Forestry Winch question

[ericm979]

I have a Uniforest 35M forestry winch coming soon. I know I have to wind the cable under tension before using it. The manual recommends tying the end and having the winch pull the tractor up a gentle slope. My land is steep and the only suitable place to do that is a dirt road that's narrow and has a drop off on one side and road cut bank on the other. I don't think that being pulled backwards on that would be safe.

My other option is to put the tractor at the top of a slope on my paved driveway and pull something up to it. The grade is about 15%, 10% near the top. I can put a driver in a vehicle and pull it up to the tractor. Would a 1400lb UTV (including driver) put enough tension on the cable or do I need to use the 5500lb pickup?

Also do I unwind the cable all the way or try to leave a few wraps on the drum?

 

[Citydude]

Leave a few wraps on the drum and pull your UTV to it. 1400# is plenty. Congrats on your new winch!

 

[sea2summit]

I would leave several wraps on the drum. A 1,4000# UTV on a 15% slope will only require about 1,350 lbs of force, probably not enough to get the wire tight enough to pull 2K+ logs without binding.

 

[fruitcakesa]

I just replaced the cable on my Norse 450.
The new cable came just looped and bound not spooled so I unrolled it up my driveway hooked the end to a truck tire/rim and dragged it back to the tractor. I removed the upper cover so I could watch it as it spooled in.
First time I used it I managed to kink that brand new cable. I had to dismantle some of the winch innards to get out.
Not the fault of the initial wind in; just operator error.
I have since changed my power in procedure to reduce the chance of kinking, looping, jamming or any other PITA.
After I have hooked onto the choker, before I power in, I tighten the spool tension and give the cable tug will it is in spool out mode. I take out any slack until the cable comes tight. I then power in keeping the cable taut with a stick or my foot till it starts to grab.
Also when I have a log hooked and lifted, when I drop it at the landing, I do the same procedure to remove any looping.

 

[ericm979]

@Fruitcakes what as the cause of kinking the cable?

@sea2summit I think that it'd be even less than 1350lbs. According to this calculator https://cordem.com/load-calculator/
the utv would be about 360 lbs of pull (assuming 10% drag). The truck @ 5% drag would be about 1200 lbs.
If the winch manufacturer recommends using the tractor on a gentle slope than surely a truck that weighs just as much on a steeper slope ought to be enough.

My other option is to pull a 1' diameter 8' long log up a steep (60% or more) slope. Or do the same with a bigger log. I have not measured to see if the slope is too long, which will make it harder. That's why I wanted to do it on the driveway.

 

[ljjhouser]

Is that a synthetic cable? Might attach the end of the cable to a tree, and pull the tractor to the tree. Probably the same problem.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

I have a Wallenstein FX85 and use it a lot.
Like all wire winches you do not want loosely wound cable on the drum because when the line you have spooled out tightens under load it "cuts into" the loose wire on the drum.This causes a mess on the drum and unable to unwind by pulling by hand.
The wire on drum has to be tight enough so when the spooled out wire gets put under stress it does not cause a "rats nest" on the drum with the spooled out wire cutting into the loose cable on the drum.
If I am worried about this I spool out, attach the cable to a standing tree, tractor in neutral and let the winch pull me backwards really slowly and carefully. This keeps the cable tight enough so I can un-spool easily by hand w/o much effort.
Good luck... I love what a logging winch can do.
Often I have my helper just pull against the live end as I winch in. Never had a problem and watch to see wire is reasonably tight but never been a problem and don't focus to much on getting it too tight. I would say then not rocket science just keep the wire snuggly tight and you should be good to go. Doing this even with a pully block (doubles pulling power) I have never had a problem (cross fingers) pulling almost to the point of stalling out. Take a little care and it won't be a problem.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Another Wallenstein winch here... I've also never had a problem just having someone pulling on the cable as I reel it in.

As far as I'm concerned, it's a non issue!

BTW, I'm still on my original wire rope too!

