How do I get a root ball out of a pit?

[ragkar]

I've been rather successful in removing stumps till I came to this one. It's detached now and is about a three foot cube with embedded dirt and stones. The pit is three feet deep and about six feet across.
I figure, 27 cubic feet at maybe 20-40 pounds per cubic foot or 500-1000 pounds. My JD model 46 bh is spec'd to be able to lift 348 pounds. The 3ph can lift 1150 pounds but only about a foot and a half.
I asked a local farmer for suggestions and he only had one. He said that my tractor was a toy and I should get some big iron to do it. Darn if I'm going to pay $500 to get some guy to bring in his tractor. This root ball was a problem and now it's a challenge.
My first thought was to dig a ramp and loop chains around the ball. But then I realized that the chains will roll off.
My second idea was to attack the root ball with a pressure washer and remove a lot of dirt. Not only would that cut down the weight but it might expose a real heavy root that I could hook a chain to without fear of it falling or rolling off. Then I could hook the other end of the chain to my drawbar, or my pickup, or a one ton come-along and drag it up the ramp.
What do you think of that idea or do you have a better one not involving 'big iron'?

 

[Spiveyman]

Even though I'm a big iron guy, I like the challenge of doing that with small iron. I don't have a lot of experience removing stumps yet, but a combo of the use a ramp then tow it out with perhaps some power washer dirt removal sounds like a decent plan. I've done this with my pick-up on a couple of stumps in the past and it worked OK. If you.... I mean WHEN you get it out of there post some pics for braggin' rights.

 

[jeffinsgf]

Been there, done that.

First and foremost, be very, very careful. That root ball may be significantly denser and heavier than you think.

I dug up several stumps this Spring, most of which I just grabbed with my grapple and lifted out of the hole. If the hydraulics hit their limit or the rear tires got light, I wrapped a chain around it and drug it out with the drawbar. I didn't cut a ramp, but that might have made the job easier. I wouldn't worry too much about the chain slipping off. It will almost always catch in the roots.

 

[Egon]

Build a nice big fire on it!

 

[MossRoad]

Build a nice big fire on it!

Meat, potatoes, onions and carrots in a foil pouch makes it a recreational fire, too!

 

[firemanpat2910]

if you are worried abou the chains slipping off remember its made of wood Lag bolts are cheap, screw some in and your all set.

 

[ragkar]

Egon - at first I thought that your suggestion to "Build a nice big fire on it!" was facetious. But then I got to thinking that the pit could be a firepit. It's in the middle of the yard with no plants for twenty feet so it might be fire safe.
The only thing is the insulating properties of the packed in dirt. I might want to attack it with the pressure washer to expose root wood first. Then I have a lot of squaw wood and bigger stuff to throw in the pit.
On the bad side, pressure washing it would be very messy what with mud splash back. Then I'd have to let everything dry out for a few days before lighting the fire. And the fire might want to burn longer than 8-10 hours.
Your suggestion has merit and I'll consider it.

firemanpat2910 your lagbolt idea is good too. The stump has a flat top, where it was cut, but the stump may be 16 years old. I'm thinking that the bolts may pull out and then the chain snaps back and then ????

 

[VABlue]

A chain won't snap back so much like rope or cable would. There's not too much stretch on a chain, the weak link will give before anything is stretched. But it will come back some...

Like Jeff said, a chain will most likely catch the root ball somehow. Espcially if you use 2-3 wraps. You could also connect the wraps together with smaller chain sections to keep them from slipping off.

 

[RobS]

Interesting dilema. A buddy faced a similar problem with a big rock he hit while digging a basement UNDER his house. Yes, he is a bit off. Anyway, his solution was to take it "out" through the bottom. In other words, dig a hole deeper yet and simply bury the whole thing. Now, you'll hear talk of the stump rotting and causing a low spot in the yard. I'm sure that will happen and when it does, your great, great, grandchildren can tend to it.

I do like the firepit idea two, maybe a hybrid of the two...

 

[Egon]

The fire though was serious. Don't worry about the rocks and dirt in the rootball. They get hot and conduct heat back to the stump. Poking the stump every so often will also help loosen the granular debris.

I've burnt more than one stump on my firehill.

Moss has added the ultimate touch with food preparation!