Smoothing Out Logging Ruts

[mjrwood]

I have an area about the size of a football field that is deeply rutted from where it was logged a few years ago. The whole area is not rutted and I've actually been able to get in to bush hog part of it. But there are 3-4 straight line tracks in the area where it was wet when they pulled the skidder out, and these ruts are too large to work around mainly due to the fact the area around them is now overgrown with blackberry and 10 foot Sweetgum saplings. So you know about where the ruts aren't exactly sure cause you can't see.

I know a guy with a skid steer and brush cutter I'm probably gonna get to come out and clear off all the brush. At that point I'll be able to see the ruts and am thinking of trying to tackle smoothing it out with my L2501.

You can see what I'm talking about in the picture below, you can make out the tire tracks from the skidder and the ruts that were left. So do you guys think a L2501 and a box blade is enough to handle a job like this? The whole area isn't rutted, it's just 2 or 3 straight lines where it was wet when the skidder drove out and it left its mark. I'm thinking once the brush is cleared and I can see them maybe I can start at one end and start making passes down the sides length wise and keep going back and forth until it's smooth. The deepest places are probably about 3 feet and I shouldn't have to deal with any stumps. Is this a bad idea, and if not do you think I'd have better luck with a rear blade vs a box blade? Is there a better way to do this that I'm not thinking about? Doing it myself I mean, I'm really close to just paying for another day and having it done. I definitely don't want to tear up my equipment trying to do too large a job, but if it's something I can work on a few hours at a time and save some money I'm all for that.

 

[Creature Meadow]

Some thoughts, do as you plan and have it cut down. If possible after the "stuff" dries burn it. Be easier to work the ground with the debris gone.

If you have a disk you could disk beside the ruts to turn up some ground. A blade angled could roll the fresh dirt in the ruts. A landscape rake angled could do the same.

A blade if you don't have one are not real expensive and have many uses and a rake the same. I use my rake angled to clean out my ditches, it rolls out debris and then I level it out or haul off the unusable stuff like roots and large rocks.

Just some thoughts.

Good luck.

 

[mjrwood]

Some thoughts, do as you plan and have it cut down. If possible after the "stuff" dries burn it. Be easier to work the ground with the debris gone.

If you have a disk you could disk beside the ruts to turn up some ground. A blade angled could roll the fresh dirt in the ruts. A landscape rake angled could do the same.

A blade if you don't have one are not real expensive and have many uses and a rake the same. I use my rake angled to clean out my ditches, it rolls out debris and then I level it out or haul off the unusable stuff like roots and large rocks.

Just some thoughts.

Good luck.

Thank you for your reply, it makes sense that a rear blade that I could angle and let the dirt roll to the side would do a better job than a box blade. For the debris I was thinking that once he cut everything down, I could push it off and pile it to burn once I can see good enough to stay out of the ruts. The area tends to drain pretty well, so I'm hoping it'll dry out pretty quickly so it can be worked in spite of the 40 days and nights of rain we seem to be getting here in AL.

 

[Mainah]

I’m thinking that straddling the ruts might be the biggest issue without rolling your tractor. If they’re spaced so that’s not a problem then I would use a box blade. Go over the high spots first then straddle the ruts for a few passes and repeat. As the ruts get shallow enough go perpendicular awhile, then on a 45. Start with rippers all the way down and raise as needed. You’ll have a nice level surface when you’re done.
My L2501 pulls my 66” box blade with no problem in very rocky soil. As long as the large roots are gone you should be good.

 

[mjrwood]

I’m thinking that straddling the ruts might be the biggest issue without rolling your tractor. If they’re spaced so that’s not a problem then I would use a box blade. Go over the high spots first then straddle the ruts for a few passes and repeat. As the ruts get shallow enough go perpendicular awhile, then on a 45. Start with rippers all the way down and raise as needed. You’ll have a nice level surface when you’re done.
My L2501 pulls my 66” box blade with no problem in very rocky soil. As long as the large roots are gone you should be good.