SR

 

[Jstpssng]

Problems with cable arise when the spool tension is too light, causing it to whiplash like a fishing reel. Several of us here have Uniforest 35 winches and they work pretty well. The manual is the weak point but the winch is a solid implement.

 

[fruitcakesa]

@Fruitcakes what as the cause of kinking the cable?

@sea2summit I think that it'd be even less than 1350lbs. According to this calculator https://cordem.com/load-calculator/
the utv would be about 360 lbs of pull (assuming 10% drag). The truck @ 5% drag would be about 1200 lbs.
If the winch manufacturer recommends using the tractor on a gentle slope than surely a truck that weighs just as much on a steeper slope ought to be enough.

My other option is to pull a 1' diameter 8' long log up a steep (60% or more) slope. Or do the same with a bigger log. I have not measured to see if the slope is too long, which will make it harder. That's why I wanted to do it on the driveway.

Like I said, operator error; I did not take up the slack after dropping a log from the winch.
That caused extra cable to unspool and the loose line slipped under that. Hard to explain harder to unkink

 

[ericm979]

Is that a synthetic cable? Might attach the end of the cable to a tree, and pull the tractor to the tree. Probably the same problem.

It's steel, and there's no safe place to pull the tractor to a tree. I'm on the side of a mountain, with forest. Not a lot of places to manuver.

Another Wallenstein winch here... I've also never had a problem just having someone pulling on the cable as I reel it in.

As far as I'm concerned, it's a non issue!

BTW, I'm still on my original wire rope too!

SR

That sounds good. Thanks for speaking up, I know you use yours a lot.

Problems with cable arise when the spool tension is too light, causing it to whiplash like a fishing reel. Several of us here have Uniforest 35 winches and they work pretty well. The manual is the weak point but the winch is a solid implement.

So it's more important to have the drag on the reel high enough (to use a fishing term)? I can see how having the drum freewheel even a little as you're pulling cable out could make a mess inside the winch.

I bought it based on posts from you and other folks who know their stuff. And also feeling like I might need more than 165' of cable due to limited places to pull from. Yea I already got the self releasing snatch block.

Like I said, operator error; I did not take up the slack after dropping a log from the winch.
That caused extra cable to unspool and the loose line slipped under that. Hard to explain harder to unkink

Ok I got it now, thanks. I'll try to not do that.

 

[sea2summit]

@sea2summit I think that it'd be even less than 1350lbs. According to this calculator https://cordem.com/load-calculator/
the utv would be about 360 lbs of pull (assuming 10% drag). The truck @ 5% drag would be about 1200 lbs.
If the winch manufacturer recommends using the tractor on a gentle slope than surely a truck that weighs just as much on a steeper slope ought to be enough.

Sorry I guess? You asked the question I gave my best guess.

 

[Grandad4]

I had a Uniforest 35 for several years. It was well-made and very reliable. Found the generous cable length very handy, particularly when combined with a self-releasing snatchblock. If you will be extracting logs from closely spaced trees, one of those skidding cones would minimize snags.

 

[WranglerX]

Got another vehicle you can partially set brake on and use it as "drag" to respool winch line?....

 

[CobyRupert]

14 posts on how to wind a cable onto a reel?!
Ok…I’ll add another.
Why are you trying to make it so tight? Find the smallest log or thing you think you’ll ever winch. Hook that on to the end and then reel the cable in. That will be tight enough. It will have to be. Because that’s what you do with a winch.
You don’t have to hook a pickup truck onto it every time you want to winch in the cable with a small log or even a few branches.

 

[Gordon Gould]

14 posts on how to wind a cable onto a reel?!
Ok…I’ll add another.
Why are you trying to make it so tight? Find the smallest log or thing you think you’ll ever winch. Hook that on to the end and then reel the cable in. That will be tight enough. It will have to be. Because that’s what you do with a winch.
You don’t have to hook a pickup truck onto it every time you want to winch in the cable with a small log or even a few branches.

Well said Coby

gg