3PT Hitch Rear Scoops, How effective?

[lutt]

It will be alot better than a shovel. I have a box blade and front end loader, I have been looking at craigs list for a good used scoop, I think they are usaully called pond scoops at TSC and other farm stores. I have some jobs similer to yours and want to be able to use the loader and the scoop at the same time to carry dirt. LUTT

[chim]

20 years ago when I got the small 4WD/HST Ford I was very thrilled to get a dirt bucket. I used it to dig a shallow trench / swale about 300 feet long on one side of our property to channel storm water. I took a while and it was an awful heavy load for the Ford when filled. The front wheels often bounced off the ground. Had I tried digging it by hand it would never have gotten done. It was very worthwhile for that and hauling topsoil around to fill in spots.

[wolftree]

I literally wore out a shovel, not to mention my back. I also re-discovered some old ways of doing things pre-front loader style.

There is flint rock in my soil, large flint rock, 200-300 # that I moved by wrapping tire chains around and dragging with the Wheel Horse when I could not lift them into the trailer.

[magicheater]

It will be alot better than a shovel. I have a box blade and front end loader, I have been looking at craigs list for a good used scoop, I think they are usaully called pond scoops at TSC and other farm stores. I have some jobs similer to yours and want to be able to use the loader and the scoop at the same time to carry dirt. LUTT

Very good point Lutt! Not all try to maximize the efficiency of their tractor in both directions and at the same time for delivery!

[lutt]

Thanks, I learned that from working on a large row crop farm most of my life, the other half on towboats. I did find a kingcutter for a 150 on cl around home. Looked almost new. Hope it is still there when I get my hitch in. LUTT

[luvmexfood]

I have used one before for digging a ditch on a slight slope that was deep on the upper end and feathered out to nothing on the downhill side about twenty feet deep. Was digging a hole across driveway to build cattle guards and then ditched so water could drain. Took a subsoiler and ripped then moved the dirt with the pondscoop. After I got the ditch worked out I was able to put one side of the tractor tires in the ditch and feather the sides to a slope. Worked quite well pulling the scoop to load.

Have been considering trying to use it to skid logs with by backing up to the logs and scooping the end into the scoop and chaining the log to the drawbar. Scoop would only be raised slightly off the ground 2-3 inches to give me slight weight on the rear tires and to keep the log from digging into the ground. Just got to wait on some of this mud to dry.

[94BULLITT]

I know a guy that back filled around his house with a 8N and a old Dearborn Scoop. I have a Leinbach Scoop I use on the BX for small project like raking up twings out of the yard. The newer scoops can be used in either direction. They work pretty good on loose material. Don't forget most tractors don't have down pressure on the 3 point hitch so it won't dig good on packed material. You can do a lot of work with one but it is not nearly as efficient as loader. You may need to add weights to the front of the tractor.

[wolftree]

94BULLITT,

You reminded me about my Dad back filling around his house in the 50s. He used a horse drawn scoop behind a Farmall F-12. Dad used the wooden handles, while my older brother (then about 10) drove the tractor. If I recall correctly, Dad flipped the scoop on its side to dump.

The more stories I read, the more I am convinced that a rear scoop just might be my poor man's front loader for now.

[chim]

......................The more stories I read, the more I am convinced that a rear scoop just might be my poor man's front loader for now.

It was exactly that for me. After spending a whopping $3K for the 1985-ish? Ford 1210 in 1992 the equipment budget was gone. I thought I was in Heaven when I didn't have to drag the wheelbarrow out of the shed and air up the tire.

[wolftree]

I have the time, I just do not have the money. So slow progress beats no progress anytime. I just happen to know where a rear scoop is that I might be able to persuade him to sell.