B-21 pulling question

[bill1]

I've been lurking on this forum for a while trying to get help with sizing a tractor for my property, bought a used B-21, (with a FEL, BH and 3 pt hitch), last December and I love it. This has been my first tractor experience and I've gotten a lot of useful information on this forum.

I live on a 6 1/2 acre property with a few hills in the back. There are some old 12 to 16 inch pine trees in the back that are dying and falling down, and I have other "logs" that I would like to move around.

My question is where is the best place on a B-21 to hook chains for pulling logs around?

I suppose I could remove the BH, buy a drawbar, and use that to fasten the chains to the tractor, but I'd like to leave the BH on and I think I'd prefer to pull backwards, especially since I would need to make most "pulls" uphill. Is that correct thinking?

I've looked at past threads where people have had hooks welded or bolted to the FEL bucket, but when I look at the B-21 bucket, it seems that the rolled lip on top is too flimsy for a hook. I don't weld, so I've thought about bolting hooks inside the bucket, below the lip, using plate steel to reinforce the hooks.

There is a single "J" hook welded to the frame under the radiator, but that looks like a tie down hook for transport to me.

Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[Egon]

The tie down hook should work for pulling. Bolting hooks to the bucket with backup plates will also work. On the back you should be able to fins some place on the hoe frame to place a chain hook or two.

 

[BruceWard]

I have been using my B21 to clean up the debris from a 3/4 acre yard and 640' x 30' driveway. I had a dozer push over the trees and leave them. I have moved all the trees including pine logs larger than yours with the B21.

I made some forks for the FEL bucket from heavy duty sign posts and flat bar. Where possible I lift up to 30' sections of the logs with the forks and move them. Some of the stumps have been to heavy to lift so I pushed them with the bucket.

For other logs that I could not get the B21 to I either attached a strap where the bucket attaches to the backhoe boom or to one of the steps on the backhoe frame. A friend who recovered some of the pine for his sawmill attached a chain either to a tooth on the backhoe bucket or looped the chain all the way around the FEL bucket. No damage has occurred from any of these methods even when the logs did not move.

It was helpful to lower either the FEL or backhoe when attaching the log and then raise the front end of the log before dragging.

When we pulled the logs we detached them and used the FEL forks as soon as possible.

 

[bill1]

Thanks for the replys and ideas. I've been worried about causing damage to the FEL bucket but I'll give the wrap around idea a try. It makes sense to lift the logs to keep them from digging into the ground while pulling...

 

[BruceWard]

If you are worried about damaging the FEL bucket there is a real solid bar on the backhoe arm near where the bucket connects that you can loop a strap around.

 

[Egon]

the FEL bucket from heavy duty sign posts and flat bar

I had a set like that from just normal sign posts on my Kubota B7100. They broke after getting jambed into the ground and having curl applied to remove roots or rocks.

 

[Trigger]

I have pulled quite a few from the backhoe by using a strap around the arm (just above the bucket). At first I was nervous about bending a cylinder, but I just go slow, no bad effects so far. Its a whole lot easier to pull forward than with the FEL in reverse. I should mention that pulling from the backhoe and going up a hill results in a real light frontend, I usually add a full FEL of dirt anyway helps the 4wd.

I have the drawbar also but I cant put it on with the BH on. Once its actually on I dont see why you cant leave it on with the BH but my manual says not to. BH has only been off once for the rototiller I got last week.

 

[BruceWard]

I had a set like that from just normal sign posts on my Kubota B7100. They broke after getting jambed into the ground and having curl applied to remove roots or rocks.

I am on the third set. The first was just sign posts, I broke one under a very large rock when the other side slipped out. The second time I added flat bar 90% of the way back and they quickly broke where the flat bar stopped. This time with flat bar all the way back some of the welds have broken. But the forks have moved hundreds of trees and tens of large rocks using free material and perhaps an hour of welding

 

[BruceWard]

These are the three locations that I have been attaching straps

 

[bill1]

A picture is worth a thousand words, lol. So you've used the foot cleats too? Thanks for the ideas, everyone.