Trying out a Brush Grubber

[beeforty]

What I read on another site and tried is to take a short piece if pipe and slip your chain thru it, around your tree and back outto your tractor. With your hook on the edge towards you it pulls the pipe back to the tree the chain is wrapped around and digs into the tree as the chains slides around until all the slack is gone. It's cheap, only need a piece of pipe big enough to slip your hook thru.

 

[johnrex62]

Yeah this could be a real drag if you have lots of trees to pull out and no ground helper to connect/disconnect.

That's why it think something like this is a good idea
Tractor Forks, Bucket Forks, Loader Forks

Several people on TBN have built similar tools based on the same concept Do a TBN search for "tree getter" and you'll see many good ones

I watched the video they have online for that product. Funny that they only show examples of pulling up dead trees with no root system left. Some were even wobbling enough to fall over before they got hooked up to the tree.

Have you tried this on a live tree or firmly planted post? Would love to know if it works on something too hard to pull by hand.

 

[Arky217]

The tree-grabber looks cool and may be faster, but I have pulled dozens of little tree's like that with just wrapping the log chain around them 3 or 4 times and hooking it to itself. It rarely slips, it nearly always bites in and yanks them right out.! Of course you need a "groundman" to keep from getting on and off the tractor all day.
James K0UA

This is very true. The grubber may work well, but IMO, it has no advantage over a chain.
I've pulled slippery saplings, roots, etc. as small as 1/2 inch with a 3/8 inch chain just by wrapping it around 2 or 3 times; probably faster than carrying around the heavy grubber.

 

[jake98]

When I used mine, I didn't even get on the tractor between setups, just moved it back and forth a couple feet with the hydro pedal, when there's a few in the same place. I guess it depends on your dirt, but no way would just a chain be just as fast around here.

 

[jdonovan]

Thanks for the reminder. I have the box blade mounted & figured I would be running the chain underneath it. If it is lowered to just above grade (the scarifiers aren't down) my assumption is that it should serve as a safety device in regard to the potential for flip-over.

reasonable hook up.

Tip prevention via 3-pt implement, not so much.

If you don't have draft control on your 3-pt the only thing keeping the implement from being raised is gravity. Under normal conditions this keeps attachments from suddenly flying into the air. :laughing:

But if you began to tip over to the back, the 'solid' 3-pt you will find is much less solid than you think.

My understanding is as long as the point of pull is lower than the rear axle generally the machine will loose traction before a flip over would occur.

 

[Haywire]

YouTube - ATV-X TREECHOPPER!

This looks pretty interesting for cutting stuff off at ground level.

 

[johnrex62]

YouTube - ATV-X TREECHOPPER!

This looks pretty interesting for cutting stuff off at ground level.

I watched this video, but I don't see any indication of impact on the ATV when it hits those 4" trunks. Maybe the trees that grow on my property are a little abnormal, but I don't see how a fixed blade can cut through a trunk that thick without some impact. Are ATVs heavy enough to overcome that much resistance?

 

[nikdfish]

reasonable hook up.

Tip prevention via 3-pt implement, not so much.

If you don't have draft control on your 3-pt the only thing keeping the implement from being raised is gravity. Under normal conditions this keeps attachments from suddenly flying into the air. :laughing:

But if you began to tip over to the back, the 'solid' 3-pt you will find is much less solid than you think.

My understanding is as long as the point of pull is lower than the rear axle generally the machine will loose traction before a flip over would occur.

Granted the 3-pt may not have downward force, but my understanding is that the top link maintains the angular relationship of the implement to the tractor's centerline/frame - which is where the 3-pt was a safety innovation over the 2-pt with ground engaging implements.

The box blade may ride up, but its back edge would eventually have to become the pivot point for a complete back tip to occur. It can't "fold" back against the back of the tractor - the center link prevents it from doing so. Any slight movement around that pivot point would remove any traction & stop the pull even without operator intervention, the same as if the blade or its scarifiers had hung in an immovable object. The front wheels may end up off the ground, but it shouldn't be able to reach the rearward "tipping point".

At least that's my understanding...

Nick

 

[jdonovan]

The box blade may ride up, but its back edge would eventually have to become the pivot point for a complete back tip to occur. It can't "fold" back against the back of the tractor - the center link prevents it from doing so. Any slight movement around that pivot point would remove any traction & stop the pull even without operator intervention, the same as if the blade or its scarifiers had hung in an immovable object. The front wheels may end up off the ground, but it shouldn't be able to reach the rearward "tipping point".

All true, and all Dependant on that top link not bending, or breaking. Get a 5-10k lbs machine moving, transfer that load onto something not designed for it and its amazing how things can bend and break that looked 'strong'.

Tractors have drawbars for pulling for a reason. :thumbsup:

 

[nikdfish]

Granted. In any case, I'm moving slow with an HST, trying for a steady continuous tug rather than a snatch & will definately be off the pedal if the front starts getting light...

So far, it looks like my machine is "bogging down" when it hits the limit as opposed to lifting the front.

Thanks for the observations & cautions, though. You can't avoid what you don't see coming. I'll have to break down & get a drawbar installed at some point (they are optional on the "E" series). They aren't that pricey, I just haven't gotten around to it yet.


Nick