Obed,
You have the ultimate tree remover. Your backhoe.
I've taken out hundreds and hundreds of trees with it and consider one your size just a ten minute job. Of couse, the first time is always the toughest.
The tree looks pretty straight without any noticable lean. If it has a strong lean, tehn that's where you want to drop it. If not, you can put it anyplace you want, roots and all.
You can cut some corners later on when you get more comfortable, but to start out, I'll walk you through it like I do when I'm taking out the really big ones.
First, decide which way you want the tree to go. With your road, I'd put in in the road, and the side that you need to drive out of there. Always plan your return trip when the tree is on the ground.
Back up to the tree and start digging on the side you want the tree to drop. Dig that hole deeper than you think you need to. then try to curl the bucket under the root ball as much as you can and get all the dirt from under the root ball as possible.
Next, dig down on the other side of the tree. You don't need to go as far, just to the point your not hitting roots anymore. Most roots will be found in the first two feet of dirt. After that, your just making a hole.
When you start digging, you will hit roots bigger than you can cut. It doesn't matter how big your backhoe is, this will happen. Just dig out further from the tree to where you can cut the roots. Once you cut the ends, the rest will come our real easy. Roots are much softer than branches.
Now you need to change positions. Back up to the tree on the oposite side that you want to lay the tree down. I can usually push half the trees I take out at this point. Put the teeth of your bucket on the tree about half way up from your maximum reach and push. If it looks like it's working, but you need a little bit more, then raise the bucket a few feet. I've found there is a sweet spot that will push a tree over easy, and other spots that don't accomplish anything.
If you can't push it over , that's OK. Trees are hard to push over.
Dig down on either side of the tree to complete your trench all the way around it. The more you can get the bucket under the root ball, the easier it will push over.
You'd think that with a trench all the way around the tree, and all the roots cut, it would just fall over. It wont. You will have to push, and push hard to get it over. The bottom of the tree is suctioned to the earth.
If you can't get it to move, take out more dirt and get that bucket to cut under the root ball more. The depth of the trench isn't nearly as important as how much dirt you get out from under the root ball.
Do this, and it will go over.
I've taken out trees over three feet thick at the base. Both pines and oaks.
Once it's on the ground, try to get the root ball as clean as you can. Knock of as much dirt as possible back into the hole. Then try to push the tree out of the hole. Fill the hole and ignore the tree for now. You wil need more dirt to fill the space the tree took.
Don't mess with it on a windy day, or a muddy one. It's important to have good traction and mobility. Take your time, plan out every step, and don't be afraid of taking out more dirt than you need. It will just go back in the hole.
Eddie
