Towable ripper needed

virgban · Oct 31, 2019

We have a John Deere model L110 (18 HP) garden tractor and wish to use it to dig some long trenches 1" wide and 3" deep for 3/4" irrigation lines that I plan to drain or blow out in the winter. I watched large tractors with rippers on a 3 point hitch do the job very well, but we do not have this equipment. Does anyone know of a source or a DIY design for a ripper to do this job by towing it (as with a chain)? By towing, this ripper job can be done in stages in case there is not enough power/traction to do the entire job in one pass. Set for a shallow depth for the first pass and 3" for a subsequent pass. I plan to walk behind it and use it like an antique plow pulled by draft animals. The shaft/blade could be very simple since the width is very small. Two shafts, one in front to cut, and one in back to stabilize it would make a straight trench. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

bcp · Nov 1, 2019

Welcome to TBN.

Look at ATV cultivators for ideas. Use one tooth for your trench.

atv cultivator at DuckDuckGo

Bruce

Diggin It · Nov 1, 2019

Are you sure you have that model number right? A John Deere model L110 (18 HP) is a low end grass cutter, not a garden tractor. It can barely pull itself and operator and is not intended for any kind of ground engagement. A JD 110 is a garden tractor made in the 1960s or so, but I only see 8 or 10HP models.

virgban · Nov 1, 2019

Thanks. Our L110 pulled a trailer loaded with mulch just fine up hills so I'm thinking a 3" x1" trench in a grass lawn might work in stages. Might need chains and weight for traction.

tookielee · Nov 1, 2019

figure out a way to mount a hitch on the back, then use this... but you are putting a lot
of strain on the machine, that it wasn't designed for. Good luck

https://www.amazon.com/Titan-Attach...argid=aud-798931705416:pla-634146200797&psc=1

tookielee · Nov 1, 2019

Don't know your location, but renting a trencher for a day may be a better option for you

herm0016 · Nov 1, 2019

this is not a super idea, the transmission on your lawn mower is not built for this. you may get away with it, but it will shorten the life of the hydro. i would consider this on my allis, but i don't think i would even do it on my cub GT. a drag harrow is about all i'm willing to do with that.

Mace Canute · Nov 4, 2019

virgban said:
We have a John Deere model L110 (18 HP) garden tractor and wish to use it to dig some long trenches 1" wide and 3" deep for 3/4" irrigation lines that I plan to drain or blow out in the winter. I watched large tractors with rippers on a 3 point hitch do the job very well, but we do not have this equipment. Does anyone know of a source or a DIY design for a ripper to do this job by towing it (as with a chain)? By towing, this ripper job can be done in stages in case there is not enough power/traction to do the entire job in one pass. Set for a shallow depth for the first pass and 3" for a subsequent pass. I plan to walk behind it and use it like an antique plow pulled by draft animals. The shaft/blade could be very simple since the width is very small. Two shafts, one in front to cut, and one in back to stabilize it would make a straight trench. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

If you go with your plan you'll probably be able to make use of this. https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...light=Tuff+Torq+K46V+hydrostatic+transmission

virgban · Nov 4, 2019

Thanks for this heads-up. My son's John Deere L110 will not be used for a high stress volunteer work like pulling a plow. You have provided a strategy for when the hydro fails.

marcelPL · Nov 5, 2019

When i went out to buy a plow for my little iseki, the guy from this company said my mini-traktor (15hp) could support max a 2-ski plow, but he very much advised against this, and said this calculation only works on very soft and loose ground. So i bought this 1-ski plow, and even with that i sometimes get stuck.

I can confirm this puts enormous pressure on whatever is pulling it. It even bended my 3-point connection set.

Also my little iseki looks a lot more like a 'tractor' than your L110 i googled. Don't do it, you'll wreck it i think.

Reb954 · Nov 5, 2019

Usually small equipment used to bury sprinkler lines have a vibrater built into them to vibrate the ripper. Without the vibrater they aren't very effective.

jonsstihl · Nov 5, 2019

come on guys we are talking about 3 inches deep. he is not trying to go 18 inches deep. I say try it but you may run out of traction especially if you have hard ground. try it when it is wet but not too wet.

a trencher would make a big mess if your goal is 1 inch wide by 3 inches deep.

4570Man · Nov 5, 2019

Next thread. “John Deere mower rear ended busted after only 160 hours and 4 years, such junk”

virgban · Nov 5, 2019

Thanks, MarcelPL. I agree.

3Ts · Nov 5, 2019

virgban said:
We have a John Deere model L110 (18 HP) garden tractor and wish to use it to dig some long trenches 1" wide and 3" deep for 3/4" irrigation lines that I plan to drain or blow out in the winter. I watched large tractors with rippers on a 3 point hitch do the job very well, but we do not have this equipment. Does anyone know of a source or a DIY design for a ripper to do this job by towing it (as with a chain)? By towing, this ripper job can be done in stages in case there is not enough power/traction to do the entire job in one pass. Set for a shallow depth for the first pass and 3" for a subsequent pass. I plan to walk behind it and use it like an antique plow pulled by draft animals. The shaft/blade could be very simple since the width is very small. Two shafts, one in front to cut, and one in back to stabilize it would make a straight trench. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

You need to check the outside diameter of your 3/4" pipe, it probably will not fit in a 1" trench. 3/4" sched 40 PVC is just over 1" od, black poly is at 7/8" od and you should lay the pipe in an "s" shape to allow for temperature changes (If you're in the south this may not matter.) In addition, your trench sides are not going to be nice and clean so there will be clumps sticking into the 1" space. You need a wider trench.

Diggin It · Nov 6, 2019

Not that I think the OP's planned plow equipment will work well to begin with, but maybe if they used it behind a car or truck operated very carefully? Or an ATV?

RobS · Nov 6, 2019

Years ago I buried an invisible fence wire with a cheap Craftsman lawn tractor. A simple, 2 person rig that could potentially work for sprinkler lines as well. I bought a long steel spud and drilled a hitch hole. Rigged a tow chain to the tractor. One person on the tractor and the other guiding the spud. It was easy to control the path and depth with the leverage of the spud.

I'm sure there are more elegant ways to get it done but this worked!

WranglerX · Nov 8, 2019

New hydrostatic transmissions for JD Tractors (TUFF TORQ) cost $600-$700 (or more) .... Rebuild parts for my L120 was over $400.... Some of you people don't realize how much resistance 3 inches of dirt can be....

Dale