Hello Guys, I have been lurking around the forum for a couple of months. Got a lot of good information and enjoyed reading about track loaders and dozers. I have 38 acres that has been run down and overgrown for years. Didn't know if I needed a track loader or dozer, but after reading bcowanwheels post "Guy's help me pick out a good farm size track loader" i bought a 1989 Cat 953. I ran a loader years ago but not much. My question is how is the best way to dig up stumps? I am trying to dig up a 24 inch stump, I have dug 2 feet deep on 1/2 of the stump and thought the Cat could lift/roll it out but it won't. I have about 2 feet of dirt on each side of the stump, I know this is a lot of weight. Any input or video is appreciated.
I am going to try to add a picture of the stump. http://
It's a whole lot easier to push a tree down than to dig a stump cause you took all of your leverage away. It depends on what kind of tree it was, but you can dig 3 - 4 feet all the way around some of them to break all of the roots. It will come out, just keep digging. You can always put the dirt back into the hole.
Try spinning them out. I use to clear land with a D6 and I would work around the stump and break a few roots and then push on one side(some one watching would think I was going to 'miss' the stump). Stump would start to turn and twist out. A cat skinner with more experience showed me this. He used a small plate on a table. Push with one finger right in the middle and the whole plate starts to move in direction of push. Push with one finger to one side of center and the plate will 'spin' away from the direction of push. Once you get the hang of this the stumps come out easy, and some of the stumps were from trees that were in the neighborhood of 3ft across at the butt. Just go easy on the loader or you may become best friends with the welding shops. grin. Cheers LB
Is there a way to tell if it was a right or left hand tree? Seriously though....great idea to try. :thumbsup
Just keep working around it like you have been, go around all the sides if need be and try lowbed's trick. Stumps like trees come in all shapes and sizes. Some of the biggest ones come out easily and a little hickory stump will give you fits.