Rock extraction with FEL

[jodebg]

New to tractors and removed my first rocks today.

There were several rocks on our dirt road that rock the
tractor when I drive over them. What appeared to be small rocks
that would be easy to extract with the FEL turned out to be large
rocks buried deep.

Spent considerable time working on them, but all the time I was
wondering how good this is for the tractor?

Trying to get them out put a strain on the tractor and the engine
shut off once and slowed down on a few occasions.

I was running a Kubota B7800/ 30HP. After a while it seemed that 2200 rpms
seemed to be a good speed to operate at?

 

[grm61]

Be careful to not bend the bucket (bow it in the middle)

 

[hhsco]

The engine SHUT OFF? That doesn't sound great.

If they are huge rocks it really may be simpler to just build the road up a bit in that spot. Is it nice and flat otherwise? If you dig 'em out you're just gonna have to fill 'em back in anyways, might save some trouble to get some crushed pit run or something (or even just some hard packed dirt) and level the road off above the rock. Sounds a little bassackwards I know, but if a little rise in the driveway doesn't bother you then it may be a practical solution.

 

[KiotiKowboy]

The engine SHUT OFF? That doesn't sound great.

I was wondering if you might have been running lower than the 2200 rpm at the time - or, I know if I forget to drop into low-range, I would be more susceptible to stalling under a heavy load.

 

[k0ua]

I was wondering if you might have been running lower than the 2200 rpm at the time - or, I know if I forget to drop into low-range, I would be more susceptible to stalling under a heavy load.

Or he was leaning in the seat to see better, and the seat safety switch shut down the injector pump.

Another option to what you suspect are large rocks sitting up "proud" is to knock the crap out of them with a sledge hammer. Sometimes all it takes is one or two hits to knock the tops off of them..gone. Be sure to wear safety glasses as you make "little ones out of big ones"..

 

[texasjohn]

When working a tractor hard, either ground engaging or FEL lifting, it's good to run it at a good rate...I typically choose 2000 to 2500 RPM, depending on the task.

 

[RaydaKub]

My b-i-l took me over to a corner of his parking area out in the Black Hills. He pointed down to a small rock about 6 inches across. The guy building his driveway and parking are (local road contractor) told him that little rock determined the elevation of the entire are. He couldn't move it with his excavator.

 

[HillStreet]

New to tractors and removed my first rocks today.

There were several rocks on our dirt road that rock the
tractor when I drive over them. What appeared to be small rocks
that would be easy to extract with the FEL turned out to be large
rocks buried deep.

Spent considerable time working on them, but all the time I was
wondering how good this is for the tractor?

Trying to get them out put a strain on the tractor and the engine
shut off once and slowed down on a few occasions.

I was running a Kubota B7800/ 30HP. After a while it seemed that 2200 rpms
seemed to be a good speed to operate at?

I dug about 100 ton of rock out of my property in the 3 years since building my house. Sizes ranged from softballs to bean bag chairs. Some were too big to fit into the bucket so I rolled them to the pile. The trick is to dig deep enough to get the bucket lip under it, sometimes ramp one side and push up the ramp from the other. Once an area was dug, I would drag a grading blade over the area and seed lawn.

I stalled the tractor a few times because I stayed in power too long and should have backed off sooner. Kubota B2320 has 460 hours on it now and still ruNs like new but I do fluid and filter changes ahead of the recommended schedule.

Not a whimper out of the front end even though I admit to slipping into the hole a few times and slamming against the rock. Bucket is fine other than normal paint wear. I do not ram anything, you will get a feel for easing into the dig with steady pressure, and know when to back off and dig more dirt to free the rock.

You cannot be surgical with the bucket, you're gonna dig more dirt than you probably want to dig but thems the breaks. Just backfill and regrade to finish the job.

I had some massive rocks where only the "tip of the iceberg" showed. I dug around them and drilled and split the tops off a foot below grade--- you'd never know they were there.

I built on a real "mean" piece of land, now the top of my hill almost 2 acres looks like a park. Three year project up top, now I am working on the lower area but it's more a hobby than a must-do project.

Coincidentally, when I built the house, a contractor told me he would grade and seed the top for $30,000 to $40,000 "depending on what I run into". My wife and I did it for the price of grass seed and a Kubota-- and we still have the tractor.

 

[k0ua]

Coincidentally, when I built the house, a contractor told me he would grade and seed the top for $30,000 to $40,000 "depending on what I run into". My wife and I did it for the price of grass seed and a Kubota-- and we still have the tractor.

For that kind of money, you could have bought 2 tractors, or a tractor and a bass boat, or at least a really good down payment on one!

 

[Gordon Gould]

I have taken out more than my fair share of road rocks, all sizes, with my tractor. If your road freezes solid in winter and then you have a muddy season when the frost starts to come out; that is the absolute best time to get the rocks out. It seems they almost float out in the mud and water that fills the holes. Once the road drys out it is much harder to free them.
Also in addition to your tractor you would be surprised at what a heavy 5 foot bar can do to help you.
Up to this size is easy. Bigger ones are more work. I took this when I was testing my new grapple. That is why the road is dry.