Brush removal project -tree puller attachment?

[mike48130]

I've pulled a lot of brush over the last 5 years. Never a "neat" process. If you want the cleanest way, then cut the larger stuff , small tress whatever, off right at the ground with a chainsaw and leave the stump in the ground. Spray the top of all the stumps with roundup after, and it will make them die and rot much quicker. Then weed whack and rake the rest. If you try to pull stumps out, it is very messy either way you do it. If you try to do it when the ground is frozen, it makes it harder to pull them out because now the roots are frozen into the dirt, and you also remove more dirt. Your tractor can probably do it, but you will find the trees break before the stumps come out.

What about a controlled burn?

 

[mike48130]

Personally, I think I would have had all this worked out before bidding the job.

Unless you way overbid. If talking about buying a $1500 puller, then has some room there I would guess.

 

[joeu235]

Personally, I think I would have had all this worked out before bidding the job.

Getting the job and then figuring out how to do it is just part of running a small business.

 

[shooterdon]

I have the MTL puller ($1000). I have three issues with it. First is that my FEL/tractor cannot pull trees out unless I rock them back and forth a bit. Second, the jaw has enough force to cut a small tree less than 3" in half. Lastly, it is impossible to see what I am doing.

The last issue is being addressed. I installed a camera yesterday on the front so I can see want I am doing. With the camera, I intend to plunge the jaws just below ground level and shear the tree off instead of pulling it out. I expect trees under 3-4" can be sheared off above the root ball. Trees over 4" I am hoping to use the shearing action on the roots and then pull the tree out by the trunk. I have thought about grinding a bevel and shearing everything but it is a lot of grinding.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

I had a big autumn olive patch on my property. I got someone with an excavator to take care of it when the ground was frozen. The trunks would tend to snap off at ground level in the frozen earth. He dragged the bucket of his excavator across the patch a few inches above ground level and gathered them up, it was almost like combing. There was very little earth disturbance, the excavator didn't even make tracks in the frozen ground and the trunks snapped pretty cleanly. We piled the brush and burned it and instituted regular mowing and the land is hayfield now.

My experience with the tractor is that frozen ground gives the best traction of the year for pulling stuff out.

 

[TSO]

I would not bring my tractor anywhere near those trees. You're going to make a complete mess out of that ground and possibly worse, get your machine stuck in the process. I pulled out hundreds of trees with my ASV/Terex track loader with a tree-puller on the front.

In my opinion you will want to be renting a tracked machine for this job. The ASV/Terex units are unique amongst track loaders, their suspension handles soft ground conditions much better than any other system on the market. I have used most of the others, they all have their strengths and weaknesses, in this case this is a major strength for the ASV units.

 

[Hay Dude]

I figured a 135hp farm tractor with loader would have plenty of breakout force to uproot small trees like autumn olive. They have pretty weak root systems.

 

[TSO]

It's not the power, it's the working conditions. I'm sure your machine would have the strength to pull them out, but you describe the area as fairly wet. Not a great place for a wheeled machine to play in.

 

[Hay Dude]

Personally, I think I would have had all this worked out before bidding the job.

I do have it worked out, but by chainsaw, brushcutter and chipper. I was merely asking for any advice on buying a tree puller as an aid to the task.
I've been farming and clearing land that's been turned to hay fields for 30 years.
The only difference is the stream and pond does not allow the same manuverability as an open field, so looking to assemble the optimal tool/equipment list for this particular task.

 

[Hay Dude]

It's not the power, it's the working conditions. I'm sure your machine would have the strength to pull them out, but you describe the area as fairly wet. Not a great place for a wheeled machine to play in.

It'll be frozen this winter.