What is best way to cross a ditch?

[DieselBound]

LOL, on a bridge.

That would be a big ditch! I like to cross ditches over/via/using culverts:thumbsup:

 

[showcattle]

That would be a big ditch! I like to cross ditches over/via/using culverts:thumbsup:

^^^What he said.

 

[BTDT2]

I prefer to go out of my way to use bridges or culverts to cross roadside ditches, but it also depends on the equipment I am using/driving. For example, If I have a rotary motor (bush hog) the depth and angle may cause me to use an angle approach versus head-on, and possibly damaging the linkage, or worse, forcing a PTO driveshaft into the tractor case.

 

[Rustyiron]

Diagonally if it's deep enough to give you concern about getting stuck. Hitting it straight on is the same as having wheel chocks in front & back of your wheels when your in the bottom of the ditch, and that happens twice. Once for each axle. But as others mentioned, it all about the size (deep X wide) of the ditch.

 

[kthompson]

Depends on the banks and bottom of the ditch. Around here it's pretty wet and if I go straight-on (perpendicular) I can end up getting the fronts stuck which tends to lessen the traction on the rears. I thought one small ditch I had was firm enough that I could run a 9k lbs excavator straight across- WRONG! Had to employ the wife behind the controls of the Kioti to help me get the thing backed out. Not the worst that I'd gotten an excavator stuck, not by a long shot!

Last winter I attempted to cross another small, but very wet, ditch with my B7800. Got it stuck. Used my Kioti to pick the thing out of that ditch! Despite all that I know I often find that I refuse to listen to myself!

45 degrees is my answer, and I'm sticking to it!

You got a 9,000 pound excavator stuck crossing straight on? I have same size excavator and was plowing beside a ditch last week that was bottom about 5 to 7 feet wide with about 45 degree sides, probably about 4 to 5 feet deep and was asked about tractor in the ditch to cross or drive around, I said tractor will not cross that ditch but would have no issue with my excavator. Would have had no issue to drive down in that ditch with full confidence of coming out the other side but to live on flat land have climbed and come down some rather steep grades with it. Not throwing off as your experience goes to the point being made over and over here it depends on the ditch details, size of tractor, also if four wheel drive and I will add operators experience. I would only attack a ditch straight on unless not deep at all for think the roll over chance is more with an angle approach especially if the rear wheel hitting first were to bog much. I really don't see how you could cross a ditch straight on with much of a rear implement.

 

[k0ua]

As a deputy Sheriff, we always crossed them at a 45 degree angle. But the ditches we are talking about are "medians" not really all that steep, and with police cruiser type automobiles in 2WD. We also were taught to go into the median "smartly", in other words don't go slow, but don't go too fast either. And then don't even attempt to turn the front wheels until the rear wheels are on the pavement on the other lanes, THEN crank the heck out of the wheel and get going the correct direction. Dangers were things you could not see if the grass/weeds were so high you couldn't see drains or rocks. There was always a possibility of knocking a hole in an oil pan. Also if you went too slow, and it was very wet, you ran into the possibility of getting stuck.. So don't tarry.

 

[LouNY]

We have to cross a few ditches with tractors and pulled implements and wagons,
we cross as close to square as possible. Any angle twists the wagon frames and boxes
excessively. Moderate angles won't bother the tractors or single axle implements.
If the banks are steep you may have to watch the wagon tongue clearance to the front of the box.

 

[D2Cat]

Probably the best thing to do is use your equipment and just use it. As you come to slight differences in elevation you'll see how the unit functions with that particular implement. As you progress in your comfort experiment with greater differences in elevation.

There are too many variations in equipment to have a answer that fits all the time. Is the tractor 2 or 4 wheel drive. does it have a loader, implement on the 3 pt, rock surface, soil surface, depth of "ditch", moisture in soil, flowing water..... I guess we have to start by defining a "ditch"! Just go slow and be careful as you become competent.

 

[Gary Fowler]

The problem with crossing at a 45 degree angle is getting front left and right rear (or vice versa) hung up in the air, thus no traction at all. I have done this a few times in very narrow, shallow ditches and had to use the FEL to push the tractor back so at least one set of wheels was in ground contact. If the ditch is wide and not too deep, it makes no difference how you cross, but I would much rather cross at a 90 degree angle just in case the bottom is soggy and the wheels bury up. One can always push back out with the FEL, but if on a 45, you stand a good chance of upsetting the tractor if one wheel buries up.

If it is too deep or soft to cross straight on, don't try to cross it. If you have an implement on the 3 PH, you have to be aware of grounding out the implement and then hanging you up. Again, if it is too deep to cross safely at straight angle, don't attempt it.
Crossing a ditch, even a slight one, compounds the amount of dip that the 3 PH implement is going to encounter. Not only will the rear wheels drop, lowering the implement by the amount of ditch depth, but the front wheels will raise by the same amount so you get double the amount of dip, so a 1 foot deep ditch is going to lower your implement by at least 2 feet (more if the bottom is soggy and your tires sink into the mud)

 

[CobyRupert]

The problem with crossing at a 45 degree angle is getting front left and right rear (or vice versa) hung up in the air, thus no traction at all. I have done this a few times in very narrow, shallow ditches and had to use the FEL to push the tractor back so at least one set of wheels was in ground contact.

Yeah, I've notice that the front axle of my 4WD tractor doesn't pivot as much as I expect it to when crossing at 45 degrees, and I end up with 1 front and 1 back tire hanging in the air, both spinning.

I've never thought of using the FEL to push back out, but just engage the differential lock and use the 1 back tire on high ground to keep going. (Seem weird that in "4WD" - it uses 1 wheel)

I think using the 45 degree approach if you have a 2WD is the surest way to not getting stuck, especially if there's mud at the bottom, as at least one tire is hopefully on dry ground.
But, as Lou pointed out, not something you may want to do if pulling wagons or other equipment that you don't want to twist.
But, if you have implement on 3 PTH, 45 degree method lessens chance it will "bottom out" /" hang up" versus 90 degree method when back tires go through ditch.

If one has 4WD, and 3pth implement wont "hang up" , I think straight on approach is good as rear tires push when front is "stuck" and front pulls when rear is "stuck" (hopefully), and you won't "teeter-totter" opposite corners of the tractor like a 45 degree crossing. :2cents:

(Ditches and) Results may vary.