Chains Chains or Straps??

[MDSteve]

I was wondering what everyone is using to pull stumps and tress around with. Most stumps are are dug up with the fel and just need to be dragged to the burn pile about 700 feet away. They are usually too big for the FEL to handle.
Thanks
Steve

 

[RobS]

If all you are doing is dragging stuff around I'd definitely go with chains. Straps will wear pretty quickly under those conditions /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[rdln]

3/8 chain is indestructable in that application

 

[TonyC]

I guess I have to be the first dissenter on this one. I have used straps for years. If you use a high quality strap with a high load capacity it will perform right up there with chain. I haven't had any problems with wear. I guess you could argue that over time a chain will outlast a strap, but my heaviest strap is now 10 years old and still going. The advantage is that a strap is lighter and easier to carry around. It manuvers around groups of logs better than chain. It tightens better than chain when you start pulling. And perhaps best of all, it is much safer should a breakage occur. There is another thread out there that recently discussed what can happen when a chain breaks under extreme load.

 

[rdln]

straps are made to recover stuck vehicles and do so by stretching and then slingshotting the stuck vehicle free, it is then if something breaks a deadly projectile is born.

 

[TxBilly]

Not all straps are made to recover stuck vehicles. Industry uses many straps to lift items with cranes. You will see more industrial grade straps in manufacturing applications than chains.
I also use straps with my tractor as well as chain. In my opinion, it depends on the use and circumstances

 

[RobS]

<font color=blue>it is much safer should a breakage occur</font color=blue>

Be very careful out there! Chains, straps and cables are nothing more than big springs when put into tension. The amount of energy stored in each is proportional to the load and the deflection or stretch. For a given load, the strap is designed to stretch the most thus it will store the most potential energy. All that energy has to go somewhere if it breaks /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Bottom line is to be extremely careful when lifting/pulling with anything /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[MDSteve]

I have been using a 2 inch strap. It has broken on me a few times and I have been tieing new loops on the end. It has never streched to the point where it pops back at me. I guess I will need to get a larger strap or some chain. What size chain and straps are we talking about?

Thanks for all the help.
Steve

 

[TxBilly]

Steve
You might see if there is a place close to you that makes industrial straps. I have several in different lengths and strength. I had them made and had hooks added to them before they were stiched. They can be of many types and styles. You usually are limited by what you can find in most stores that carry straps.

 

[pennwalk]

Tony,

<font color=blue>my heaviest strap is now 10 years old </font color=blue>
Fabric degrades with age. I don't know how long a tow strap lasts but be careful with that 10 year old strap. /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Chris