Sizing a Farmi logging winch to my CUT, is winch too small?

[Gordon Gould]

Do you ever winch whole trees? I'm wondering if I could winch and pull medium sized trees without too much trouble. Say, around 15-20" DBH?

I have very little experience pulling whole trees. I generally limb first. If I do leave any large limbs on a main firewood log I cut them part way thru so they will fold back. Whole trees can be tough, especially hardwood. So much depends on the shape and terain. There can be lots of things that want to plow into the ground. A nice spruce or fir can go pretty good. Can float right over stuff.
But I would say if you are thinking of routinely pulling 20" whole unlimbed trees it might be tough.

This is a 22" hard maple butt. It winched in fine but I doubt that I could have move the whoe tree.

 

[Tor Arne]

Please excuse my ignorance, as I've never operated one of these before.......

I've "read" that winching isn't necessarily what puts the most stress on the top link, but rather, when you lift the load and tow it through hilly or rough terrain. Is this something I should worry about? I think I'm probably being a little overly cautious, which I am certainly guilty of doing in the past.

It was really meant as a tip to save your handbrake from the load while winching over rough ground when the log hit the rocks and stumps. Sometimes I moved the tractor a couple of feet before I had time to release the lever on the winch. I do not know how The terrain is where you live, but some places that I have been to cut timber, I have relied on that I need to use the winch to help the tractor up the steepest slopes.

 

[Piston]

Great info guys and thank you. MrPete, I'm glad you chimed in as well, I think my tractor is pretty much identical to the MX5100 minus a few PTO hp, so if it works well for you then I'm sure it will be a good match.

I haven't heard back from the owner yet regarding the pics, so I can't say I'm terribly confident that this will work out, but as long as he doesn't back out of our deal then I will go for it. Ill give him another call tomorrow to see if I can get any more info. Thanks again fellas!

 

[NHbotanut]

Piston

I also have the Farmi 290. I love it. My tractor has no problem with it, and mine is considerably smaller ( B7610 ). Like Gordon, I limb the trees where they fall and only take out the logs.
Definetly pick up a self release snatch block as it will save you a ton of work/walking.

 

[Piston]

NHbotanut,
I like the screen you made for yours. Do you have a 4 in 1 bucket on your tractor? Or is that cylinder for a bucket grapple? That looks like a really nice and nimble woods setup you have!

 

[NHbotanut]

Piston,

It is a 4in1 bucket. I loved the W R Long grapple so much that I got their bucket when we built our house. I used it a lot for making and shaping the lawn.

The screen was an option for the winch when I bought it. I put the green styrofoam pads on so it would not damage the canopy.

 

[Piston]

Do you have a way to attach your chainsaw to the winch? I saw that the Wallenstein units have some sort of chainsaw holder.

I finally got in touch with the guy selling the winch, he said that his computer is having problems and he hasn't been able to email me back. The funny thing is, it turns out we're both have a mutual friend that we know pretty well, it's a small world!

We pretty much made a deal, but I told him that I'm just waiting to hear back from someone else regarding another implement I was interested in, and if I end up buying that then I won't be able to buy the winch, but I'll be happy either way so it's a win win for me

I'll keep you posted. :thumbsup:

 

[Tor Arne]

Do you have a way to attach your chainsaw to the winch?:

Take two pieces of waterproof plywood and make slot to the chainsaw bar in them and glue them together. Then fasten it in the desired location

 

[Piston]

Thanks for the tip on the plywood chainsaw scabbard!

Does anyone know where I can purchase choker chains? And also those chain slider things (name???) that go on the winch cable that I attach the chokers to? I'd like to order 3 or 4 sets, or just order the chain hooks and sliders and make them up myself.
What size chain should I use, 1/4" or 3/8"?

Also, how does the 'choker system' work? I've never used one of these winches. Do you "choke" the winch cable around the log, then use the sliders for additional logs? Or do you never use the winch cable itself as a 'choker'?

 

[Piston]

Piston


Definetly pick up a self release snatch block as it will save you a ton of work/walking.

Where do I find one of these?