Cheap way to haul logs

[johnk]

I picked up a drawbar and a Clevis hook @ TSC today. My skidding tongs should be here tomorrow. I'm going to hook the tongs to the hook and away I go. Don't need a drawbar lock or Top link. Just pick it up and go. I hope. What do you think??

 

[gordon21]

Keep the log as low as possible to the ground and drive SLOW. If you are dragging the log and it suddenly hit some solid obstruction that went between the tires like a 10" high stump, your front end could potentially start coming up. The entire tractor would start rotating around the rear axle. And it would do it FAST. Backward flips are deadly. That is why we have ROPS now. Even if you did rotate the tractor around the axle and had the front wheels 6' in the air, the ROPS would save your life if you are wearing your seat belt. ALWAYS wear your seat belt anytime the tractor is moving. No seat belt means that you can fall off and go directly under the path of 4000# of moving metal. Even 4000# of slow moving metal will kill or seriously injure you.

If you lift the log and carry it high, you make the potential flip happen even faster. As you flip, the log is not securely attached to the tractor and will not prevent the tractor from flipping. Think of a rotary mower that is attached to the back. If you could somehow start to flip, the solidly attached mower would quickly prevent any further rotation around the rear axle.

Going uphill dragging a log will be more dangerous that going downhill. Going uphill means that your front wheels are already higher than the back to begin with.

 

[Deerlope]

You just be sure that you got that seat belt on.

 

[MossRoad]

I picked up a drawbar and a Clevis hook @ TSC today. My skidding tongs should be here tomorrow. I'm going to hook the tongs to the hook and away I go. Don't need a drawbar lock or Top link. Just pick it up and go. I hope. What do you think??

Sounds dangerous. A drawbar like that isn't meant for that task. If you are going to skid logs cheaply, you should attach a chain to the tongs and the other end to the swinging drawbar. The swinging drawbar is attached to your tractor frame BELOW the centerline of the rear axle and is meant for pulling.

Not convinced??? Check out this website that has LOTS of pictures and videos of tractor roll over tests. Of particular interest and most relevant to this topic, are these videos...

Correct hitching practice
and
Incorrect hitching practice (with no seatbelt goodness).

 

[mjarrels]

1. Rule number one... always pull from the drawbar.

2. Rule number two... see rule number one.

3. Those are ok to move a trailer around but not for heavy pulling.

mark

 

[gordon21]

The last link in Mossroads post couldn't have shown it any better. That is exactly what will happen if your log hits something or digs into the ground. 3 seconds is all that it takes to go from Ok to dead. A big log caught on something solid will have the same effect as the chain holding the tractor.

Thank goodness they used a manican for that demo. The poor dummy even broke his right leg falling back.

 

[JC-jetro]

Keep the log as low as possible to the ground and drive SLOW.

If you lift the log and carry it high, you make the potential flip happen even faster. As you flip, the log is not securely attached to the tractor and will not prevent the tractor from flipping. Think of a rotary mower that is attached to the back. If you could somehow start to flip, the solidly attached mower would quickly prevent any further rotation around the rear axle.

Going uphill dragging a log will be more dangerous that going downhill. Going uphill means that your front wheels are already higher than the back to begin with.

Great points. Unfortunately I do not have ROPS on my tractor so I tried to improvise.For starter I always pull from draw bar hitch point which is lowest point and the most stout to pull with.I also carry my carry all and keep it 10 inches or so above the floorn and keep the spped nice and slow ready to clutch and let go of gas. I reckon that may stop should tractor decides to do a back flip. I hope I'm okay with my thinking being first tractor owner and pretty green.

 

[gordon21]

JohnK: Keep the loader on and have it full of dirt or bags of concrete for front ballast. That 1500# way out in front of the rear axle will help.

 

[johnk]

I pull 1000 pound trunks with my quad and skidder... This is a much smaller one but you get the idea. I want to use my tractor to get it off the ground and keep the mud off the trunks as much as I can. Common sense plays a big part here. I'm not going 10MPH through the woods......

 

[kwolfe]

I would say as long as you take it slow and have your foot ready to take off the gas, you should be OK. Paying attention plays a lot here. I watched the videos. Good information, however I cannot see myself keeping my foot on the gas if the frnot of the tractor is off the ground.