20 TLB (already built a 140 foot stone wall) Several must weigh more than 2,000 lbs and dragging them on a heavy duty steel sled seems to be the best option. I am thinking quarter inch steel diamond plate. Happy tractoring!

 

[blueriver]

Why are you hauling rocks out of the woods? Clearing an area? Selling the rocks?

 

[Kyle241]

Very cool! Can you come get my rocks??? I have so many I have been trying to think what to do with them. Building a stone wall is one option but a lot of work even with a tractor! If only I could sell them, that would make it worth it.

 

[nspec]

One question...Why not just put those in the loader bucker? I've carried way bigger rocks than that in the bucket of my 2630.

 

[mdelmarcelle]

Nice video. Moving rocks can be fun and gratifying. A few questions come to mind. How did you make that rock sled and what gauge metal or type of metal is it made of? What is your tow point on the sled? I have a small yard but it is filled with rocks many of which I need to move with my Kioti CK20 TLB (already built a 140 foot stone wall) Several must weigh more than 2,000 lbs and dragging them on a heavy duty steel sled seems to be the best option. I am thinking quarter inch steel diamond plate. Happy tractoring!

Thanks! Yeah, a tractor can make short work of this stuff.

I actually found the sled. My father in law had it in his woods. He passed away about 5 years ago, so I can't ask him where he got it. But it was simply a metal container, about 6 feet long, about 2 1/2 feet wide and about 6 or 8 inches deep. The sides of it were 90 degree walls and the front and back are sloped about 45 degrees. It's made out of smooth sheet metal, about an 1/8th of an inch thick. It's heavy, but not so heavy that I can't reposition it by pulling on one end of it. I'm guessing it weighs about 150lbs. I simply bolted a heavy chain to the front of it, making a loop from one front corner to the other front corner. I don't think I'd need or want it to be any thicker. As it is, it flexes with a full load to adapt to the contour of the land as I pull it. Any thicker and I think the sled would have a tendency to bend but not flex.

Over the years I've pulled some really heavy rocks with this (>3000lbs). Those rocks bent up the sled a bit, but it still works fine and makes pulling much easier. I just bought the kubota recently, but before that I had an old Massey Harris MH50, bout 35hp. I could pull much heavier rocks with the sled than I could just dragging the rocks on the ground. And it would do less damage to the ground.

 

[mdelmarcelle]

Why are you hauling rocks out of the woods? Clearing an area? Selling the rocks?

I use the rocks for landscaping around the house. The latest project was an arbor and pond with a waterfall. I posted a video on that yesterday where you can see the tractor parked with the rock sled after pulling the rocks shown in this video.

Kubota built giant arbor and small pond (inc. Video) - TractorByNet.com

 

[mdelmarcelle]

One question...Why not just put those in the loader bucker? I've carried way bigger rocks than that in the bucket of my 2630.

I could do it that way and I have done that with smaller rocks, filling the bucket up. It would have no problem lifting these. I just don't want to scratch and dent up the bucket if this works just as well. When I was loading it with smaller rocks, I lined the bucket with cardboard to minimize damage.

For the larger rocks, I hook a strap to the bucket and sinch the strap to the rock to lift and position it. I'll take some pictures/videos of that today maybe and post it.

 

[blueriver]

I use the rocks for landscaping around the house. The latest project was an arbor and pond with a waterfall. I posted a video on that yesterday where you can see the tractor parked with the rock sled after pulling the rocks shown in this video.

Kubota built giant arbor and small pond (inc. Video) - TractorByNet.com

Nice project, I just watched the video. Does that creek (crick) run 24/7?