Ho do you know...

[retiredmgn]

Howdy folks,
Seems like a nice site. Like to hang around for a bit.
I just traded a Kubota 19 hp for a HST JD 3238. I bring in 6-7 cord a year for firewood. My question is this, what can I use as a rule of thumb to determine if a tree is safe to skid out without over stressing my tractor. I've been going on the idea the release valve will allow fluid to pass before any damage will happen to my tractor. After reading posts here I'm no longer sure.
I like to cut trees in the 8 - 10" range.

Thanks
Mark

 

[ihuntbear]

i have a fifty hp.I haul five at a time with my log winch.Full tree length.8 to 12 inches at the but .Some trees are forty five feet long

 

[Baby Grand]

Mark,
How much power does your tractor have and how much does it weigh? I could look it up myself, but I'm too lazy. How do you hitch the cut timber to your machine? Do you have FEL, ballast, chains, type tires? What's your terain like? Hardwood or softwood?
-Jim

 

[LD1]

Not sure about the HST, but as long as you are pulling from the drawbar, I think it will be safe for anything that you can move.

If you hook to the drawbar and it pulls, you are good, If you spin the tires, it is obviously too heavy and needs cut down. But as long as you can move it, I dont think you are going to hurt the tractor.

 

[ModMech]

Howdy folks,
Seems like a nice site. Like to hang around for a bit.
I just traded a Kubota 19 hp for a HST JD 3238. I bring in 6-7 cord a year for firewood. My question is this, what can I use as a rule of thumb to determine if a tree is safe to skid out without over stressing my tractor. I've been going on the idea the release valve will allow fluid to pass before any damage will happen to my tractor. After reading posts here I'm no longer sure.
I like to cut trees in the 8 - 10" range.

Thanks
Mark

If you are lifting them to skid, keep the front tires FIRMLY on the ground to be safe. If you are simply dragging them, traction will be the limiting factor.

 

[manganos]

I would say you can pull as much as you can without stalling or running out of traction.

 

[zman007007]

Welcome to our and maybe soon to be your world. LOL be careful it is addictive once you get on here. zman

 

[Thomas]

May depend on couple things.
What type of ground..hard or soft,flat or slope,log form or w/limbs.

Last thing you want log/logs breaking traction and slam into your tractor..cause damage or worse.

I'd try couple couple logs to see/feel the handling than go from there.

 

[retiredmgn]

i have a fifty hp.I haul five at a time with my log winch.Full tree length.8 to 12 inches at the but .Some trees are forty five feet long

Well ya, I can pull a bunch of stuff now (although I ain't gona try what you're listing with your 50 hp). What I need to educate myself about is at what point am I stressing the machine. I want to be able to keep pulling several years from now.

 

[retiredmgn]

Mark,
How much power does your tractor have and how much does it weigh? I could look it up myself, but I'm too lazy. How do you hitch the cut timber to your machine? Do you have FEL, ballast, chains, type tires? What's your terain like? Hardwood or softwood?
-Jim

Howdy. I need to back up here I guess - (you mean everybody isn't thinking and knowing about MY new tractor?? Probably not
Tractor is John Deere, 37 Hp, FEL, AG tires loaded, chains.
Terrain is basicly flat. I hook to the drawbar on the TPH to try to get the log butt up out of the dirt. Only cut hardwood.

Don't want to raise any hackels here but I'm thinkin' that Kubota B8200, 19 HP, HST with unusually wide rear tires could pull more than this JD. That's my concern .

 

[retiredmgn]

Not sure about the HST, but as long as you are pulling from the drawbar, I think it will be safe for anything that you can move.

If you hook to the drawbar and it pulls, you are good, If you spin the tires, it is obviously too heavy and needs cut down. But as long as you can move it, I dont think you are going to hurt the tractor.

Yes, herein lies the rub - the Kubota would either spin or pull (no chains), the JD can be in moist ground and not spin or pull (chains).

 

[johnk]

Yes, herein lies the rub - the Kubota would either spin or pull (no chains), the JD can be in moist ground and not spin or pull (chains).

Being on moist ground and not spinning or pulling? Is the engine running? Just kidding. I don't see what you're getting at.

 

[retiredmgn]

Welcome to our and maybe soon to be your world. LOL be careful it is addictive once you get on here. zman

I can see how that happens.
I care more about my tractor than I do my car.
Nice to be able to find info.

 

[retiredmgn]

Being on moist ground and not spinning or pulling? Is the engine running? Just kidding. I don't see what you're getting at.

Let me try it this way. I'm hooked to a log. I'm at +2k rpm. The rear tires are firmly gripped in good soil. I try going forward - no go.
Does this mean I have exceded the pulling capacity of my tractor?

 

[johnk]

If the tires are spinning I would say to try less timber or add some weight in your loader if you have one for added traction with the front tires...Being a HST which I have never driven I would make sure I am in Low rge and go from there.

 

[Baby Grand]

Howdy. I need to back up here I guess - (you mean everybody isn't thinking and knowing about MY new tractor?? Probably not
Tractor is John Deere, 37 Hp, FEL, AG tires loaded, chains.
Terrain is basicly flat. I hook to the drawbar on the TPH to try to get the log butt up out of the dirt. Only cut hardwood.

Don't want to raise any hackels here but I'm thinkin' that Kubota B8200, 19 HP, HST with unusually wide rear tires could pull more than this JD. That's my concern .

Let me try it this way. I'm hooked to a log. I'm at +2k rpm. The rear tires are firmly gripped in good soil. I try going forward - no go.
Does this mean I have exceded the pulling capacity of my tractor?

Sounds like you have a real nice set up for hauling timber - I'd think you could handle a good sized load with what you describe. I'm finding it hard to believe that you can't move but you're not spinning wheels. Is your clutch slipping or is your HST going into bypass?

-Jim

 

[JD755]

Howdy folks,
Seems like a nice site. Like to hang around for a bit.
I just traded a Kubota 19 hp for a HST JD 3238.

Guess you mean 3038E rather than 3238?

 

[tornadowatchranch]

sounds like you are going into bypass. Try a lower range. Also-if you have never used HST--fully depressing the pedal will put and keep the tractor in bypass when fully loaded in too high of a range. Try barely pressing the HST pedal to keep your rpm's up. Surely someone will explain it better but HST pedal is not like a car gas pedal in terms of power to the ground.

Tornado

 

[jake98]

A couple people have mentioned that their rims would spin in the tires with loaded tires and not enough pressure. Watch for that.

 

[jenkinsph]

I agree to make sure you are in low range for this work, if it doesn't move or spin the tires then there is something wrong with the tractor.