Stump removal

[thunder86]

I bought a kubota b2601 tractor less than a week ago. I'm inexperienced with tractors as this is my first one. I'm wanting to remove saplings with front end loader roots and all so I can come in with a tiller for food plots. Love to hunt. This stump here is on the bigger side of what I'm wanting to dig out. Will I bend my bucket or warp my loader arms digging these out? I have a tooth bar on order but not on it yet. Would I be better off with a subsoiler digging them out? Maybe I'm babying my tractor but it's new and I dont want to mess it up. Thank you.

 

[4570Man]

That looks like about 4 inches maybe a tad more. I don’t think you’ll ever push that out with a front bucket and making it into a smiley face is quite likely. A sub soiler would be a much better option.

 

[thunder86]

Prolly looks a bit off in the picture, I dont think it's over 2 inches across. What if I waited until next spring let them rot over the winter? Also a subsoiler will that hurt my back hydraulics and pto or will it be ok raising them out with it?

 

[rangerfredbob]

If it's 2" and something not too tough, honestly I would try wrapping a chain around it and pulling it out... digging in raw soil with a loader bucket doesn't work all that well on small tractors... but they will pull pretty hard. I second the 3 point ripper of some form, most farm stores have a single bottom ripper for cheap that should do the job. The back end of a tractor can do a lot more than the front end...

 

[RNeumann]

I don’t think you are going to bend the bucket. The only bucket I’ve bent was with a chain. But stumps are usually fairly stubborn. You may end up with a root grapple if the bucket or 3 point ripper shank doesn’t pop them out. I use my grapple more than the bucket for clearing etc.

So easy to spend others money.....

 

[buck12]

I have taken out hundreds of small trees with my 26 HP Mahindra. My procedure is to not cut the tree. Instead I put the bucket against the the tree about four feet off the ground and push until the root ball pops up. Sometimes this means I have to go from different angles. Once the root are exposed I put the bucket at ground level and push the root ball up. I did this with the bucket for a couple of years before buying a root grapple which makes the job much easier. Some trees such as sweet gun and cedars are easy while others can be a challenge. I have not damaged the loader or bucket however I am not recommending you try this.

 

[lennyzx11]

My advice is to wait on the tooth bar. Then the bucket lip is even stronger. My piranha bar has been on since tractor delivery and bucket lip is pristine.
A subsoiler and dig around each side will help. Or cobble a digger together with a box blade ripper like the Heavy Hitch version.
Chain low on the drawbar and pulling it out works but unless you have some weight on the three point, a light tractor will just spin.
My two cents.
I use a grapple for this usually. So I can root around it, push it over uprooting root ball, and then carrying whole tree to burn pile or dump trailer.
Before grapple, I did as above. Never had a subsoiler but never really needed it.

 

[mikester]

Follow lennyzx11's advice and get root rake grapple attachment for you front end loader.

It's way easier to push trees over with the loader then grab and push them out by the roots than to dig out a stump.

Sometimes it's better to chain saw small trees with an old chainsaw bar and chain and cut the stump flush with the ground so you can drive over them. Leave the stumps in place. Good for making trails in soggy spots to give you floatation/traction. Ripping out the roots just gets you stuck in the muck.