Traction Pulling stumps with a 2720?

[jfmach]

Hi all,

I have half a dozen stumps to remove, about 6 to 10 inches in diameter. I did a search on the forum and all I could find is recommendations to use a dozer to remove stumps. Thing is I don't really want to rent a dozer for such a small job. How safe would it be to attach a chain to the hitch of my 2720 and pull the stumps out? Would it work?

If it doesn't work I guess I'll just cut/grind them and forget about it, but I'm mostly worried about bending/breaking something on the tractor in the process of trying... I don't really know how sturdy it is!

Thanks,


- Jeff

 

[kennyd]

Jeff, you will not have the traction or power to "pull" a stump out, no way. These little tractors are amazing but...

I suggest renting a mini-excavator for a day, that will dig stumps out easily.

 

[carpenter383]

You will have to cut the roots before your tractor will even begin to pull a 6-10" stump out of the ground.
Stumps are very hard to just rip out roots and all.

 

[jfmach]

Thank you for your answers!

 

[RollTideRam]

If you are not in a hurry, put on a tooth bar and did around them. It is always easier to remove a whole tree, or at least leave the stump about 4' high. I dug up a cedar stump for a friend. It took about two hours, but the stump was almost 36". JC

 

[billb3]

Kinda depends on the stumps and ground they are in.

I've pulled 50 year old arborvitaes, yews and some younger pines that size out with a chain but they are shallow rooted and were in loose soil.

When iI've tried and failed the tires just spin.
Then I put the backhoe outriggers down and start digging.

 

[Rob-D]

As others suggest yo will have to dig around the stumps somewhat to get to the roots. Forget anything with a deep tap root like walnuts. I had a 2720 with a 46 hoe and that's how i got them out.

Rob

 

[magicheater]

As others suggest yo will have to dig around the stumps somewhat to get to the roots. Rob

Kinda depends on the stumps and ground they are in.

Lots of truth here. I have tackled many stumps with my bucket, some have taken more time than others, Like the 30" cottonwood stump that took 2 hours, others succumb in a few minutes, but always that gratification that you won! And for me a particular gratification that I did not have to change attachments to do it.

 

[wdchyd]

Lots of truth here. I have tackled many stumps with my bucket, some have taken more time than others, Like the 30" cottonwood stump that took 2 hours, others succumb in a few minutes, but always that gratification that you won! And for me a particular gratification that I did not have to change attachments to do it.

Majicheater,

I like that...."Gratification that You Won"!!!!

 

[LD1]

As to answer your question about bending or breaking things, probabally not. If you have a proper drawbar hitch for your tractor, there is very little chance of breaking anything, especally with turf tires. Even R1's would cut and dig before it will have traction enough to damage anything if hooked to the drawbar. Provided you dond do any jerking.

As to what the best method is for removing the stumps...well me need a little more info. What type of trees were they? How much stump is above ground? Soil conditions? All of these play a factor.

The higher you can chain, the more leverage you have. Even a tractor 2-3 times the size of yours would have a hard time with a 5" stump if it were hooked right at ground level. But a stump that is 2-3 feet and chained at the top...a whole different story.

I have removed many stumps ranging from 8" to 15" and all types of hardwood as well as pine. Just a little digging all the way around with the bucket and some pushing with the FEL from all directions and I can usually work them loose in 15-30 minutes. Although I do not reccomend pushing with the FEL.

Its all a matter of your opinion as to the best method of removal. Keep in mind that ir you pull/dig them out, you will have some good size craters to fill back in. If your land is flat and you dont have any dirt to spare, you might want to really consider cutting/grinding.

 

[beenthere]

Things won't break, as long as you make a steady pull. But don't get a run at it ....... then things can break.

I use the forks to pry out the surface roots, then get up a few feet on the tree and push it over. Take out 30-35' spruce trees this way.

Have cut the roots around a 12-14" oak tree, then tied high in the tree and easily pulled it over including the root ball. Much easier pulling than I thought it would be.

Just save a lot of hassle and don't end up with stumps...leave the tree on them

 

[jeffster]

Just my opinion, but I would rent an excavator or dozer. I have pulled well over 100 fir, alder and maple stumps and it is always easier and faster to use the right tool for the job. I love my 3520, but if it is over 6 inches I move on to a different piece of equipment. We have heavy clay soil here so my experience is based on that, which means it takes a lot of power. We have a JD 550 dozer that won't even budge some of those stumps. I had to go and borrow a Komatsu D65 which was about twice the size of the 550. I pushed out 15 large fir stumps in less than 90 minutes.

