Removing Trees??

Jag · Feb 19, 2002

RM, the BX may be small. How big and how many trees are you dealing with... My tractor is a L2650, close to the current L3010... The first treepuller I saw was for the FEL, the amount of lift was why I built mine for the 3pt.

The best way to use it is to back up and hook the tree. then raise the lift. If the tree does not pull up, then back up while lifting. One good thing is that when you pull up on the tree it presses down on the rear tires and adds to your weight for traction.... I would think that your tractor could take most 2-3 inch trees with out too much of a problem....

rmcess · Feb 19, 2002

Jag, I have a lot of 1"-1 1/2" trees that are grown up in the woods that would be nice to pull. If I cut them they keep sprouting back up unless I use brush killer. If I expand my yard further into the wooded areas I will still need to cut some with a chain saw, thats a given, but if I could pull up some young saplings and save some back work it may be worth trying. Seems like my yard gets bigger every year but this will be my first year with the BX and FEL. I cant wait!
Besides maybe It would help justify my recent purchase of the BX to my wife.

frank_f15 · Feb 19, 2002

as WAL said a toothbar is a great help. but be careful, if u hook a root with one side of the bar, the end of the tractor seems to come up REAL FAST.

JimMorrissey · Feb 19, 2002

Buck,

What did you do to that poor tree

I have a feeling it will be years before it grows again, if ever. The soil around the root ball is not supposed to be disturbed at all. If it does get disturbed, the tree is generally considered a loss. I hope it makes it.

Jag · Feb 19, 2002

RM ""Besides maybe It would help justify my recent purchase of the BX to my wife"" way to go...

Talking about sprouting back, when I cleaned the fence line around dad's house two years ago I ran into a good one. This is a fence to keep the cattle out of the yard. Now no cows have been on the place in 25 years. In a little bend in the fence line, I had been pushing over some 4-6 inch persimmon trees and ran into two 4 inchers about a foot apart. The tractor would not buldge these. After half way messing with them for two days I hooked up the backhoe and got serious. There was a root ball about two feet in diameter, and two tap roots coming out that was much bigger around then my thigh. This one must have been cut down every two to three years and then left to grow for the last 15 years or so. I bet I had cut them back several times back in the early 60's.... It was impressive...

rmcess · Feb 20, 2002

Jag, I am going to throw something together real quick to see if I have enough lift power, but its been raining here the last two days and may not be a fair test. If I think I will have enough power I plan to modify an old 3ph bale spike I have laying behind the barn. After looking at your pictures I think all I would have to do is cut off the spikes and weld on the plates. Thank's for the good idea.
RM

Bob_Trevithick · Feb 20, 2002

<font color=blue>...I am going to throw something together real quick to see if I have enough lift power...</font color=blue>

How much lift power do you have? How much do you guys feel would be enough? I think my 4300 is rated for 2200 lbs...

BXmark · Feb 20, 2002

Just came in from pulling some small trees and shrubs with my BX2200. What I have is a heavy duty draw bar on the 3 pt hitch. Attached to this I have a short (18") piece of 3/16 cable with a hook on the end. I back up to the tree or bush and loop the cable around the trunk. No need to cinch it up tight, when you pull on it it constricts and grasps that trunk tight. Once I take up the slack, I drive forward and raise up on the 3 pt hitch at the same time. I have found I can pull most any tree or shrub up to a 3" trunk.

Buck · Feb 20, 2002

JimMorrissey,

I appreciate the comment. The tree was blown over by the wind, severing 1/4 of the roots.

Pines don't have feeder roots, so I am told that going deep is not as important as in deciduous trees. My neighbor has moved trees in this manner for years here, even larger deciduous, such as maple, and they seem to be doing quite well.

I have a lot more to move, so I would appreciate any advice you have.

Buck

rmcess · Feb 20, 2002

<font color=blue>"How much lift power do you have?"</font color=blue>

Bob, The BX2200 has a rated lift capacity of 1210 Lbs. at lift point. I am not sure if that is enough, I would certainly think it would be no problem for your 4300. I have used my old Ford Jubilee to pull some pretty good size hedge fence posts in the past by running a chain around the the post and the 3ph bale spike, by experience that tractor (in the shape it is in) will only lift about 900 lbs. and those posts were about all it could handle, I even had to rock back & forth on a couple to get them started.
RM