It's not so much the tank you have to worry about as the drain field. Stay off of it if the ground is soft.
Bx23s mowing over septic
- Thread starter Ajrath1027
- Start date
I've lived in houses with septic systems most of my adult life [67] and have never seen a leach field installed that close to the top of the ground. I'd be afraid to even drive an automobile across that yard. Maybe this is something new.
After a dry summer I can see where my leach field is, as the grass IS greener and grows faster. Never had any problems with it and have only had the tank pumped one time, because the wife thought we needed it. The guy that did it said it didn't need anything done as it had very little solids in it.
Thanks for the responses. Still really not sure what the verdict is. I have a call into the excavator who installed my spill-over/pump tank. I have to believe he'd know for sure. If I hear back from him, I'll respond back.
RCW
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Charlie-
It's been a while, but I think that's what was called a gravel-less system 25 years ago in New York.
The plastic chambers take the place of typical 4" PVC and 12" of stone. They're actually pretty stout when put in a normal 24" wide trench.
You always want to keep an absorption area (leach field) as close to the surface as possible.
What struck me was the length of the laterals. But Johnjk has a pump system to charge it. Thus the risers at the end of each lateral. In New York, you couldn't go beyond 60 feet of lateral without pressure (pump) or siphon dosing.
Years ago, I had a job where they told me shit runs down hill, you get paid every-other week, and everything else is On-the-Job Training...
Last edited:
RCW
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
I drive on my concrete tank all the time. There are many in parking lots all over here that should designed for parking lot service, but not so.
As others said, the issue is more the absorption area. If it's dry, it can take it, since it's normally designed with a stone buffer or chambers that are resistant to compaction.
YMMV
You've heard the saying, "sh_t happens". We had a septic tank lid fall in. Nothing had ever driven over it, not even walked on with a push mower. Had a ring of stone around it and landscape chips inside the rock.
The lid just failed. After seeing that I would push mow over a tank and nothing heavier! YMMV
The lid just failed. After seeing that I would push mow over a tank and nothing heavier! YMMV
Been driving on mine with small equipment (less than 2000lbs) for years, never drive a vehicle (cars, trucks, large tractors...) over them!
Lets keep in mind we’re talking about ground pressure, here’s an example. I’m 240 lbs, when walking, all 240 gets put onto 1 of my feet, which covers less than .3 square feet. Your 2000 lb tractor has 4 tires with a contact patch of around .5 on the front and probably close to 2 sq ft on the rear.
I won’t bore everyone with the math but driving a bx across the tank or field is no worse than walking on top of it because the weight is spread out. Use common sense here, if its wet and your feet are sinking in, stay off!
As for the guys ruining leach fields with snowmobiles, those fields had preexisting issues. I’ve lived in northern VT my whole life where the frost line is generally around 4’ in winter and never heard of such a thing...
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Lets keep in mind we’re talking about ground pressure, here’s an example. I’m 240 lbs, when walking, all 240 gets put onto 1 of my feet, which covers less than .3 square feet. Your 2000 lb tractor has 4 tires with a contact patch of around .5 on the front and probably close to 2 sq ft on the rear.
I won’t bore everyone with the math but driving a bx across the tank or field is no worse than walking on top of it because the weight is spread out. Use common sense here, if its wet and your feet are sinking in, stay off!
As for the guys ruining leach fields with snowmobiles, those fields had preexisting issues. I’ve lived in northern VT my whole life where the frost line is generally around 4’ in winter and never heard of such a thing...
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
lordulrich
New member
Equipment
BX 2370, 60 MMM, Loader, Front Mount Snow Blower, Landpride 3 pt blade, Tiller
Not exactly true with the tank. Yes the pressure matters and it drives the punching shear (punching thru the top), however you still need to worry about the bending moment in the lid. The bending moment depends on how much load and where it is, area is irreverent.
RCW
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Wow - never saw that before.
Maybe somebody at the pre-cast plant was having a bad Monday morning?
Here's the easiest way to answer the question once and for all. If you have four to ten thousand dollars sitting around that you don't mind spending if it does all go wrong, then drive away, LOL.
if you don't like that possibility, take 5 minutes with the push mower, LOL.
if you don't like that possibility, take 5 minutes with the push mower, LOL.
johnjk
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
B3200 w/loader, Woods RC5 brush hog, 4' box blade, tooth bar, B1700 MMM,
The joys of the area I live in and the Health Dept regulations. It is called a mound system and the leach pipes are under the black tunnels. The entire thing was covered with topsoil at a depth of 6" over the top of the mounds. Due to the clay in my area, the leach tubes need to sit just below the topsoil. Neighbors that have a more traditional in ground system that is buried 8-12" down have had to pull it out and put in a mound due to new regulations. Lucky for me I built a few months after the rules changed so I have the new style
I stay off it when wet but when dry, I take the B3200 right over with the brush hog. This year I will be picking up a garden tractor for mowing around the house and doing finish cutting. I'll let the wife mow the leach field
My leach field is also in hard yellow clay. My piping is in a 24" wide trench with 12" of pea gravel and a 8" plastic tile. It is buried about 12" deep, haven't had a problem in 33 years. I stay off of it when it's wet but when it's dry I have even ran all over it with my 5500 lb truck, nary a problem.
At least you were at the right place!!I broke through a septic tank once. Scared the S#!T out of me! But that was in a 40yd Cat 400 Rock Truck.
Well I had good news and bad news this week. The bad news is my septic tank sort of blew the lid off a stand pipe Monday night. Had it pumped, and since it is old you have to dig down about two or three feet to take part of a concrete lid off. As he was digging I thought I saw a crack and said so, and he said no it's not and then it broke. Good news neither he nor the rest of the lid went into the tank, which is scary deep. Even better news is I had driven the B2650 over it this summer, wasn't exactly sure where it was. Could have fallen in. Not so good news is because of its age, greater than 60 years, and problem of replacing the lid, new tank going in. The project keeps snowballing especially if permit inspector looks in my basement tomorrow where plumbing is not up to code. Fixing that will get really pricey
I will NOT be able to drive the B over it. Some kind of green lids come up to the surface, and have to get 1500 gal because I have a disposal in the kitchen. Concrete tank. Good news is weather is holding for a few more days.
I will NOT be able to drive the B over it. Some kind of green lids come up to the surface, and have to get 1500 gal because I have a disposal in the kitchen. Concrete tank. Good news is weather is holding for a few more days.
My system is a raised sand bed system, 3 ft of sand w/ the vented plastic chambers buried within. Cover is 6" loam topsoil. Entire field is encased in a clay perimeter berm, 25 degree slope down to original grade. Field is large, 7 leach lines @ 80' ea. 1000 gallon, 2 chamber, concrete tank and lid. Distribution box is also all concrete.
Mow entire lawn and septic system field w/ a 5000 lb utility tractor since 1976.
Never an issue, wet or dry, surface water goes right through the sand, is filtered through the sand along w/ gray/black water and discharged as normal storm runoff.
Mow entire lawn and septic system field w/ a 5000 lb utility tractor since 1976.
Never an issue, wet or dry, surface water goes right through the sand, is filtered through the sand along w/ gray/black water and discharged as normal storm runoff.
Not a problem with your BX, BIG problem with either of my M's. Been there and did that and had to pour a new concrete lid for mine after I dropped a rear wheel in the honey pit by accident. Got a bit too close while hauling tree branches and down she went, through the lid.
Built a form right next to the tank, added screening, added lift eyes and poured it on the spot. let it harden up and replaced the lid and I don't drive there anymore with the tractor.