Minimum Ice Thickness for 1-ton load?

[TacoT96]

What is the minimum ice thickness you would take a 2000# tractor onto?

I did a little test on ~3" to 3.5" ice (clear ice); it cracked a little while driving, but not while parked. I did not spend a lot of time on the ice as the wife was pretty nervous about it all & I didn't want to risk her wrath of sinking over $10K of tractor. Now before all you safety gurus start telling me how dangerous this was, let me tell you that I did calculate the risks; the water depth was around 4' - 6', so "if" the tractor had attempted morphing into a submarine, and I would not have exited the danger zone in time, I would have been able to perch on top of the ROPS and keep my feet relatively dry.

 

[SkyPup]

LOL, sorry I can't help you with this one as we don't have this problem down here in Florida too often....

 

[DANOCHEESE]

Safety Guide for Operations Over Ice - Part 2 of 2

Here you go. Guys were out about 400 yards fishing yesterday on about 3 inchs of ice. No vehicles yet.

Usually about 6 inchs and I take the truck out. After by brother goes first.

 

[Tig]

I have driven on the ice since I was a teenager, but now only if I know the ice very well. Ice can be weakened by sunshine warming the bottom of the lake, a spring, decomposing material, currents, a change in water levels, pressure cracks. As I watch the bay I always wonder how there can be 12" infront of my place and open water 1/2Km away. But it doesn't happen every year and temperature doesn't seem to be the only factor. My point is, the 12" that I drive on can turn soft or into 1" for no apparent reason.
My free advice, don't take anything out on the ice that you are not prepared to loose.
On that note my wife has already told me I am not allowed to use the tractor to move my ice fishing hut.

 

[Tig]

Safety Guide for Operations Over Ice - Part 2 of 2

Great reference Dano, seems very comprehensive. Note that they test the ice every 15'

Although I can't figure out why the Treasury board is driving on the ice.

"The Treasury Board is responsible for accountability and ethics, financial, personnel and administrative management, comptrollership, approving regulations and most Orders-in-Council.

TBS is tasked with providing advice and support to Treasury Board Ministers in their role of ensuring value for money as well as providing oversight of the financial management functions in departments and agencies."

 

[john_bud]

6-8" of GOOD ice for a 2000# load.

I won't take a vehicle onto ice under 12".

The trouble is that a stray current can sweep warm (34F) water from the bottom of the lake up to the surface and you can have a 2" thickness of ice surrounded by 12+". That's a bad thing to drive over! You can also have springs and other natural elements that can weaken ice from the bottom up, leaving you with a nasty surprise. I've seen guys dunk trucks ice fishing when the ice around them is 24" thick and the spot that failed has lots of tracks across it. Happens all the time.

Ever see a truck that was removed from the ice? Know how they do it? They dangle a grapple hook and attempt to snare the truck. If you are lucky as all get out, they hook it. If they don't, you pay an ice diver to scuba down to the truck (and you pay lots and lots $$), they hook a cable to the truck and a tow truck on shore starts to wench. The truck then is wenched across the bottom and is forced out of the ice at the shore. There usually isn't a straight piece of metal anywhere on the truck. Then you pay (Lots) to the tow truck guy. Then you pay even more to the DNR guy for the contamination to the water from your gas and oil that leaked out. If you didn't get it out right away, you get to pay a fine (usually over $100 per day). Yippie! Then you discover that the insurance company won't cover your loss as it's considered gross negligence on your part. Double yippie! So you get to keep on paying your monthly payments for a truck that is totalled and every day hear from the better half how brilliant you are. Tripple yippie!

Have fun on the ice! Don't worry about those cracking sounds, it's just natures way of telling you your wallet is about to get lighter.

jb

 

[zzvyb6]

I did this once while trying to make a nice hockey rink in the pond (with the loader and rear blade).

Its a terrible feeling to sink one wheel in. Then it sank up to the crankshaft. Neighbor's tractor pulled me out with a chain. Getting a chain on it at a location suitable for extraction is quit a problem.

I have a friend who regularly drives his tractor under water to clear the muck off the bottom of his pond in warm weather. When he's on it, it's about up to his waist. Extended vertical exhaust and air intake. Plugged radiator overflow hose. Had some frozen clutch issues that probably were caused by the water. Other than that, powerwasherville.

 

[AndyMA]

I agree with John. 12" and cold out is minimum for me. Aroudn here quite often we have 12" out aways and almost none at shore of lakes.

Andy

 

[SPYDERLK]

6-8" of GOOD ice for a 2000# load.
The trouble is that a stray current can sweep warm (34F) water from the bottom of the lake up to the surface and you can have a 2" thickness of ice surrounded by 12+".jb

Point of info. Bottom water is 4C --- about 39F. That is the max density T of water. The only way it could be 34 is if the lake were frozen nearly to the bottom.

larry​

 

[putt_putt_green]

Also keep in mind that any significant amount of snow deteriorates the ice.

 

[john_bud]

Point of info. Bottom water is 4C --- about 39F. That is the max density T of water. The only way it could be 34 is if the lake were frozen nearly to the bottom.

larry​

39?, 34? what's a few degrees between fellow tractor friends?

 

[Egon]

Check out this site on Ice Roads.

Its the only way to travell on the ground!

