Backhoe TLB trenching on steep hill

[PA452]

I'm going to have to dig a trench for a pipe on a somewhat steep hill soon. Trench will be generally with the hill, not cut across it. Given the option, would you prefer to dig with the tractor on the uphill side or the downhill side?

 

[Egon]

Start from the top.

 

[coldsteelva]

Tractor on downhill side. Starting from the top obviously. If you take a bite with the BH and the tractor moves, it moves uphill slowly against gravity; much easier to recover. If you tried to dig with the tractor ABOVE where you were digging, you may quickly find yourself IN the trench or worse, rolling @$$ over tea-kettle to the bottom.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Yep, always dig downhill. It resists sliding and you have more capability to level the tractor using the FEL than you do with the stabilizers. I have dug horizontal on a slope in my yard for sprinkler piping that required the downhill stab to be fully extended and the uphill just firmly touching. Not fun but doable.

 

[Aquamoose]

Have you considered renting a 4 foot trencher? I own a backhoe but opted to rent a trencher and it was a far better option and way more efficient since it only digs out a narrow trench continuously and dumps the dirt on one side. Trench, lay pipe, push the dirt back in while tamping as you go. Clean & quick.

 

[4570Man]

Have you considered renting a 4 foot trencher? I own a backhoe but opted to rent a trencher and it was a far better option and way more efficient since it only digs out a narrow trench continuously and dumps the dirt on one side. Trench, lay pipe, push the dirt back in while tamping as you go. Clean & quick.

Unless it’s upwards of a couple hundred feet I’d be done with the backhoe before you ever got to the rental place and back.

 

[PA452]

Thanks guys. Top to bottom was my gut feeling as well, just made sense to me. Then someone said I should really dig bottom to top, which I disagreed with but figured it was worth throwing it out there.

 

[PA452]

Have you considered renting a 4 foot trencher? I own a backhoe but opted to rent a trencher and it was a far better option and way more efficient since it only digs out a narrow trench continuously and dumps the dirt on one side. Trench, lay pipe, push the dirt back in while tamping as you go. Clean & quick.

Not worth it. It's only about 75' (not factoring in elevation). These sorts of jobs are why I got the backhoe.

 

[nikerret]

Tractor on downhill side. Starting from the top obviously. If you take a bite with the BH and the tractor moves, it moves uphill slowly against gravity; much easier to recover. If you tried to dig with the tractor ABOVE where you were digging, you may quickly find yourself IN the trench or worse, rolling @$$ over tea-kettle to the bottom.

+1 QFT

 

[4570Man]

Not worth it. It's only about 75' (not factoring in elevation). These sorts of jobs are why I got the backhoe.

Agreed. There are circumstances where it’s wise to rent equipment when you already own something but this isn’t that time.