Yea, my first idea was exactly what you're describing, straddling the ruts and trying to knock off the crown. The problem though is that I'm afraid the ruts are a little too deep. They get up to 3ft in some places and I don't think the tractor would be able to ride in them without bottoming out. It might be possible though, I haven't tried it yet so I could always test the waters using that method and if it didn't work go to using the rear blade and working the edges.

 

[RCW]

Hmm...3' deep skidder ruts are big and wide...

I fixed some <1' deep skidsteer ruts with a BX and BB, but that's small potatoes.

I think a key is if you can straddle the ruts with the tractor, and work from one end, first along same direction, then at angles after filling holes some.

Or use your FEL to scavenge some dirt to fill some first, especially the 3-footers. Don't want to drop a wheel into it and get stuck. Can also push backwards with your BB to stay away from the hole.

The way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time....

EDIT: Other posts came in while I was typing.

I'm re-thinking straddling ruts like that. Not good. While dragging the BB, if it's wet, slick/muddy, or you catch a stone or stump you could pull yourself such that you slide into the rut, and I think they're too deep for that. They are probably close to 2 feet wide or so?...so you don't have a lot of room inside your

Remember those ruts are there because it can get soft (and probably greasy) sometimes....

Starting at one end and from each side, push/pull etc to fill the ruts some to where you can get across at 90, then 45, and continue along, and may be able to straddle where not so deep.

 

[mjrwood]

Hmm...3' deep skidder ruts are big and wide...

I fixed some <1' deep skidsteer ruts with a BX and BB, but that's small potatoes.

I think a key is if you can straddle the ruts with the tractor, and work from one end, first along same direction, then at angles after filling holes some.

Or use your FEL to scavenge some dirt to fill some first, especially the 3-footers. Don't want to drop a wheel into it and get stuck. Can also push backwards with your BB to stay away from the hole.

The way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time....

One bite at a time indeed!

I actually think I've misunderstood part of what you guys are saying. I've been thinking of 'straddling' the ruts as starting at one end purposefully putting my wheels in the ruts and riding them, then using the blade to knock down the middle. I think you all are saying try to stay on top and drop the blade to knock it down, right? In some of the places I wound't hesitate to try that, but there are some of the spots where if a wheel dropped in I wouldn't be worried as much about getting stuck as rolling over. But I can always work on the less sever areas doing that and then come back and work the edges of the deeper areas.

I've also considered getting a load of chirt brought in a dumped and then filling the deeper areas with my FEL, then once the bad places are to the point where I don't have to worry about rolling or getting stuck, then just attacking it with the blade.

First things first though, I'll get the guy in to cut the brush and then look at what I've got. I appreciate everyone's replies, you all seem to feel like it's not an unreasonable task for a L2501 which is one of the main things I was hoping to gleam from my post.

 

[D2Cat]

If you could find a nearby farmer with a disc or harrow to just go over the problem area one time you would have less change of damage to your tractor when in or getting out of one of those ruts.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

While brush hogging before you work on it sounds like a great idea, it isn't.
It will leave you with thousands of cut stubs that can puncture a tire.

You're better off pushing in the ruts with the brush still rooted and then cleaning up whatever you pull up.

While using your tractor sounds cheaper, having someone with a skid steer or a small dozer come in and knock it down might save you some repairs.

I'm all about doing it yourself, so maybe renting a skid steer for the day would be a good option, that is if you can operate it.

 

[mjrwood]

While brush hogging before you work on it sounds like a great idea, it isn't.
It will leave you with thousands of cut stubs that can puncture a tire.

You're better off pushing in the ruts with the brush still rooted and then cleaning up whatever you pull up.

While using your tractor sounds cheaper, having someone with a skid steer or a small dozer come in and knock it down might save you some repairs.

I'm all about doing it yourself, so maybe renting a skid steer for the day would be a good option, that is if you can operate it.

You know what, this is a great point that I didn't think about. A few years ago I bush hogged along a fence row that had overgrown with Sweetgum and small pear saplings and punctured both my front tires, I should have considered this.

