Working space in a barn

[Captain Dirty]

Seeking collective wisdom on how much working space is desirable/necessary around a tractor-loader-backhoe parked in a building. The overall length from the tips of the FEL tooth bar to the backhoe bucket in travel position is 20'08". With the dipperstick in and boom lowered so the curled bucket is on the ground or with the dipperstick vertical the length over all is approx. 23'08". While I am sure more room is nicer, would 30' from front to rear allow comfortable pass-by and working space? The width of the tractor is 6'00", widest implement likely 8'00", should bay be wider than 14'?

 

[woodlandfarms]

Uhmmm 100 feet minimum. No matter how much space you make it won't be enough. Not being sarcastic, well, maybe a bit but but 7 feet of working room is not enough. Figure you have to park it, close the door, so that kills 2 feet because you pull further in and want to walk all the way around. Then you have to place your tools and get those extra tools. It adds up. And what if you have to do something that involves both the very front and very rear. 40 feet. As for width, a bay door can be 14 feet but I would want 10 feet minimum on each side. In my opinion I seldom do much work on the front or rear of a tractor, I do it on the sides. Change a tire. Tire Jack is 4 feet long with handle on the ground. You have to stand behind it and bend over, another 3 feet or so. Put your toolbox on the wall, 10 feet is not enough.

 

[bcp]

When this guy gets all the hay out, he will have barely enough room to work on his tractor.



Bruce

 

[bigtiller]

I built a garage in '79 and figured 5' all the way around my pick-up would be plenty big. It was all that I could afford but after a few years it was not nearly big enough.

 

[dieselcrawler]

Big difference between adequate space to park a vehicle vs adequate space to work on/around same vehicle.

My 'bay' in the barn is 14x45. Too narrow, would be long enough if not so cluttered... but every time I pull a truck inside, I have to fold in the mirrors to walk around it. Shelves on the wall, work bench, it all adds up to not wide enough.

 

[Mendonsy]

Also remember that you are dealing with a backhoe so figure your width based on what it would be with the outrigger pads down.

 

[ultrarunner]

I've seen very nice shops for service/maintenance that measured 24 x 30

Seemed to be just right for one vehicle with room for a bench across the front and down one side.

One even had a lift and 15' ceiling.

 

[lennyzx11]

Mine is 24x30. I keep my boat and tractor in there.
If anything is to be worked on, one or the other goes outside.
I'm working up plans to go to a 40x60.

 

[jack707]

A 30x40. Can be tight that's why I have a 16 foot wide garage door makes it a lot better to pull the tractor in.

 

[brown40]

I would figure out the space you need, then multiply that by 50%... then if you're lucky you run out of space in a couple years instead of 1-12 months! I do know the tighter you plan it, the more precise you'll have to be with the other barn residents to keep your work/storage margins. If you are exact, and come by another large piece of equipment you have a little jenga going on.
I have 15' x 10' doors on the front and back, and I'll second the functionality of having a wide range to be able to turn in or out when things are tight, and to be able to have a dedicated tractor/implement entrance. Lets me keep the center of the building available if a project has gone over on either end.