How to drag downed trees with tractor??

   / How to drag downed trees with tractor?? #1  

AlbertC

Silver Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2010
Messages
156
Location
Perry, GA
Tractor
New holland 3930
First of all, many thanks to everyone who posted a reply to my earlier question about directing the fall of a tree with a tractor.(new holland 3930). Now I have another question:

After I have felled a tree(mostly 12" sweet gums that are 30-50ft tall), I need to drag them to my burn pile. I have been just chaining them to my drawbar and dragging to the pile, but this causes the butt of the tree to dig in and scar the ground, which I would like to avoid.

I have a boom pole that I can use to lift the log off the ground a few inches and drag to the pile and avoid scarring the ground. I presume that this is a safe way to move the tree because I am only lifting it 6" off the ground and the end of a tree this size is not heavy enough to cause the tractor to rollover. (I have a ROPS on this tractor).

Is this a good way to move the tree?

Thank you, and I apologize for the fact that I am asking questions that most of you would consider very basic but I am trying to make sure that I do everything safely as I was not brought up around tractors or heavy equipment.
 
   / How to drag downed trees with tractor?? #2  
If the objective is lift to pull... use both. The pole to lift the butt end up a bit, and another chain to the drawbar to pull. If you pull using only the pole, even on a low loop lift point, you end up pulling from the top link which makes the frontend light, and leads to back flips.

I use my box blade to skid logs. Back up close to the butt and choke-chain the log to the BB. Once lifted the butt clears the ground and if the tractor rares up it goes up untill the BB comes back down.
 
   / How to drag downed trees with tractor?? #3  
build yourself a "log dolly"...adds wheel to the back end of your log...prevents gouging etc...
 
   / How to drag downed trees with tractor?? #4  
Mud boat. Mine is a 3x4 piece of 1/4 inch steel. The front of the four foot piece is rounded up alittle by driving over it proped on a parking block ,curb etc. A couple of notches on the sides allow a place to hook a come along. The drag part is about six foot of chain welded on each side below the bend. Clevis hooks onto the draw bar. Lay the stump end onto the sheet and use the come along across it to tighten it down. Rides well in the woods and the fields. Has been known to travel snow covered roads as well.
 
   / How to drag downed trees with tractor?? #5  
Do you have a FEL? Cut the tree down to 6-8 foot logs and then get some pallet forks and you should be able to just lift and carry them.
 
   / How to drag downed trees with tractor?? #6  
Get a skid plate, or something similar on the three point, that lets you lift the butt end off the ground. I bought one on eBay for about $120 several years ago, but you can also use an implement. I would not suggest a boom pole as that creates too much leverage and can wheelie or flip the tractor if the log gets stuck.
 
   / How to drag downed trees with tractor?? #7  
put a bar between lift arms lower them and hook chain raise and go
 
   / How to drag downed trees with tractor?? #8  
Get an old gas tank - the plastic ones work well. Cut one end out of it and split it in half length ways leaving most of the other end in . use a strap to hold it to the trunk and then pull it as you are with the chain to the drawbar. The gas tank will float the front end of the log and keep it from digging in. If you go slow you do not even need to strap it.
 
   / How to drag downed trees with tractor?? #9  
You need to put your tractor in your sig or where it lists tractor in your bio.

I'm pretty darn sure your going to have to cut the 30' gum into a couple of pieces, then you can lash them on the FEL.

If you want to drag them out you need something to get the butts so you don't drag them on the ground. Wrapping a chain around your 3 pt arms works sort of, but it sometimes falls off. I've a set of 3pt pallet forks that I lift the end with and drag. If you can find an old car hood that might make a good drag sled.

If you can start throwing money at the problem get a quick attach grapple. I'd like to get one but the $$$ go elsewhere :)
 
   / How to drag downed trees with tractor?? #10  
I would never suggest a new operator to do what I do. But I use a 3ph trailer mover with a clevise on the insert. Chain short lift an go.

I would never pull from a boom pole. They aren't made for it. Especially turning. And the length amplifies all the forces on the tractor. 200# hanging off the end of an 8' pole is like 1600# off a insert of a trailer mover 12" back.
 
 
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