PTO trencher

Deerlope · Feb 6, 2004

I would like to purchase a PTO trencher but know very little about them. I would be useing it on an L3830 which is around 38 HP. There are a lot of pro's on this site so could you please give me some places to start. I could also rent one but I live about 200 miles from nowhere. Also I may be able to work out with it doing work for cable TV.

rdbrumfield · Feb 6, 2004

you talking backhoe or chain trencher

jrlichina · Feb 6, 2004

Bradco makes a nice unit that will work on your tractor. You'll need one rear remote for the hydraulic tilt. This one is for 20-45 HP PTOs and weighs 850 lbs. The only drawback is that I know they are pricely(at least $1,500 bucks I think). It's really great for doing long runs. If this is more of a one time deal I'd look into just renting an attachment or a dedicated trenching machine. A backhoe may be an option if you have other projects to do, it's more money but would have many uses.

Deerlope · Feb 6, 2004

A chain trencher or I have seen them that use a big rotating wheel. The one with the wheel was a self contained unit by Ditch Witch ( I think). probably cannot get that type in a PTO.

DocHeb · Feb 6, 2004

I've seen the Bradco units for both PTO and skidsteers. Around here, cable is run quite shallow - no more than 6-12 inches. You might consider an Brown Heavy Duty TrenchMaster. Although it isn't as versitile, nor dig as deep as a Bradco Trencher, it is less damaging to surrounding landscaping for cable trenching. Boy, with a 42" trencher you could really get into some stuff - hope you have an excellent line-location ("Miss Dig") service.

longway5 · Feb 6, 2004

We have the Bradco trencher at work. It works well most of the time, and leaves a nice trench. If the soil is rocky, it doesn't like it too much, although it will pull up good sized rocks if the teeth can get under the rock. We have it mounted on a 45 hp tractor with a creeper gear, and usually just let the tractor idle along in the lowest gear.

L3710GV · Feb 6, 2004

I have seen the bradco trencher and it looks like it could tear out the back of the tractor, all that weight out there that far and jumping around when it hits a rock, at the very least you would want to reinforce top link on tractor. Just looks like a recipe for dezaster (broken case etc. etc.)

Spencer · Feb 6, 2004

( I know they are pricely(at least $1,500 bucks I think). )
Sounds cheap to me. Can anyone verify the actual price of these?

mikell · Feb 8, 2004

Seems like 4500$ because I was looking and could get a hoe for my lill tractor for the same price.

mikell

EastTexFrank · Feb 8, 2004

Sorry I got on late on this but I was having some computer problems. I know Kubota actually sells a trencher under their name. I saw it on their website as an attachment for the B2410 tractor. As usual on the Kubota site, they give no indication of the price but it looks to be a pretty useful piece of equipment.

Inspector507 · Feb 8, 2004

Might call Carver's 910-892-7171

Carver Equipment

5030 · Feb 8, 2004

Deerlope:

I don't know much about trenchers other than I rented a Vermeer for a pipe run about a year ago. I'd think a backhoe would have a lot more versatility than a trencher.

On the subject of laying cable, a trencher could get you in big trouble right away. To production trench at the depth a trencher operates at, you'd be real friendly with Miss Dig or be paying a lot of service fees for utilities.

Most cable, especially for cable television or fiber optic runs are laid with a vibratory plow. Basically, it's a single point ripper with a cable guide welded on. The units vibrates as it is pulled through the ground and the cable feeds through the shoe. There is little, if any ground disruption. You just step on the sod and go about your business.

chrisjbell · Feb 9, 2004

You'd have to be doing a *lot* of trenching to make it worth purchasing one. For a fraction of what you'd pay for one you can rent the ride-on trenchers for quite a while. I think I paid $150 / day for a ride on Ditch Witch and was able to put trenches in more places than I could actually lay pipe.

And as far as the comments about underground utilities, all I can say is that at least when I hit the power line to my well that I didn't affect anyone else's utilities /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif. Those things will rip right through conduit and cable /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif...

Deerlope · Feb 9, 2004

Thanks for all the comments and advice. I am going to rent one.

SPIKER · Feb 10, 2004

( the power line to my well that I didn't affect anyone else's utilities /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif. Those things will rip right through conduit and cable /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif... )

Hey those things happen, but look at the bright side, At least you had a trencher handy to put in NEW conduit and wire!

I ripped out my phone line when I ran power to my NEw barn, but I'll still not know WHY they ran the phone line some 20 feet behind the house away form the road and I did call befor I dug, every thing checked out OK, even phone and cable company came and said nothing was there! lol... anyhow I still haven't fixed it right as I don't use the phone there, I have a cell handy all the time now so why bother with the land line untill it is needed...

Mark M /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

longway5 · Feb 10, 2004

We've ripped through the irrigation control lines several times, and you won't even know it till its time to clean the trench out. And where there are control lines, there is a high-pressure irrigation line nearby. I don't think we've actually hit one yet (although we got within a half inch one time), but you will know it when you do. PVC + high pressure water + trencher = 30 to 40' geyser and a big mess. I've rubbed up next to a pvc pipe in the ground with the trencher, and we were all glad when it turned out to be a cable chase.

keeney · Feb 11, 2004

In my old house, the phone company had run the wire from the underground box at the street, all around my house through the backyard to the opposite front corner of the house where the demark' was just so they wouldn't have to cross under the driveway.

Since all the utilities are out at the street, I never would have suspected the phone line was in the back yard until I randomly dug a small hole to bury a dead rodent I found in the garage. I sliced the phone line clean through with a hand shovel.

Now, I always call for locates. Since I have been slowly building my new house, I think I have collected a few hundred of those little marker flags from all the times all the utilites have been out to mark the same stuff over and over.

A funny thing happened when I re-used some of the flags to help lay out my sprinkler system. My wife saw them and was curious why the gas company was putting gas lines in our back-yard!

- Rick

jinman · Feb 11, 2004

I've had my digital camera for over four years and have been able to document my underground plumbing, electrical, and telephone line locations so I can find them in the future. I know I could take measurements and make diagrams, but my photos have worked well to remind me and show to contractors doing underground work. If you have a digital camera, it doesn't take long to stop and take a few snapshots that will be really helpful in the future. The attachment is a photo of the telephone guy putting in my underground phone line. It was around 500' to the pole and I documented every foot of the "trench" with my camera. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif