Minimum Ice Thickness for 1-ton load?

[TacoT96]

What is the minimum ice thickness you would take a 2000# tractor onto?

I did a little test on ~3" to 3.5" ice (clear ice); it cracked a little while driving, but not while parked. I did not spend a lot of time on the ice as the wife was pretty nervous about it all & I didn't want to risk her wrath of sinking over $10K of tractor. Now before all you safety gurus start telling me how dangerous this was, let me tell you that I did calculate the risks; the water depth was around 4' - 6', so "if" the tractor had attempted morphing into a submarine, and I would not have exited the danger zone in time, I would have been able to perch on top of the ROPS and keep my feet relatively dry.

 

[SkyPup]

LOL, sorry I can't help you with this one as we don't have this problem down here in Florida too often....

 

[DANOCHEESE]

Safety Guide for Operations Over Ice - Part 2 of 2

Here you go. Guys were out about 400 yards fishing yesterday on about 3 inchs of ice. No vehicles yet.

Usually about 6 inchs and I take the truck out. After by brother goes first.

 

[Tig]

I have driven on the ice since I was a teenager, but now only if I know the ice very well. Ice can be weakened by sunshine warming the bottom of the lake, a spring, decomposing material, currents, a change in water levels, pressure cracks. As I watch the bay I always wonder how there can be 12" infront of my place and open water 1/2Km away. But it doesn't happen every year and temperature doesn't seem to be the only factor. My point is, the 12" that I drive on can turn soft or into 1" for no apparent reason.
My free advice, don't take anything out on the ice that you are not prepared to loose.
On that note my wife has already told me I am not allowed to use the tractor to move my ice fishing hut.

 

[Tig]

Safety Guide for Operations Over Ice - Part 2 of 2

Great reference Dano, seems very comprehensive. Note that they test the ice every 15'

Although I can't figure out why the Treasury board is driving on the ice.

"The Treasury Board is responsible for accountability and ethics, financial, personnel and administrative management, comptrollership, approving regulations and most Orders-in-Council.

TBS is tasked with providing advice and support to Treasury Board Ministers in their role of ensuring value for money as well as providing oversight of the financial management functions in departments and agencies."

 

[john_bud]

6-8" of GOOD ice for a 2000# load.

I won't take a vehicle onto ice under 12".

The trouble is that a stray current can sweep warm (34F) water from the bottom of the lake up to the surface and you can have a 2" thickness of ice surrounded by 12+". That's a bad thing to drive over! You can also have springs and other natural elements that can weaken ice from the bottom up, leaving you with a nasty surprise. I've seen guys dunk trucks ice fishing when the ice around them is 24" thick and the spot that failed has lots of tracks across it. Happens all the time.

Ever see a truck that was removed from the ice? Know how they do it? They dangle a grapple hook and attempt to snare the truck. If you are lucky as all get out, they hook it. If they don't, you pay an ice diver to scuba down to the truck (and you pay lots and lots $$), they hook a cable to the truck and a tow truck on shore starts to wench. The truck then is wenched across the bottom and is forced out of the ice at the shore. There usually isn't a straight piece of metal anywhere on the truck. Then you pay (Lots) to the tow truck guy. Then you pay even more to the DNR guy for the contamination to the water from your gas and oil that leaked out. If you didn't get it out right away, you get to pay a fine (usually over $100 per day). Yippie! Then you discover that the insurance company won't cover your loss as it's considered gross negligence on your part. Double yippie! So you get to keep on paying your monthly payments for a truck that is totalled and every day hear from the better half how brilliant you are. Tripple yippie!

Have fun on the ice! Don't worry about those cracking sounds, it's just natures way of telling you your wallet is about to get lighter.

jb

 

[zzvyb6]

I did this once while trying to make a nice hockey rink in the pond (with the loader and rear blade).

Its a terrible feeling to sink one wheel in. Then it sank up to the crankshaft. Neighbor's tractor pulled me out with a chain. Getting a chain on it at a location suitable for extraction is quit a problem.

I have a friend who regularly drives his tractor under water to clear the muck off the bottom of his pond in warm weather. When he's on it, it's about up to his waist. Extended vertical exhaust and air intake. Plugged radiator overflow hose. Had some frozen clutch issues that probably were caused by the water. Other than that, powerwasherville.

 

[AndyMA]

I agree with John. 12" and cold out is minimum for me. Aroudn here quite often we have 12" out aways and almost none at shore of lakes.

Andy

 

[SPYDERLK]

6-8" of GOOD ice for a 2000# load.
The trouble is that a stray current can sweep warm (34F) water from the bottom of the lake up to the surface and you can have a 2" thickness of ice surrounded by 12+".jb

Point of info. Bottom water is 4C --- about 39F. That is the max density T of water. The only way it could be 34 is if the lake were frozen nearly to the bottom.

larry​

 

[putt_putt_green]

Also keep in mind that any significant amount of snow deteriorates the ice.