Push over trees with a small compact?

[oakhilltop]

I've seen some videos where people say that they use their compact or scut tractor to push over trees. The base of trees can hop up as they fall, so I'm wondering about peoples experiences with doing this with a smaller tractor.

For an 8 or 10 inch diameter tree, maybe 60 feet or more tall,
Would it be safe to:
- notch the tree in the direction that I want it to fall
- start a back cut
- then use the front end loader to encourage the tree to fall in the desired direction

 

[2manyrocks]

Not safe. Any loose limbs could fall on the operator. If the tractor isnt big enough, the tree could fall opposite the intended direction. You really dont have 100% control over the tree through the entire cutting process.

The safer option is to set a winch to another solid tree and maintain a pull through the entire process using a cable or bull rope long enough to get you out from under the tree.

 

[oakhilltop]

That has been my opinion also. Trees can be very uncooperative. I've always parked the tractor a safe distance away, in case the tree decides to go in a different direction. I've been using a maasdam rope puller when needed.

 

[WinterDeere]

Agreed. I don't even like the way I see many folks winching, putting pressure on the tree before the cut is done, as it can increase probabily of barber chair.

Arrange your line to prevent back fall, but don't start putting big tension on it until after the hinge is fully formed and cutter is out fo the way.

Preferred process for back-leaners:

1. Use throwing bag, rock, or slingshot to throw a lightweight line as high into the tree as you can, looping it over a major branch.
2. Use lightweight line to pull your heavier line up into place. There may be a medium line involved, if light line is not sufficient to pull heavy line.
3. Tie bowline loop or other free-sliding knot in free end of heavy line (from ground), so it can be pulled up and cinched into crotch of tree.
4. Tie bowline into far end of heavy line, and figure out what tree base you'll use for your pulling. You really want more than 1:1 scope, preferrably 2:1 to 3:1 in run:rise.
5. Attach strap to tree base that will be used for pulling, and attach winch to strap. Play out winch line and attach to your heavy pulling line.
6. Tension only enough to lift rig (winch + line) off the ground.
7. Make face cut.
8. Start back cut. As tree tries to sit down and pinch bar, either drive in your wedges or have someone tighten winch just enough to prevent cut from closing, but not enough to put tension on tree.
9. Finish back cut, get you and your saw out of the way, and then start cranking on the winch.

When you see trees barberchair, and basically explode while someone is in the middle of their back cut, there's a good chance a too-tight winch was involved.

Most of the time I put a line in a tree, it ends up being nothing but extra insurance that the tree doesn't fall backwards onto whatever I'm protecting, and I never end up having to even use the winch. You can do a lot with a few plastic wedges. But the point is, if you're going to use a winch, don't tighten it beyond the point of just holding the tree, until after the cutting is done.

 

[2manyrocks]

Doubling the line by adding just one pulley really makes a huge difference in what can be pulled with a maadsam rope puller. They are very affordable. Much safer to use leverage pulling from higher up in the tree as winterdeere explained than trying to push a tree over from the trunk. So much weight and leverage in the tree working against you doing that.

 

[WinterDeere]

Doubling the line by adding just one pulley really makes a huge difference...

Physics is phun! Another one folks might forget from their high school physics is that any pull applied to the middle of a tensioned line has basically infinite mechanical advantage when the line is straight, decreasing only according to how far you pull that line off center.

In other words, your 115 lb. wife might be able to pull over that 10,000 lb. back-leaner, if you just have her pull down on the middle of the tension line... assuming it's long enough to keep everyone safely out of the way. You can even throw another line over the tension line, so that you can run it up as far as you need, and then stand next to the tree you've just cut while pulling down on the tension line.

Why would anyone care about this? You'll realize the first time you've tightened the winch as far as it can go, and the tree is still in the air.

 

[CPTKILLER]

I tried that with cedar trees that I had chopped with a chain saw. I found pushing out most stumps without digging was difficult. I avoided full or even medium trees being pushed down prior to cutting them down.

 

[5030]

I don't believe ANY small tractor has the Cajonies to push over any tree except maybe a dead stick. Grinding the stump is so much easier...

 

[Rockbadchild]

On a healthy tree all the way up it's so so but still risky if it's dead it's a hard no no, it's just not worth the risk in my opinion too many things can go wrong.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Best thing I bought for my compact Deere 3038e was a remote control winch and hp module, now 51 hp. Recently cut a few trees, tractor well back with FEL down front tipped slightly in ground, brakes, chock, rear weight.
Cable up high just taking up slack, remote in pocket. I made notch low then back cut. As soon as I saw notch widen a bit I ran back...winch remote to pull. It worked great.
I only push over little trees, about 3" dia with FEL. Yesterday I did remove two stumps for neighbor, about 12" or so. I had backhoe on but used bucket. They were dead for years and we've had lots of rain so it was easy.
I used winch to help pull stumps into bucket.