Rock is too big

[tuolumne]

This rock was so heavy, unless the sledge or boat had wheels, this thing prevented my tractor from going anywhere unless I rolled it. When I got a bite on it and attempted to push it, I'd go 3 ft and stop, wheels spinning. Forks on the 3 pt seems like an interesting notion. I do wonder if even this method would of worked. I have to look up the capacity of this tractors 3 pt. This job had an interesting strata of clay, gravel and then sand with about 1000 other rocks ranging from bushel size to softball size. I wish I had the 5400 for even 15 minutes. I'm sure it would of made this job alot easier. The teeth worked great for picking out all of these stones. If I didn't reinforce the cheap JD materials bucket, this job would of ripped the bucket to pieces

No wheels needed. Before I had the 3320 I moved many boulders with my 1980 JD 110 garden tractor. If that setup can drag an 800 lb. rock (flat ground mind you) you could certainly pull much larger boulders with your tractor. Where I used an 8' oak plank to lever the rocks around, you could roll it onto the boat with the loader. I have also seen the old car hood used with great success as another poster mentioned.

 

[crbr]

Winch it up on a trailer. That is a gorgeous rock for landscaping.

 

[3RRL]

Did you try just dragging it yet?

 

[RedDirt]

I just read an interesting technique in a reference training manual CurleyDave recommended. It says you can dig around and below the rock (or stump) that's too big to lift out, partially refill with the loose dirt, then roll the boulder back and forth. Keep replacing more dirt and rocking the boulder and it will be slowly raised to the point where you can roll it out of the hole. Anyone tried this method?

 

[arrow]

Red Dirt that's exactly how I got the rock out of the hole. I had to do this about 4 times before the rock was leveraged out of the whole using the rock and fill method. Good size rock there 3RRL. I did not try dragging. I had to roll the rock with the fel to get it out of there after I dug around it by hand. Being a case of too much weight for my size tractor, it made me wish I had a larger tractor even though the tractor has performed fine for my use 60 gazillion other times. It held up the job for half the day using hand tools. Fortunately it was a one off and no other rocks that size were confronted.

 

[RollTideRam]

Looks like "Rock just right, need bigger tractor Dear". JC

 

[arrow]

According to my wife, it still didn't reach the size of the ones in my head that she has to shove around and she has no tractor for that. I told her I could git her one which went over like the size of the rock I took out.

Love that picture 3RRL. Looks like I could of used the grunt your machine puts out. My rock was just too big for my bucket which looks like you're in the same situation. I couldn't push mine either as my wheels would just start spinning as the rock got a bite onto the ground. 3 ft then stop. All my logging chains were at home and thought that if I couldn't push it I couldn't drag it either but that may have not been the case looking at your pic.

 

[3RRL]

Right, I couldn't budge that rock although I tried many times if you see all white scars on the rock.
I tried using the bucket but no way, also tried pushing it at first and it didn't budge. Finally after chaining a couple times, I found a spot where the chain stayed and dragged it easily to my surprise. If you haven't done that yet, I'll bet your tractor will pull that rock. Be sure to make a sort of "sling or net" with the chains to capture it. On mine, I had it chained in 3 directions, but one of the chains slipped to where it is in that photo. I was lucky it held. I dragged many big ones that I couldn't move with the bucket over to repair a small ravine crossing. Some were smaller, but some were pretty big.

 

[arrow]

Very nice rig you got there 3. Who makes it? Isn't life in the country fun. As long as you're not working anyway. Great bridge over pics. I actually owned a JD 950 that I bought in 1990. Times got rough and I had to sell it 2 years later but kept the 750 I purchased in 85. I paid 9300 for the 750 with fel and 12500 for the 950 w/fel .Today the 950 goes for just about as much in good shape used. Ok off to Cape Cod for 10 days. See you on the flip side.

 

[slewisma]

Probably goes without saying but a major difference between pushing / carrying and pulling is when pulling you need to be wary of what happens if the combination of the rock's weight and the slope angle you might pull it on create the risk of it rolling into the tractor from behind or pulling the tractor onto a course you didn't intend and won't enjoy! Danger increases with the "roundness" of the rock.