Choker Cable Size Recomendation

[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.