Choker Cable Size Recomendation

[Beltzington]

I have grown tired of dragging chain around and it coming undone and would like to try a choker cable. Started to order one from Baileys and see there are several choices. I have narrowed it down to two, the 3/8" @ 14,000 pound rating and the 1/2" @ 26,000. I will be mostly pulling southern pine <4" diameter trees. Go big or go home is my usual solution but not sure how much flexibility (ease-of-use) I would loose with the 1/2" compared to the 3/8"?

Never used cable before so your experience would be appreciated.


Pre-Made Fse Choker 3/8"X12' (5 Lbs) | Chokers | Chains, Cables & Grapplers | www.baileysonline.com

 

[bcp]

On my 4 inch firs, I used old ski rope. Never broke it.

Up to about 12-14 inches, I used 3/8 cable. Never broke it, either.

Bruce

 

[sal64]

this is what i use 3/8" Choker Hook For 3/8" Chain Choker System | Chains & Chain Chokers | Chains, Cables & Grapplers | www.baileysonline.com

 

[Gordon Gould]

Unless I misread your post you said trees less than 4 inches in diameter.
Choker chains need to be hooked to something with good weight to make them choke down so the chain links dig into the log. They are a pain with small trees. Just not enough weight to make them work. And if you try to choke up on five or six little trees to make weight the middle ones slip out. You will have better luck if you make two wraps of chain around the tree. Then tighten the choker by hand because the chain won't slip round the tree easily to self choke when doubled. But it will hold better.
With light trees your choker line has to be very flexable to grab. I can't see 1/2" or even 3/8" cable that I have used wanting to close down around a 4" tree unless it is very very flexable. I would try the rope suggested by bcp.

 

[oosik]

The 3/8 cable choker will handle trees larger than your tractor can pull.

 

[sal64]

Unless I misread your post you said trees less than 4 inches in diameter.
Choker chains need to be hooked to something with good weight to make them choke down so the chain links dig into the log. They are a pain with small trees. Just not enough weight to make them work. And if you try to choke up on five or six little trees to make weight the middle ones slip out. You will have better luck if you make two wraps of chain around the tree. Then tighten the choker by hand because the chain won't slip round the tree easily to self choke when doubled. But it will hold better.
With light trees your choker line has to be very flexable to grab. I can't see 1/2" or even 3/8" cable that I have used wanting to close down around a 4" tree unless it is very very flexable. I would try the rope suggested by bcp.

I misread the
post

 

[PhysAssist]

I misread the
post

Perhaps you might want to try something like the the Amsteel Blue rope we used to replace the winch cable on our plow. It's light, but has amazing strength amd very good abrasion resistance. It is definitely not cheap, but sales do happen, if you can afford to watch amd wait for them.

http://www.wesspur.com/rope/amsteel-blue.html

http://www.riggingwarehouse.com/pro...E01@@2e03@@2e02/ROPE01@@2e03@@2e02@@2e01.aspx

http://www.amsteelblue.com/amsteel-blue-3-8-synthetic-winch-extension-17-600-lbs/

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...=11151&productId=38118&langId=-1#.Uoawi8e3PMI

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=amsteel+blue

These are just a few of the sites for it that I found in a quick search.

Thomas

 

[/pine]

Perhaps you might want to try something like the the Amsteel Blue rope we used to replace the winch cable on our plow. It's light, but has amazing strength amd very good abrasion resistance. It is definitely not cheap, but sales do happen, if you can afford to watch amd wait for them.

Samson Amsteel Blue: Super High Strength Rope

Samson Amsteel-Blue

Amsteel Blue 3/8" Synthetic Winch Extension - 17,600 lbs - AmsteelBlue

SAMSON ROPE AmSteel-Blue Dyneema SK-75 Single Braid at West Marine

Amazon.com: amsteel blue

These are just a few of the sites for it that I found in a quick search.

Thomas

some of the new fiber products are amazing...just look at the braided fishing lines...some 50#+ test braided lines are as small (dia.) as 6#-8# test monofilament...!

