How do you make use of the Hy-Reach Tree Shear

[Rolando]

I've seen references to this implement. Is it being used in other ways beyond the obvious limb pruning? Can it be used to chop up small felled trees, instead of using a Chainsaw?

 

[texbaylea]

I just got a new L3130 with a Hy-Reach tree shear. Mine is mounted with a skid steer type of quick attach on a LA723 loader. I am just starting to learn how to use it. My unit has the rotater and the extension. I am sure that you could use it to cut up felled trees but it would be slow since the cycle time is fairly long.

I do not recommend it for anyone with a tractor and loader less capable than the L3130 with LA723 loader. When you raise the loader to full height and use the dump control to point the shear down toward the ground, the linkage does not have enough leverage to pick the shear back up at full dump. The shear itself is very heavy and with it 6' out from the pivot, the leverage against you is great. It is easy to get out of though, just back up while dragging the point of the shear against the ground and rolling back the bucket control. It does not take much, a foot or two changes the angle enough that the loader can continue to pick the unit up.

I like the shear and will be using it a great deal this fall. It will be easier to see to clear brush and small trees when the leaves fall. No help on the junipers thought.

Vernon

 

[rtvman]

Hello Vernon, I am really curious about this Hy-Reach Tree Shear you have on your tractor. Would you by chance have a picture of this that you could post. I am sure there are a lot of other guys in our forum who would also be interested in seeing it. Also, where did you get it? I could not find any reference to it on the internet.
Thanks

 

[texbaylea]

Kevin

I will be posting a series of pictures soon. Haven't had the digital camera very long so need some more practice with it and with editing pictures. I have an area near the house that has gotten ahead of me while I was having medical problems. It is packed with large yaupon and wild grape. The grape vines are damaging the oaks also so that is where I will start really using the shear.

Go to www.precisionmfg.com to look at the shear but there is not a lot of info there. You have to get it through a dealer but if they do not have a dealer in your state, they will ship direct for full retail. They also require the dealer to buy a minimum of two units. The dealer that I bought my L3130 from was willing to get the unit for me and bought a commercial unit also as they could see a market for it in the Houston area.

I will recommend them, Lansdowne-Moody with 4 stores in the Houston area. They gave me a good price on my L3130HST and their pricing on the tree shear and installation was very reasonable. They also ordered and installed an ATI grapple kit on the bucket. They did a very good job on installing the hydraulic plumbing for it all.

Vernon

 

[rtvman]

Vernon, Thanks for the info. This thing is way too cool. It appears that it can easily handle trees and limbs with diameters up to 5". Would you agree? What are the specs? (i.e. maximum rated diameter)
Thanks

 

[texbaylea]

Kevin

It is rated to cut up to 8". I suspect that with soft woods like the junipers, I might be able to cut larger diameters by taking multiple cuts. Haven't tried that yet, what clearing I have done has all been smaller that about 5".

Vernon

 

[jmc]

Hi Vernon,

I've been holding off buying a tree shear until you posted your impression with this new one. Just stumbled across this post by accident.

Do you think the cycle time is excessive? Do they have it throttled down and could it be opened up?

Can you cut off a tree low enough to not hit the stump when bush hogging?

Can you use the cutter to grab a cut off tree to drag out of a thicket so you can get to it later with your grapple?

Would you buy this one again, knowing what you know now?

Thanks,
John

 

[texbaylea]

jmc

I will answer your questions in order.

What I am saying is not to expect the jaws to snap closed. I haven't timed them but I thnik that the closure time is about 5 seconds, certainly less than 10 seconds. They use a large diameter cylinder to operate the jaws so it depends on the flow rate of your pump.

You can take off the tree right at ground level if you want.

I asked this question (pulling out stuff) and was told that they do not recommend this for the standard version, that the extension is not heavy enough. They recommend getting the contractor version.

Yeah, I would still buy this thing. I just came in from doing some work with it. It is sure handy to be able to reach up and cut large vines at 12 feet off the ground. Some of the vines I am going to have to let die and fall, although I may rent an all terrain man lift when I have done all I can do with my gear. I could then use a chain saw and rope to pull out the rest.

Hope this helps. I am waiting for my son to send me some better picture processing software before posting pictures.

Vernon

 

[jmc]

Thanks, Vernon,

That helps. I just need to go thru one more round of "you are never going to get around to designing and building one" with myself and then order it. Hope the prices haven't gone up even more.

John

 

[texbaylea]

John

What you might think about is some kind of a small grapple or pincers on the end of a boom on a skid steer mount. Then we could reach and pull out stuff that has been cut off by thr tree shear. That kind of thing would let me pull the remnants of the grape vines out of the trees.

Vernon