Tibbitt to Contwoyto Winter Road - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[biggerten]

What is the minimum ice thickness you would take a 2000# tractor onto?

I did a little test on ~3" to 3.5" ice (clear ice); it cracked a little while driving, but not while parked. I did not spend a lot of time on the ice as the wife was pretty nervous about it all & I didn't want to risk her wrath of sinking over $10K of tractor. Now before all you safety gurus start telling me how dangerous this was, let me tell you that I did calculate the risks; the water depth was around 4' - 6', so "if" the tractor had attempted morphing into a submarine, and I would not have exited the danger zone in time, I would have been able to perch on top of the ROPS and keep my feet relatively dry.

Old Farmer's Almanac says - Safe Ice Thickness - The Old Farmer's Almanac

 

[Tig]

Sorry if I come off as safety police but I am a fool with experience on this subject. I grew up adjacent to big water and have known too many people who died due to what I feel is a lack of respect for mother nature. I've been in cold water twice. First time was a foolish mis-step on a -20C day. I was able to crawl up the 10' ice bank out of lake Ontario by letting my mitttens and sleeves freeze to it and pulling my self up slowly. I walked a mile home alone that afternoon. Second time was a planned plunge in late November. I only needed to be in the water for 30 seconds to do what I needed to do. It was very painfull, I started to loose motor control and when I got on dry land I had to lay there for a minute before I could get up and go inside.
Putting a vehicle though the ice can be violent at the best of times. You don't just sink. You might fall over or wedge into a hole. Either way you can add the complication of being trapped, pinned or injured to your cold water predicament.
I've got a picture that I'll dig out scan and post to illustrate my point.
Mother nature plays for keeps.

 

[TacoT96]

Safety Guide for Operations Over Ice - Part 2 of 2 <snip>

Agree with Tig, that is great reading. I know of all those guides that go '3 inches for cross country skiers, 4" for one person ice fishing, yada, yada, 8" for light car or truck,' etc.; but I feel these guides factor in variables like ice strength, flowing waters, etc. This link included '3.2.2 To initially determine effective ice thickness, the rule of thumb "one inch (2.5 cm) of clear blue ice for every thousand pounds (450 kg)" may be used.', which reflects the info I was really looking for. I know this has to be combined with common sense; as the ratio of ice thickness to load capacity is not linear.

Thanks to all for chiming in! I trust real-world experiences a lot more than the hypothetical stuff.

<snip> After my brother goes first.

I really like that last part!!!

 

[Botabill]

I live in the Peterborough Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario. We're surrounded by thousands of beautiful lakes, ponds, swamps, creeks, rivers etc. Every winter we have regular reports of people drowning by going through the ice even in the dead of winter. They are usually on snow machine but skiers, walkers and other vehicle are often involved. Once you go through the ice it isn't easy to get out even in 4 feet of water. Ice can't be gripped by wet flailing hands and within 3-5 minutes your body seizes up and unless you have someone to pull you out you are dead. I won't even go on lake ice 6 feet deep on foot and other water ways can be more dangerous due to currents swamp gas etc.

 

[Casco1]

After ice fishing for many years and seeing a few accidents, I've come up with, what is for me a foolproof method of judging ice safety. I go to the pond where I want to put my shack ( 600-700 lbs ) I slide a cheesecake onto the ice to the spot I selected. After seeing the cheesecake my mother-in-law immediately goes to retrieve it, if she doesn't break through I know the ice is good up to at least 1.635 tons. It works for me.

 

[EastTnFarmboy]

I did this once while trying to make a nice hockey rink in the pond (with the loader and rear blade).

Its a terrible feeling to sink one wheel in. Then it sank up to the crankshaft. Neighbor's tractor pulled me out with a chain. Getting a chain on it at a location suitable for extraction is quit a problem.

Key word: ONCE

 

[MossRoad]

I've been on really good 3" ice and really dangerous 12" ice. The only way to be sure is to check the thickness often.

I frequent an oxbow lake that has 90' high banks on the curve. There are litterally hundreds of springs. The ice can be 6" of good, hard ice and 5' away only 1" thick.

As for 2000 pounds, divide that by 4 since you have 4 tires. So you need ice that will support about 500 pounds on the tire footprint contact patch area. I weigh about 250 when fully decked out in ice fishing gear and clothes, etc... I wear size 13 boots. When I walk on the ice, all 250 pounds is concentrated on just one foot, than the other. The tire patch on my tactor is similar to my boot patch... a bit shorter, but twice as wide. So, me walking in my boots probably puts about the same pressure per square inch as a 2000 pound tractor.

Now, I have to ask myself this....

Would I walk across 3" of lake ice with three other 250 pound guys, one right next to me and two more walking behind us? Heck no! I wouldn't feel safe until it was 8-10" of very hard ice.

 

[EastTnFarmboy]

After ice fishing for many years and seeing a few accidents, I've come up with, what is for me a foolproof method of judging ice safety. I go to the pond where I want to put my shack ( 600-700 lbs ) I slide a cheesecake onto the ice to the spot I selected. After seeing the cheesecake my mother-in-law immediately goes to retrieve it, if she doesn't break through I know the ice is good up to at least 1.635 tons. It works for me.

That's just WRONG!!