Minimum Ice Thickness for 1-ton load?

[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!!