Pulling Large Shrubs

pennwalk · Mar 27, 2002

Do chains fly around when they snap? I was trying to remember way back when. One winter I worked for a rigger. We were pulling a machine but we had neglected to find the last bolt holding it down. The huge forklift snapped the chain but I don't remember it flying. I don't think chains stretch much and maybe all those seperate links absorb most of the motion. Also a 790 should not be able to snap a decent chain. I think you could easily lift a 790 with most chains that you would think of using to pull roots. Cables and straps definitly stretch and snap but again a decent cable or strap ought to have more than enough strenth.

Chris

cisco · Mar 27, 2002

Run a soaker hose around the shrubs, and let it run, for days if you have a decent well and don't mind a bit higher electric bill. That's why we on the Southeast coast most fear the slow moving hurricanes (not that we like any hurricanes, mind you). If it rains heavily for a day or more before the hurricane force winds hit, many more trees topple than would happen with a rapidly moving storm that only dumps major water for 6-8 hours prior to the arrival of high winds.

MossRoad · Mar 27, 2002

I had some rather large Lilac bushes that I wanted to transplant. I hand dug 1 foot down all the way around the root ball, which was about 4 feet in diameter. Then I flooded the trench with water and let it drain several times to get the ground soaked. I wrapped a large chain aroung the root ball as far down as I could and hooked the other end to my 4x4 chevy in low range. I started pulling very slowly and felt very little resistance. I had backed up about 10 feet before I realized that the bush was not moving. I got out and looked. The chain had pulled all the way through under the root ball and the bush was still sitting in the hole /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif.

DDT · Mar 27, 2002

I have dug alot of them out by digging all the way around it, go deep enough to get under ball and push it out of the hole. just make sure your rear wheels are heavy.

billboe · Mar 28, 2002

I recently broke a ?5/16? chain (homedepot special) trying to pull a 2-3 inch diameter tree stump. There was a ping and the chain just dropped on the ground. Not saying it will always happen like that, but, it did in this case...

BTW, my L2850DT did the damage on decent gravel surface...

theboman · Mar 28, 2002

Anything with pressure is gonna fly back or in some direction when they break....just think in terms of a fishing line.

Richard · Mar 28, 2002

Just couple weeks ago we uprooted father in laws' Japanese maple.

Having (above) just learned the difference, we used a towing strap, (about 3 inches wide?) wrapped around the tree several times, hooked it to loader.

Loader is rated to lift 6,000 pounds 10' 10". This is a full sized industrial backhoe/loader. I lifted..and raised the rear wheels /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif. These things can be tenacious. I finally extended the hoe straight out behind me parallel to the ground to get additional leverage and slowly pulled..paused..pulled..paused...and all the sudden, poof. The entire root system let go of the ground and I had my prey.

Folded up hoe, raised higher to carry home...backed up to dig spot, dug hole with hoe, turned around and plopped tree into freshly dug hole.

Turned out very nice for first attempt.

Richard

Bob_Trevithick · Mar 28, 2002

<font color=blue>...Then wrap a cable around the base - hook it to a chain that is over a tire rim and connected to the tractor drawbar. I was told that the tire rim will help with the upward pulling force. I'm not real good a describing how this is all connected - but I hope ya'll get the idea.</font color=blue>

If I understand what you're suggesting, and I'm not at all sure I do, I think you want to have the chain or cable go from the drawbar, then up over the top of one of your rear wheels, and then to the shrub?

I think this could be very dangerous. The pulling point would be high, and the tractor could easily flip right over backwards in less time than it would take you to even realize it was happening.

Maybe I misunderstand what you meant?

Welcome to the forum.. you'll find great people with great answers here! (I'm not one of them, /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif but one should be along shortly!)

Egon · Mar 28, 2002

Bob:

Draw a picture showing how the forces are applied and everything will explain itself. If anything, The harder you pull the less weight will be on the rear tires makeing an upsydaisy very difficult.

Egon

Bob_Trevithick · Mar 28, 2002

<font color=blue>...Draw a picture showing how the forces are applied and everything will explain itself. If anything, The harder you pull the less weight will be on the rear tires makeing an upsydaisy very difficult.</font color=blue>

Hi Egon,

I think I must be misunderstanding the original poster's intent. If you had a cable run over your rear driving wheel, and engaged a forward gear, wouldn't the pulling force be from the top of the wheel? In which case the tractor would try to turn the wheel, and up would come the front end?

But I think now that the poster must have meant to have an additional wheel sitting on the ground between the tractor and the shrubs, with the cable running over it. In which case, I can see no problem. Is this the picture you have in mind also?

Sorry for the confusion!

Bob