laying pipe with a subsoiler-tips?

[pdubdo]

Need to put in 900 ft of 1" black polypipe. Have sandy loam soil w/ virtually no rocks. Straight shot from well except for a gentle curve over a 300 ft section. Any advice on pulling the pipe in with a subsoiler? Should I lay the pipe in shorter sections (than 300 ft rolls) to avoid friction/breaking? Pull straight in or jimmy a tube to feed in from the top of the subsoiler? Buying a subsoiler is cheaper than renting a trencher around here.

 

[dun]

Don;t know about the subsoiler. Have as few connections as possible and lay the pipe out to warm in the sun before pulling/laying it.

 

[D2Cat]

I'd build a sleeve to guide the pipe through. Here's a Youtube video showing it at about 1 min.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ntj0YLrcng

There's a bunch of videos on how to build the attachment.

I'd also suggest pull the subsoiler through the exact route you want the pipe BEFORE you pull the pipe. This will make easier pulling and also make you aware of any tree limbs or rocks that may be in your way. Get them removed and the pull is much easier because you don't have to stop, back up and clear the problem.

 

[pdubdo]

Project is done-here are my observations/tips using a 39 HP tractor, Tractor supply subsoiler, and 1" black polypipe:
1. Can't really control the depth of the subsoiler - it will track up and down as you go along so if you have to get the pipe to a certain depth, it's not super reliable
2. Soil has to be just right - not too wet/not too dry. Made 5+ passes when the soil was too dry and didn't get the depth I needed.
3. Tried making the sleeve out of 2" pvc. Filled it w/ sand and warmed it over my grill till it was flexible. But in the end, the friction through the tube made me give up. Would've worked better w/ larger diameter tube.
4. Ended up using 14 ga wire and wired it to the subsoiler a couple days after it rained. Pulled it in 300 ft sections and it went in smoothly. Wanted it 10+ inches deep even thought frostline is around 8" (southern OK). Not sure it's all going to be deeper than 8"

bottom line opinion: should have sprung the $140 to rent a trencher and know my depth. Would have saved me on time and failed attempts.

 

[Brute 23]

Thanks for the heads up. I usually come to the same conclusion when I'm done trying to do stuff like that. I've gotten real stubborn about if I can't do it right I'm not going to do it at all.

 

[Jogeephus]

I did a quarter mile using PVC pipe. Sandy soil. I did a dry run with the subsoiler first and since I had to go back I ran it a second time dry in the same trench. I then ran the pipe and it went real smooth.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Laid a lot of pipe and cut drainage ditches..with a middle buster..

 

[Nesikep]

You need a heavy subsoiler to get depth, and having a big "shovel" on it will help suck it down.. A tractor with draft control will make life easier too..

In order to be reliable, you gotta have power and traction... If I were to do it around here it would be with this rig but with 2 of the 3 shanks removed.. you can see the shovels on it to open the trench, which sucks the unit in, as well as pulling the tractor down for added traction.



This vid is from this spring, but I've just been using that same setup looking for all them big easter eggs underground that broke the shear bolts on my plow.. finding and bringing up lots of 2 footers.

[youtube]https://youtu.be/artfFunn2Ko[/youtube]

 

[callmefence]

Laid a lot of pipe and cut drainage ditches..with a middle buster..

Yep . I took the sweep off and replaced it with a spike chisel point. In my heavy clay it makes a real nice narrow trench.

 

[D2Cat]

Nesikep, if you had an engine slobbering because of too much idle time the project would cure it!!