How to Build a Ride-on Trencher

Make a ride-on trencher with a tractor bucket.

Trenchers are used to dig shallow ditches for sprinkler lines, electrical conduit, or even just to create corrugates for irrigation. But the problem with most industrial trenchers are that they are typically walk-behind. The trencher mechanism is operated hydraulically with two large levers that you stand to operate: there is no ride-on function. But you can build your own ride-on trencher using a lawn tractor with a hydraulic bucket. You can ride on it, and it creates trenches anywhere you want it to.

Things You'll Need

• Tractor with bucket
• Angle iron, 4-by-4-by-48-inches
• Chalk or pencil
• Hand grinder
• Chain with come-along tightener

Instructions

1. Raise the bucket on the tractor to waist height. Shut off the tractor and walk around to the front of the bucket. Place the angle iron perpendicular, vertically across the front of the bucket with 12 inches of the angle iron protruding down from the bottom edge of the bucket. Mark the points where the angle iron touches the edges of the bucket with chalk or a pencil.

2. Place the angle iron on a worktable. Using a hand grinder, grind slots where you marked where the edges of the bucket make contact with the angle iron. Cut into the angle iron wide and deep enough so that the edges of the bucket will fit inside the slots at least 2 inches.

3. Place the angle iron back on the bucket, allowing the edges of the bucket to fit inside the slots.

4. Wrap a chain with a come-along tightener around the top and bottom ends of the angle iron extending over the top and bottom of the bucket. The come-along handle should be on the back of the bucket.

5. Pump the handle on the come-along to tighten the chain until the angle iron is securely tight and fastened to the front of the bucket, locked into the slots. Lock the come-along handle in place.

6. Climb on the tractor. Turn it on and lower the bucket until the end of the angle iron makes contact with the ground. Put the tractor in reverse and back up. As you drive backwards riding on the trencher, it will cut a trench in the earth.

Tips & Warnings

• Apply more hydraulic downward pressure to the bucket to cut deeper or less pressure fore shallow trenches. Go over them several times if the tractor is struggling and will not cut deep enough on the first run.

• Don't force the trencher. If it resists, and the motor coughs black smoke, back off and go slower.

References

• Homemade Trencher for Tractor Bucket on Kubota BX