How do you hook your Log tongs to draw bar?

[Gordon Gould]

If you cannot get the log up high enough using the drawbar then skid it on top of something like a car hood, don't risk a well known fatal accident waiting to happen.

A car hood or a simple skidding cone which might be easier to come by or built.
I'm not one to tell some one not to do something but I will say that if you have never skidded logs before be very careful. It is totally amazing what can happen even at slow speed. Start with small stuff and hook on as low as possible.

 

[beenthere]

Frankly this is a really dumb explanation/rationalization for an even dumber practice of using the 3PT hitch inappropriately. I don't mean to insult you but there are naive tractor owners who just might bite and copy your method so it is necessary to make clear that this is just plain dumb. No other way to describe it.

If you cannot get the log up high enough using the drawbar then skid it on top of something like a car hood, don't risk a well known fatal accident waiting to happen.

Not dumb, and seems all opinions are just that. But keeping this an open forum for those opinions, and let the readers decide. I save (don't type them) my opinions of the members who post their opinions.
The OP asked how we hook our logs. Keeping the responses to answer the OP's question seems to me to be the better response.
How do you hook your logs? Let the OP know.

Here is what I used before tractors with FEL's and before logging tongs.

 

[IslandTractor]

Not dumb, and seems all opinions are just that. But keeping this an open forum for those opinions, and let the readers decide. I save (don't type them) my opinions of the members who post their opinions.
The OP asked how we hook our logs. Keeping the responses to answer the OP's question seems to me to be the better response.
How do you hook your logs? Let the OP know.

Here is what I used before tractors with FEL's and before logging tongs.

When there is an obvious safety issue it is irresponsible to fail to point it out. Do you watch a neighborhood kid cross a road without looking for traffic just because no one told you to do otherwise? I don't need anyone's permission to point out a risk to life or limb.

A newbie could read this thread and come away thinking it is no big deal to hook a dragged load off the topping lift or any other place higher than the drawbar. That is plain wrong regardless of the fact that some people do it and some of those people are still alive. Look into OSHA documents reporting multiple examples of people getting killed doing this sort of thing. It is downright stupid to leave such a suggestion unchallenged.

 

[Gordon Gould]

You both make good points. There are so many varibles that a blanket statement either way will not work. So much depends on the weight of the tractor, the weight of the load, the experience of the operator, the slope, are you on grass or smooth dirt or a rock and root field all hidden by brush and on and on.

If you are going to use a rig like beenthere has make sure that the top link is in the bottom hole on the tractor so it angles down towards the rear axle or below it. You can see this clearly on his picture of the old set-up. This will direct the pull from the load at or below the axle, or at least as low as you can get it which is the safest position.
Try to start out where it is flat and smooth going.

BE CAREFUL, GO SLOW, WATCH WHAT IS HAPPENING, LEARN

 

[20 20]

Frankly this is a really dumb explanation/rationalization for an even dumber practice of using the 3PT hitch inappropriately. I don't mean to insult you but there are naive tractor owners who just might bite and copy your method so it is necessary to make clear that this is just plain dumb. No other way to describe it.

If you cannot get the log up high enough using the drawbar then skid it on top of something like a car hood, don't risk a well known fatal accident waiting to happen.

How was his explanation, as you put it, dumb? He said to use a FEL maybe even with a small load to act as a counter weight.

 

[20 20]

I think Gordon Gould makes a good point there are many different varibles at play when using this type of equipment. I feel probably the strongest would be to have knowledge of the machine one is using and also have some time with an experienced operator.

Beenthere I used a hook up much like your last picture for years and NEVER ONCE had an issue. I was also taught respect for this type of work at a very young age. I now hardly ever skid logs, I have other machinery now and like my wood clean. If I did or do need to skid I would not esitate one bit to hook just like your last picture, it's called experience.........

 

[IslandTractor]

How was his explanation, as you put it, dumb? He said to use a FEL maybe even with a small load to act as a counter weight.

FEL even loaded only provides a static ballast. A tractor pulling a log up a hill that is suddenly jerked to a halt by the log jamming on an immovable object will generate a pretty large dynamic load that will easily overcome the FEL ballast and then rotate the tractor backwards. The FEL load will end up in the operators lap or neck.

I appreciate that thus scenario requires a fair amount of energy and would not happen at 1mph on a flat surface but it is still "dumb" to set up a rig that can easily flip when conditions change. It just takes one momentary change in load and ballast force changes to kill the operator.

I would like to reiterate that I am calling the practice, not the poster, dumb.

 

[IslandTractor]

Beenthere I used a hook up much like your last picture for years and NEVER ONCE had an issue. ....

the guys who had an "issue" didn't live to tell about it.

I am not naive and we all take chances but my point remains that pulling anything attached to the tractor above the rear axle is dumb. Chose to do it if you like but don't represent it as safe on a public forum.

 

[studor]

I have a set of the log tongs with the chain hook swivels on them. I frequently use them on a short piece of chain on either side of the bucket to pick up logs and move them. For hooking to the under axle draw bar, I use a clevis with a short piece of chain or a "tractor hook" with a short piece of chain. If I want to use the 26 hole style drawbar on the three point arms, I use two "tractor hooks" and a short piece of chain and get as close to the bar as possible. I also have a stone boat that I use when I have really heavy logs or rocks to move.
Moving anything that can turnover the tractor or kill me by crushing me takes a little thought, a good amount of caution and is done slowly.
I do find the tongs extremely usefull for a lot of things including occasionally putting big rounds on the splitter

 

[Baby Grand]

To the OP:

I attach my tongs to the inner mount on my boom pole - about 3' or 4' aft of the 3 point hitch. This gives good reach and height if the log isn't too heavy. I then hitch a choke chain from the butt of the log to the drawbar so I am lifting with the hitch and pulling with the drawbar. Belt & suspenders - I know - but based on the physics, that's just the the way I roll.

-Jim