How much HP do I need

[john_bud]

If you are serious about pulling out timber, buy a logging winch. It will allow you to get more out with less damage to the woods.

My recommedation is for a 30- 35 hp 4wd tractor. Weight of the tractor should be 3000-3500 pounds by itself. With FEL, loaded tires, wheel weights etc, 4500-5000 pounds. There are small tractors with 30 hp engines, those are NOT what you want. You do need some beef and the stresses will be too much for a 2000-2500 pound tractor. The brand of machine is up to what fits you the best and what you like.

If you do go for a 2wd older ag tractor, something like a ford 4000 series, 5000 series or maybe even the 3000 series (they will need good R1's and probably mud chains). What ever you get in 2wd, make sure it has a differential lock. Or it's stuck city! In this range, I would go for the larger 5000 series, and would even use a 6000 series ford if there was a good deal. You can get machines in this category for $4500 to 10,000 depending on age, condition, loader or not, etc.

 

[kwolfe]

Even the smallest CUTs will pull many times what a quad will pull. With correct gearing, weight, tire type, and how you hook to the log determine how big a log you can pull, not hp. But I'd bet I could pull a 20 foot, 20" diameter log without any problems at all - and without stressing the tractor.

Gerry,
I think an important questions that has not been asked is, what is your time frame? As with anything, if you want this done fast, get a bigger tractor. However, if you are not in a hurry, I would agree whole heartly with gladehound, a smaller CUT (maybe 25 horse) will do what you are asking. Since you land is flat, I would not be as concerned with tractor weight, because you don't have to worry about the log pushing against the tractor at any point. Just my 2 cents.

 

[art]

Sorry guys. As I said I'm a newbie. The trees aren't too big, 20 in. max-lengths will be cut to 10 ft.-land is very navigable, and where they'd be removed would be almost level. Only other needs, would be tilling to put in food plots on the non wooded acreage. I'm sure as I get more into it, I may get a backhoe. Other then that, that's pretty much it.
Thanks again for the quick, informative input.

Had a customer that pulled out three dump trailer loads of cherry that were all fifteen inch or larger on the stump and up to about 17' and none shorter then ten foot on unlevel ground and across a stream with a, got to do this, BX Kubota. It was a once only job, I probably wouldn't have known except he needed a trailer to haul them to his freinds with a mill. On the other side I'd recommend a larger tractor into the 30 horsepower range for your place for the jobs and the size of your property.

 

[DuaneW]

I know you said that your ground is mostly flat, but I want to point out that 'moving' a log is not the hard part, controling the log is. If a moderatly sized log starts to roll (as in down hill ) it can take the tractor with it. I have done lots of logging with a 60 hp tractor and a some with a 110hp tractor that weighed in around 12.5k. Was informed by a logger that he would NOT even use the heavy tractor to move some large green Oak logs on our farm because of the slopes. Not that the tractor would have a hard time moving them, but that he did not feel that it would be safe. In fact, he brought over a skidder and winched the logs out for us, would not even use the skidder to drag them because of the concerns of roll over. Remember, always hook to the drawbar, NOT TO THE 3pt. ALWAYS KEEP HITCH PIONTS AS LOW AS POSSIBLE.

Guess what I am saying is I to would go with a heavier used older tractor to do woods work. One, they will take the abuse MUCH better and two, they will do it much safer. If you are inexperienced, make friends with farm neighbors and get assistence. I am not a safty freak, and I have done things with tractors that I should'nt have, but I will do what I can to minimize the risk to both me and my equipment. Always stop and think, dont just do.

Sorry bout this getting long, just dont want to see somebody get hurt.

Thanks and GOOD LUCK

DuaneW.

 

[Warren in SC]

Personally I'd just get an alcoholic buddy with a big CAT piece of equipment, and get him to do it for you in exchange for 5 cases of his favorite beer.

Just Kidding!!

But I would consider renting or borrowing a bigger piece of equipment to use. Especially the day that you take out the pond stumps

 

[John_Mc]

If you are serious about pulling out timber, buy a logging winch. It will allow you to get more out with less damage to the woods.

I agree with that. A logging winch is a great way to go when using a tractor for this type of job... but the key phrase in your statement is "If you are serious about pulling out timber". A good logging winch is tough to find on the used market (at least in my area... I've been on the lookout for one for years). A new Farmi 351 winch is over $3000, I believe. It's tough to justify spending that for 23 acres, unless you've got some seriously high quality trees (a few veneer grade logs would make a big difference) -- but if I had veneer grade timber, I'd probably be looking for a professional to get it out to the logging landing. You can bugger up a lot of timber by handling it poorly (either the one your dragging, or the ones you bump against on the way out).

