Stump and Tree digging with 955

[AllDodge]

Friend ask if I would bring the 955 (triple grousers, Reg bucket) over to dig out some trees and stumps for his new house. Well....... it's not going so good. Took down a couple Ash trees with not a lot of dogging but the Beach and Oak no way. Had to use the hoe (416) and dig them out.

It digs down sorta ok but looks like to get a 12 inch tree I would need to dig 4-5 foot all around and maybe 4 foot deep. Dig out 1/2 way around, tracks spinning and bucket rotated, and it just no go

Idea's or just give it up

 

[361brock]

Dig around root close as possible then make a ramp up tree with soil. That tree will fall no matter the size.

Nick

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

I don’t like doing it as 361brock suggests but sometimes that’s the only way on taproot trees like oaks to get them out. On a house foundation you have no choice but to get them out. A lot of times when I’m clearing fence rows I just cut the bigger trees off low with a chainsaw treat the stump with Tordon RTU and motor on but that’s not an option on a house foundation.

 

[AllDodge]

Thanks guys
Figure this is a heavy machine but a falling tree can go haywire real fast

 

[BackertheBiker]

You’re on the right track. It takes a lot of work and a lot of digging to get a big tree down.

 

[AllDodge]

Well have dug out to stumps and taken down 7 or 8 trees. You guys were right have to go deep and in most cases have to get all around them before they will fall

Thanks

 

[AllDodge]

This one is saying, it's not going to happen
Have to agree, the 955 just doesn't have it in it.

Going to use the 416 and dig even deeper.

 

[AllDodge]

Took the hoe and dug another 2 foot deep all around, then used the 955 and broke it loose.

Pic doesn't show how big it is, and 955 can barely lift it. Going to need to work on to get it out

 

[thendrix]

Where are you at? My father in law has a 977L that could be bought right. It made very short work of pine stumps around here. I know pines and oaks are completely different animals but it's a hoss. Be very expensive to move very far though

 

[AllDodge]

Southern edge of KY, but I don't need another 955, mine is fine. New rails, shoes, springs and cylinders all rebuilt. It's strong just unable to pick the stump up and back out up hill. When it drys out I'll dig a flat spot in and pull it out that way.

Last week wnet to tart it and one of the Bats went bad. Can't complain a hole lot, CAT Bat and lasted 8 years