Tractor mounted trencher

[kenjroy1]

Hi everyone; Here's a project I just completed in case anyone might find it helpfull. This trencher fits my Kubota BX1500. It's for home use only, and will be used very little (I suspect). I built it as a project to work on and a challenge of some sort. I have a total of about $240 invested in it. I bought a used gearbox in a salvage yard, and a new PTO shaft from ASC. Those two items cost me $180. The rest was iron, bolts, paint, etc. It diggs a 2.50 inch trench 8 inches deep. Thats more than I'll ever need.

 

[ericher69]

Hi everyone; Here's a project I just completed in case anyone might find it helpfull. This trencher fits my Kubota BX1500. It's for home use only, and will be used very little (I suspect). I built it as a project to work on and a challenge of some sort. I have a total of about $240 invested in it. I bought a used gearbox in a salvage yard, and a new PTO shaft from ASC. Those two items cost me $180. The rest was iron, bolts, paint, etc. It diggs a 2.50 inch trench 8 inches deep. Thats more than I'll ever need.

Very nice!

What is the intended purpose sprinkler piping? Or something totally different

Maybe some video on YouTube?

Good job!

 

[chad22]

That's very cool. Great work on it.

Chad

 

[GolfAddict]

I agree - very, very cool!

 

[crowbar032]

Does the dirt pile up beside the trench or fall back into the hole? Did you offset the teeth so it would throw the dirt to the side? Thanks for the idea and posting.

*Hmmm, I've got a used up 4 ft bush hog that would lend itself to a project like this quite nicely. And I need to install some underground wiring. Seeing things like this is why I should not spend so much time on this site. Starts taking notes and drawing up plans*

 

[cmore]

Looks Good. Hope it works as well as it looks.

 

[kenjroy1]

The dirt piles up next to the trench, but some falls back into the trench. It's not a problem for me, since I won't be using it much. I plan to narrow the blade of a hoe, and use that to rake the loose dirt out of the trench. I'm not sure what you mean with "offset". Perhaps you could explain, so I could make modifications. Thanks for the input.

 

[crowbar032]

I was just thinking out loud with the offset teeth comment. In your pictures, it appears the teeth are perpendicular to the drive wheel and square to the ground. I think I would have angled the teeth so that one corner hits the ground before the other side. Think like an old moldboard plow shape or chainsaw tooth shape. I thought it might throw the dirt farther to the angled side and out of the trench better. Hopefully that made a little sense. Just pondering out loud, not knocking your work at all. And I'm not an engineer of any kind either. If it works well for what you're doing, I'm not sure I'd mess with changing it. Thanks again for the idea.

 

[kenjroy1]

No offense taken. I think you may be on to something here. I might add a few more "raker" type teeth angled the way you suggest. Thanks for the idea.

 

[BHD]

IT looks like to me that if one took the gaurd, and put a chute, that is angles off to one side, that just clears the digging teeth, that it would throw most of the dirt off to the side, and possibly a follower, (forget the proper term)

 

[knotweed]

Very good workmanship.

 

[Zick]

Looks good, would love to see a video of it running. :thumbsup:

 

[kenjroy1]

Are you talking about a piece of angled sheet metal somewhere below the top teeth so that dirt would fall on top of the metal and slide down?

 

[BHD]

Are you talking about a piece of angled sheet metal somewhere below the top teeth so that dirt would fall on top of the metal and slide down?

yes that is what I was trying to say, the spinning will centrifugally throw the dirt and the chute would direct it,

 

[Farmerford]

That's impressive work!

What size is the wheel and how thick?

Can you send a picture of how the wheel is mounted to the gearbox shaft?

Thanks.

 

[dieselscout80]

What gear ratio is the gear box?

Cool setup!:thumbsup:

 

[kenjroy1]

The wheel is 17.50 inches in diameter, and 3/16" thick. The bottom of the teeth extend an additional 2 inches. The gearbox shaft is 1-3/8" in diameter, so I used 4 shaft collars from Surplus Center and slid them on the shaft to tack weld the collars together. Then I removed them and finished welding them. I also beveled the edges prior to welding. I drilled a hole through that assembly for a shear pin. The collars also have set screws. I welded a 7/16" X 7" round plate I had, and drilled 4 holes in it for mounting the wheel.

 

[kenjroy1]

I was hoping to find a 1:1, but found this one (not much choice in a salvage yard) which is 1:1.75. By looking at videos of wheel type machines, I figured they don't spin very fast, so I used the output gearbox shaft as the input from the tractor, and used the other for the output. So I end up with about 250 rpm at the wheel.

 

[The kid]

Hi everyone; Here's a project I just completed in case anyone might find it helpfull. This trencher fits my Kubota BX1500. It's for home use only, and will be used very little (I suspect). I built it as a project to work on and a challenge of some sort. I have a total of about $240 invested in it. I bought a used gearbox in a salvage yard, and a new PTO shaft from ASC. Those two items cost me $180. The rest was iron, bolts, paint, etc. It diggs a 2.50 inch trench 8 inches deep. Thats more than I'll ever need.

If I might make a suggestion. Instead of sliding foot to gauge depth. Simply use a trailer hitch adjustable wheel where you can crank it up or down. The sliding foot could get hung on a rock or surface root. Yes it would add to cost but it might save ripping the foot off if caught. My :twocents:

 

[kenjroy1]

Thanks for the idea. Right now, the foot is used for holding up that side when it's free standing. I also slip a wooden stand under the front end. If I had thought of your idea before building, I would have a parking stand and depth gauge wheel all in one. Thanks again.