Trying to figure out how to trench beside road…

[Jasonized]

Hey folks, I’m thinking there is something already out there, but don’t know how to find it… what I would like is some type of offset v-trencher for the 3PH. I.e., something that reaches out past my back tires and digs/scrapes/cuts a trench for drainage alongside my road..

Any ideas on what I’m looking for? Or do I have to build it? And if so.. what kind of frame would I need (have a quick hitch Mount)….

I suppose it could be mounted on the front… a bit harder to control, I’d think..??
thanks for the thoughts and ideas!

My apologies if my newbie question offends!

 

[JasonW]

Like a rear blade that offsets? How deep are you wanting to trench?

Road as in main/public road? Make sure there are no underground utilities before working.

 

[Jasonized]

Road as in dirt driveway, but I need something deaper and shorter than an offset grade would do. I tried that, actually, but by driving over the edge (for a test). Too shallow, to wide..

 

[Old Machinist]

In general I'm not a fan of things that hang off the side and apply side forces to my 3pt hitch or my loader.

If you can straddle the area where you want the ditch a middle buster might work good. Then come back with a grader or box blade to shape it into a crown.

Alternately you can just put one side tires in the ditch area and pull it with a grader or box blade.

 

[jimh406]

A long rear blade that tilts and offsets to reach out will do it.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

For about $6,000 you can get a rear blade that does what you're asking.

 

[Jasonized]

In general I'm not a fan of things that hang off the side and apply side forces to my 3pt hitch or my loader.

I‘m not either, but I couldn’t think of what else I could use..

Alternately you can just put one side tires in the ditch area and pull it with a grader or box blade.

Driving down the middle or one wheel in isn’t really an option…you might be surprised about how hard it is to drive through a 3’ Diameter redwood tree.. Or maybe not! And I have lots, on both sides. Most Just about a foot back, in a lot of places. The spot where they are right against the road I wasn’t considering for a ditch.

On a section where I COULD drive over the side, I did that with my box twisted as high as it could go. Too shallow, cuts too far into the road.

I’m just getting tired (and too old!) to keep going out there with a hoe..

 

[Hugo Habicht]

3' trees?

Are you sure your tractor is powerful enough to pull a v-trencher through their roots?

Maybe a chain trencher with tungsten tips may be better suitable for what you want to do.

 

[Jasonized]

3' trees?

Are you sure your tractor is powerful enough to pull a v-trencher through their roots?

Maybe a chain trencher with tungsten tips may be better suitable for what you want to do.

Haha.. I was actually going around them… when the trench gets close, it turns off downhill and away from the road. That part I will probably still need a hoe, but hey… that’s a lot less work!

and not all of them are 3’… why, there are quite a few that are only 26”! Seriously though, far too many trees along the road in too many places to get something that shallow without going into the road..

 

[Jasonized]

The road turns a corner around the end, and weaves between trees for the next 1/4 mile…. Some is up and down, so I can cut the water away from the road. Sadly though, the trench always fills up with redwood detritus.. funny about that!

 

[D2Cat]

If you are only needing something to allow water to run, I'd suggest a subsoiler. If you put it 12-15" in the ground and maybe even run down the ditch more then one time....water will flow. won't take long to cut the trench. Won't cost much for the implement. I've done this a couple of time for different neighbors and they are astonished on what the results are. The water disappears without you seeing it run!!

 

[Jasonized]

Hmm.. so, I’d have to straddle the ditch.. or, run the dit right down the middle of the road… naaa…. Just a dirt road, I’m having enough of a problem with runoff down the road because the ditch filled up.. doesn’t take that much of a blockage to cause spill down the road. And about half my road is up/down… water just loves that…

what I thought would be good, is something like that (maybe with a small V), but offset so it’s just outside my rear wheels… I was wondering if I was going to fab something… I’d rather not, if I can get it at a reasonable price. Heck, I’m not even sure where I could get thick steel around here to fab… tourist town..

 

[OntheRidge]

Sounds like a mini ex would be the ticket here? Unless I am misunderstanding the task. Best of luck!

 

[NCL4701]

I’d use a middle buster, or boxblade, or backblade if possible (personally I use a boxblade or backblade for clearing ditches and turnouts), but you already said you need something offset and your hitch doesn’t have enough tilt to do what you need with a blade.

An offset backblade such as linked by @WI_Hedgehog above would fix the offset issue and maybe the tilt issue since it has tilt capability independent of the 3 point hitch.

Your tractor is too small for cutting ditches with any of the offset chain ditchers I’ve ever seen (mine is, too) but it might have enough hp to clean ditches that are already cut. Example. Looking around a bit, found this one, which looks like it may be smaller, lower hp requirement but don’t know. With some research and a few phone calls, you might be able to find an offset ditcher small enough to match your tractor, particularly being you’re just cleaning a ditch rather than establishing a new one.

Of course if the road is short enough and you have room enough to access it sideways, you can clean it out about 6’ at a time with the front loader. Sounds slow, but it’s actually pretty quick.

 

[chim]

I used a 3-point dirt scoop on my Ford 1210 in the early 90's to make a 300' swale along the West side of our place. It did require straddling the ditch, but it worked OK by starting at the lower end and working uphill with the cutting edge towards the tractor. Later the scoop was my substitute for a loader by turning it around. A rope on the latch allowed me to dump it from the seat.

 

[Russell King]

Maybe use a pressure washer to clean out the ditch?

 

[AndyM]

Might not apply here, but, my road ditches tend to fill with mud in the rainy season, then flood the road. Last clean was an 10" log about 7 feet long that got a rope tow down the ditch. Couple of trips did what I wanted.

 

[Dustball]

Mini-excavator with a swing boom. Rotate the cab 45 degrees to the tracks then swing the boom parallel with the driveway.

or

Offset rear grader blade- https://www.goodworkstractors.com/product/dirt-dog-rear-blades/

or

Offset rear ditcher- https://www.amcomfg.com/water-management/ditchers/

 

[skeets]

So if I read this right you have a ditch, with trees growing in the ditch, but still you want to cut a ditch? Have someone come in with a track machine drop the blade remove dirt trees and then you will be done

 

[D2Cat]

You may get a better answer if you post a couple pictures of the problem area. Word pictures are sometimes difficult to see!!