Rear-mounted winch?

[prs]

Andy, in the pic you posted the casters are set for the mower to be pretty low. The anti scalp wheels are also adjustable, but just barely so.

prs

 

[Andy2dotO]

Ah. Gotcha. Thanks, prs!

 

[Andy2dotO]

So, as an update, I decided to try an electric winch out. Got a Warn VRX45 and a receiver hitch mount, along with a kilometer or two of 6 gauge wire, 7000 zip ties, some heat shrink tube, and a quick disconnect set. Add a few beers, and:

4500z 3'n1 winch mount. 45z 3'n1 winch mount. - Album on Imgur

Voila.

Installed this weekend (holy buckets, the wire runs), and stretched the cable this morning:

Stretching cable
Stretching cable - Album on Imgur

Yanked the tractor up a 28-degree hill on a single line. Seems good. Time will tell overall efficacy. I bet I overheat this winch within 12 months. ;-)

I'll report back.

A2.O

 

[CobyRupert]

I remember driving Ventrac's sister Steiner mowers and getting trapped.
I also remember that when going down a step hill, if you lifted the mower (say for a rock) that depending on the steepness, the mower wouldn't lift, but the rear tires would.
This presented 2 problems:
1) You're going to hit the rock
2) You can't turn an articulated machine unless both axles are on the ground.

I guess rear ballast would of helped.

Good luck with the winch.

 

[wrenchit]

Hiya. I've recently gotten a 4500Z to clear and maintain very hilly property in central California. So far, it climbs and descends with considerable control, and I'm making serious progress clearing out the poison oak that has made this acreage untouchable to date. Hooray.

Still, I keep finding myself in this position:
View attachment 600415

I've read the advice about using the mower deck to lift the front wheels and shift them out of the path of the tree, but on this slope (which, in this picture, looks negligible -- it's not. It's about 20 degrees) that just doesn't work for me. Loose ground isn't helping at all.

I've finally learned the lesson (after cutting down two trees to free the tractor): Don't try to mow close to the uphill side of the tree -- it's just too easy to slide into this position on loose steep slopes.

Still, I keep thinking that if I had a rear-mounted winch, I could pull the rear end uphill just enough to clear the stump, and refrain from cutting yet another oak down. If you look at it, I have plenty of anchor points at my disposal.

Anyone ever mounted a winch to the back of their Ventrac 4500? If so, any advice? If this is a dumb idea, can you help me understand why?

Thanks!

If you up against a tree ( the tires, or close too the fenders) You need to stop. Get a come-along (hand winch) and find something solid up hill from you. Attach a strap to the upward (uphill) caster wheel bracket. secure the strap to your hand winch, and another strap that is affixed to the solid up hill tree. Put tension on the stap so the deck cannot slip down hill. Once everything is tight, start the tractor up and raise the entire front end of the tractor up by down pressure on the deck.
Once the front tractor wheels are off the ground, ratchet the come-along until your clear of the tree. Drop the deck down , remove the strap and drive it out of there.. takes a few minutes, but no tree or fence removal to get it free. Also, you will find the stabilty of turning on hills better if you Move the front deck casters to outside edges (just have to drill an extra hole on each side. Its how I always assemble the new ones before they are delivered)

 

[splotch]

I have thought about adding a winch to mine especially after running out of diesel on a steep incline that had a creek at the bottom of the hillside. I had just got mine back from the dealer and my parking brake wasnt adjusted so it started to move on me.

 

[Andy2dotO]

The heavy duty hand winch is a solid alternative to an electric winch, but there are a few drawbacks (ha. Winch pun).
* A good hand winch that can haul double the weight (winch manufacturers recommend doubling capacity) of the power unit and mower deck was about 300 bucks
*It's a total hassle to walk back a quarter mile and haul winch, chain, tree strap, shackles, and a beer back to the stuck tractor. First world problems, I know.

Still, it's reliable and doesn't require a day's worth of wiring work.

The Warn winch was $350, and once wired, I can carry it around on the 3'n1 hitch, and have it right there when I need it.

Downside of the Warn, I guess, is that I don't get to have a beer while winching. Maybe I get that time back later in the day.

Either way, having the tractor start moving unexpectedly on a steep slope - yikes.

 

[splotch]

Yes it was pretty scary. Almost as bad as when I hit a yellow jackets nest on a steep hillside and I was moving side ways at the top of it. I had to slowly move backward to get away from them.

 

[Andy2dotO]

Yikes. We've had a few yellowjacket encounters as well. I'm sure it's just a matter of time until I roll into another one.

Always an adventure, huh?

 

[MossRoad]

I've tree-wrapped my Power Trac many times. I've always just driven around to the downhill side of the tree, then articulated off of it using whatever implement I had on the front for downpressure to crab-walk the front tires away from the trunk. May take 4-5 times, but it has always worked.

If the tree is on my left I:
- Turn fully right.
- Push the implement down unit the front tractor wheels get loose from the ground.
- Turn fully left.
- Lift up the implement so my front tractor wheels are one the ground again.
- Repeat a few times until I'm clear of the trunk enough to drive away.

Easy peasy.

Only problems are if you cannot drive around the trunk because of other trees. Then it's time to thin the forest, so to speak! :laughing: