Best attachment for clearing roads/trails after loggers mess

[LiveRoll]

It's too bad the logging company didn't clean up behind themselves and do a couple of hours restorative work while the big equipment was there, I would have had that written into the contract prior to starting. Of course I'm not familiar with how the logging industry works, coming from the bald a$$ed prairie...

Cheers

Roger

 

[Verticaltrx]

What works well for me is just a tooth bar on the loader bucket. Doesn't cost much and it quite effective at raking and pushing debris. Angle the bucket down maybe 30* and it makes a great root rake. You can also pick up logs on the teeth if you are handy. Obviously a grapple (and associated hydraulics) would be best, but you can buy a lot of diesel fuel for the cost of a grapple.

 

[LSU L4330]

If you post some pictures of a worst case section sample it might make it easier to recommend which tool would be most useful.

Yea, after reading the first couple responses I was wishing I had taken some shots of the trails in the logged section to post up. Unfortunately I had not and will not be going back up to the property till the loader is on so maybe next weekend.

 

[LSU L4330]

How much trail? What's the topography, flat? ravines? rolling hills?

I HAD to get something to clean up a half acre lot that the tenants had not maintained in 30 years.

Virginia creeper, poison ivy and brambles so thick I couldn't push thru them. Lots of saplings up to 3" in diameter. A few trees 10" plus.
I tried a machete.
I tried a Stihl FS250 w/ brush cutting attachment.
What I needed was a rotary cutter but I couldn't find a decent used one and new was going to be $1.5K.

View attachment 371999

This is one of many brush piles we made. We used a chainsaw on the 5 or 10 trees above 4".
For the rest I used pallet forks and chains.
And I bought a pair of clamp on pallet forks for < $300. I was able to dig in just below the surface and just lift everything up. Sometimes I'd hit a big root, back off and try again. Where we had cut down the bigger trees the pallet forks worked great. Sort of a "poor man's grapple" when you add a couple of chains around the bucket.

Plus I've used the pallet forks for loading and unloading a bunch of stuff on pallets
View attachment 372002
Like a couple of woodworking tools I bought in Northern Virginia and moved down to Mississippi.

If your topography allows pallet forks might get you 80% of the way there.
View attachment 372005
Leaving more tractor $$ for things like TNT (excellent for a box blade), rotary cutter, or rake.

Plus pallet forks are always handy when you have to move something on pallets.
View attachment 372006

It's a pretty good amount of trails and rolling hills with a few shallow creek crossings.

Boy that equipment looks like the makings for a pretty darn nice shop.

Looks like the grapple is the way to go. Spoke with EA today and they seemed to think also that the grapple would be best but both would be better..... (naturally). Made sense though. Said run with the grapple down to grab the bigger stuff and the rake pulling behind will grab all the smaller pine needle sections and looser debris that would fall through the grapple. May just try the grapple and see how it goes then possibly add just the rake in the rear and wait a bit on the TNT.

 

[Ken45101]

A Landscape Rake is not that good for debris clean up. A grapple is the optimal tool.

^^^ What he said.

Landscape rakes are great for smoothing gravel and dirt and about worthless for clearing debris. Sticks and stuff gets stuck in the spring tines.

Also, you do not need a full width grapple. Most recommend something more narrow.

 

[LSU L4330]

Also, you do not need a full width grapple. Most recommend something more narrow.

Can you explain this? I am sold on the grapple after reading all on here and talking with EA yesterday and was about to order the 72". I had not heard anyone recommend a shorter one. I have never used one yet so I do not know but I would have figured if I had a 72" bucket on the front then I would want a 72" grapple. This way it clears the trail the same width as the tractor. They also make a 66" and price is pretty much the same so there is no savings worth mentioning it is just a size difference. Any other opinions on this before I order?

 

[Ken45101]

A grapple is used for picking up bigger things, not short little pieces which would slip between the tines anyway. A grapple isn't really rake, it will dig in rather than slip across the surface.

More width means more weight (more cost, less load capacity). I have a 44" root grapple on a 72" wide skid steer. I have never wished for more width. Maybe on the clamshell type you might be able to rake more, IDK.

But if you read the many threads here, the recommendation is almost always for something more narrow than the tractor.

Well built grapples are heavy, very heavy. More width adds weight and cost.

 

[EddieWalker]

Like the others have said, a landscape rake isn't very practical and cleaning up debris. It can only hold a small amount of material and then it's just adding to the mess. Then you need to pick up all those little piles.

A grapple is the best thing for picking up stuff and hauling it to the burn pile. It's still time consuming, but at least you are not hauling more dirt to the pile and it will burn clean. A dozer will make a bigger mess.

Forks might work too, but it's a trick balancing stuff on them. Depending on the amount and size of the debris, they might be an option. Since it's all pine, you can also wait a few years and it will decay pretty quickly. Focus on the roads and trials and let mother nature do the rest.

Eddie

 

[LSU L4330]

Is it just a weight issue? The EA grapple I put the link to on the original post that I am going with only has a 50 lb difference between the 60" to the 72" and just 25 lb between the 66" and 72". They have really addressed weight and strength into their design. Any other advantages/dis-advantages to the difference in how wide the grapple is? The weight difference seems pretty negligible, to me. Again, I am ignorant on this subject so I am trying to learn before placing the order. Thanks for the help.

 

[Xfaxman]

Can you explain this? I am sold on the grapple after reading all on here and talking with EA yesterday and was about to order the 72". I had not heard anyone recommend a shorter one. I have never used one yet so I do not know but I would have figured if I had a 72" bucket on the front then I would want a 72" grapple. This way it clears the trail the same width as the tractor. They also make a 66" and price is pretty much the same so there is no savings worth mentioning it is just a size difference. Any other opinions on this before I order?

For clearing your trails the 72" would be best. :2cents:

I have a 72".


And a 44".