Backhoe Added a ripper to my Woods BH90x: Trees beware

[Reg]

MIE: Could you weld the ripper tooth to a skid steer quick attach plate so I could use the tooth on my loader? (don't have a BH)

I envision driving up to a tree, pushing the tooth into the ground under the tree (for smaller trees) & popping the tree straight up out of the ground. For larger trees, do the same thing, but under the roots to the sides of the trunk.

With its rounded shape I think I could lower the loader while rolling back the bucket for maximum breakout/ pop-out power.

Can it be done?? What would the cost be?

Something you might find to be functionally "all that" is a skid steer to 3 pt adapter used in conjunction with a sub soiler.
An el cheapo TSC sub soiler for light duty, or a full on Cat 2 one ?

These are available off the shelf for ~$300, or you could weld up a skid steer plate to a quick hitch for a bit less than that.

One BIG advantage of this route is that you can also use other 3 pt implements on the front while you still have the hoe on the back, e.g. a rake or blade for tidying away the mess you make with the hoe - I mean back filling.
There are probably other combinations that you would find useful... according to wants/needs.

 

[beppington]

Something you might find to be functionally "all that" is a skid steer to 3 pt adapter used in conjunction with a sub soiler.
An el cheapo TSC sub soiler for light duty, or a full on Cat 2 one ?

These are available off the shelf for ~$300, or you could weld up a skid steer plate to a quick hitch for a bit less than that.

One BIG advantage of this route is that you can also use other 3 pt implements on the front while you still have the hoe on the back, e.g. a rake or blade for tidying away the mess you make with the hoe - I mean back filling.
There are probably other combinations that you would find useful... according to wants/needs.

Hey that seems like a good idea :thumbsup: ... & I already own TSC's Cat1 subsoiler :thumbsup: ... & have found that so far I almost never use it, so maybe this would put it to good use.

Need to also PM MIE to see about the ripper idea ...

 

[IslandTractor]

MIE: Could you weld the ripper tooth to a skid steer quick attach plate so I could use the tooth on my loader? (don't have a BH)

I envision driving up to a tree, pushing the tooth into the ground under the tree (for smaller trees) & popping the tree straight up out of the ground. For larger trees, do the same thing, but under the roots to the sides of the trunk.

With its rounded shape I think I could lower the loader while rolling back the bucket for maximum breakout/ pop-out power.

Can it be done?? What would the cost be?

Interesting thought and potential use of a ripper. However, I wonder if it really offers anything more than a narrow grapple or stump bucket with the type of use you are describing? A single tooth would be able to focus power on roots so that does make sense to me. Putting the ripper under a tree and then curl/lifting it out is not much different than doing the same thing with a grapple. I've done a lot of that with a grapple and the same loader you have. It works pretty well once you have knocked the tree over to expose the roots and works with trees up to about 5 inches or so. Trees much bigger than that require at least some of the lateral roots to be cut before you can lift it out in my experience. I can forsee a problem though in controlling or managing any tree that you are trying to pop out. With a grapple you have the upper arm to keep forward pressure on the tree and you can also pick it up after it is out. With a ripper I'd think the tree would go whereever gravity decided and you would have little control. Also, once it was out of the ground you would have no implement to move it immediately so it would potentially block access to other trees.

How about a ripper/grapple? Single longish tooth (?36 inches) with several smaller tines on each side and a single 18-24 inch wide upper grapple arm. Use the ripper to get under a tree then drive forward, lift, clamp and bull it out of the ground. Then drop rootball, reposition tractor 90 degree, use the grapple aspect to lift and move the tree. Might look weird with that single long snaggletooth hanging out the front but I think it might work better than just a ripper mounted on a skidsteer plate.

 

[nickel plate]

Since IslandTractor started this thread when he and Michigan Iron Equipment came together to produce their first backhoe ripper tooth, I find it ony fitting to add my MIE ripper tooth modification to this thread.
I used the tooth several times this past summer on a lot of small to medium stuff with the removal of several larger oak trees coming up this next spring/summer. Seeing several large exposed roots on these trees made me also think about adding a knife blade to the rear of the tooth just in case a couple of swipes might be needed rather that unnecessarily jacking the TC-40 around trying to do the same without it.
I took an eighteen week adult ed welding class and have just finished it up-one project was the ripper tooth knife blade. The blade itself is 3/4" thick and the two ears are 1/2" thick both welded with 7018-1 rod. My instructor further showed me how to anneal the blade through heating, adding carbon and quench water cooling to temper.
Re-painted and put up for the next tree removal.

 

[IslandTractor]

Nickel Plate, that looks great. Have you used it yet?

I have not posted a followup on my own similar, but much less elegant, modification. I welded short pieces of drill tube both front and back. I haven't had a chance to use it yet.

Your knife edge is better and the ability to hook the root so it can it slide off is IMO an important element. That allows both slicing and ripping.

 

[nickel plate]

IT,
No, I haven't used it yet-just finished the welding and paint last week. That part was easy, the design, cutting and shaping of the blade and ears took the most time. I also thought of adding a blade to the front of the ripper tooth but my Woods BH90-X has a hydraulic thumb and therefore possible interference between the two. I'll take a closer look in the spring.

 

[IslandTractor]

We have the same BH but I have the mechanical thumb ( useless for someone with a grapple). Too bad neither of us is likely to do any work with our modified rippers until Spring. It would be good to get MIE some feedback and give other potential buyers ideas. The modifications each of us have put on the ripper would add about fifteen minutes work max for the MIE fabricators.

If we have a warm January weekend I may get motivated to mount the ripper and use it but most likely it will be March or April.

 

[MichiganIron]

We're paying attention. Interested in finding out how the modfications work.

You know the old saying about the plumber is the only one with leaky faucets, or the electrician with circuits that don't work....well I removed a stump the size of a bathroom last month with our DK55 / KB2485 Backhoe. Boy do I wish I had one of those MIE Rippers. Got her out and drug to the back of the farm, but the power loss using the bucket to cut the roots was a nightmare.

Maybe if I'm a good boy, I can have one of our rippers.

Up to our eyeballs right now with Plow Blades. We'll be back into the dirt stuff after January. Keep us posted on the modifications.

 

[IslandTractor]

Keep us posted on the modifications.

Will do.

 

[Coyote machine]

IT, Nickel Plate, & others,
Talked to Bob at MIE about what may be the 2nd gen of the ripper. We discussed adding teeth, cut into the underside of the ripper arc, from the hardened tooth to just under the cutout area.
I'd like to get feedback from you who already have MIE rippers as to this idea.
Here's my thinking about the idea: by adding teeth to the underside, when one places the ripper tooth into the ground in front of a root and then curls the hoe they will gain the benefit of having the curl strength of the hoe while exerting cutting/ripping/tearing force on the root's fibrous material. By adding teeth the ripper tooth is less likely to slide from the hardened end tooth up the curve of the ripper as it encounters the slick fibrous root, and as the teeth put pressure on the root and the hoe curls it will allow the teeth to take a bite(s) out of the root at the same time, making the ripper tooth function more effectively and hopefully reduce the number of times one has to grab the root hoping it will break through.

Thoughts, feedback, etc. welcomed.

Thanks,
CM