3 point hitch winch frame

[Window Geek]

After reading Mudfarmer's thread this past Spring (http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/165084-cheap-logging-winch.html), I figured I'd try my hand at fabbing a winch frame to attach to the 3PH on my Kubota 7610.

I liked Mudfarmer's idea of powering the winch with a seperate battery since my tractor only has a small dynamo on it. That, along with input from other fine folks here on TBN got me to the original design concept.

First I laid out the Quick Hitch points and then designed the frame using what was available: 3 inch channel and some bits of 2 inch angle.
I wanted to be able to easily run the winch off the 3PH and liked the idea of running it from a remote switch.

Armed with angles from the drawing, I used the power hacksaw at work to cut up the channel at the length and angles needed.

 

[Window Geek]

So now I had a bunch of cut up metal that was a bit rough, but I figured I could easily weld it with my 110V wire welder. :laughing:

It actually went together pretty well, with hardly any grinding to fit it together. I started tacking things together and with a lot of advice and encouragement from 4Shorts, it began to take shape. While the shape was good, the strength wasn't, so I brought it back to work and used an old Lincoln stick welder to get some better penetration on the welds in the heavier walls.

Around this time, 4Shorts was clearly concerned and decided to send me a LWH (Lucky Welding Hat). :thumbsup: This item, along with other similar good luck charms, helped get the basic frame in a somewhat put-together state as you can see.

 

[Window Geek]

Another thread on TBN showed some way cool weld-on hooks for chaining stuff and maybe a little skidding. Tractor Supply had the 3PH pins, but I had to visit a heavy equipment shop for the hooks.

Not being happy with the 110V welder, Harbor Freight had a sale on a refurbished 220V 30 amp wire welder and I got it right away. (Honest Honey, I've had that for a long time now!) The hooks welded up really well and the Lucky Welding Hat was paying off big time!

Just look at those welds! They aren't up to mjncad and 4Shorts standards, but the hooks will stand up.

 

[Window Geek]

I wanted this piece to be multi-functional so I added a 2 inch receiver on the bottom. I chose a bolt-on HF special cause it was fast and allowed access to the winch mounting bolts. Mudfarmer really liked his little 3000# winch, so I went for one of those too. It's been fine for my needs thus far.

The last thing was to add a battery box on the back for a deep cycle battery to run the winch or the sprayer (as soon as I build the bracket that slips into the 2 inch receiver) At first I thought I over-built the battery holder, but after taking a running start to yank some bushes out, the box stayed in one place and didn't bang around.

Overall this was a fun project. I learned a ton and the whole thing can be set down, chained to a stump, and pull on it's own without having the tractor there. That works well when I need to drop a tree and tension it to a specific direction, but not have it hit the tractor.

I'll probably add casters. It weighs a fair amount!

Thanks to 4Shorts for his help and counsel during the build. That and the Lucky Welding Hat. :cool2:

 

[Bison]

nothing wrong with the welds,i seen profesional welders do worse.

 

[wldrbob]

then they werent pro welders (talented amatures maybe ?)

 

[Window Geek]

Thanks guys. Some of my TBN friends have seen my first attempts at welding a couple years ago. I'm getting better at it with every new project.

 

[Mudfarmer]

I like it!! I have found that running a 12 volt winch that calls for 660 CCA works fine on a 550 CCA battery. I keep the engine running at about half throttle. Currently using a harbor freight 8000# and it yards any logs I have tried it on. (Pulled the tractor back only once when a log hung up).

Haven't put a quick couple on the wiring yet - just pop the hood on the JD 3005 and hook the winch up with salvage jumper cable clamps hooked to he winch by 6 feet of 4 guage welder wire. I keep my winch on a HF 2 inch receiver winch mount so I can move it from one tractor to the other and to my Pickup if needed.

Just hooked a four inch receiver to the base of my boom pole. Just looking for a cliff to dangle it over. Pictures will follow when I have found some use for the latter. Seriously thinking about a hydraulic toplink to make my "crane" more versatile.

Mf

 

[Window Geek]

Thanks Mudfarmer! Did you put a roller fairlead on the 8000# winch?
My little 3000# winch will pull some pretty big logs over small distances with no problem, but I'm glad I bought the extended warranty just in case...

How did your little winch hold up?

 

[Bison]

then they werent pro welders (talented amatures maybe ?)

There are bad surgeons too,never mind they have the credentials

 

[mjncad]

Just look at those welds! They aren't up to mjncad and 4Shorts standards, but the hooks will stand up.

Some days I get lucky with the welder, and other days I can't run a bead for crap. Zen master Paul has a black belt in welding.

I can see where the winch could be quite handy.

 

[4shorts]

Well it's appears that witnessing the start of a master welder/fabricator here. You did an outstanding job there and a very functional addition to your very nice tractor. Your right about the Newfie LWH. Myself and mjncad got one as well and that's what really did the job :laughing:

Really enjoyed seeing the photo's and what your new addition can do. You did good by picking up the 220 volt welder. So many times folks short change themselves by not spending enough money on the proper tooling and again short change themselves and each job that follows find themselves being discouraged not because they didn't have the skills but because there equipment wasn't capable of doing the job it was asked of it to do.

I also like the fact that you even painted the project after completion. That shows your looking after all the aspects of the build and your proud of your work and to be honest, you should be.

