Thanks for the pointers, I went and looked at it today and brought it home. I pressure washed the heck out of it and I’ve got it in the shop. The guy threw in a new wire as the one on the winch is in terrible shape. I’ll lube everything up, grease all the zeros and make a trip to tractor supply and get some pins for the lower links and get it on my tractor so I can wind the new wire onto the spool.
Wallenstein FX 8000 skidding winch questions
- Thread starter drysalty
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Gordon Gould
Super Member
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Your going to want to wind that new cable on under tension before you try pulling any wood. If you have some loose layers on the drum when you start a hard pull on a log it will pull the cable down into the the layers on the drum then tighten on itself. Could ruin your new cable. When that happens you can't pull the cable out by hand. You have to hook onto a stump or tree and drive away to get it unbound. You can put it on loose the first time but before you pull with it reel it all the way out and pull it back in under tension.
Also when you wind the cable on either have it layed out on the ground so it is free to untwist or put it on drum to drum like this. Putting it on wrong drum to drum will twist and kink it.
gg
Also when you wind the cable on either have it layed out on the ground so it is free to untwist or put it on drum to drum like this. Putting it on wrong drum to drum will twist and kink it.
gg
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Congratulations on your winch aquistion. Since you are getting ready to put on new cable here is a thought. Once you have it connected to the drum, leave about a 5' space and then paint about 10' red or orange or what ever bright color you have. That way if you are pulling out a lot of cable you will know when you are getting to the end.
Depending on your woods, a self releasing snatch block can be a worth its weight in gold. My woods are hilly and close quarters so it is very hard to get a straight pull. Once you start using your winch you will wonder how you got along without it.
Doug in SW IA
Depending on your woods, a self releasing snatch block can be a worth its weight in gold. My woods are hilly and close quarters so it is very hard to get a straight pull. Once you start using your winch you will wonder how you got along without it.
Doug in SW IA
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CobyRupert
Super Member
Congratulations. I find the winch to be the handiest attachment in the shed.
You’re going to want a few keyhole choker chain sliders on your knew cable, depending on the size of logs your cutting and how many logs you want to pull at once.
I wish that when I made up my choker chains, I’d used a c-hook choker chain hooks instead of regular slip hooks or slip hooks with a snap. The regular slip hooks can become unhooked too easily when there’s no initial tension unless you thoughtfully connect it so gravity applies a little initial tension. The snap on the snap hooks get bent up in a few uses.
Does your winch have an integral snatch block on it that redirects the cable down lower? This takes some of the force off your top link and puts more of the winching force into the tractor’s stronger lift arms and the blade resting on the ground. The flip side is that when pulling from a lower angle, there’s less lifting action on the front of the log that might make it clear a rock or stump and not get hung up.
Note that there’s a (IMHO) huge difference in the winch’s max. pulling force depending on if most of the cable is on the reel versus if most of the cable has been extended. (The wrapped cable essentially increases the “drum” diameter and lowers the pulling force.)
The max. pulling force difference might be 3:1 depending on how much cable is on the reel.
You’re going to want a few keyhole choker chain sliders on your knew cable, depending on the size of logs your cutting and how many logs you want to pull at once.
I wish that when I made up my choker chains, I’d used a c-hook choker chain hooks instead of regular slip hooks or slip hooks with a snap. The regular slip hooks can become unhooked too easily when there’s no initial tension unless you thoughtfully connect it so gravity applies a little initial tension. The snap on the snap hooks get bent up in a few uses.
Does your winch have an integral snatch block on it that redirects the cable down lower? This takes some of the force off your top link and puts more of the winching force into the tractor’s stronger lift arms and the blade resting on the ground. The flip side is that when pulling from a lower angle, there’s less lifting action on the front of the log that might make it clear a rock or stump and not get hung up.
Note that there’s a (IMHO) huge difference in the winch’s max. pulling force depending on if most of the cable is on the reel versus if most of the cable has been extended. (The wrapped cable essentially increases the “drum” diameter and lowers the pulling force.)
The max. pulling force difference might be 3:1 depending on how much cable is on the reel.
Thanks for the continued input, I’ll get a picture or two posted once I’ve finished going through it and get it on the tractor. I’m almost ready to wind the new cable on the drum, I stripped the old one off today and set the three sliders aside with some penetrating oil on the bolts, hopefully I can wind the nuts off and ease the transfer to the new cable. I spent today fixing the safety screen , it looked like it had been driven over, tomorrow I’ll weld on some new tabs to bolt the lower section to the winch A frame as these are MIA. then I’ll need to set the shaft up to work on my PTO and try it out.