So then I'm back around to maybe having a dozer brought in and having it pushed up and burnt. I was trying to avoid that cause I was worried I'd lose my topsoil by doing that, but maybe not.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

You know what, this is a great point that I didn't think about. A few years ago I bush hogged along a fence row that had overgrown with Sweetgum and small pear saplings and punctured both my front tires, I should have considered this.

So then I'm back around to maybe having a dozer brought in and having it pushed up and burnt. I was trying to avoid that cause I was worried I'd lose my topsoil by doing that, but maybe not.

Get someone with a brush blade for their dozer, they do it here all the time, very little top soil is moved and what is can be scooped up after the brush pile burn and then redistributed.

 

[RCW]

Get someone with a brush blade for their dozer, they do it here all the time, very little top soil is moved and what is can be scooped up after the brush pile burn and then redistributed.

If you do this, just have them grade/fill some of the deeper ruts. Sounds like they'll be driving over/around/near them anyway...just drop the blade....

Tell then not to make it too good...you want something for that L2501 to do...

mjrwood - I was originally thinking of straddling the high parts, but I think they're too wide and deep for your tractor if there's a chance to slide in while pulling a BB...I still think you can pick away from the sides, but Wolfman has some great points/ideas.

Good luck!

 

[mjrwood]

Thanks again for all the replies everyone. It looks like I'll just skip having the brush cut and find someone with a small dozer to come in and push it up. I'll be sure to ask about using a brush blade, thanks for that suggestion Wolfman.

RCW, I'll be sure to have them leave me some tractor work to do, haha! If nothing else I'll get to disc it and seed it once it's cleared so there'll be plenty of fun to go around

 

[ZTMAN]

Have you ever considered bringing in a forestry mulcher. That would work great with your land. They cost about the same as a dozer and have a lot less impact on your land

 

[mjrwood]

Have you ever considered bringing in a forestry mulcher. That would work great with your land. They cost about the same as a dozer and have a lot less impact on your land

I hadn't actually considered that, but it's a good idea. I'll try to get some quotes and compare the cost, if it's not too much more that would be a good route to take.

 

[D2Cat]

The field has been logged. He needs to fill to ruts they left!

 

[mjrwood]

The field has been logged. He needs to fill to ruts they left!

Yea, there's nothing big left to mulch. Maybe a skid steer with one of those mulching grinders would work well since it would clear out that rough stuff but wouldn't leave any stobs or debris. Seems like it would be a good option but I'm not sure it wouldn't be cost prohibitive. I may be surprised if I get a few quotes but from what I see the closest outfits that offer the service are like 50-60 miles away from me.

 

[jpf]

I'm wondering how you got them to log your place without leaving stumps.
I have many,many stumps, mostly in rows so I can go down the rows between the stumps.
pine stumps can "live" forever.

 

[mjrwood]

I'm wondering how you got them to log your place without leaving stumps.
I have many,many stumps, mostly in rows so I can go down the rows between the stumps.
pine stumps can "live" forever.

Well there are stumps, just not stumps Im worried about pushing up and that would be in the way of grading the ruts. First, the area that is rutted is in a valley where there werent many trees that were logged to begin with, the bulk of the logging was done further up a slope. What stumps are there I would rather not have pushed up, Im gonna throw a little fertilizer on them and let them rot. That was the original plan anyway, if Im getting a dozer brought in anyway Ill just let them take it all out and smooth it.

 

[johnjk]

They logged my property a few years before I purchased it and made a real mess of things. No 3' deep ruts but a few areas where they were 2'. Add on to that the mess the power company made when they buried the electric service from the road back to the house. I was talking to the farmer next door about smoothing it out and he recommended using a disc and doing multiple passes. We had discussed the box blade but I was concerned I would get bogged down. I got him to disc the problem areas for me in exchange for a few roles of hay off my fields. Did a great job. Now I'm looking to get one for my own use. At a minimum you can easily break up the surface in a few passes and then use the FEL to easily move it around.