Bx23s mowing over septic

[Ajrath1027]

Hello everyone,
My name is Adam and I am new here. I will be purchasing a BX23S shortly after my house is finished being built. We have about 17 acres and about 3-4 acres cleared. I think the BX will be the right size for me and what I plan to do but I'm not sure if it's too heavy to drive over my septic system. I didn't know if anyone has run into any issues driving on theirs. ANy help would be great. I do have a little riding mower I could use but it would be nice to do all my mowing with just the bx since I will be getting the 60" deck vs my 38" deck on my cub cadet. Thanks in advance!

 

[jmf78]

Can't see it being a problem. I drive over my old septic system and new one with my BX.

 

[Pepsiboy]

Hello everyone,
My name is Adam and I am new here. I will be purchasing a BX23S shortly after my house is finished being built. We have about 17 acres and about 3-4 acres cleared. I think the BX will be the right size for me and what I plan to do but I'm not sure if it's too heavy to drive over my septic system. I didn't know if anyone has run into any issues driving on theirs. ANy help would be great. I do have a little riding mower I could use but it would be nice to do all my mowing with just the bx since I will be getting the 60" deck vs my 38" deck on my cub cadet. Thanks in advance!

Ajrath,

I see no problem with using the BX to mow over the septic tank. I have been doing it for 9 years with mine, and there is only about 12 inches of dirt over the tank. When we had it pumped and inspected last year, there were no problems. Our tank is concrete and about 1,200 gallons.

Best wishes and ENJOY the BX.

Dave

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I drive over mine with a L3450, and never had any issues, tank and all.

 

[Ajrath1027]

Awesome, thank you everyone. I was told to use nothing more than a garden tractor so I wasn't sure if I should risk it. Thanks for all the input.

 

[lordulrich]

I had the same question when I got my place (I've got a mound system which tend to be quite a bit more expensive than basic drain field). What I was told by a couple of guys I work with who used to do septic design and inspection is it is just fine, but STAY OFF when it is wet out. It does make perfect sense, when soil is wet it looses shear strength and won't bridge the septic components as well so they will take more load than they would when the ground is not soggy.

 

[D2Cat]

It's probably an extremely rare occurrence, but we have a septic tank that has never had a lawn mower, even a push mower, on it. Has some landscaping wood chips contained by some landscaping stone.

The lid just simply fell in! My wife though the dairy 2 miles down the road were probably cleaning their feeding area, then she went to the back yard and let out a blood curdling scream.

Been a few years back, but still makes an interesting story when folks are gathered around telling "tales".

 

[Tooljunkie]

If its a concrete tank, no problem. Stay clear of fiberglass tanks and poly tanks. Better not take a chance with something that would be a disaster to fix. The line from my septic tank to the field is made of no-corrode. An asphalt based pipe, i think i collapsed it driving over it with my old cockshutt 40. May have been something else but i have been careful ever since.

 

[D2Cat]

Ours is concrete. The lid just gave up! (no actually in)

 

[Ajrath1027]

I believe ours will be a plastic or fiberglass system. He haven't put in the tanks yet, only the drain field. Thanks everyone for the input. I'm thinking I may just use the riding mower for the area to be safe. I'd hate to move in and a year later have an issue.

 

[Tooljunkie]

I believe ours will be a plastic or fiberglass system. He haven't put in the tanks yet, only the drain field. Thanks everyone for the input. I'm thinking I may just use the riding mower for the area to be safe. I'd hate to move in and a year later have an issue.

Its also dependent on how deep and soil type. But if its a new install, steer clear of it.
Saw a couple water holding tanks pop out of ground in the spring,both times owners emptied them to have them cleaned. So, im sure your installer/contractor will want to add water after tank is placed, its a good thing.

 

[dandeman]

The main drain line in my septic system plugged up and had to be repaired.. I had driven the tractor over that area for a number of years, always trying to straddle the line with the tires..

When it was dug up and repaired it turned out that a rather large rock in the fill dirt apparently not seen by the operator during original construction got placed right on top of the drain line..

Over time the rock settled down enough to pinch shut the line.. Adjacent areas had no damage from my tractor straddling of the line.. Agree with the above on new installations and when the ground is soaked wet, good idea to stay clear.

Burial depth can vary on sloped areas to meet the slope per foot pipe limitations and minimum burial depths. May have "short step downs" or drop boxes in the drainage field when required.
http://ehs.ncpublichealth.com/oet/docs/cit/oswpmod/oswt/C-ComponentsofConventionalSystem.pdf

 

[trapperdrew]

I mowed over mine with my 2370, and now do it with my 23s. But I drop off the Bh and Fel when I mow.

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[Redtoorange]

My tank is concrete and is down about 3ft buried about six inches above it are some railroad ties I assume for weight distribution of vehicles driving over it. When I dug it up the ties are either side of the clean outs, not sure if you will have the room but if it isn't installed yet couldn't hurt to ask.


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[RWey56]

Hello Kubota folks. I'm new here and I've just bought a BX23S, and I found this thread interesting, as I have (had) the same concern. My current rider is ~600 lbs and I never gave a second thought to driving over the septic. The BX23S, from what I've found, is 1570 lbs and the 54" mower I chose is 200 lbs. That makes 2000 lbs when I'm sitting on it, which IMO is enough to ask the question.

I guess I could figure out where the edges of the tanks are ( I have 2nd lift station tank ) and never put all four wheels over the top ???

 

[ItBmine]

Not really the tank you have to worry about, it's the field, whether it be the perforated pipe or the diffuser style.
Now if it is installed properly, a small compact tractor will not be an issue. What will surely kill it is running over it in the winter if you are in a cold climate area. Frost kills them. I've seen so many fail because people run their snow mobiles over them thinking it is ok because they have low ground pressure.

 

[johnjk]

We just built last year, similar size 17+ acres, but around 8 are field. My septic leach system is a raised or mound system with the discharge tubes being housed in a plastic tunnel. No issues on driving over the leach system with my B3200. Watch out for the clean out tubes at the end of each row.

My tank is located about 20' off the house foundation and my access lids (or portals to hell as I call them) are made of green plastic that are held in place by 10 or so screws. I use a string trimmer around the access lids and my pump control box. being close to the house, I either finish mowing that area with a push or small riding mower. I don't have a finish mower for my B3200. Even though the lids to the tank are thick, I don't think they would stand up too well to a brush hog.

My bigger issue was with things settling last summer. The tanks went in when the ground was fairly wet and it settled enough to shear the outflow line to the leach field as well as almost fully pinch the line from the house to the tank. I had the installer come back out and they ended up digging out the tanks, putting in a few tons more gravel, resetting the tanks and fixing the input and output lines.

Take pictures of how stuff is located before they backfill. It is a great reference for when you have problems or are looking to do additional work around the house.

 

[skeets]

Just remember the grass is always greener over the septic tank

 

[johnjk]

Just remember the grass is always greener over the septic tank

AND if it is, you got problems......I s**t you not....

 

[ItBmine]

AND if it is, you got problems......I s**t you not....

Yep.

For the size of the run area though, I still just use the push mower over that square. Sure you can run over it with the small tractor, but why take a chance.