fishpick
Platinum Member
Well - it didn't "eat" my tractor... but here's a lesson for life - things in the manual - usually are there for good reason.
I had my old driveway ripped out a few months back and decided that it's time to put in a drain next to it, so after big rains (like this weekend) I won't have the 6th great lake in the driveway.
So - I dug a nice trench - put some crushed #2 in the bottom - added 4" perforated pipe - more crushed #2 - and will have them pave over half of what I dug.
Since the entire driveway has it's grade that direction, the expectation is the watter that used to pool there will perk down through the gravel, get into the perforated pipe and flow down to the storm sewer I tapped into. (yes, I check the slope the entire run on top of the pipe - it flows that way).
Anyhow - back to the "ate my tractor" part... as I was digging along, I didn't want my FEL out into the road - so, I decided to turn around, straddle the ditch, and dig the last part that way... All was fine until a few good jerks from the hoe moved my rear tire to the edge of my trench... which, is in very WET and sandy soil... (see manual about BH and this type of soil, which can shift quickly)
I'll spare the heart pounding details - lets just say 4 wheel drive + rear diff lock + 2 old 3' long 4x4 posts later... I got right up out of there... Not quite sinking the tractor in the pond... but a good way to test the fluid pump capacity of my heart!
Here's the pictures: Picasa Web Albums (not of the sinking!) - the run is over 60 feet - did it all in 5 hours... what a monster this little BX24 is!
I had my old driveway ripped out a few months back and decided that it's time to put in a drain next to it, so after big rains (like this weekend) I won't have the 6th great lake in the driveway.
So - I dug a nice trench - put some crushed #2 in the bottom - added 4" perforated pipe - more crushed #2 - and will have them pave over half of what I dug.
Since the entire driveway has it's grade that direction, the expectation is the watter that used to pool there will perk down through the gravel, get into the perforated pipe and flow down to the storm sewer I tapped into. (yes, I check the slope the entire run on top of the pipe - it flows that way).
Anyhow - back to the "ate my tractor" part... as I was digging along, I didn't want my FEL out into the road - so, I decided to turn around, straddle the ditch, and dig the last part that way... All was fine until a few good jerks from the hoe moved my rear tire to the edge of my trench... which, is in very WET and sandy soil... (see manual about BH and this type of soil, which can shift quickly)
I'll spare the heart pounding details - lets just say 4 wheel drive + rear diff lock + 2 old 3' long 4x4 posts later... I got right up out of there... Not quite sinking the tractor in the pond... but a good way to test the fluid pump capacity of my heart!
Here's the pictures: Picasa Web Albums (not of the sinking!) - the run is over 60 feet - did it all in 5 hours... what a monster this little BX24 is!