namesray
Platinum Member
Might seem like a silly question, but I am serious about this. Here's my story and how I came to ask.
I have a fransgard v3507 3ph winch. Owned it for about 8 years. It has 7000lb + pull rating with a 5/16 cable. There are sliders on the cable, with a hook at the end. It also has a "tow bar" on top of the dozer blade for hitching the log to for skidding logs. So my winch is built like most 3pt winches out there, wallenstein, farmi, norse, etc.
The book says "to never skid logs directly on the cable... always hook them to the tow bar for skidding" this is to lower the center of gravity and "to prevent serious damage to the winch." Ok, I get it. Be safe, be smart. (I have done well over a thousand face cord of firewood in the 8 years I have had this winch.
ok, so what's the problem now you maybe asking.
I am getting tired of mud on the logs and rutting up the roads by skidding on the tow bar. Book says to "hook chains to tow bar so log ends are lifted off ground when 3pt is raised, but leave enough slack so they won't bind when turning."
Well I am here to tell you, I can not find tht happy medium. It is either hook the chains so tight, they will lift, but if I come to a turn they bind, bad! Or I give it some slack I can turn, but they won't lift. You get the picture.
I have tried adjusting top link of 3pt in or out to try different angles. Also tried just leaving the logs on the cable, which does keep logs up out of mud and saves the ruts in road, but my production goes down as I can't seem to skid as many or as much off the cable as I can on the tow bar.
is there something I am missing???!!!
I have lookes at many threads on here and pictures and its about half and half on who uses the tow bar and who leaves it on the cable.
I ask how do you guys "skid" your logs and how do you fair? How much mud on your logs?
I am also looking for how much you are skidding in one hitch. I am about 2 to 3 face cords per hitch on tow bar, but only one about if I leave logs on cable.
I am operating on very steep hills here in north Pennsylvania, with sharp switch backs (sharper then 90' turns at times) with water bars in logging roads. I also need to do this all seasons, so I guess I got the worst of all scenarios.
For you guys that do skid off the tow bar, whats your situation?
I have a fransgard v3507 3ph winch. Owned it for about 8 years. It has 7000lb + pull rating with a 5/16 cable. There are sliders on the cable, with a hook at the end. It also has a "tow bar" on top of the dozer blade for hitching the log to for skidding logs. So my winch is built like most 3pt winches out there, wallenstein, farmi, norse, etc.
The book says "to never skid logs directly on the cable... always hook them to the tow bar for skidding" this is to lower the center of gravity and "to prevent serious damage to the winch." Ok, I get it. Be safe, be smart. (I have done well over a thousand face cord of firewood in the 8 years I have had this winch.
ok, so what's the problem now you maybe asking.
I am getting tired of mud on the logs and rutting up the roads by skidding on the tow bar. Book says to "hook chains to tow bar so log ends are lifted off ground when 3pt is raised, but leave enough slack so they won't bind when turning."
Well I am here to tell you, I can not find tht happy medium. It is either hook the chains so tight, they will lift, but if I come to a turn they bind, bad! Or I give it some slack I can turn, but they won't lift. You get the picture.
I have tried adjusting top link of 3pt in or out to try different angles. Also tried just leaving the logs on the cable, which does keep logs up out of mud and saves the ruts in road, but my production goes down as I can't seem to skid as many or as much off the cable as I can on the tow bar.
is there something I am missing???!!!
I have lookes at many threads on here and pictures and its about half and half on who uses the tow bar and who leaves it on the cable.
I ask how do you guys "skid" your logs and how do you fair? How much mud on your logs?
I am also looking for how much you are skidding in one hitch. I am about 2 to 3 face cords per hitch on tow bar, but only one about if I leave logs on cable.
I am operating on very steep hills here in north Pennsylvania, with sharp switch backs (sharper then 90' turns at times) with water bars in logging roads. I also need to do this all seasons, so I guess I got the worst of all scenarios.
For you guys that do skid off the tow bar, whats your situation?