Winch, log trailer with grapple or both ??

[eyi]

Thanks all,

So far i hauled the logs on the snow with my ATV, stacked them with my pallet forks and had a portable sawmill do lumbers for my own needs with it. I 'm now thinking about selling the future logs to sawmills and will have to move them right by the road which means 1500 feet farther, not obvious one at a time and even 2-3...

So i need a trailer anyway. If i buy one with a grapple, i'll have the possibility to sometime approach the whole kit close enough to load the logs right there where they are cut and if not i'll have to winch them to an area where the tractor and trailer will solidly lie. I suppose some logs would be winched with the hydraulic winch on the trailer, for the rest i have a problem but could always use the ATV.

If i buy a trailer without a grapple, then i have to winch all the logs close enough, load with the forks and unload with the forks at their final destination by the road. How to with them all ? With the ATV ? Would be long ? So i buy a 3 pts winch and a trailer ? I winch all the logs close to the trailer... unhitch the 3 pts winch, hitch the trailer, bring the trailer to the road, unhitch the trailer, unload with the forks, hitch the trailer back, etc, etc....

Sounds like this what the log trailers are for !!

 

[CobyRupert]

Some 3 pth winches (e.g. Wallenstein) have a trailer hitch built onto them.
I still don't see why you need a trailer. I think it will be a pain to hitch a tree, winch, unhitch, load the trailer, unload the trailer.
Just drag them the extra 1500' and save yourself at least 2 steps, and probably some other too, like cutting them odd sizes to fit on the trailer, etc..
Cut the logs to a length as long as possible and drag them to the road and cut them down to size there, this too saves extra steps (hitching/unhitching, or loading/unloading if you insist) multiple short lengths and extra trips.

 

[Rustyiron]

You know these trailers are close to $20K, anyway, I have a friend with one of these trailers and it has a winch on it. The reach is not much on this type and you need to load from the side, pretty close. My friend finds that the log(s) are always just out of reach of the loader. This is where the winch comes in. I have not operated this with him but can imagine that eventually you'll want both. Using the (tractor) winch to top & trim the trees where they fall, then drag the logs to a landing or an area where you can drive right up to and then haul out. If you fell & skidded in the morning, then dropped the winch and hitched up the trailer and hauled in the afternoon, that would seem to be pretty efficient along with not near as much damage to the remaining trees & roots situating that tractor/trailer around in the woods for each tree.

 

[/pine]

FWIW...My "logging" setup includes a trailer...a 3PH boom pole (log tongs) that has a trailer hitch mounted on it...along with a thumb grapple on the FEL...I also use a heavy skid mounted hydraulic winch (that can be chained to anything) and 20' hydraulic hoses that connect to remotes...being able to move the trailer with the boom pole is one of the most useful, simple modifications I've made...I also use a log dolly...all work well for me as a mostly lone operator...

 

[Gordon Gould]

Some 3 pth winches (e.g. Wallenstein) have a trailer hitch built onto them.
I still don't see why you need a trailer. I think it will be a pain to hitch a tree, winch, unhitch, load the trailer, unload the trailer.
Just drag them the extra 1500' and save yourself at least 2 steps, and probably some other too, like cutting them odd sizes to fit on the trailer, etc..
Cut the logs to a length as long as possible and drag them to the road and cut them down to size there, this too saves extra steps (hitching/unhitching, or loading/unloading if you insist) multiple short lengths and extra trips.

I totally agree with this. ^^

I think loading and unloading a trailer with forks will take longer than skidding long lengths all the way like Coby says.

gg

 

[eyi]

Hum ....interesting...

I am hence excluding the simple trailer loaded/unloaded with the fork.

I was leaning toward the log trailer with grapple...

But must admit it is not fool to buy a good 3 pts winch ( i was proposed a good used opportunity lately), haul the logs to the road, cut them to appropriate lenght there and stack it with the fork ...

 

[CobyRupert]

Yeah, I first tried using loading and unloading 16' and 24' logs on a wagon with forks.
Loading wasn't too bad.
But trying to unload it is tricky. And takes way more time. If the side (or posts) folded down that might make it easier, but often you end up stabbing more logs than you want to pick with the forks, and/or then not all are balanced in the center, so one end doesn't lift and is still stuck in trailer, or catches on the post, and then you try to reset and things gets worse from there....

I only use my wagon if I need to haul a couple logs over the road and can't drag them with the winch.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I'm completely with the 3 point winch crowd! And then, pallet forks on the tractor with a grapple on them...

I couldn't be without mine!

SR

 

[Rustyiron]

But trying to unload it is tricky. And takes way more time.

:thumbsup:
Yeah, like trying to pick up a dime with heavy welding glove's on!
A grapple bucket for the tractor makes this problem go away, just more money. If you really want to trailer the logs, just use a simple farm wagon gear with some bunks. What you save over the grapple trailer you can buy a grapple bucket for the tractor and have $15k-$16k left in your pocket, that buy's your winch and still leaves $13k+ in your pocket. Unless you buy some nice ice chains for your tractor.

 

[eyi]

It is interesting.

Well the vast majority is in favor of the 3 pt winch solution !

So i'll raise the question differently: why and/or when would the log-grapple trailer be a better option ? There sure is some situation because they sell it and people buy it ?