Tree Sheer on my John Deere

[Xfaxman]

Let us know how well the Ranch Rake grapple does picking them up.

And if it works at any angle, or do you have to be parallel to the trunk to grab it.

 

[Dan Hunter]

I've already given the Ranch Rake a couple workouts on previously cut trees. As you've probably surmised, if they're parallel and pushed together it has a greater capacity. It'll pick up at about any angle but I won't grab anything heavy at an angle to avoid tweaking the FEL. It also has an impressive crushing capacity considering its relatively light weight.

 

[Dan Hunter]

I sheared trees for six hours today. The speed sensor on the MFWD went out trashing the cruise control but it didn't get in the way. I've learned that if I have a good alignment and level and the front end doesn't give a good thunk and walks around during the close it'll NEVER cut the tree...too many branches too low. Rather than continue to attempt to cut it, I now just bash the branches off so a chainsaw could get to the base of the trunk easily. The ballast barrel makes this all possible but I long for the day that I have a place to store the tractor at the ranch and don't have to worry about taxing the 1/2 ton 6.5 TD Chevy and can fill the tires with Rimguard. It does seem that the schedule of two shear days and one grapple will work for a while. I have so many downed trees now that are making it hard to get to the remaining trees.

 

[Dan Hunter]

The truck/trailer/tractor is at the dealership. I just seemed easier to leave the whole thing behind. I was getting an "error 6" code - speed sensor on the MFWD - along with noticing that all the lugs on the front left wheel were loose (no of the others, though).

 

[Dan Hunter]

Dealership tightened the lugs and started asking questions which always impresses me. Wanted to know if I'd been bouncing and indicated that there was a code for me being out of the seat. They couldn't duplicate the error 6 code for the MFWD but also saw a few codes for both pedals depressed which probably happened while I was bouncing in the seat with no cruise. The sounds a bit upset that they're driving it around and can't get any more errors. I'll take it out and next time note the time, use and conditions it spits codes.

 

[kevin37b]

I am going to guess F-14 on a carrier . Nice work and intelligent posts .

 

[Dan Hunter]

T-38.

 

[Piston]

That's a really neat setup. What size tractor/model are you using the shear on?


I've often dreamed about a tree shear for my tractor but always thought it was way too much for my FEL. Did you consider the Turbo Saw at all?

 

[Dan Hunter]

It's my sole tractor - a JD 3720 with a CX300. I considered the Turbo saw briefly but since half my neck is fused turning around that much isn't an option. Also, I feel shearing to ground level is more controllable as I can lower it AND tilt it if the tree isn't on the same plane as the tractor. Finally, the shear won't throw anything; I'd be more concerned about someone being around an unguarded saw blade than my MX5 as far as projectiles go.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

The shear sounds like a great tool for what you are doing.