Brush removal project -tree puller attachment?

[TSO]

I do clearing work as well.

I have this account that I do every year, a low area in a condo complex where I wait until winter and b'hog down the phragmities (and other wet-area vegetation). Even with the ground being frozen there are areas where I start making ruts, then deeper ruts, then almost get stuck. My machine only weighs around 6500 lbs.

Frozen ground can be very deceptive... Often just the top crust is frozen, and your machine will easily push thru that crust.

 

[Xfaxman]

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.

It should pull them easily.

Try this one: Buckthorn Puller - Custom built Skid Steer attachments to fit almost any need you may have.

 

[Diggin It]

Frozen ground can be very deceptive... Often just the top crust is frozen, and your machine will easily push thru that crust.

That's our problem. We never get cold enough long enough for any deep soil freeze. At most it may be 3-4 inches and that's rare. Below that, we can have muck. You can walk on it and think it's OK, but put a 3,000 pound load on it and you can end up in a whole heap of trouble right quick.

 

[mikester]

It should pull them easily.

Try this one: Buckthorn Puller - Custom built Skid Steer attachments to fit almost any need you may have.

View attachment 621255

I was thinking of making something like that for the backhoe. Do you have one? How well do they work on small stuff ie. under 1 inch diameter?

I want something I can grab small Poplar suckers with and yank them out root and all. I cant do it by hand and cutting just makes them worse.

 

[breadtrk]

I have all of the brush pullers from northern tool. They will do a great job, as has been said earlier, really need an assistant at the puller end, the different types of puller work for different brush. A couple wraps with the chain type and I've drug out 4" stuff using the backhoe on my 3037. Use a long chain to get some space. After I run around with my zero turn dragging a chain harrow to smooth things out. Apply clover seed, straw and done.

 

[ns_in_tex]

Here is a link to an old thread showing something that might work.
Much smaller tractor. Pushing forward while lifting, I think does the job with less weight on the front wheels.
We built our treegetter, mostly out of scrap metal.

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...ning-fence-row-fun-now.html?highlight=fun+now

 

[Xfaxman]

It should pull them easily.

Try this one: Buckthorn Puller - Custom built Skid Steer attachments to fit almost any need you may have.

View attachment 621255

I was thinking of making something like that for the backhoe. Do you have one? How well do they work on small stuff ie. under 1 inch diameter?
--------------------------------------------.

Works great on small stuff. Mine is the Long Arm version:

Here is the view from the seat of it clamped on a small tree:

Pulled and shook the dirt off of the roots:

 

[Hay Dude]

Thanks for the ideas. Thing I like about the tree puller is I can work perpendicular to waters edge, rather than parallel, which could be a disaster where it's steep.
Thinking also of pulling a chipper behind other tractor. Pull tree, helper drags it out and runs through chipper, etc. don't like the 3pt chipper too much because of no self feed.
Cut small light brush with forestry weed whacked/saw blade.

 

[JohnnyMX]

I got a tree puller when I bought my tractor. I got an STP-25 by Landpride. It was meant for a skid steer but works just fine on my MX5200. I did get a pushbar as well to keep stuff from coming down on me. I have no cab and as another user stated you can cut through a tree if you aren't careful. I've pulled many trees so far. Mostly sumac in the 1 to 5" range. I just pulled a ton of other trees this weekend and was working right up to the neighbors fence line. It has done more than I've ever asked it to. Common sense will tell you what you may not want to tackle with it. I did use the jaws to dig roots as it says to in the manual on some of the bigger trees. Just enough to break them. After that a couple rocks back and forth and they lift out. I pile them up, switch to the grapple and them haul all of it away. Probably not the most efficient but works great so far. That is my two cents for you.

 

[Hay Dude]

I got a tree puller when I bought my tractor. I got an STP-25 by Landpride. It was meant for a skid steer but works just fine on my MX5200. I did get a pushbar as well to keep stuff from coming down on me. I have no cab and as another user stated you can cut through a tree if you aren't careful. I've pulled many trees so far. Mostly sumac in the 1 to 5" range. I just pulled a ton of other trees this weekend and was working right up to the neighbors fence line. It has done more than I've ever asked it to. Common sense will tell you what you may not want to tackle with it. I did use the jaws to dig roots as it says to in the manual on some of the bigger trees. Just enough to break them. After that a couple rocks back and forth and they lift out. I pile them up, switch to the grapple and them haul all of it away. Probably not the most efficient but works great so far. That is my two cents for you.

Thanks, that's very helpful

I kind of go back and forth between 2 ways:
#1. Buy a tree puller to pull them up and
a. Grind them up in a rented chipper
b. Pile up and burn later-unlikely because of property owner.
#2. I have always wanted to demo a Bobcat Toolcat or Bobcat with tracks with a brush cutter to push them over and grind them up in place.

Both ways look like theyll cost about $3,500, but I'd keep the tree puller in #1