I have a creek that runs through my property and want to run in it with my gator HPX. Problem is the sides are to steep for me to get up and down and in places are just a sharp drop off. What I need to do is make this into a nice gentle slope. What would be the best tool to do this with ? I was thinking of renting a terramite T5C backhoe to do it. I have a tractor with a front end loader but I think it would be to difficult to make a slop with just that. This is also a remote area so whatever it is has to be small.
Need to create a gentle incline into creek
- Thread starter darkday
- Start date
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mocassincreekranch
Bronze Member
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2007
- Messages
- 55
- Location
- Llano Tx
- Tractor
- John Deere 5210 & John Deere 6115D, John Deere 5100e
Darkday: I was in the same situation you are in. My creek is about 15ft deep and over half of my property was on the other side of the creek. I had a track hoe come in and slope the banks back at about a 45 degree angle and did the finish work with my box and grader blade. I had to pour concrete in the bottom to keep it from washing out and have to occasionally add dirt to the washouts in the road. I drive my golfcart up and down this crossing with ease. Keep us posted on your progress.
Jimbrown
Veteran Member
Well a hoe might be faster but unless you are digging in rock I would just take the loader and start making the cut. I dig holes that way all of the time. Just start on the lip of the drop off and start digging as deep as your loader will cut and push towards the creek. Keep at it. it will probably dam the creek some and you may have to move some of the dirt out of the bottom. But come on a nice gentle slope for an HPX??? My Mule will climb some preety steep stuff. Might have to work on it some after the first few rains but you gonna have to do that anyway.
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
I'm assuming you already tried digging with your front loader???
Before renting a mini backhoe, be sure to price what a full sized one goes for. It might not be very much, but the amount of work you can get done with a full sized loader/backhoe will be at least four times faster. More power and larger buckets will mean faster digging and moving of material.
A small trackhoe would work too, but not one of the mini's. They are not for moving dirt, just specialized trenching and detail work. If you get a trackhoe, you really want at least 50 hp or better. The problem with the trackhoe is that after you dig the ramp, you are stuck with a pile of dirt to move. Your tractors FEL will do this, but I'm guessing you only have around a 1/3 bucket? It's very doable, just takes awhile.
Always dig it more then you think you need to. The more gradual the slope, the eaiser it will be to get out of when the tires are wet and muddy. Especialy if you drive it a few times and get the ramp really wet.
Eddie
Before renting a mini backhoe, be sure to price what a full sized one goes for. It might not be very much, but the amount of work you can get done with a full sized loader/backhoe will be at least four times faster. More power and larger buckets will mean faster digging and moving of material.
A small trackhoe would work too, but not one of the mini's. They are not for moving dirt, just specialized trenching and detail work. If you get a trackhoe, you really want at least 50 hp or better. The problem with the trackhoe is that after you dig the ramp, you are stuck with a pile of dirt to move. Your tractors FEL will do this, but I'm guessing you only have around a 1/3 bucket? It's very doable, just takes awhile.
Always dig it more then you think you need to. The more gradual the slope, the eaiser it will be to get out of when the tires are wet and muddy. Especialy if you drive it a few times and get the ramp really wet.
Eddie
tuolumne
Gold Member
I would love this oportunity for a bridge!
One area that has to be done used to be good enough to cross but we got some ruts in there and with the spring flooding it washed out all of the dirt and is now a 3 foot drop on the one side and completely messed up.
I also want to go into more remote areas where I need something that will fit on trails I made for my HPX. These trails have trees all over and there's no way I could get a large track hoe down there without some serious damage. Also the remote areas are where I will need the most work done, an 8 foot or so sheer cliff is what I am up against depending on where I am at.
The pipe idea is nice but would never work, maybe it would work for awhile but the first rain I got it would be flooded out and carried down stream. This creek doesn't like to stay in it's banks in the spring. I also want to be able to drive into the creek and down it. It has a rocky bottom so it can make for a nice drive once I get everything cleared out.
I just got new front tires on my tractor because the plies were starting to seperate and I had nails, sticks stuck through the tread and well needless to say it wasn't in any condition to spend the day working. But it's supposed to rain all week now so I don't know when I can get around to doing this since the water is going to go up again now too.
I also want to go into more remote areas where I need something that will fit on trails I made for my HPX. These trails have trees all over and there's no way I could get a large track hoe down there without some serious damage. Also the remote areas are where I will need the most work done, an 8 foot or so sheer cliff is what I am up against depending on where I am at.
The pipe idea is nice but would never work, maybe it would work for awhile but the first rain I got it would be flooded out and carried down stream. This creek doesn't like to stay in it's banks in the spring. I also want to be able to drive into the creek and down it. It has a rocky bottom so it can make for a nice drive once I get everything cleared out.
I just got new front tires on my tractor because the plies were starting to seperate and I had nails, sticks stuck through the tread and well needless to say it wasn't in any condition to spend the day working. But it's supposed to rain all week now so I don't know when I can get around to doing this since the water is going to go up again now too.
LoganWildman
Silver Member
If it was me, I'd try it with the FEL and a box blade. If that wasn't working I'd rent a 325 Bobcat mini excavator with a 24 or 36 inch bucket and have at it. I've used a 325 many times and they can move a lot of dirt in a short amount of time.
Yeah the bobcat excavator is what I had in mind. I'm not sure about it now though because my local (15 miles away) rental only has a terramite T5C for backhoes. It looks like it would get the job done nicely though and it is smaller then my tractor even so it would easily get down there. I'm not sure if the rental that is 30 miles away has those excavators anymore or not. That's where I first saw them maybe 7 years ago. It would also be a problem getting something as large a 325 out here because my truck couldn't pull it on a trailer.
I worked on the slope that was just washed out and took some pictures that I will upload here in a bit to show you guys what I'm up against and everything. But here's a picture of the T5C I am thinking about renting.
I worked on the slope that was just washed out and took some pictures that I will upload here in a bit to show you guys what I'm up against and everything. But here's a picture of the T5C I am thinking about renting.
I thought I had some good before pics but I guess not... But basically we made the slope a lot more gentle and move all the extra dirt into the stream. Wherever you see water on the dirt is where it is usually flowing and will probably be flowing in the next 48 hours once it erodes away. I managed to get a good ammount done today while the rain held off but didn't have time to get the other side done. It will require a lot of work because everything until that short drop off is sand and will need to be dealt with or the tractor will just sink right in. Here's my after pic.
Now this is what I am worried about though. I want to create a couple of entry points in areas that look about like this.
Now this is what I am worried about though. I want to create a couple of entry points in areas that look about like this.
