Sixteen Dollar Tractor Bridge

BrokenTrack · Jul 28, 2019

bullbreaker said:
Hey BrokenTrack good day Sir ! I hope you didn't get that handle building $16 tractor bridges . I hope it last Ya's (wooden bridge) and serves it temporary purpose ! I really LIKE your TRACTOR :thumbsup: ! However just a question ? What happened to the top part of your ROPS ? Play Safe

No, I was clearing land on a mountainside, and went to back up and my left track went zinging back and piled up on my bulldozer blade. I was at the highest point on the mountain of course, and with a 700 John Deere, so it was no small feat to get that tractor fixed. hence the name: BrokenTrack.

But the ROPS did not fit inside my sheep barn! I had to take the ROPS off my bulldozer too, but then, you have to really work hard to flop a bulldozer over!

I have never had to use it though. I did roll the tractor over once, but not enough to flop it on its side. Slowest roll over I ever had. I literally just stepped off the tractor as it laid over. I just hooked on to it with the skidder and put it rubber side down, and I was off running again.

stuckmotor · Jul 28, 2019

Looks nice. How did you saw the lumber?

bullbreaker · Jul 28, 2019

BrokenTrack thanks for response . Thanks for shareing experience and pic (yikes ) , glad your ok ! :thumbsup:

searcyfarms · Jul 28, 2019

here i one i rebuilt two summers ago, i was able to obtain old light poles for material then took them to a sawmill and they make them into 5 inch thick slabs to put down as the floor across the steel beams - this old bridge is on an abandoned road that connects land that used to be my mothers when she was a child and was sold after her parents died, i am fortunate to have gotten to use the land and maintain it for the lady that now owns it for many years - this was very neat for me to get to do as its kind of sentimental and i was able to take my mom down to the old creek/bridge where she used to play as a kid 70 yrs ago - yes we cried and hugged in the middle of the bridge ;-)

15 x 13 feet i believe it was and it was about 12 feet deep in the deepest spot from the bridge to the creek bed.

side view of creek bed before i started

cleaning old bridge decking and dirt.jpg

cleaning dirt and rotted timbers off old deck/beams

cleaned and ready for new timberts/deck

laying new planks

installing treads

treads painted

graded out

rd_macgregor · Jul 31, 2019

With concrete abutments and steel support beams, searcyfarms, you were halfway there! I wish my project was starting from that same point...I need abutments, beams and deck, so a lot more work. Your finished bridge looks really nice.

lilranch2001 · Jul 31, 2019

rd_macgregor said:
With concrete abutments and steel support beams, searcyfarms, you were halfway there! I wish my project was starting from that same point...I need abutments, beams and deck, so a lot more work. Your finished bridge looks really nice.

LOL, exactly what I thought when I saw his post!