This winch does have the snatch block lower on the frame, it’s actually adjustable in height by moving the pins to a different set of holes, there’s also a mounting point for a trailer ball that looks handy. It came with two chokers, they appear to be the “c” type, Initially I’ll have more sliders than chokers but I expect I’ll be short on PTO power to be pulling multiple logs anyway. I really like the idea of marking the last few feet of wire , thanks that’s a great idea! I do believe a snatch block or two is in my future, my property is a series of saddles, everything is either on a slope or in the saddle between two slopes. I’d love to hear opinions on the self releasing versus other styles. Self releasing seem really nice but from what I’ve seen they run about 300 clams which is going to have to wait since I just spent all my “toy money” on the winch I may have to go with a less expensive option at least to start.
This winch does have the snatch block lower on the frame, it’s actually adjustable in height by moving the pins to a different set of holes, there’s also a mounting point for a trailer ball that looks handy. It came with two chokers, they appear to be the “c” type, Initially I’ll have more sliders than chokers but I expect I’ll be short on PTO power to be pulling multiple logs anyway. I really like the idea of marking the last few feet of wire , thanks that’s a great idea! I do believe a snatch block or two is in my future, my property is a series of saddles, everything is either on a slope or in the saddle between two slopes. I’d love to hear opinions on the self releasing versus other styles. Self releasing seem really nice but from what I’ve seen they run about 300 clams which is going to have to wait since I just spent all my “toy money” on the winch I may have to go with a less expensive option at least to start.
Citydude
Elite Member
Congrats on a new work saver! It will serve you for many, many years.
One thing to add is start off feeling out at what engine RPM’s you are comfortable with. Start with lower RPM’s then adjust as needed.
One thing to add is start off feeling out at what engine RPM’s you are comfortable with. Start with lower RPM’s then adjust as needed.
Gordon Gould
Super Member
- Joined
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- NorthEastern, VT
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- Kubota L3010DT, Kubota M5640SUD, Dresser TD7G Dozer
CityDude is right - run at low RPMs. You don't get more pull by turning up the revs - deisel engines have pretty flat torque curves across the RPM band. Torque is what pulls the log in. Just run fast enough so you don't stall. On my 30 hp L3010 I like about 1500 RPM - that is just over idle.
Nothing wrong with going with the standard type snatch block. Especially if the toy fund is drained. I used regular blocks for years before I even heard of self releasing blocks. They work fine. It will give you a chance to get used to your winch and develop your working strategies on your wood lot. Then you can make a more informed decision on the value of a self releasing block based on how you like to work. When I use a standard snatch block I try to set it up so that I can winch in a couple or three trees to the block often one at a time and then I go down and take out the block and winch those that I bunched into the tractor in one twitch. Saves some steps and block rigging if you can bunch a couple trees that way.
gg
Nothing wrong with going with the standard type snatch block. Especially if the toy fund is drained. I used regular blocks for years before I even heard of self releasing blocks. They work fine. It will give you a chance to get used to your winch and develop your working strategies on your wood lot. Then you can make a more informed decision on the value of a self releasing block based on how you like to work. When I use a standard snatch block I try to set it up so that I can winch in a couple or three trees to the block often one at a time and then I go down and take out the block and winch those that I bunched into the tractor in one twitch. Saves some steps and block rigging if you can bunch a couple trees that way.
gg
dstig1
Super Member
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These logging winches are great. But they have some new safety issues that most people new to them are not aware of. Watch that cable for one. NEVER let it slide through your hand. One broken strand or something sticking out and you will have a hand sliced to the bone. You need to keep one eye on the log and the other on the tractor. You can start to flip the tractor in certain conditions faster than you might think.
But you will love what it can do.
But you will love what it can do.
hslogger
Platinum Member
After you get your new cable, "wire rope" layed correctly on your drum, dump some diesel and used motor oil on it. If you keep your cable lubed, it will work better and save better. Dry cable takes a beating. If you work slowly when drumming, you will keep your line wrapped right.
Around these parts the most dangerous piece of equipment in the woods is a farm tractor. Understand your limitations, don't try to exceed the limits of your gear and work safe. Listen to your little voice. If it remotely seems stupid, it probably is.
Around these parts the most dangerous piece of equipment in the woods is a farm tractor. Understand your limitations, don't try to exceed the limits of your gear and work safe. Listen to your little voice. If it remotely seems stupid, it probably is.
Again my thanks for the input from folks experienced with these winches. I had planned on working up from an idle when feeling out the use of this winch. I did a similar thing when learning the backhoe I bought this spring. Good advise on coating the wire, we called it “ slushing” the wire when I was at sea, I have a couple of jugs of waste oil in the flammable cabinet waiting to go to the recycle tank at the town barn, i’ll soak a rag in that and wipe the wire down when I lay it out before spooling it up. Any suggestions for spooling it up under load to get it wrapped tightly ? I read a suggestion in another thread to run the wire out and then leave the tractor in neutral and then winch the wire in using the tractor as the load. Seems like a reasonable plan, is there any better method?
