using the grapple or backhoe to remove brush

[top gnome]

chainsaw close to ground, spray stumps with Roundup ??
Big issue is the rocks, lack of soil.
I've dug hole this side of bush, then use BH to pull,rotate bush into hole. Ain't fast and depneds on root structure of 'bush'.

thank you It may be lack of experience.

 

[fried1765]

Rental place is 80 km away for me, $250 for delivery. Not worth me driving anywhere to pick it up considering the cost of fuel these days!

I have always considered the cost of fuel (I live 100 miles from any real city), but current fuel cost has a much more significant influence on many of my decisions!

 

[bbxlr8]

chainsaw close to ground, spray stumps with Roundup ??
Big issue is the rocks, lack of soil.
I've dug hole this side of bush, then use BH to pull,rotate bush into hole. Ain't fast and depneds on root structure of 'bush'.

This is what I have done in the area above minus the roundup. There were a few big trees and mostly 3"-6"ers mixed with scrub.

Also, I have not yet seen the need to use the thumb for pulling but will add this technique to the arsenal

 

[Njtool]

Each type of brush has a different root system. Japanese barberry have roots that aren’t deep, they are wide. With a little learning curve, they are easy to get out.

Russian olives don’t have a taproot. I can push them over then use the grapple to get under the roots and push the roots out of the ground.

It all depends on the type of shrub you are trying to remove. Try to identify them or just try different methods.

I cleared a half acre of densely populated olives, barberry, and multi flora rose in 8 hours. I mean dense!! You couldn’t even walk or crawl through them.

 

[JoeBabbs]

I've had good success pulling out multiflora rose with a tine bucket. Removing some tines helps with larger brush. It works for moving rocks and pallets.

https://www.palletforks.com/skid-steers/hay-handling/tine-buckets/titan-72-inch-skid-steer-tine-bucket-attachment-w-hay-spears/SSTB72.html

 

[nbryan]

thank you here are some pictures of the brush the land is mostly beach rock with enough dirt to keep the rocks from knocking together when the wind blows hard.

I do have a thumb and have used it to move logs and rocks that the grapple cannot reach . I really only have less than 2 hours using the backhoe here is an idea of the brush and a storm cleanup picture with the grapple on.

That backhoe with thumb will rip those bushes out for you. But with only 2 hours experience on it it will take some time at first. I spent some hours before the brain started to "disconnect" from what my arms and hands were doing unconsciously with enough repetitions. Now I don't have to think at all about the levers or where to push them for the desired BH operation.
And pay attention to where you set up the tractor relative to where you want to dig. A little too close or too far can turn an easy root-rip into a real trial.

 

[top gnome]

That backhoe with thumb will rip those bushes out for you. But with only 2 hours experience on it it will take some time at first. I spent some hours before the brain started to "disconnect" from what my arms and hands were doing unconsciously with enough repetitions. Now I don't have to think at all about the levers or where to push them for the desired BH operation.
And pay attention to where you set up the tractor relative to where you want to dig. A little too close or too far can turn an easy root-rip into a real trial.

thank you I will keep working on it I am learning

 

[top gnome]

I wanted to thank everyone it was just a matter of experience I pulled out these two stumps in about 30 minutes and I could see a future with more skill where it would take 15minutes At first I was not that impressed with the backhoe but now I am thinking it is really awesome. Do people leave the tractor in gear or in neutral when using the backhoe? Is it ok to move the tractor around with the back hoe? thank you My wife fixed up my hard board grill guard so a picture.

 

[bbxlr8]

I wanted to thank everyone it was just a matter of experience I pulled out these two stumps in about 30 minutes and I could see a future with more skill where it would take 15minutes At first I was not that impressed with the backhoe but now I am thinking it is really awesome. Do people leave the tractor in gear or in neutral when using the backhoe? Is it ok to move the tractor around with the back hoe? thank you My wife fixed up my hard board grill guard so a picture.

Nice job. Stumps are a pain depending on the type of tree and age etc and each one can be different.

You did good and it will come faster each time. In my case, efficiency with the BH increased exponentially after getting enough hours in to get where you are "doing vs. thinking" about the controls.

I have not regretted getting the BH and use it all the time

 

[top gnome]

Nice job. Stumps are a pain depending on the type of tree and age etc and each one can be different.

You did good and it will come faster each time. In my case, efficiency with the BH increased exponentially after getting enough hours in to get where you are "doing vs. thinking" about the controls.

I have not regretted getting the BH and use it all the time

I have maybe 10 hours on the back hoe now and have already gone from thinking it was a mistake to seeing the potential to use it a lot. you are absolutely right about doing vs thinking. spend a minute or to getting a big rock in the thumb and try to move it sideways but use the wrong lever and drop the rock. still in the thinking phase. I think the way it can move the tractor around is off putting when starting out.

