Tractor "funicula" ?

[scgargoyle]

Many years ago I skiied at a place that used a tractor for a rope tow. They had bolted an empty wheel as a pulley on one of the rear wheels, and the rope went around it and back down the hill in a continuous loop. One wheel of the tractor was on the ground; the one with the pulley was up in the air so it could turn without moving the tractor. In your case, you could lower the rig by putting the tractor in reverse to change direction. Just make sure the tractor is firmly anchored so it can't move.

 

[powerpace]

I'm with rsewill on this one.

 

[MarkV]

I am having a hard time seeing a 2 wheel trailer with a cable attached to the tongue being controllable. Even in a straight drop it would seem that a rock or root could shift its direction pretty fast. Maybe I just don't understand the plan.

MarkV

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Many years ago I skiied at a place that used a tractor for a rope tow. They had bolted an empty wheel as a pulley on one of the rear wheels, and the rope went around it and back down the hill in a continuous loop. One wheel of the tractor was on the ground; the one with the pulley was up in the air so it could turn without moving the tractor. In your case, you could lower the rig by putting the tractor in reverse to change direction. Just make sure the tractor is firmly anchored so it can't move.

I have to side with Scargoyle. Anything else is going to be costly. A hydraulic winch is probably the best option, but I've priced them. You could probably rent a Chinook to fly your stuff in and out for the cost of a Hydraulic winch.

 

[dusty3030]

K5 Blazer, redneck spirit and a case of beer for courage and you could do it like this.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etui5D3exEA]Extreme hill climbing in a V8 buggy - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Western]

I'd be thinking a boat!! could use it later for fishing even

 

[bcarwell]

Nope, can't get access via river.
I was using Quickrete as an example. Planning on building a little dock, covered deck, etc., so the hauling will be many, many trips and continue over a year's time making it worthwhile to figure an easy way to haul stuff- especially materials downslope, with only tools coming back up. As for instability I was planning on welding up a little buggy with very wide wheels for stability and clearing two ruts or maybe railroad ties for tire guides which is very do-able as there are no rocks on the hillside. Not sure I want to be taking a tractor tie off and back on when I need the tractor. Unless I can unwind cable off my post hole digger shaft to go the other direction its seeming like a pulley and driving with a Gator may be the simplest, cheapest method. I suppose if I've tried it a few times with no glitches I don't need to have the little trailer in sight at all times- I could have wifey (or a wench as someone suggested) watch the ascents and descents and I'd know after the first few times where to start/stop. I still like using the PTO somehow though if I could gear it down with something and go two directions. Using the posthole digger's gearbox was just a quick idea since it seems to be geared down about right and I'd have plenty of power. Just not sure how to rig it so I can also unwind the cable. Maybe I could add a releasable shear pin and a brake on the cable for the unwinding direction to let the buggy down the hill....

 

[dusty3030]

Is there a decent sized tree at the bottom? Could rig up a sky line from top to bottom. ATV winch and bosun chair type setup.

 

[zzvyb6]

Get a couple of logs and make a decent raft on which to put the tools. Then get a couple of wenches to float it down the river to your site for you from a favorable launch site. When you are done, have them keep going and float it down to the next available landing site. Hope its not the Niagara river, though...

 

[Arkaybee]

The description below is one way it can be done and one that I have used.

Use a cat-head rig as in the attached picture/drawing.


Attach your "drum" (i.e. 8 inch dia. pipe) to the rear wheel of a vehicle (automobile or tractor)-- do not use a wheel rim which gives too much chance for binding of the rope and not allowing slipping of the rope on the crum which is critical. You will need a pipe or fulcrum or some-such device to smooth the transition from horizontal to vertical similar in concept to that shown in the attached picture. With the auto or tractor idling there will be sufficient power to accomplish the letting down or the lifting. I assume you will be letting the load slide on the side of the incline--much simpler that way.

A couple of buddies and I drilled water wells for each of us using such a rig with the pulley hung from a large timber across the top of two sections of scaffolding. The deepest well went about 90 feet.

With two or three wraps of a good hemp rope around the powered pipe on the rear wheel of the vehicle it is easy to operate. With an extra wrap or two we could hold the rope in our teeth and make it work. You just want to strictly avoid the rope wrapping on top of itself on the spinning drum or it may lock up and not release when you release the pull to let the load descend.

In your case you will let the rope take on the weight over the edge of the vertical slope and, with the rope already wrapped a couple of times around the drum, slowly release the tension on the rope and the load will descend down the slope. When the load reaches the bottom you will release the tension completely and let the rope slide off the drum. When you want to lift the load back up just wrap the appropriate number of wraps around the drum and tension the rope by pulling on the free end and keep pulling and coiling the rope off to the side until the load reaches the top of the incline and with a helper secure the load; or if the fulcrum/rope slide/pulley (on a tripod e.g.) is built properly you might not need a helper.

HTH

Arkaybee