That's what I always liked about mjncad's work. So tidy, well thought out and executed Now I can see your starting to be the same way.

Thanks for giving me way more credit than I deserve and I'm happy to have been of assistance in some little way. Great job and I know it will bring you many years of pleasure using it but the best part is you had fun doing it and really that's what it's supposed to be all about. Tip my LWH to you sir :thumbsup:

PS. Kudos to Mudfarmer on a nice design as well :thumbsup:

 

[Mudfarmer]

Thanks Mudfarmer! Did you put a roller fairlead on the 8000# winch?
My little 3000# winch will pull some pretty big logs over small distances with no problem, but I'm glad I bought the extended warranty just in case...

How did your little winch hold up?

I have to admit that I haven't used the HF 3000# winch much. I decide to use that with my Kubota 7100 (small tractor, small winch) but haven't had anything to pull. On the other hand i have used the HF big winch a lot. The solenoid malfunctioned on the first one I had. The switch to wind in worked fine but the power out stopped working. I was able to finish the job by freewheeling, but found that can be a bit hard if you winch up too tight. In any event HF honored the replacement plan and I got a new winch. The first one was 9000# and discontinued. The second was 8000# and pulls wahtever I have. I like it a bit better since it has 3/8 line rather than 1/2. The former spools up better. I do have a roller fairlead more by default since it came with the first winch.

I have been using the winch mounted on an A frame like you have constructed. But as I mentioned before I am going to try it with a boom. Pictures of the latter attached. To be fully effective i think the boom needs to be easily adjustable at the toplink. I'm going to splurge on a hydraulic toplink I think. Although I haven't tried it yet, I am theorizing that by having the snatch block out on the boom that will make the winch reel in more symmetrically without having to carefully line up the tractor. We'll see. I am not sure how much weight the boom will take - certainly not as much as the winch. The tongs are more or less stored on the end of the boom for now. Take a look.

 

[Mudfarmer]

Another picture f what i know works
Mf

 

[Window Geek]

Some days I get lucky with the welder, and other days I can't run a bead for crap. Zen master Paul has a black belt in welding.

I can see where the winch could be quite handy.

Thanks, Matt. The winch has been the best for little too-tight-to-pull with a chain situations. Also, dropping a tree AWAY from the garage seems to keep my wife a lot happier! I've been able to tension things in two directions with a rope to a snatch block to the tractor and the winch pulling for that added insurance in a different way. I can adjust the tension of it even in the middle of a cut. It's worked out pretty good so far.

Zen Master Paul needs to start a late night cable show on welding stuff.
I know what you mean about one day great, the next time awful. :laughing:

 

[Window Geek]

Well it's appears that witnessing the start of a master welder/fabricator here. You did an outstanding job there and a very functional addition to your very nice tractor. Your right about the Newfie LWH. Myself and mjncad got one as well and that's what really did the job :laughing:

Really enjoyed seeing the photo's and what your new addition can do. You did good by picking up the 220 volt welder. So many times folks short change themselves by not spending enough money on the proper tooling and again short change themselves and each job that follows find themselves being discouraged not because they didn't have the skills but because there equipment wasn't capable of doing the job it was asked of it to do.

I also like the fact that you even painted the project after completion. That shows your looking after all the aspects of the build and your proud of your work and to be honest, you should be.

That's what I always liked about mjncad's work. So tidy, well thought out and executed Now I can see your starting to be the same way.

Thanks for giving me way more credit than I deserve and I'm happy to have been of assistance in some little way. Great job and I know it will bring you many years of pleasure using it but the best part is you had fun doing it and really that's what it's supposed to be all about. Tip my LWH to you sir :thumbsup:

PS. Kudos to Mudfarmer on a nice design as well :thumbsup:

Sir Paul, thanks. You're too kind, but I seem to be getting better anyway. At least my drawings are tidy! :laughing:

The bigger welder came and when I started using it, it seemed OK, but not much better than the little WalMart special. A week later I read the directions, and realized that one of the switches was turned to the low side of power, putting it at a voltage level of #2 out of FOUR settings! The day I welded on the hooks was with the bigger setting. I saw the puddle, the sputtering stopped, and I had to smooth out my travel or I could burn too deep into the hooks! That was the TA-DA moment! It HAD to be the LWH!

You're right about the satisfaction of it all, too. It's just the JAZZ to conceive and build something and have it work. Again, thanks!

 

[Window Geek]

Thanks for the additional pictures, Mudfarmer. The little winch isn't everthing but it's OK for now. If the 3000# winch doesn't hold up as well as I want, i'll move up to the 5600# winch provided I can make it fit!

Folks always say that you always wish for a bigger tractor, but in this case, i'll have to settle for a bigger winch someday.

Do you like the receiver mount? How well does it pull when the load is not in line?

 

[mjncad]

I could have used that winch today; but not for skidding logs.

 

[joes_427_vette]

There are bad surgeons too,never mind they have the credentials

As I breeze through life I'm not hung up on egos or professionalism to the point of perfection. Be it sanding on a fiberglass car, welding up a trailer, building a house ( 5 total ) or building kitchen cabinets...... I try to do my best and love the variety. Above all I try and not let the Harley mistique ruin my gold wing enjoyment.

 

[Window Geek]

I could have used that winch today; but not for skidding logs.

What happened, Matt? Did you get stuck?