Brush/Brushpile moving

[texaslandman]

I've got 7.5 acres of downed trees, treetops and brush. I need to move the brush and brushpiles to an area safe for burning.

I have a front end loader and would like to add a grapple arm, but I'm concerned about the weight and expense. If I put a pair of clamp on forks on my FEL how well will they work?

I'll appreciate any suggestions from you guys/gals. Thanks.

 

[MadDog]

I've just spent several weekends doing exactly that; uprooting and moving a very large number of sapplings, rotted logs and stumps from one half acre of my back land. I have a toothbar and clamp on forks on my FEL and the forks work very well and make the job MUCH easier; especially if you have bucket hooks and an 8-10 ft length of 3/8" chain. you can stack your brush out almost to the end of the forks and then run the chain from one hook down and under one of the forks and back to another hook so that the load can't either fall backwards off the bucket and onto you (if you curl the load too far backwards) or fall off the front.

You might want to look at my recent post on bucket forks. If my bucket, with forks, can handle a 1000# pallet and machine without trouble, you're not likely to have any problem with all the brush you can load on your FEL and forks.Finally, my impression is that even high quality forks (mine cost about $290, delivered) cost a hell of a lot less than a grapple.

Good luck.

 

[Glenn9643]

texaslandman
I've had to clear several acres that had overgrown with privet hedge, sweet-gums, and briars a few months ago. I wasn't concerned about damage to grass, etc., and pushed it all up with the FEL bucket/toothbar. There weren't any large trees. About 7" was the largest sweet-gum and not many that large. You can "bunch" some of the smaller stuff into a pile and push it with your bucket teeth just skimming the ground. If you have a lot of small stuff to get up I believe you'll have better luck with a toothbar and your bucket but for moving larger logs I would probably put the forks on.

 

[texaslandman]

MadDog, I don't think I need a toothbar because of the deep sugar sand I live in. The clamp on pallet forks may do what I need. How far a part do you place them?

 

[texaslandman]

Glenn, I'm in deep sugar sand and don't think I need the toothbar. If you were to use your pallet forks for this type of work, how far apart would you place them?

 

[Alan L.]

I use my clamp-on forks for moving brush and they work very well. They actually work better moving live green brush with leaves, because they get all tangled together and stay on the loader better. Works better to pick up the load and back up to the destination, so you don't run over some of the branches that drag the ground, thus pulling them out of the loader.

I am usually able to pick up and dump without ever leaving the tractor seat. However the chain idea sounds like a good one, although I don't have hooks on my loader bucket.

 

[Boiler74]

I'm cleaning up my families old christmas tree farm, and move A LOT of trees and brush around. I have a grapple I bought on ebay that is working great. I'm sure clamp on forks work well, but being able to pull up and pick up a pile of brush, or sections of a tree, it makes the work go faster and easier. I'll attach a picture to show my setup.

 

[Boiler74]

The bucket/manure tines really help make the system work. Even without the grapples, the tines help with moving larger limbs and sections of trees. But the grapple lets you really move material. What I do is cut down a pine tree, usually 30' tall tree, maybe 10-15" in diameter. I then cut it in half. I can then stack one half on the other, and then pick both up and move it to a pile. See picture.

 

[Boiler74]

You just want to be sure to counterbalance the load with weight in the rear. I don't know what I would do without this setup. Makes my life a lot easier. And not having to get off the tractor with every pile is great.

J.

 

[Woodbeef]

Check with your dealer and see if he can get you a BrushBrute. It is made by DD Scissons in Ontario. Nothing works better at clearing brush and small trees. Just ask MChalkey he bought one.