Help with a bridge! Need some good ideas on how to get a bridge in place.

[MossRoad]

Many temporary bridges are pushed across by making a front extension that will reach across the opening before the balance point is reached, then the bridge is pushed the rest of the way across and the extension removed. You might be able to use a couple of poles fastened to the trailer.

View attachment 383471

Watch these videos to see the idea in use.

Acrow bridge build animation - YouTube

Compact 200 Modular Bridge Construction - YouTube

Regak Bridge - YouTube

I was thinking similarly... buy two 40' trailers.
Weld them together end to end end so the bridge is 80' long.
Put an upright in the midde about 8' high.
Run a cable from one end, up over the upright and down to the other end to provide some tension.
Push it across the 28' span. Some greased logs should provide an easy surface to slide it on.
Once its on the other side, remove the cable and uprights.
Cut it in half again.
Then you can either double stack it for a stonger bridge, or double width it for a wider bridge.
Sounds like a fun project. Good luck with whatever you decide to do and post pictures!

 

[MAYTAG MAN]

Abutments are really a good idea to protect against the ravages of high water. If you have access to only one side, then getting permission to put in a worthy abutment would be well worth the effort.

 

[vpracer]

Yes I agree an abutment is mandatory. I will ultimately have access to the other side and if I can get this bridge set, I'll save about 6 miles or so on my commute to the barn. Not to mention, I can somehow make the land that is currently land locked more available for use.

I do think the bridge will support the tractor weight while sitting on bare ground. I'll have 5 ft or so of trailer on the ground of each side of the creek.

 

[oosik]

I don't know how much your M7040 weighs but in its "bare" state its within 100# of my M6040. My M6040 as its now configured weights 9700# - Rimguard, FEL, 3-point ROBB etc. A thought to consider - if your tractor or dozer deflects the finished bridge quite a bit - I would construct some type of center support for added safety. Two driven posts at the mid-point of the bridge, one on each side of the bridge with a heavy cross piece going under the bridge or something like that would considerably reduce any "pucker factor".

This is definitely an interesting project and a considerable challenge - - good luck and be careful.

 

[Sysop]

On both sides drive some anchors about 30' back from the bank, get some thick steel cabling (get something rated high enough to support the trailer). Drag the cables across, pull them tight, and anchor them. Put your trailer frame on the cables and slide it across. Once positioned you can loosen the tension off the cables but leave them on the anchors, then go under your trailer and attach the trailer to the cables. The weight of the trailer can set on the ground, but having the anchors tied into solid ground further away from the banks will hold it in place should there ever be a bad flood that washes the banks away and the cables also will act as a "safety net" should the trailer frame start to give.

 

[oosik]

Wow - Sysop. Sounds like a fantastic solution. Maybe you have done something like this before??

 

[vpracer]

Good idea with the cables. I like the thought of having it tied down when the creek is flowing strong.

 

[Sysop]

Wow - Sysop. Sounds like a fantastic solution. Maybe you have done something like this before??

Been involved in one bridge built like this, but know of at least a half dozen locally.

 

[xtn]

I've got plans to make a similar bridge out of an old 40' flatbed trailer. Only my creek isn't as deep and has reasonably sloping banks. So I'm just going to back the trailer through the creek until the back tires are on the opposite bank before I start removing the axles and stuff.

xtn

 

[boggen]

I've got plans to make a similar bridge out of an old 40' flatbed trailer. Only my creek isn't as deep and has reasonably sloping banks. So I'm just going to back the trailer through the creek until the back tires are on the opposite bank before I start removing the axles and stuff.

xtn

ya gave me a thought....

H frame it.

get some 6x6 timbers and lag bolt them together. get trailer partway back into creak. shove the H frame up under neath it at an angle. use some straps / chains to tie H frame good to trailer.

continue backing up. and hopefully H framel will stand up right, picking trailer further up into the air., then as ya continue backing up H frame falling down towards opposite bank. hopefully landing rear of trailer on opposite bank.

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if ya had some steel laying around, ya might even try, poping tires off the rims. and welding a leg per say on each side. and letting everything rotate off the axle/rims.