Well pump shorted out about the time it started raining and tubing needs to be pulled. Well service truck backed off my parking area/driveway towards the well and got stuck. Pulled the truck out with tractor. They suggested I get a truck load of "bull rock" to expand my parking area by about 20 ft towards the well. Have the rock dumped on the parking area and push it around with tractor bucket.
It will take days/week to dry out sufficiently. Not sure about this bull rock idea. Still a little chilly for swimming pool bathing and that is a no go for the wife's hair washing.
Would a few sheets of 3/4" plywood be an option.
I'm sure one of you OB members has experience with this. TIA for any ideas.

Having been stuck too many times to count around the ranch, I have used the ply wood trick with success. Hopefully you have not had too much rain where no bottom to the soil can be found. If it is not too much use both bull rock and ply wood. However I know a load of bull rock in my area is expensive.

Wooden oilfield mat? Single sheet of plywood might not be enough to support the truck.

Mas89 said:

---

Wooden oilfield mat? Single sheet of plywood might not be enough to support the truck.

---

If you can't find oilfield mats, you can use 3" x 12" oak timbers. You can secure them on top of railroad ties if ruts are too deep, or fill ruts with sand.

Look up crane mat rentals in your area. That's your best bet for something temporary. Dumping bull rock in a mud hole will just get you a mud hole mixed with rock. Once it dries, I'd get it cleaned out, put down filter fabric, and then put down road base or bull rock.

The plywood isn't going to do much for a well service truck.

Where are you located? I have about 100ft of HEAVY galvanized steel grating that would definitely work. You are welcome to borrow but would need someone to help you move it in place as the truck backs up. One man can move it but its not fun. Its about a tires width across and looks like this.



Is the well pump hung from pvc joints or poly pipe? How deep? How big is the pump? If its poly, not too deep, and not too big, you can pull it by hand.

CS78 said:

---

The plywood isn't going to do much for a well service truck.

Where are you located? I have about 100ft of HEAVY galvanized steel grating that would definitely work. You are welcome to borrow but would need someone to help you move it in place as the truck backs up. One man can move it but its not fun. Its about a tires width across and looks like this.



Is the well pump hung from pvc joints or poly pipe? How deep? How big is the pump? If its poly, not too deep, and not too big, you can pull it by hand.

---

VERY generous offer and spot on suggestion!

If the well is not too deep (for example well is 250' with pump at 140'), you would be surprised how easy it is to pull the pump, especially if you've got 2 motivated teenagers. Lift a pipe stick, block, remove pipe stick, repeat…….

Followup:
I got a large dump truck full of bull rock delivered at about 11:30 this morning. I spread it out with my tractor. It was about a foot deep and about as wide and long as the well service truck. Truck showed up at 1:30. Backed up to within about 7 ft of the well.

Pulled pump and ran a new one. I pulled the truck out with my tractor. I now have an area covered with a layer of large rocks with some huge ruts but just took a hot shower and started the dishwasher. Life good again.

Thanks for the helpful suggestions and offer to loan me the grating. That probably would have been cheaper than the rock.