Ice-Wheely

[Buck]

Two nights ago, my son came in from outside and asked that I clean the snow off the ice over a drainage area leading to a pond for skating. It is an area that I allow the kids to skate on (unsupervised) because it is only 2-3 feet deep. Well, he knew that I would, because he suggested that I use the box scraper to do it. (He knows that I'll stop doing anything to run the tractor)

I felt comfortable using the tractor on the ice, after all it had been ~10-20 degrees F degrees for almost a week. The ice was 4 inches deep. Sure enough after about five mins. of scraping ... crack ... crack ... plunk ... I'd broken through the ice, and the water was at the level of my foot deck.

The attached picture shows the tractor as I left it that evening. Look at the Box Scraper. It is enclosed in ice. The two dark ridges forming a trail behind the tractor are not dirt. They are dirty ice chunks left by 45 minutes of inching forward by cracking ice using the FEL and using a combination spinning wheels and FEL to move forward.

I am very near land and think that if I can get another five feet I'll be O.K. I plan on using a winch rated at 5000 LB.

Does anyone have other ideas?

Thanks,

Buck

 

[Steven]

Did you get it out before it was frozen in for the rest of the winter?

 

[Buck]

Steve,

No I didn't. I did manage to crack the ice today. Will try tomorrow to winch it out.

Buck

 

[Boondox]

Whatever you do, do it quickly before you get frozen in place for the rest of the winter! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Pete

 

[RobS]

Yikes, I bet you had a dark ridge in your pants also. I know I would.

Assuming it doesn't freeze in over night you might be able to get it out with a strong come-along. Pull a few feet on the cable then work the tractor a bit. Back and forth like that I've been able to extract a full size 4x4 pick up truck. You've got some nearby trees but be sure to hook to them down low and with plenty of padding or a wide strap so you don't tear them up.

Best of luck, let us know how it works out for you /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[MossRoad]

<font color=blue>The ice was 4 inches deep</font color=blue>

Yikes /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Not to lecture you or anything, but rule of thumb is 3 inches for one person, 4 inches for two people(but not walking close to each other), 5 inches for a snowmobile and 10+ for a small car. With that said, I went ice fishing today and almost made my wife a wealthy woman....(life insurance money) Most of the lake was 3.5 to 5.5 inches. So I walk over to my favorite place with a friend. Cracking noises ensue. I check the ice while on all fours and it is only an inch and a half. The springs shifted with the drought we had and moved a hundred yards. Slow crawl to safety and learned a lesson. /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

Hope you get it out before it locks up. Be careful if winching. Put a large heavy blanket over the cable in case it snaps. That will help slow down the cable and direct it downwards. Might be better off with a tow truck and get it out ASAP.

 

[TOMLESCOEQUIP]

Buck..........If you haven't got it out yet try a couple sheets of 3/4" plywood in front of the tractor...use one under the FEL bucket to lift(using down pressure) the tractor front tires up off the ice in order to place the 2nd sheet under the tires with some of the sheet going behind the front wheels to form a ramp for the rear wheels...then put your FEL up so you can hook the winch cable to the tractor front bumper or frame....It appears that you may use one of the trees in the picture to anchor a snatch block to ...to give you additional pull toward shore and keep you out of the direct path of the winch cable....You have at least a 2 man (perferabally 3) job ahead of you....Keep the kids out of the way and good luck...........Tom

 

[Thomas]

If it was I..I would hook low and solid to the tractor when useing a come along...better yet since it spent the night in the water,I would break the ice away from the tractor,than call for a wrecker to pull the tractor out,also not start the tractor and haul to a warm area to dry off.

The brakes & lines & controls & pto and transmission etc..may have ice build up.

 

[ns_in_tex]

If you don't have a winch handy, could you use the rolling action of the bucket along with a chain to a tree to pull yourself out?

 

[Buck]

Good idea. Thanks!

Buck