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I use a poly fabric straps and choke around the tree using a shackle as the choke point. I then use a shackle to connect to the chain. I have a couple 20' chains that I have installed a open type hook about 2' back from the grab hook, the bight of the chain then slides through the smooth hook and really chokes down tight even on small stuff. To each his own but I hate to use cable unless it is fine strand and very flexible. You hate wrestling chain, wait till you mess with stiff cable in the snow with gloves on. Problem with fine strand wire cable is the outer strands break easy and leave all those little wires sticking out to tear up your hands and gloves. I will stay with straps, shackles and chains rigged my way. Voice of 70 years experience with many rigging set ups.

Ron

 

[s219]

Both of those cable sizes will be too stiff for 4" trees.

 

[Beltzington]

Good information, I'm a little surprised by the negative comments about cable because from reading other posts and forums folks seemed to think cables were much easier to work than chains.
I reread my post and maybe I was not clear on the main purpose, these are live trees I will be pulling out of the ground, presently I am using a 20' 3/8" chain and other than having to get off the tractor to reattach the chain to often it works fine. The choker hook would most likely work but I thought I would give cable a try.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Sorry, but when you have rigged as many different loads and with many types of equipment as I have; you tend to settle on what you prefer. When you work for the other guy most of they time you work with what they have. A basic premise when rigging or tying down loads, never! never! work with metal to metal. Always put wood between the metal or use fiber rope or straps.

Ron

 

[bcp]

I have grown tired of dragging chain around and it coming undone and would like to try a choker cable.

I solved the "coming undone" problem by using a shackle instead of a hook and slipping the end through to make a noose. And I gave my 3/8 chain to a neighbor and bought 5/16 G70.

Bruce

 

[plumbstraight]

I totally get it when you talk about pulling chain around. I like to use a short 3ft or so with a shackle or deep hook on the log and have it shackled to an eye of a cable. Lighter and if you have a larger log that uses up the chain you can hook the cable. With the lighter chain on small wood making a couple of wraps is the way to go.

 

[ETpilot]

For pulling small trees out of the ground I use a chain welded to the end of a short length of pipe. I wrap the chain around the tree and feed thru the pipe then attach to pull chain. It chokes on the tree and pulls it out. It is easy to remove by just moving the pipe to release the chain. A straight rod welded to end of chain makes feeding the chain thru the pipe an easy proceeds. I have pulled trees and brush with it. Only problem I have had is with thin trees. The pipe and chain may not grab good then the whole thing would slip off the tree. I am thinking of cutting some small teeth into the end of pipe for a better grab.

Anyway if pulling trees is what is desired this is the method that I use. A slow process working alone but it works for me.

 

[s219]

For pulling small trees, it's hard to beat a brush grubber. That's not a job for a choker.

 

[Xfaxman]

For pulling small trees, it's hard to beat a brush grubber. That's not a job for a choker.

A brush grubber is also great for stumps.


And roots.


And a tree that the brushhog went over. It would be hard to get a chain on.

 

[JRL305]

I use a 3/8 choker cable to pull downed trees out of the woods. I connect a nice long piece of cahin between it and my tractor if I can't get in close enough. I bought a "Brush Grubber" a while back and used it on my ATV. It works a whole lot better on the tractor for pulling small trees out of the ground.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I only use a wire rope when I need greater length then the chains I have.

The flesh hooks are nasty (but then I tend to use other peoples old rope, or old condemned crane cable) and once kinked, they can't be straightened. Also storage is a major pain, and just the thought of having to roll them up (somehow) and tie them together makes me avoid their use.

 

[PhysAssist]

?Flesh hooks?

Watching too much Texas Chainsaw Massacre?

I only use a wire rope when I need greater length then the chains I have.

The flesh hooks are nasty (but then I tend to use other peoples old rope, or old condemned crane cable) and once kinked, they can't be straightened. Also storage is a major pain, and just the thought of having to roll them up (somehow) and tie them together makes me avoid their use.