First real project got off to a bad start. I'm putting a culvert in a small creek that I have to cross to get my tractor to the best part of my hunting property. I wanted to work from the far side because there is a hill side to pull subsoil from right next to the creek. I thought I could "paw" across the creek. Nope.
I eventually found a way to make a bit of progress. I put chains on the dozer blade, then a power puller, shackled to a tow strap around a big tree. Three of these. Thank god there were stout trees nearby. if I tightened the chain with the blade down, then raising the blade moved the digger a couple of inches. The digger arm would hold the progress while I tightened the power pullers.
It took a while but the two inch trick kept working. Only problem is the digger is on the far side, away from my truck and trailer.
Filled in enough dirt to use the crossing. Phew!
SPIB: "Necessity is the mother of invention." Nice job troubleshooting. Very clever.
Alan if you had said "You were stupid to drive your new digger into a nasty mud pit, and you were lucky to get it out" I would have to agree. I did learn something that I thought interesting about the machine. I did not know how much force the raise/lower blade function applies. It is very strong. When pawing would not move the machine, solidly rigging the dozer blade to a sufficiently immovable object did move it.
That Alabama mud is something else. If I started a thread that said, "List the stupid mistakes you've made with your heavy equipment" I'd probably get 5,000 hits from the honest people on this site in one day. You're not alone. We've all taken risks or wound up in a situation that we couldn't anticipate...because we're out there doing stuff. That's why I love this site because I can accelerate my learning (and maybe not kill myself or someone else) from the guys that have real wisdom in running this equipment. I recently helped a neighbor dig out an old retaining wall by his house that needed rehab work. It was really surgical digging without much room to maneuver. I was going for some additional dirt packed against the retaining wall boards. One little flick of the bucket control and I broke a main supporting beam, water pipe and electrical connection (on the other side of the beam). The power of hydraulics! I shouldn't have tried to get in that close given my skill level. The neighbor still speaks to me but didn't ask for help backfilling the retaining wall once repaired.
Welcome to the Forums SP! Glad to have you! Nothing like baptism by fire to break in your new mini. . Well done on getting it out and making the crossing. What part of AL?
you have that thumb, and now that you have this new experience you can get some sort of mats and figure your way across many nasty spots. Even a few sheets of plywood laminated together with screws will float you nicely.
With rubber tire tractors, I've found the easiest way to get unstuck is to round up some brush and pack it into the muddy wheel track, it's just enough extra flotation and traction to drive right out most times. A backhoe is easy because you have a front bucket, and a rear bucket and can bucket push pull out of almost anything. That blade along with the boom is not quite as good as a backhoe, but the tracks help out. I'd be putting heavy brush under the blade, then lifting the tracks and putting medium brush under the tracks to make a mat to get out of that spot. If you can reach dry soil, then adding it near the middle of the track and seesawing back and forth will lift you right up. Helps to stop before it's buried to.
Alan, thanks for what you wrote. I realize that many different kinds of mistakes are possible. These machines, even a small one like mine, is very powerful. A small mistake can cause huge damage. And, that damage could be to hidden utilities, or a persons body, scary. I am here because I agree that there is lots of experience here that I can learn from. Sky, I am looking at options for mats. I have access to plenty of lumber. I'll post what I do about mats. I definitely want mats, as my main justification of this machine is to deal with creeks and crossings of creeks on my hunting area. CM, thank you for your welcome. I would say, more a baptism by mud, than fire. You ask where in AL. I live in Lee County, the digger pictures are about an hour north in Clay County. Both count as East Central Alabama.
Auburn grad here. Thought it was central or northeast AL from the terrain. Wife and I love to take the RV to Cheaha State Park, it's a beautiful part of the state.