3-Point Hitch Clearing rocks and stumps

[Anngarr]

KenKubota - thanks for the info - Glad you told me about the stumps because I was planning on cutting them as low to the ground as possible - I'll leave them higher based on your advice. I plan on doing most of the cutting this January and February then pulling sometime later. Hopefully, that will let the roots die.

 

[Baby Grand]

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There is no need to monkey around with an aggravating brush grubber when a chain can be attached with the correct knot in less than 5 seconds. It will pull saplings from about an inch in diameter to however big your tractor is. This walnut stump was 6 inch diameter with a 7 ft. root system. It took all 70 horses of a 4x4 NH with loaded rears and wheel weights but the 1/4" grade 70 chain does the job.

If you need more information about how to pull several trees in one pull just ask. Since retirement all my advice and tricks I've learned over the years are free.

Dang! That is one impressive taproot. Given a few more years it would have made it to China. OK, gotta ask - what knot do you use with your chain to grab a stump, clove hitch? Any other advice or tricks?

To the OP - I have had really good luck grubbing up to 6" diameter hardwoods with a subsoiler. It takes a little fussing around, but it works when conditions are not the best for getting traction to do a straight pull with ropes or chain. Not the best choice if you can't get at the trunk from different directions, as the first step is to rip up the roots about 12-18" around the base. Second step is to get the point of the subsoiler under the rootball and simulatneously pull up and drive forward (slowly). The pulling up part helps the traction fot the pulling forward part. Disclaimer: anything with a taproot like SandburRanch shows would require a lot more weight and power than I have. Or The Good Reverend Blair's BIL.

 

[SandburRanch]

Dang! That is one impressive taproot. Given a few more years it would have made it to China. OK, gotta ask - what knot do you use with your chain to grab a stump, clove hitch? Any other advice or tricks?

To the OP - I have had really good luck grubbing up to 6" diameter hardwoods with a subsoiler. It takes a little fussing around, but it works when conditions are not the best for getting traction to do a straight pull with ropes or chain. Not the best choice if you can't get at the trunk from different directions, as the first step is to rip up the roots about 12-18" around the base. Second step is to get the point of the subsoiler under the rootball and simulatneously pull up and drive forward (slowly). The pulling up part helps the traction fot the pulling forward part. Disclaimer: anything with a taproot like SandburRanch shows would require a lot more weight and power than I have. Or The Good Reverend Blair's BIL.

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http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/land-clearing/190062-pulling-trees-saplings.html
This earlier thread shows how the clove hitch can be quickly tied and be used from one stump to another stump without having to re-tie. When the knot is removed from one stump, by retaining the two loop shape, it can simply be dropped over another stump.

Anngar- QUOTE - "how do you connect the chain to the tractor - across a drawbar"?

I connect to the drawbar hitch hole where a clevis would be as if I were pulling a drag type implement. If this is not clear I'll get you a pic since we sure don't want any injuries either to you or your equipment.

Baby Grand - pulling that tree with this 70 hp tractor probably wouldn't be possible in clay soil. We're in sandy to sandy loam soil. We have found that if it won't pull in one direction try at a slightly different pulling angle sometimes works. That is if you have room for that option.

Edit: My apologies for the panoramic. I hate those and have no idea why this reply resulted in that.

 

[Baby Grand]

Thanks for the great information - I like your technique. One of the first things I did with my very first ever tractor was to try and pull a 2" diameter walnut with my better half looking on and no ballast at all. Discovered that the FEL could lift both rears off the ground, that I could dig deep parallel trenches in the lawn with the rears, and that my darling wife could make a very scary face. I finally gave up, dug 18" down all around the tap root, snipped it with heavy loppers, threw a big rock on the remainder for good measure and filled the hole.

 

[jake98]

This is how I've been doing it lately. The cylinder pulls with 29,000 lbs. of force.

 

[merrickvilleguy]

don't waste your money on those green and black grubbers. I've broken even the HD one on small trees 3-4" and my little tractor. For 100$ you would think it would be able to handle whatever fit inside it.

Get some grade 70 3/8" chain and a slip hook and have at it. But don't use the 3pt ... use the draw bar ... that's what it's there for.

 

[Chooglin]

This is how I've been doing it lately. The cylinder pulls with 29,000 lbs. of force.

I really like this idea. :thumbsup:

 

[jake98]

I really like this idea. :thumbsup:

Thanks. It does work pretty well. I did a thread on it called 'stump speech' on the attachments forum.

 

[fbenevento]

WOWWOWOWW that is a really awesome idea! have you run into any stumps it couldn't pull? what kind of trees, and sizes have you been pulling over like that Jake?

 

[jake98]

I just got that going and the frost arrived, so it's only pulled about four stumps so far. I think the type of dirt makes a bigger difference than the size of the stump. I have sort of an upland swamp with springs situation. Mostly clay.