Rock Puller

[3 Sisters Ranch]

Ok have 5 horse paddocks I want to clean up. The L/S rake will get what I'll call the ash and trash picked up well. My concern is the rock and from looking at the surface lots of them. What are the thoughts on using a form of tool bar then mounting a ripper shank or two with shear bolt on each shank, drop them in about 14-18 inches and roll the rock to the surface. I'll go behind and p/u with my FEL. Anyone had much experience or success with a set-up like that ?? I'll be pulling it with a MF 1635 MFWD 12X12 P/S. I've looked at the manufactured subsoilers and ripper shank set ups and for me they seem to ride awfully close to the rear tires for my comfort. This is a crap shoot in rock size, but think they are less than a bushel basket size based upon what I run into traditionally when digging fence posts, probably 90% less than the size of a 5 gallon bucket. Really hate to snag something to big and get it wedged between puller and tractor tires. Also am aware gound speed is little less than a creep in an operation of this sort.

I'm open to thoughts/suggestions. We're talking about 5 acres total of horse paddock surface area - it can be done as time warrants.

Thanks
Mike

 

[jenkinsph]

I would use a narrow rock bucket for this and would get the ones that are surfacing only. This will get most of the softball sized and larger rocks out but will definately take some time to do. My concern is whether you have enough tractor for the task.

 

[MBTRAC]

Here's an ancient 3PL rock rake my family built many years age & long before rock pickers/pin rakes were readily available.
The extended lower linkage arms provide the clearance you required, with the implement workingpreviously pightly cutlivated paddocks on the principle of rake/lift/dump into rows for later bulk clearing by a FEL - this basic design could be scaled to match your tractor HP (& fabricated cheaply if you're handy with a welder & have access to scrap)

 

[JimRB]

If I cannot pick up the rock by hand or with a hand pick it stays. I have rocks thrusting out of the ground slowly at one end of the pasture. I have no idea how big they are but hand tools cause no wiggling so they stay. I might take a hammer drill to them to drill some winter freeze holes that might split them. But they will stay in place. Maybe all your rocks are tiny but bushel basket is a pretty heavy rock and a big hole to backfill.

 

[JimRB]

By the way my little JD 870 which weighs 3,000 pounds without the loader can bog out or spin out pulling a single shank root hog.

 

[Dakota_male]

I have used my sub soiler /ripper without a plow as you suggested to flip rocks out and it works great for boulders to around a foot in diameter,

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...167665-subsoiler-worth-img-20110503-00024.jpg

 

[3 Sisters Ranch]

Thanks all - gives me some food for thought here. Interesting implement there MBTRAC looks a bit like root rake set-up.
Probably continue to toss around the single or double shank ripper concept. Have the appropriate shop tools to mfg something.
JimRB you could be right I just may run out of traction. But figure if I do it with slow multiple passes and creep down in depth I might actually have some success.

Thanks again and let you know how it goes once I get something built.

Take care
Mike

 

[3 Sisters Ranch]

MBTRAC - the threaded rod above the steel wheels ?? Do you think that was used to control wheel height. After studying it for a while I actually am starting to like the idea and concept. Especially the roller set-up and the tooth bar spacing which can catch some of the smaller rocks.
I'm thinking now a guy could make this a pull type rig and hooking up to the drawbar, then controlling rake depth with a 2 way cylinder off the rear hydraulics. I better save these pics.

Thanks for the pictures
Mike

 

[Dr_Zinj]

Get a vibrating road roller and pound them into dust. Then plow & rake to loosen the soil back up.

 

[MBTRAC]

MBTRAC - the threaded rod above the steel wheels ?? Do you think that was used to control wheel height. After studying it for a while I actually am starting to like the idea and concept. Especially the roller set-up and the tooth bar spacing which can catch some of the smaller rocks.
I'm thinking now a guy could make this a pull type rig and hooking up to the drawbar, then controlling rake depth with a 2 way cylinder off the rear hydraulics. I better save these pics.

Thanks for the pictures
Mike

No there's no wheel adjustment - the threaded rod serves no purpose it's just something carried over from whatever scrap was salvaged to build it originally, this old rake has been sitting on a scrap pile one of our farms unloved for c.20+years now.

If you're going down the "pull type" rig/depth control path my post on a drag scraper I built on the following thread may prove of interest:-
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/266836-diy-home-built-scraper-pan.html