Tree Puller: Pleased with my new Attachment

[LouieJunior]

I just used my new Buckthorn Heavy Duty Tree Puller and it functions better than I ever imagined it would -- maybe because I'm used to using a Brush Grubber model without hydraulics.
It arrived yesterday. My first pleasant surprise, was the green paint. It was customized for my Deere loader, so the supplier knew I had a green tractor. All of the on-line product pictures were blue, and I figured I'd get blue too.
They also welded on elements so I could attach it to my category (1) 3-point hitch. That was $200 extra. My thinking was that the rear has more lifting capacity than the loader does.
BTW, the unit fit my loader like a glove!!
I had to assemble some hoses today and finally had all hooked-up before dinner time -- quicker than expected with no leaks. This permitted me time for a quick trial. I pulled out two trees -- bigger than I ever could before. One was about 5 inches in diameter and required a little forward force, but she came up, roots and all. About a minute, or two for each tree. I may never need to put it on the 3PH judging from my initial use.
Will shoot some video clips tomorrow and post on Monday.
Another thing -- visibility is very good and the videos will demonstrate this important attribute.

 

[kneedeep]

PICS!!

Need PICS!!!

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

PICS!!

Need PICS!!!

ditto!

 

[Gordon Gould]

Sounds really interesting. Your video, when you get to, it will be appreciated.

 

[LouieJunior]

Okay - Here is a frame from this morning's video. I can't send the video until tomorrow -- my connection here is too pokey.
This particular tree was caught in the fence line and when I pulled it out, a fence post and some wire came with it.

 

[Xfaxman]

I hope you like it as well as I like their Buckthorn Long Arm version. :thumbsup:

 

[LouieJunior]

Short video clip now available featuring new tree puller and old dog!
Sorry about the bad videography

Also a picture of the attachment

 

[corey f]

Cool attachment, that would work perfect for my property. What size John Deere are using? What's the biggest tree you've been able lift with it?

 

[Piston]

Looks pretty neat! I can see the advantage of getting the roots and all out of the ground, rather than just cutting the tree down and leaving the stump. I typically push the trees over and get the roots out that way, the pile with the grapple. However, the tree puller looks like it would work better and more efficiently.

I can't see the video because of my connection, but it appears in the picture that the point where the tree puller grabs the tree (after squeezing down on it) is offset pretty far to the right side of the loader arms. Is this the case, or is it an optical illusion from the picture? If so, do you notice a lot of torquing forces on the loader frame???

How much does a tree puller cost?

 

[rekees4300]

offset pretty far to the right side of the loader arms.

Would love to have something like that since I've been battling Buckthorn for 14 years. They are winning. But like you said if the grabber isn't in the middle of the loader arms I think that would be a deal breaker.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Pretty slick operation on those trees. Thanks for posting the video.

Looks like it is about 1/3 - 2/3 centering on the smallest trees, bigger trees would be more centered than that, that doesnt seem like a real killer off center. It seems if there is enough grunt to pull it up by the roots carrying it should be OK ?????? I'd be more concerned with keeping it upright if it were real tall no matter where it was centered.

 

[LouieJunior]

It is slightly off-center, to the right. I notice my left rear wheel lifting off the ground when I attempt to pull out a tree that is too large. That surprised me because I thought the lift capacity on the loader would constrain me.

I have a JD4105 with a 300CX loader. Yesterday's ballast was a 74 inch Flail mower -- I will go heavier next time.

Mostly, I have willows to extract -- small, but too big to bush hog. They are tall, pretty straight and I'm thinking about putting the chipper on the back (3PH) and after uprooting each tree, I'll chainsaw off the rootball and chip the whole tree 1-2-3!

 

[Piston]

Louie,
How much does this weigh?

 

[LouieJunior]

Mine weighs about 300 lbs -- one of the reasons I chose this design was it's light weight -- so my lifting capacity wasn't consumed by the attachment. Also the tree is close to the pivot point on this design.

It is my understanding that the 3-point hitch option I chose added 50 lbs. I can hook-up on the front or back.

The cost was $1450 plus $200 for my option plus shipping. Customizing for my loader was included in the base price. I will get my money's worth out of this thing before I run out of trees!

 

[nybirdman]

Wasn't there some-one on this site looking for a tool to pull tent stakes...............this would be perfect.
I have acres of Buckthorn....I sure could use that attachment.I have found them to be very deeply rooted and don't believe I could pull with my FEL.

 

[Piston]

Thanks for the info Louie, That weighs less than my grapple.

Seeing that you have a grapple (or at least I think you do) how much better does this work than using the grapple to push over and uproot the small trees? I think that price is very reasonable for how much work you will get done with it!

How fast/slow is the cylinder when you open and close it? I imagine with this tree puller, and the HST transmission, you could clear out a good amount of small trees in a short period of time!

Did you also have a tree shear at one point, or was that someone else?

 

[oosik]

If you have a lot of trees to pull, that's a very handy implement. I have very few to pull so I do it the old fashion way. Chain wrapped around the base of the tree several times then attached to my bucket hooks on each side of the bucket. With the bucket flat on the ground I give it a full curl and out it comes. If it needs more - I attach with the bucket in a full forward curl and go to a full rearward curl. The only problem with this is I have little control of the tree after its pulled from the ground. And if I had a lot of trees to pull I'd be up/down from the op seat like a yo-yo.

 

[LouieJunior]

Piston,

I do have a grapple. I used it to pile-up all of the trees I pulled yesterday. As for digging, it is not very precise due to lack of visibility. I can't see the grapple tines from the tractor seat. Result is usually a big, ugly hole the width of my grapple, or wider.

The cylinder movement is fairly slow -- no need for flow control on this gadget! I was doing most of this work at idle speed. It would close faster if I revved up the engine speed.

I have not owned a tree shear. However, I have a stump grinder like you.

 

[Xfaxman]

____________________
The cylinder movement is fairly slow -- no need for flow control on this gadget! I was doing most of this work at idle speed. It would close faster if I revved up the engine speed.
_------------------------QUOTE]

What is the RPM at idle?

I know it develops full pressure at idle, but you don't want to use it on an engine that idles at 750. :thumbdown:

Our Toolcat idles at 1250 and sometimes I forget to move the throttle lever up when working it hard.

 

[rd_macgregor]

Hmmm. I don't know how far the jaws open, but if you could replace one of them with a wedge, you'd have a splitter, too!