 

[Mowbizz]

Ever heard of the “Ratchet Rake”?
They are great at grabbing and pulling brush and ground cover…also, for pulling smaller trees they have chains with a “gripper” on the end that tightens when you pull it. I have used this successfully from my BX.

 

[top gnome]

Ever heard of the “Ratchet Rake”?
They are great at grabbing and pulling brush and ground cover…also, for pulling smaller trees they have chains with a “gripper” on the end that tightens when you pull it. I have used this successfully from my BX.

No I have not I will look into. the backhoe is working well the grapple is very limited for removing brush because there are beach rocks everywhere in the soil which basically stops the grapple from getting to the root.

 

[Mowbizz]

No I have not I will look into. the backhoe is working well the grapple is very limited for removing brush because there are beach rocks everywhere in the soil which basically stops the grapple from getting to the root.

No I have not I will look into. the backhoe is working well the grapple is very limited for removing brush because there are beach rocks everywhere in the soil which basically stops the grapple from getting to the root.
[/QUOTE]

Ok but I didn’t mean the ratchet take has a “chain with a puller” that’s a different tool altogether.

 

[top gnome]

No I have not I will look into. the backhoe is working well the grapple is very limited for removing brush because there are beach rocks everywhere in the soil which basically stops the grapple from getting to the root.

Ok but I didn’t mean the ratchet take has a “chain with a puller” that’s a different tool altogether.
[/QUOTE]
ok I understand I lookd at the ratchet rake and thank you. I think my problem is the amount of rock in the soil the loader will have a great deal of trouble with the amount of rock

 

[torch]

Do people leave the tractor in gear or in neutral when using the backhoe? Is it ok to move the tractor around with the back hoe? thank you

No harm in leaving it in gear. Leaving it in gear helps keep the rig in place when the rear stabilizers are off the ground and is one less step each time if you are doing a job that requires frequent repositioning of the machine (like digging out large roots.)

Pushing the tractor forward with the BH is a pretty common practice when trenching on level ground, but does require some skill and coordination -- it is important to push the tractor forward, not lift it up. In this case, you would leave the tractor in neutral. Ensure the BH swing is pointed straight back, not off to one side or the other. Same with the front wheels. Plant the BH bucket teeth in the soil near the tractor, raise the FEL bucket slightly of the ground, raise the stabilizers slightly off the ground. Raise the BH bucket as necessary to ensure all 4 wheels are on the ground, but not enough to lift the BH bucket out of contact with the ground.

Now gently and simultaneously raise the dipper, lower the boom and uncurl the bucket to roll the tractor along the ground. Basically the exact opposite of digging a flat bottom, and if you are not coordinated enough to dig a flat bottom then maybe get more practice in before trying the above. If you push down too hard with the bucket, you will raise the rear wheels of the tractor so it is balancing on the front axle pivot and the bucket -- no stability at all. If you lift the bucket off the ground, the tractor could roll away or back into the excavation. The trick is to keep the bucket teeth and all 4 wheels in contact with the ground at all times.

I would not try this on any sort of slope, nor would I ever attempt to reposition sideways. The first risks loss of control, the second risks damage to the swing mechanism.

But that's just my 2¢.

 

[top gnome]

No harm in leaving it in gear. Leaving it in gear helps keep the rig in place when the rear stabilizers are off the ground and is one less step each time if you are doing a job that requires frequent repositioning of the machine (like digging out large roots.)

Pushing the tractor forward with the BH is a pretty common practice when trenching on level ground, but does require some skill and coordination -- it is important to push the tractor forward, not lift it up. In this case, you would leave the tractor in neutral. Ensure the BH swing is pointed straight back, not off to one side or the other. Same with the front wheels. Plant the BH bucket teeth in the soil near the tractor, raise the FEL bucket slightly of the ground, raise the stabilizers slightly off the ground. Raise the BH bucket as necessary to ensure all 4 wheels are on the ground, but not enough to lift the BH bucket out of contact with the ground.

Now gently and simultaneously raise the dipper, lower the boom and uncurl the bucket to roll the tractor along the ground. Basically the exact opposite of digging a flat bottom, and if you are not coordinated enough to dig a flat bottom then maybe get more practice in before trying the above. If you push down too hard with the bucket, you will raise the rear wheels of the tractor so it is balancing on the front axle pivot and the bucket -- no stability at all. If you lift the bucket off the ground, the tractor could roll away or back into the excavation. The trick is to keep the bucket teeth and all 4 wheels in contact with the ground at all times.

I would not try this on any sort of slope, nor would I ever attempt to reposition sideways. The first risks loss of control, the second risks damage to the swing mechanism.

But that's just my 2¢.

Thank you that was very informative. If it is ok with you I started a thread on backhoe tips and tricks so I would like to copy this to that thread in case other newbies go there instead of here. I am preparing an area for a tractor garage so will need to do quite a bit if digging with a shallow flat bottom . That may give me enough experience to try to move the tractor with the backhoe.

 

[torch]

Fine by me.