techniques for moving big rock with a CUT

[tractchores]

I've decided to redo my lawn and as part of it I'm regrading sections, but it turns out the 'little rocks' sticking up in the lawn are just tips of huge rocks. I've managed to move all of them except one through digging with the BH and pushing or pulling them out. The last rock I have to move has proved to be a big challenge. I dug it out and managed to move it in the hole and loop a chain around it. However I can't pull it, life it or push it and am looking for other ideas. The rock is maybe 5'x4'x3' and roughly square in shape. I can prop up an end with the BH, but otherwise can't do much. I did create a ramp to drag it out, but pulling just lifts the front-end up even with the FEL filled with dirt.

Anyone have any ideas? My current best ideas are to dig down further with the bh and get it deep enough to re-bury under the final grade. I've also got a drill and wedge and feather's that I'm going to try today to see if it can be cut in half, but I'm not hopeful. Tractor is a B2920 w/ BH and FEL. I haven't tried to lift it with the 3pt, but that's another thing I may try today.

[DJ54]

Depending on how your ramp is in relation to the rock. If it is the same as the wide part of the rock, you could try and pull one end a bit, then pull the other end, and walk it out. Just don't pull it too far, and spin it.

A little picking, when trying to pull if it's fairly flat on the bottom, should make it pivot on the other end, instead of spin on the center part.

[Egon]

If you can lift one side slide block under it and the get some dirt under the rock. Then repeat until the ramp is shallow enough to let you pull it.

Sounds easy but it takes time.

Just a note, if dragging rocks on inclines they may get away with you and the tractor. That ain't,t no fun!

[PapaPerk]

Rock boat (sled). Google it

[Johnp33]

I had a rock that was were I wanted to build my shop, I dug it out and tried to break it with a jack hammer, it is a serpentine granite, I ended up getting a big hoe, and he stood it up on one end, and dug a big hole then dropped it back in about 7 ft lower than what it was, I back filled the hole and packed it all down.
The rock was about 12 ft long 8 ft wide, and 5 ft thick, it was all the hoe could do to stand it up.

[JimRB]

I used this to guess it weighs 10,000 pounds. That means you need a lot more pulling power to move it? I never researched tractor pulls and the sleds they pull. Material Weight Calculator Marble Weight Granite Travertine Online Stone Weight Calculation

[Jerry/MT]

I've decided to redo my lawn and as part of it I'm regrading sections, but it turns out the 'little rocks' sticking up in the lawn are just tips of huge rocks. I've managed to move all of them except one through digging with the BH and pushing or pulling them out. The last rock I have to move has proved to be a big challenge. I dug it out and managed to move it in the hole and loop a chain around it. However I can't pull it, life it or push it and am looking for other ideas. The rock is maybe 5'x4'x3' and roughly square in shape. I can prop up an end with the BH, but otherwise can't do much. I did create a ramp to drag it out, but pulling just lifts the front-end up even with the FEL filled with dirt.

Anyone have any ideas? My current best ideas are to dig down further with the bh and get it deep enough to re-bury under the final grade. I've also got a drill and wedge and feather's that I'm going to try today to see if it can be cut in half, but I'm not hopeful. Tractor is a B2920 w/ BH and FEL. I haven't tried to lift it with the 3pt, but that's another thing I may try today.

No disrespect meant but I can't believe you're trying to move a rock that big with that toy of a tractor!

Dig a deep hole next to it with the backhoe and shove it in. If you can't lift it or drag it out, short of hiring a powder monkey to blast it, you don't have much choice. We had a big trackhoe at our place to move rocks that big and that's how he handles the big ones. He bured them so that the top was three feet below the surface.

[2458n]

Agree with the rock boat. May have to hook a couple trucks,and or tractor together to have enough pull. When I worked on the Interstate highways a good way to get ''famous "was to spend half a day digging a hole to bury a rock. You push the rock in the hole and about 10'' did not fit.

[kebo]

I vote for the idea to dig a deeper hole and bury it below grade. That way, you don't have to deal with moving it AFTER you get it out of the hole it's in now.

Either that, or drill a hole through it, get some stick dynamite, and blast it into smaller pieces!!!

[J_J]

Just build a good fire around it and let burn for a couple of hours, and then pour cold water on it and it may fracture.