John Mc

 

[gparrish]

We own 45 acres on which we grow pine trees, and had a problem with southern pine beetles about 5 years ago. I was advised by the forester to put about 1 acre of trees on the ground to halt the infestation. The trees were OK for lumber, so I decided to hire a guy with a portable sawmill to cut the logs into lumber, so that the trees would not be a total loss.

A friend who worked in the logging industry and I cut the trees with a chainsaw, and my uncle pulled them all out to the front of the property wih my grandad's 8N. These were 60 year old southern pines, most of which were more than 20" diameter at the stump. I had an order for some 20' lumber, so 10 or 12 logs were cut to 20.5', the rest were mostly 14-16' long, since my sawyer had a portable mill that hanndled up to 16' logs comfortably, and he could handle a 20' cut if he made some modifications to his woodmiser sawmill. We pulled 2 or 3 at a time unless they were the 20' logs, or very large in diameter.

My grandad had used the tractor on his farm, and to pull out commercial pulp wood in years past, with no problem. The tractor can do the work safely, if you don't get in too big of a hurry. Most any compact utility tractor will do what you need. If you are going to cut and drag out trees for someone to load from a banking ground, or a roadside, a small tractor, such as an old 8N Ford will do the job, but if you need to pile the logs up, you will need more tractor than the 8N, as it will only be able to get that pile up to about 3 logs before you run out of tractor.

The guy with the sawmill also cuts salvage timber for Georgia Pacific and International Paper using a two wheel drive 35 HP Massey and a two wheel drive 60 HP Massey as skidders. The huge skidders that logging contractors use today are used more for speed, than for need, as they have lots of expense and men to pay, and need to come in, harvest the trees, and get to the next job in an efficient manner. The large skidders make that proposition profitable.

 

[Diesel-ME]

I agree with the other suggestions that you don't need huge amounts of horespower, but you have to take into account the variables such as terrain and accessibility on the woodlot. If it's relatively flat and you can drive right up to felled trees, then you can pull logs out with darn near anything. It's real important though, IMO, that you get the butts of the logs off the ground when dragging, else you are in serious risk of flipping your machine if an obstruction is encountered.

Along the same line of thought, the more weight - the better. So maybe that means a heavy older tractor for similar $$ to a small newer tractor. Gerry, you also mentioned a backhoe - if you want to dig stumps you are going to want a "good" sized machine.

So I'm in the "buy as much tractor as you can afford and then a little more" camp when it comes to safe logging....

Your mileage may vary

~paul

 

[ToadHill]

I'm taking out the beech in my woods and use a 35 hp Kioti. It works great. For years before I bought this machine I cut logs and hauled them with an old Ford 8N. As long as you can lift the front end of the log off the ground so it doesn't dig in, and you take your time, this old baby worked well. I also plowed up a lot of food plots with it as well.

 

[pat32rf]

I'm with Toadhill, its not so much the size of the machine, its how you use it. I've used 9ns, 35hp Massey(2wd),60hpCase(2wd with FEL),17HP Kubota(4wd,FEL) and finally I bought a new4300JD HST with FEL, small hoe(used),home-made winch and Forks, etc. Took a week to cut and skid a log truck load of poplar 2yrs ago, I cut and haul about 3 bush cord of hardwood for firewood each year, earn a bit of spare cash with the hoe and build trails on our 80 acres of hills, rock and swamp.
After using them for 5-6yrs I wouldn't have anything but R4s and a Hydro tranny. They don't dig holes or sink as quick as ags. With chains you are good in the snow or mud. I feel that if the soil is solid or on rock you have better traction than ags.
With all the talk of back-flips I don't know why anyone would want a tranny that requires you to find a clutch once the front wheels start to lift. With hydro you can actually hold them 4" off the ground giving you maximum pull, WITHOUT trying to slip a clutch or jockey the hand shifter on a "reverser" style tranny. For road or field work you punch the lock button (which releases when you touch the brake). You can also hold a load on a hill or use engine braking, whichever you want. You could probably even "push-start". And best of all you can apply the torque VERY slow and gentle when starting from a dead stop, in whichever speed range you choose. This is great in the bush.