Sizing a logging winch for "occaisional" use

[CalG]

I live in Vermont, trees are part of the deal

I've got a 35 hp 2500# MFWD tractor plus the FEL. with a 60"+ width, But might hang it off the Cat 2 2WD tractor from time to time

What winch ?

I'm thinking Farmi JL351P , I like the simplicity.

Any better choices?

 

[MossRoad]

I guess you'd need to know how large the occasional logs are, how many logs you are thinking about, and your budget.

If its only occasional, you could get by quite well with cables, snatch blocks for mechanical advantage, and a small tractor to pull the cable through the blocks rather than a winch at all.

 

[dbaer78]

Farmi are good... As are Norse/igland, fransgard and wallenstein. I have a wallenstein fx90 that I bought new 7 years ago and I've been pleased with it. I don't use it commercially but it's pulled some pretty good sized logs out over the years.

 

[Coyote machine]

Igland 4001. From Hendi Bros., in Rutland, now Mtn. View, Equip., also in Middlebury. Have an Igland Gr-20 log grapple too. Both are AWESOME pieces of my attachment list. The grapple is pictured in my avatar, lifting a boulder.
With a clam shell snatch block I can pull 8000#s!
PM me if you have specific questions.

 

[CalG]

I guess you'd need to know how large the occasional logs are, how many logs you are thinking about, and your budget.

If its only occasional, you could get by quite well with cables, snatch blocks for mechanical advantage, and a small tractor to pull the cable through the blocks rather than a winch at all.

Yes, I've thought of the "loose roll" approach. The land is a series of pushed up ledge ridges up the hill side with hollows between, (20-40 feet up, then 10-20 feet down again) Wet and mucky in all but the coldest month of winter. And few places to place the tractor, much less get any sort of extended pull unless it would be directly down the log road. And that is never straight for more than a few yards. So, there would be lots of "re rigging" in every pull. I've tried with 50 foot of cable, and a like amount of chain. Not very productive.

Trees come in all sizes . but the chain saw makes up the difference. There is no need to pull big. It's only firewood. Not many each year, 40 -50

I'm not worried about brand. It's the consideration regarding pull capability I'm wondering on.

6,600# 8,000 # etc.

I can't see needing "big capacity", but I don't want to tear up an under rated piece of equipment.

I've no need of a grapple at this time.

 

[motownbrowne]

The 351 will work well. That's the model I have, and I love it. If I was buying new, I might have bought the 501, but the 351 never fails to impress me. Don't worry about "tearing it up" the clutch is designed to slip before you break anything. Before you break anything on the winch anyway. The 351 has enough pull to yank your #2500 tractor around pretty good. Remember, watch the tractor and the cable, not the log.

 

[1026mrg]

I live in Vermont, trees are part of the deal

I've got a 35 hp 2500# MFWD tractor plus the FEL. with a 60"+ width, But might hang it off the Cat 2 2WD tractor from time to time

What winch ?

I'm thinking Farmi JL351P , I like the simplicity.

Any better choices?

Most of the major logging winch companies make very solid & reliable products. You may want to check out Wallenstein as well. The bigger issues are to right size the winch to your tractor power, PTO power, tractor weight and traction. Too big of a winch could see you yank the tractor around. The other issue is traction & stability. Would recommend the winch on a 4WD or AWD tractor if you have one. Also, would suggest weighting the tires, if they are not already filled, as well as logging chains for the tires. The traction & weight have to be appropriate to the skidding power of the winch and the weight of the logs.

 

[NHbotanut]

I have the Farmi JL250 on my 24hp kubota. I live on a hill so all of my pulls are either uphill or down hill. Works awesome. Gordon has the same unit on his tractor. All the brands mentioned are very good. I just like the Farmi's.

 

[Dead Horse]

Big fan of the Farmi.

If you are $$$ sensitive, find a used one...... they are VERY hard to hurt and just as easily repairable as the only wear parts are the bearings. I have a JL601 that was previously owned by at least 2 other members here. I replaces the bearings in it for under $100. ROCK SOLID.

 

[trihounds]

I've got a Fransgard V4000 (8,800 pull) on my 33 HP Kubota. It's more winch than I can use / need but it was a great deal for a hardly used unit. The only impact of an oversized winch is the extra weight of it that takes away from the hitch size and you have to remember to never load the cable to it's capacity. It would pull the tractor all over the place in a scenario like that. But pulling a 2000 pound log with a winch rated for 4000 pounds or 8000 pounds makes no difference (except if it were to get hung up...the higher capacity winch will keep pulling and potentially flip the tractor). You just have to be smart, reasonable, cautious, and aware. The Farmi 351 is a great unit - I would have bought one if it was a similar deal.