Clearing a drainage ditch...

[BillCroasmun]

Thought I'd share this story for those interested. One of the things I have been wanting to do with the 180 is to fabricate some kind of trencher bucket attachment to help clear out a drainage ditch I have crossing the front of my property. It has been filling up with collected soot and grass and the weeds have been creeping in real bad to the point of not being able to see the ditch! (see attached)

Last night I noticed that the width of this ditch is about 45" or so... the same width as my bucket! The section of the ditch pictured (going from the drive to the road) has a bank on the left side of a couple feet and the right side slopes down into the ditch so I thought maybe I can just drive down into the ditch and use the bucket to clean it up. Well, getting in was no problem but when I tried to dig in with the bucket the turf tires started digging in more than the bucket! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif The ditch which seemed fairly solid with my 150 lbs began to show it was much more soft with the 1200+ lbs of the PT and me! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif So using the bucket I used the PT side crawl to maneuver around a bit and finally got out... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif


Now the PT and me thoroughly needed a bath and I'm thinking that custom attachment is sounding better and better all the time!

While washing the PT off it came to me, we should have a dirtiest tractor thread! All the pics I always see of everyone's equipment always look very clean. I know these machines seem some hard use out there and can't look this good all the time. I should have taken a pic last night there wasn't a whole lot of green to be seen anywhere on the tractor! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[beenthere]

Okay, you win the contest. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I plan to keep mine without the mud bath.

 

[stray]

Would you mind doing that again so you can take some pics.

 

[pajoube]

I'm always amazed when I see photos posted on this site of PowerTrac tractors. Either everyone does a complete wash prior to taking the photo or they have a compulsive cleaning habit. I never seem to get mine clean other than a hose wash down and then it’s on to the next project. All projects have DIRT /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
PJ

 

[SnowRidge]

My tractors get their annual bath, whether they need one or not. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[FOURTEEN]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( everyone's equipment always look very clean. )</font>


<font color="red"> Most of us love our PTs, and show it by cleaning and maintaining them!! Sorta like changing your kid's diaper!! </font>

 

[BillCroasmun]

Beenthere: Where's your sense of adventure? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Stray: If you go in that ditch for me we should still be able to see that nice red roof no matter how deep you sink! And if that doesn't do it that 40' long rake of yours should help us find you!! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

PJ & Snowridge: I am glad to here there are some dirtier folk /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif I mean folks with dirtier tractors around to. I was starting to feel abusive to my nice new green friend! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Fourteen: "<font color="red">... by cleaning and maintaining them!! </font>" Those are mutually exclusive terms to me. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif I try to stay on the seat until the significant other is about ready to yank me off, then I have my choice 15 more minutes to clean or maintain?!? /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif 3 out of 4 times I pick maintain. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[cqaigy]

<font color="blue">significant other is about ready to yank me off, then I have my choice 15 more minutes to clean or maintain?!? 3 out of 4 times I pick maintain. </font>
<font color="red"> Ditto </font> /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[MuncyBob]

I've been meaning to clean mine for awhile now...seems as though just when I find the time/ambition to do so there is another "dirty" task to perform so I procastinate once again! Between the dirt moving around our home addition and the barn work the 422 is hardly ever "clean"....unless you call using the leaf blower on it cleaning!

I wish I had pics from last November when I moved a pile of fill on a cold and wet night...could hardly tell what color she was!

 

[Whiskey]

BillCroasmun:

Glade you made it out alive /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I tried a new attachment this past winter in about 1/8 mile of drainage ditch in the back of my property (winter means the ditch was mostly dry and weeds on the dead side)

pasture drag....works like a charm rips the weeds out by the roots in the softer soil conditions and makes a sweet ditch buttom.....only draw back is you need to able to run the tractor in the ditch.

What use to take me a month with a ditch blade and pitch fork, now takes half a day /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif