Moving Heavy Rocks

[BX24FOR5]

I have 2 very large rocks to move to another location on my property.

They are about 3ft long X 2ft X 30 inches.

I will be trying to move them with my BX24.

I believe they are to heavy to put in bucket and lift.

Would any of you have any other suggestions how best to move them.

They are on the grass and not sunk in very much.

 

[newdeal]

sounds to me like you need a bigger tractor for that job

 

[whistlepig]

One thing I can tell you not to do. Don't truss up your rock with chains like a Thanksgiving turkey and try dragging it down a real steep hill. A big rock can slide extremely well on a grass covered hill. A 500 pound rock can get pretty frisky on a steep hill. The rock will out run the tractor down the hill and then the fun will begin. Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted.

 

[BruceWard]

My rough guess is that they would weigh around 1500 pounds each. With my B21 I have been able to slide forks under such rocks and push them around. When I did not have forks on I would sometimes roll the rocks with the bucket or otherwise try to play bulldozer. However the B21 weighs 4000 pounds including the 1000 pound backhoe. Your BX does not weigh much more than the rocks.

 

[HowlingWolf]

Use a sheet of plywood and make a drag slide.

 

[BigD23]

Not sure how far you have to move them. Flat ground, uphill, downhill but it will be slow tedious work...Don't get in a hurry...Just my .02 and good luck.

Don

 

[Tom_H]

Search the archives for the terms "rock sled" and "stone boat". You will find many pics. The simplest is to go to a junkyard, get a hood from an old VW beetle, get the rock onto it, and use it as a sled to drag the rock.

 

[Egon]

Fill the tractor bucket with rocks, put a chain around the rock, hook them real close to the tractor and give it a try. If they don't move rig up a piece of plywood or car hood to slide under them and try again.:thumbsup:

If all that don't work get set up with a drill, feathers and wedges and split them. Don't let the wife see this or you may have all sorts of new "Rock garden/wall" projects.:laughing:

 

[Ken45101]

I would suggest the chains around the rock and hook it to a bar on the 3pt arms to lift it a little if you can.

If it is stuck in the ground, maybe dig under it and wedge a timber underneath and lift that with the loader bucket (leverage) to get it loose.

OTOH, you might just have to accept that your equipment is too small to do anything with a rock that big.

Ken

 

[jmarotz]

I have moved many rocks that weighed to much for the loader by using using the 3 point