New L5240 HST and lovely wife

[Northland]

I disagree with your comments-as would all my logger neighbours who operate skidders year round using sling chokers.

These cables are made specifically for the purpose of logging

Pre-Made FSE Choker from Baileys-online.com

 

[ToadHill]

I don't have pictures but let me describe the setup I made to drag logs. On a 2" by 4" box steel I welded ends to fit in the three pt. hitch balls. From the middle of the box steel I welded a 24" upright piece of T steel. From the T steel I welded a similar piece of T at a right angle hanging toward the rear. On the end of the top T I welded a chain clevis and 1/2 way back to the upright T I welded a hook. I gusseted the right angles and welded an attachment for the toplink to the top of the upright T.

I lower the 3pt. hitch over the end of the log, attach the chain to the log using a large hook on the end of the chain so the chain itself will slip thru the hook. I then lift the chain by hand until it is tight, and hook it in the chain clevis, lift the 3pt. hitch enough to lift the butt end of the log off the ground and away I go.

I use the extra welded on hook to attach the extra chain to so it doesn't drag. If I'm hooking up smaller logs (8 to 10") I use the other end of the chain to drag the second log and after taking up the slack I attach it to the welded hook on the top T bar.

This unit has worked well for me for the last 5 years. I don't like dragging logs with the butt end on the ground, it's too easy to have an accident.

If you have to drag them that way I've seen a cone used to slip over the butt end to stop it from catching on roots and rocks.

 

[Toolguy]

Wow! This thread has been around a long time now. Earlier in the thread I described how I used a hook under the drawbar to lift logs with the 3PTH. Since then I have come up with a new way that I do it now. I made a device that slides into my receiver hitch that works much better than the hook under the drawbar method. The pictures below tell it all. The flat stock that is welded to the 2" square tube is 3/8" thick. The D-ring is 1/2". Works like a charm. Gets the log up higher and is easier to hook and unhook the chain to the tractor. This was the first log I pulled with it. I wrapped the extra chain around the hitch on that one. After that I just let the extra chain drag along. Saves time and doesn't bother anything.

 

[oldgeezer]

Some things you can count on. You might break cables & chains with big JD or Timberjack log skidder on very rare occasions (been there, never broke one unless badly frayed) , but you will not break 3/4" logging choker cables or 3/8" cold steel chains with a compact tractor while skidding a log. A compact will either move the log or will spin all 4 wheels & dig big holes in the ground long b-4 that happens. They are nice, they are stout, they are handy, they are fun, but they have limits long before that will happen. Commercial log skidders have heavy lug tires 3' wide & 8' tall, with 4 wheel drive, locking differentials, & turbo-charged deisel engines with 100s of HP & they spin b-4 they break their chokers or chains. They use the same choker sized cable & chains to pull stuck log trucks weighing 80,000 to 100,00 lbs.