Duckbill Drive Rod (Large) for Earth Anchors

The large Duckbill drive rod is the steel rod used to drive the bigger Duckbill earth anchors into the ground for guying newly planted trees. Drive the anchor to depth, pull the rod, then load-lock the anchor.

How Duckbill anchors go in

Duckbill anchors are driven into undisturbed soil with a drive rod and a hammer or driver. Once at depth, the rod is pulled out and the cable is pulled up, which rotates the anchor sideways into a locked position. It is much faster than digging in deadmen, and the hole is small.

Larger anchors need the larger rod. Check the rod against the anchor model before you start, since the wrong rod will not seat or drive the anchor properly.

Keep the drive rod straight and clean, and mark it at the target depth so the crew knows when the anchor is set. A bent rod can bind or fail to release the anchor, so check it before each job.

Guying good practice

Locate buried utilities before driving anything into the ground. Drive anchors outside the root ball, at an angle away from the tree. Use soft, wide straps against the trunk so the guying does not girdle the bark, leave some movement so the tree builds strength, and remove the guying once the tree is established, often after one growing season. Wear eye protection and gloves when driving. Find more planting supplies in our planting section.

Choose anchors and rods rated for the size of the tree, and follow the anchor maker's instructions for depth and load-locking.