m5040
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2008
- Messages
- 981
- Location
- CT
- Tractor
- Kubota M6040 L2250, JohnDeere 310D, Ford 841 Elenco, Ford 961, Trapmaster, PT180 w/LM bucket and 45" brush cutter, PT1430 Deutz w/grapple bucket, Antonio Carraro Tigrecar 6500. John Deere 5300. Former owned Steiner 430 max, Goldoni REV Maxter 7
I just went through a lot of post on logging winches for 3pt hitch tractors. I found that nobody really has anything bad to say about whichever brand they went with, so it appears no wrong answers. After I reviewed the prices and found Igland the most economical, I then asked for reasons to justify spending more money on a different brand. The dealer in upstate VT had a few brands (Igland, Fransgaurd and Karpan. {I also spoke to a dealer about Tajfun}) so I went there to look them all over. Here is what I found:
1. The dealer salesman liked the full face clutch on the Fransguard as opposed to the button clutch on Igland. My experience is in the trucking industry and although over-the-road trucks use full face clutch disc, heavy dump trucks and cement mixers use button clutches. So it appears button disc are more heavy duty, possibly, like disc brakes, the area not covered is exposed to air and cooling down. The other advantage on inspection of the Igland clutch, it appears that if the buttons wear out and need to be changed, it looks like it can easily be done WITHOUT dismantling the machine/clutch.
2. As posted by others, the manual is a translation, so very basic. But it is only a winch and there is really not much to do with it. But it could be better as the instructions to adjust the clutch show a nut and a wrench with written instructions "adjust the clutch". They could have gotten very detailed and wrote, tighten nut until it drags, then back off. But I guess they figure if you are doing this kind of work, you should have some abilities. So simple to adjust, people can't believe it.
3. Igland's sales info is as basic as the manuals. Farmi advertises a big advantage in that when you need to work on the clutch, it can be removed from the machine. Well it is the same with Igland, but they don't advertise it.
4. The winch is tall and the distance between the upper pulley to the winch drum is 36". If you don't know why this is good it is because the further away these two parts are, the better chance the cable will wind correctly and not overlay which can damage it when loaded. You want the cable to wind and look like threads on a bolt. When the top pulley is close it tends to make the cable pile up under the pulley and not want to fill the ends of the winch drum.
5. Igland uses all ball bearings, like the transmission, rear axle, wheel bears in your car. Some argue that bushing are better? They must like to have to grease things. Maintenance is easy. Only two lube points on the Igland, the chain and the clutch arm pivot at the drum. Simple.
6. I really liked that the winch, cable and mechanism is enclosed in a waterproof outer frame. I don't use mine every day so this is a big advantage to me. If you look at the construction of the Igland, the top pulley is fixed and the framework goes over the top so no rain can enter the winch chamber and soak the cable washing off the protectant, enabling corrosion. Also keeps all the other parts dry. The only opening is the rope hole off to one side. Because the winch is tall, the swivel comes from one of two locations they want you to mount the lower pulley. This ends up about the same height as the competitors top swivel pulley (that is uncovered and lets in water).
7. The driveshaft is off to one side like the premium priced Tajfun and Karpan. At first I didn't like this because the U joints on the drive shaft have to work hard when angled. But after thinking about this I observed that the distance from the tractor to winch connecting points is further away from each other due to this offset (as opposed to being a straight shot). Now I plan on using the winch on different tractors, so getting the driveshaft cut to fit with each tractor is a challenge. This longer path actually helps in that the shaft is longer and has the ability to extend more then a short/straight shaft. Big advantage to anyone that uses multiple tractors.
8. The obvious, lower blade can be unpinned to fold up when hitting work site obstructions and even protect the front of the logs so as not to snag when dragging. Also the tractor draw bar can be more easily accessed if needed for a heavy pull or to hitch a trailer.
9. Winch is designed to travel with the logs attached to the locked winch cable. Some other brands want you to attach them to the lower blade. (somewhat of a pain when you get to the log landing)
As far as negatives. It doesn't have a receiver hitch built into the blade, so I had to weld one in. It has the mounting holes on both sides, but only comes with a left side toolbox. No saw holder like Tajfun.
Just my thoughts. If you have any questions I will try to answer.
1. The dealer salesman liked the full face clutch on the Fransguard as opposed to the button clutch on Igland. My experience is in the trucking industry and although over-the-road trucks use full face clutch disc, heavy dump trucks and cement mixers use button clutches. So it appears button disc are more heavy duty, possibly, like disc brakes, the area not covered is exposed to air and cooling down. The other advantage on inspection of the Igland clutch, it appears that if the buttons wear out and need to be changed, it looks like it can easily be done WITHOUT dismantling the machine/clutch.
2. As posted by others, the manual is a translation, so very basic. But it is only a winch and there is really not much to do with it. But it could be better as the instructions to adjust the clutch show a nut and a wrench with written instructions "adjust the clutch". They could have gotten very detailed and wrote, tighten nut until it drags, then back off. But I guess they figure if you are doing this kind of work, you should have some abilities. So simple to adjust, people can't believe it.
3. Igland's sales info is as basic as the manuals. Farmi advertises a big advantage in that when you need to work on the clutch, it can be removed from the machine. Well it is the same with Igland, but they don't advertise it.
4. The winch is tall and the distance between the upper pulley to the winch drum is 36". If you don't know why this is good it is because the further away these two parts are, the better chance the cable will wind correctly and not overlay which can damage it when loaded. You want the cable to wind and look like threads on a bolt. When the top pulley is close it tends to make the cable pile up under the pulley and not want to fill the ends of the winch drum.
5. Igland uses all ball bearings, like the transmission, rear axle, wheel bears in your car. Some argue that bushing are better? They must like to have to grease things. Maintenance is easy. Only two lube points on the Igland, the chain and the clutch arm pivot at the drum. Simple.
6. I really liked that the winch, cable and mechanism is enclosed in a waterproof outer frame. I don't use mine every day so this is a big advantage to me. If you look at the construction of the Igland, the top pulley is fixed and the framework goes over the top so no rain can enter the winch chamber and soak the cable washing off the protectant, enabling corrosion. Also keeps all the other parts dry. The only opening is the rope hole off to one side. Because the winch is tall, the swivel comes from one of two locations they want you to mount the lower pulley. This ends up about the same height as the competitors top swivel pulley (that is uncovered and lets in water).
7. The driveshaft is off to one side like the premium priced Tajfun and Karpan. At first I didn't like this because the U joints on the drive shaft have to work hard when angled. But after thinking about this I observed that the distance from the tractor to winch connecting points is further away from each other due to this offset (as opposed to being a straight shot). Now I plan on using the winch on different tractors, so getting the driveshaft cut to fit with each tractor is a challenge. This longer path actually helps in that the shaft is longer and has the ability to extend more then a short/straight shaft. Big advantage to anyone that uses multiple tractors.
8. The obvious, lower blade can be unpinned to fold up when hitting work site obstructions and even protect the front of the logs so as not to snag when dragging. Also the tractor draw bar can be more easily accessed if needed for a heavy pull or to hitch a trailer.
9. Winch is designed to travel with the logs attached to the locked winch cable. Some other brands want you to attach them to the lower blade. (somewhat of a pain when you get to the log landing)
As far as negatives. It doesn't have a receiver hitch built into the blade, so I had to weld one in. It has the mounting holes on both sides, but only comes with a left side toolbox. No saw holder like Tajfun.
Just my thoughts. If you have any questions I will try to answer.
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