3pt winch for getting unstuck?

[Anonymous Poster]

I was browsing old messages about how to get unstuck without a second vehicle, and saw lots of mentions of using winches. I didn't notice anyone talking about a 3 pt. hitch winch driven by the PTO. Is there such an animal? It would have to be relatively light, since you would have to carry it to the stuck tractor when you needed it. Couple this with an anchor like the "Pull-Pal" and you might have a good way of getting out of nasty spots?

Maybe the winch cable could be run through a pulley hooked to the drawbar, so the pulling would be lower and less likely to raise the front of the tractor?

Just an idea..

Bob

 

[Harv]

An interesting idea, Bob, but I'm trying to picture it in my mind.

If my tractor is stuck, it's probably in some soft, very likely wet turf, and in my case, I probably already have a box blade or rotary cutter on the 3-pt. There's little doubt in my mind that this scenario would take place a good distance from the house/shop/tools, too. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

So now I see myself somehow toting the winch, maybe in a wheelbarrow, out to ground zero. Once there I would have to unhook the implement that's already in place and have one devil of a time separating it from the tractor far enough to make room for the winch. Then comes the joy of hooking up the winch and connecting the PTO shaft. All this while ankle-deep in muck.

Then, assuming there was a tree that I could hook onto (plenty of trees on my property), I could start winching. Of course, that means I would be pulling the tractor backwards, and wouldn't you know it, that darn box blade is in the way. I try to crowbar it out of the way, but the soil is just too soft. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

Okay, okay -- this is all pure fantasy, but as much as I like the idea of a winch, it does make me wonder... /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

LOL! Well, I said it was an idea.. not that it was a *good* idea! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

I guess this would only work for folks who might get into trouble while pushing snow or something, and had no rear implement attached at the time. I might fit that category, but probably there would be a limited market for such a thing.

Thanks for clearing my thinking! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[radman]

One of the best devices for getting unstuck is the front loader. Use the bucket and curl to push the tractor out while backing out. So far this method has always worked for me. I used it on my Kubota 3710 just today and during the irrigation season, I use the same technique on my JD 5300. The JD is used to pull/push our irrigation pivots out of the mud.

My brother and I still have a homemade 3pt mounted winch that we used at one time for moving irrigation pipe across muddy areas. I believe it was an old wrecker winch converted to a 3pt mount. Worked just fine.

 

[patrickg]

I have used the FEL to get unstuck 50% of the times I tried. Stuck twice, FELed out once. FEL still helped the other time. I was nose low both times at the waters edge taking out beaver dams. Second time I just kept faliling back into the holes where the tires had been when I tried to "Crawdad" out using the FEL. Used the FEL to raise front end which was burried past the front axle and I put downed limbs in the holes until I got it up enough to back out.

Don't know that I would want a 3 point winch or PTO winch (still laughing at Glueguys clever discussion) B U T it might be good to have a come along or a small electric winch that could be attached to the drawbar or something up front. A come along can do a lot if you aren't in a hurry and don't mind a few reps of arm exercises.

Patrick

 

[Anonymous Poster]

<font color=blue>...A come along can do a lot if you aren't in a hurry and don't mind a few reps of arm exercises...</font color=blue>

How about Glennmac... he gets stuck too many times...

On second thought, maybe moving would be easier for Glennmac... /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

 

[patrickg]

What would be really neat would be some sort of cable drum attached to a wheel like a spacer/adapter. You would have to carry a rope or cable to put on it when you got stuck. You are stuck but the wheel should still turn so you could put a rope or cable on it and as the wheel turns it should pull you along. You would want to lead the line through something up front to act as a fairlead. As this would put a load on one wheel and not the other (assuming you use one not two) you would need a locking diff to ensure getting power to the wheel with the winch drum on it.

Patrick

 

[HalseyGreen]

This last post jogged my memory, I recall a jeep (Army M-151) I had use of while in Vietman, the ends of all four hubs had post with holes in them for insertion of rods (rod would be parellel with the tire, you insert a rod and attached a cable or rope with the other end attached to something solid. Your select the appropriate gear, reverse to pulling yourself backwards, forward gear for moving yourself forward. Never had an opporunity to try is but it should work. Also remember an old four wheeler magizine that advertised drums that you bolted on using your lug nuts, that worked the same way. If you got stuck frequently, you could make yourself a set.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

<font color=blue>...would be some sort of cable drum attached to a wheel ...</font color=blue>

Kinda like a starter recoil mechanism on a lawn mower, but only HUGE... with the snatch block connected to a remote stationary location and the tractor's differential lock engaged,... as you slowly spin/turn your rear tires... vio'la you slowly pull your way out... using your own power.../w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I forgot to mention... now we need Harv or Jinman to illustrate these thoughts into a visual..../w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif