Pieced together skidding winch

[TheMadOne]

So, I can't afford a proper skidding winch, no matter how much I want one. But, I can get a three point hitch receiver, a hitch mounting plate and a small(1,700LB) winch for less than 300 dollars. Obviously nowhere near as capable as the real thing, but for getting bucked 10"-20" logs down my hill to the drive I don't see why it shouldn't work.

Can you?

Alternately, I could weld spikes on the bottom of the hitch adapter and go for a larger winch. Since the load would then be shared between the tractor and the actual receiver frame I'd think you'd be able to put much more pulling power on, like maybe 4-5 thousand pounds.

Thoughts?

 

[teg]

Yea, one that kills this idea is the battery and alternator will not keep up with electrical demand of the winch and it's slow as all get out.

It's been talked about getting a better alternator and having some deep cell batteries but I have yet to see someone do this....

PS. I'm in the same boat, have the winch but even if that is figured out, it's still very slow.

 

[TheMadOne]

Slow I can live with, and I'd probably run it off a separate battery or jump box, just to avoid wiring it into the tractor.

 

[bcp]

I would prefer hitch-hooked cables and snatch blocks to a slow electric winch for pulling logs to the road. But when they get to the road, I would like an easy way to drag several at a time with ends up.

Bruce

 

[TheMadOne]

Take the same receiver I was talking about and use one of those hook hitches to secure the chain, then pick the 3pt up?

 

[bcp]

Right. Not looking for one, but just saying I want more that just a chain on a drawbar. I use the top hook on my quick hitch once they are on the road.

Bruce