 

[Rob-D]

I don't know Jeffster. We have hardpan here which is brutal on digging (two rocks for every dirt, as the expression goes!) and I've pulled out some 6 to 8" maples here with a little work, certainly not as fast as the dozer and when I had an acre of stumps and leveling to do I called my excavator in for the day. But a stump now and then that you can take your time on if you're retired like me isn't a bad thing and I have fun at it, business is closed and there's no clock running here so it's just seat time in the tractor.

There's just a technique to doing it. Most people start too close to the trunk. You have to work from the outside in, usually I start out about three feet to catch the roots because that's what keeps the stump from moving. Once the stump moves there isn't much to it and my little 46 hoe moved it around ok. I'm sure the 485 that's on the way will do what ever I need, just takes some time.

Rob

 

[jeffster]

Rob, I hear you, so don't get me wrong. I could definitely pull out some stumps with my tractor if I had enough time to do it, so I probably should have clarified that in my response. I know I have managed to blow two hydraulic lines in the 550 getting too greedy while digging fir stumps. But, if you were really patient like you said, you could do it with almost anything I suppose. For whatever reason, it seems like I am always in a hurry to get stuff done so I can move on to the next chore. I think you have the secret though, maybe my problem is I need to retire so I can enjoy my tractor more. Wonder if my wife will buy it...

 

[Rob-D]

Rob, I hear you, so don't get me wrong. I could definitely pull out some stumps with my tractor if I had enough time to do it, so I probably should have clarified that in my response. I know I have managed to blow two hydraulic lines in the 550 getting too greedy while digging fir stumps. But, if you were really patient like you said, you could do it with almost anything I suppose. For whatever reason, it seems like I am always in a hurry to get stuff done so I can move on to the next chore. I think you have the secret though, maybe my problem is I need to retire so I can enjoy my tractor more. Wonder if my wife will buy it...

Jeffster,

Being on my tractor is one of the things I truly enjoy. Take the time to smell the flowers, otherwise what's it all about?

"Time isn't money, time is life and what you do with your time, you do with your life."

Rob

 

[Brice Stultz]

Be careful pulling with the drawbar. If you get good traction, the tractor can flip backwards. It can rotate around the axle. Run the cable in from the front and pull in reverse.

 

[Andy in Gap]

If you can get your hands on a middle buster, you can use the 3 pt hitch to break through the roots holding the stumps in the ground. Might be slow going, but it should work if you can get under the roots. Just go slow because you will lift the front of the tractor if the root doesn't break right away.

 

[flusher]

Hi all,

I have half a dozen stumps to remove, about 6 to 10 inches in diameter. I did a search on the forum and all I could find is recommendations to use a dozer to remove stumps. Thing is I don't really want to rent a dozer for such a small job. How safe would it be to attach a chain to the hitch of my 2720 and pull the stumps out? Would it work?

If it doesn't work I guess I'll just cut/grind them and forget about it, but I'm mostly worried about bending/breaking something on the tractor in the process of trying... I don't really know how sturdy it is!

Thanks,


- Jeff

It took me quite a bit of digging and root cutting to get this old almond tree out of the ground. Used my 1964 MF135 diesel to yank it out via the drawbar once the lateral roots were severed.



Those rears are Goodrich 6-ply 18.4-16A tires (18"wide, 16" dia rims, 40" tall overall) and are filled with water (as are the front tires).

Just be careful pulling from the drawbar. It's safer to dig a little more and cut a few more roots than you think necessary rather than trying to yank the stump prematurely.

 

[LD1]

Be careful pulling with the drawbar. If you get good traction, the tractor can flip backwards. It can rotate around the axle. Run the cable in from the front and pull in reverse.

This is not good advice at all. It has been hashed out here on this forum severl times.

Quite simply, tractors are designed to pull, and the engineers/tractor manufactures design the drawbar to do just that. You dont see them putting drawbars or hooks on the front for pulling. You risk seriously breaking or damaging something.

Just to clarify that we are talking about the kind of drawbars that hook under the rear axle and NOT the ones that hook to the 3PH.

If Pulling frome the drawbar were really as dangerous as some people claim it to be, the govt would be all over the tractor companies.

 

[rmully]

Be careful pulling with the drawbar. If you get good traction, the tractor can flip backwards. It can rotate around the axle. Run the cable in from the front and pull in reverse.

This is great advise ...I learned the hard way but the tractor did not go over but almost. What i have done with stumps is dig around the base to expose the roots then put the chain under one root and pull. After a few roots are pulled up you can try the stump