Grapple GRAPPLE /LOGGING

[KEG]

Why can you not drag the logs rather than lift and carry?

In some circumstances I would agree that skidding is much easier - like when pulling logs out of the woods. However, using a grapple makes the work SO much faster. In open spaces you can pickup the log, move it, accurately place it on a pile AND not get it full of dirt (which can be a real pain if you are going to cut the log into firewood or take it to a mill). You also don't have to get off the tractor to hook up the log.

KEG

 

[mike69440]

I do a fair amount of tree removal on a property about 20 miles from home. I have a Kubota B7800 (30 hp) which just didn't lift enough to be as helpful as I would like.

Got a L39 this fall. Is 39 horsepower but a whole different animal. With a grapple on the front I've been able to lift most of what I want. Still strains with some loads but you have to be realistic. The L39 is set up to do some serious lifting and digging with much larger hydraulic capacity than other machines with comparable horsepower.

View attachment 67022

Jerry,

Do you have the rear's loaded and what did you do for spacers to put chains on rear?

 

[rozett]

The log weight calcs. are incorrect. You must use radius not diameter. Logs weigh much less than calculated.

My bad... You are absolutely correct. The logs weigh about one quarter of what I said. Thanks for pointing out the error.

 

[Deerlope]

I do a fair amount of tree removal on a property about 20 miles from home. I have a Kubota B7800 (30 hp) which just didn't lift enough to be as helpful as I would like.

Got a L39 this fall. Is 39 horsepower but a whole different animal. With a grapple on the front I've been able to lift most of what I want. Still strains with some loads but you have to be realistic. The L39 is set up to do some serious lifting and digging with much larger hydraulic capacity than other machines with comparable horsepower.

View attachment 67022

Are those Valby or Norse ice chains that you have on the rear?

 

[catvet]

As far as pulling the logs out of the woods. Yes that is certainly possible with a logging winch. I have a Farmi which I got with the B7800. I don't like what dragging does to the trails, if they aren't frozen, or to the log. I go through blades fast enough on my little portable mill without having the logs caked with mud and stones. Also the grapple makes loading the mill much easier. The log in the picture I previously posted was right around 28" in diameter. No way was I moving it with cant hooks. If you look at that pic you will note that the log has been cut down the middle. What I'm doing is lifting the top half off with the grapple so we can work on cutting the bottom half. Can't see doing that without the grapple and no way the B7800 would do this.

As far as chains. Yes I have spacers on both tractors for chains. Don't know what they are since dealer installs them as routine on all the tractors they sell in case the customer wants to put chains on.

Also don't know brand of chains. Dealer calls them Ice piks. On the B7800 I typically take them off in the summer. I've had the L39 since September. I've just left them on. Since the L39 will be spending a lot of time in the woods the chains might be on forever.

Yes the rears are loaded (both tractors). Also remember the L39 typically has a big honking backhoe on it for counterweight. I've lifted some reasonable size logs with just back blade on without problems. For logging this winter I will have the Farmi winch on which should help with counterweight.

 

[Deerlope]

Valby's are usually green and Norse are redish like your. Doesn't matter because either will work well. I have an L3830 with a set of Valby's. I had the occasian to pull a rather large truck out last winter that belonged to a tree cuuting outfit. I might add that it was a bucket truck with a metal box that chips were blown into. It was empty but none the less still heavy. There were a few snickers when I came down the driveway that had 4" of solid ice on it with my somewhat little tractor. A chain was produced and when the show was over and the truck was sitting on good going there was no one snickering then. Without the ice chains I would not even had tryed it.

 

[Glowplug]

Do you think a weight box type counterweight would be more beneficial than a mower? By looking at your picture, it looks like with that setup, there would be a lot of stress either A( on the toplink where it attatches to mower, or B( where the toplink fits tractor. With a box type weight, seems the load would be more on the lift arms (heavier duty). Just wondering. Driving across uneven ground carrying a log that size, seems like the cutter would be bouncing around on the back, putting a lot of strain on toplink.

I have thought about getting a weight ballast box for heavy loader work. The one I was looking at was a few hundred dollars and sits close in to the lift point with a small horizontal profile. It can be loaded with steel shot and weigh about 2,500 lbs.

 

[pdsrms]

I have Valby chains on a L39. No spacers required. But it's a close fit.

ice chains

 

[gabby]

All you need to drag logs is a boom pole and old fashioned log tongs. Hook the tongs as close to the tractor as possible on the boom. Hook the small end of the log and lift it a few inches off the ground and off you go.

 

[shasta]

I have a L39 as well. It seems to do a fairly good job using a 4in1 bucket for the smaller logs and pallet forks for the larger ones. I use a combination of 16' choker, snatch block, and cables to get the logs out of the timber. I'm not milling the logs, only cutting them up as firewood. I agree with KEG the grapple would be better if you need to position the log for milling.