Will box blade do this, or do I need a bulldozer?

[bradm64]

I did exactly the same thing you are wanting to do with a box blade and front end loader. Started on one side, backing up to edge and dragging dirt away forming the ramp into the north bank of the creek. It took a while, but just kept at it until I had one side dug out.

The south bank was too steep to drive the tractor out and repeat the process on that side, and there was no way I could get around the creek to that side. Our creek also had round rock and sand in the bottom, and I could not dig into the opposite bank and then back out my newly excavated north ramp with a bucket of dirt.

So, after I got the north bank close to the way I wanted it, I picked up several bucket loads of dirt with my loader and built a temporary ramp of dirt in the bottom of the creek, so I could climb up on the south bank. Then I started dragging dirt out of the south side, just like I had done on the other side. Of course, had to dig out the temporary ramp too.

I don't remember how long it took me to complete the crossing, as it has been too long (15 or so years), but I believe it was less than one day. Has since been replaced with a concrete bridge on steel I-beams.

Good luck and be careful working on the creek banks.

 

[Ruark]

The danger isn't going down the grade, it's going up. Go up backwards, not forward, or your tractor might flip, rotating over the rear wheels.

As far as what to do with the grade... since it's a drainage ditch, I would put a length of culvert pipe in it - SURELY an 18 or 24 inch pipe would be big enough! - then have 2 or 3 truckloads of road base dumped over it, until it's full and twice as wide as you need. Consult with the base provider to determine the exact type to use.

 

[TripleR]

The danger isn't going down the grade, it's going up. Go up backwards, not forward, or your tractor might flip, rotating over the rear wheels.

As far as what to do with the grade... since it's a drainage ditch, I would put a length of culvert pipe in it - SURELY an 18 or 24 inch pipe would be big enough! - then have 2 or 3 truckloads of road base dumped over it, until it's full and twice as wide as you need. Consult with the base provider to determine the exact type to use.

We had to use 30" and 36" culverts on our farm and even those have been topped. Our county road has one 6' and it was topped this spring. We have a section on one of our farms just like mentioned and our renters did just as the OP described as a culvert would be washed out.

One if the problems is the debris carried into the culverts which often clog them up and big culverts are pretty expensive while a cut embankment is free except for the diesel to make it.

 

[greg_g]

The danger isn't going down the grade, it's going up. Go up backwards, not forward, or your tractor might flip, rotating over the rear wheels.

I guess you lost track of the fact that he's wanting to do this with a boxblade. They're clearly most productive when worked in the forward direction. Plus - with most tractor tires - traction is reduced significantly when trying to reverse uphill. Especially trying to push a pile.

//greg//

 

[k0ua]

We had to use 30" and 36" culverts on our farm and even those have been topped. Our county road has one 6' and it was topped this spring. We have a section on one of our farms just like mentioned and our renters did just as the OP described as a culvert would be washed out.

One if the problems is the debris carried into the culverts which often clog them up and big culverts are pretty expensive while a cut embankment is free except for the diesel to make it.

The road to our house has 2 36 inch culverts side by side and they must be cleaned out at least once a year or they will stop up with debris washed down the gully, and it will go over the road and wash the road out. We know this from experience.

James K0UA

 

[TripleR]

The road to our house has 2 36 inch culverts side by side and they must be cleaned out at least once a year or they will stop up with debris washed down the gully, and it will go over the road and wash the road out. We know this from experience.

James K0UA

I sure know that. Both my brothers live out on the family farm and the road washed out this spring. They had to park cars on both sides for several days. The county has replaced all of the old wooden bridges with culverts and they work OK except in torrential, prolonged down pours...:confused2:

 

[bcp]

To handle occasional very high flows, I've seen a section of the creek bottom concreted, So you have a shallow, solid bottom ford most of the year, and a few times the water is too high to cross. Nothing to get plugged like a culvert.

Bruce

 

[sandman2234]

I guess you lost track of the fact that he's wanting to do this with a boxblade. They're clearly most productive when worked in the forward direction. Plus - with most tractor tires - traction is reduced significantly when trying to reverse uphill. Especially trying to push a pile.

//greg//

Good one!!
People sometimes are afraid to let even the smallest "least safest way" get by without correcting it. With a tractor, the safest way isn't always the best way, but if the operator has zip for experience or zip for brains (ie common sense) then suggesting even a tiny bit of operational danger can come back to bite the poster.
I say get on the tractor and move some dirt and call us in the morning with a progress report! You will be surprised at just how much dirt you can move instead of sitting here wondering if you can do it, lol.
David from jax