After breaking the planks used to as a ramp, we tried lifting the big heavy awkward plastic tank with the backhoe bucket, and the tractor forks. And it worked a treat. The truck was backed underneath, the tank was lowered, strapped on, and the truck was towed up the hill with the 4WD tractor. The tank weighed 1000kg, 4.4m diameter, 2.8m high, and was slippery and awkward. I had tried to get a specialist tank trailer, but was unsuccessful. So this was the next option.
As part of the farm sale, I had to remove 2 water tanks from the bottom of a steep slippery valley. The tanks were 2.8m high and 4,4m diameter, and weighed 1 tonne each. When full they hold 45 thousand litres of water each. i.e. they were big awkward and heavy, and easily damaged.
We pulled the first tank onto the truck tray, with a 4WD tractor. All OK, but the truck could not drive up the slippery track. Even with the tractor pulling the truck, it all came close to slipping off the track to disaster. Then my elderly farmer neighbour Des suggested using a steeper, but rocky track, and that was safely and successfully negotiated. Tank one placed in the top paddock ready for transport to the new owner.
The next tank was dug into the side of the hill, and required a couple of hours digging with a back hoe to free it enough to pull it free with the tractor.
We tried to pull it up the planks as per tank one, but the slope was steeper and the planks started breaking. So we used tractor hydraulics to do the lifting for us. See the next photo…
johnsmachines 