What size chain should I use to pull large trees

[sendero]

Chains absolutely can snap back when they break!

When I was a teen I had a little MGB (Only for a short time, I could not keep this incredibly fun-to-drive beast running /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif). It had gone comatose and my brother was towing me home. His car did not idle too well, and he had to give it a little goose to keep it running. This tightened the tow chain quickly and it snapped and flew up into my windshield and left a series of nice spiderwebs on it.

Granted, the chain was abused by him pulling the slack out too fast - but since that time I am darn careful with chains.

 

[johndeere2210]

I lost the back window out of a 4640 when a chain broke that I was using to apply pressure to a large stump while my neighbor was pushing on the other side with his front blade. Don't use chains much anymore. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Tom4310]

I live in NE Oregon and my friends are loggers. I have done some logging on my 10 acres and use chokers, not chains. They are a cable (3/8", 1/2", 9/16") with a slide and ferrule on it. I use the small midget size and bought a 15' length. I use Bailey's which is online Bailey's Online

My neighbor logs his 500 acres using 5 of these chokers in different lengths connected to a dozer. They work great because the end is easy to slide under a downed tree and cinch down and tighten on the tree. Chains tend to come undone before you can get back on the tractor are next to impossible to slide under a downed tree. They are very, very hard to slide under a downed tree, especially in 12" of snow... /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

When you get to the Baileys site, go to "Wire rope, grappeling/chokers.

They are not expensive and cost $12 for a 10' in 9/16". You can get them to make up different lengths for you. They are easy to coil up and store and are much lighter than 20' of heavy tempered chain.

If you decide to use a chain, use tempered or hardened chain.

I attached a small picture of a choker that Bailey's sells. I have skidded 100' douglas fir trees with my 4x4 truck with my chokers. These trees are 25" at the butt and weigh about as much as my truck does.

Hope it helps and be safe. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Tom4310]

Forgot to attach the picture. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[_RaT_]

I'm with you.


"Get some gr70 or gr100(best) in 5/16 or 3/8 and that M9000 will never break it with a steady pull. I am using a L3830 useing 1/4" gr70 skidding 24" dia stuff. Its hard to break a chain with a steady pull but snapping it , they break easy. I have seen them strech on a steady pull."

Not to mention a heck of a lot more conveniant then the heavier chain and stiff cable. I have some 1/2" chain but always use the 3/8".

If you think a chain can snap, try a nylon strap, you have'nt seen (or heard) anything till you do. Just make sure you ease into tensioning the chain, if you have to snap it to move it, your tractors to small.

 

[_RaT_]

Tom, theres no question that a good cable set up is the best way to go. I don't drag trees and need the portability and convenience chain affords. If your really pulling trees, cable is what they use.

 

[stevenf]

rambler we are heating a 200 or so year old cabin solely with cheap wood stoves nothing fancy but we're in South Texas so its not the big deal it would be as if we were up north. I plan on mainly dragging trees down to the back of the cabin and cut them up to woodstove size chunks. Previously I've been using a Jeep with a 327" in it to pull a trailer around and cut the wood load the trailer and then drive to the house and unload the trailer. I'm just trying to cut out the load and unload by pulling trees to the house before cutting. Any pulling out of live trees will be done with caution as in order to pull a tree out I figure the line would have to be up in the tree to give leverage which puts the tree crashing down on the tractor. Someone mentioned in their post that chain would be hard to get around a fallen tree, most of our woodstove quality trees are oak, pecan, walnut and also most are pretty twisted as compared to the pictures of the pines and things that once fallen would or could be flat on the ground where you'd like to tie on at. I don't plan on yanking the trees around a whole lot just tying on and dragging them slowly to the house so I'll try the chain as I've already ordered it (in one solid continuos 30' length) and worse case if the trees present a problem with attachment I'll get a cable noose to slip under the tree and attach to the cable. Thanks to everyone for all their great ideas.
Steve

 

[KiotiJohn]

When practicable, I use the FEL to lift the end of the log to put my 3/8" chain around the log. Now, one has to be sure there is enough ballast on the rear, or it's coming up!
For felling trees, I use 3/4 and 1" braded nylon ropes, tie up as high as possible, tension the rope with the pulling vehicle (tractor or truck) and when the tree starts to go, it already has tension in the felling direction. To give a little boost to get past other branches on the way down, as soon as the tree starts to fall, the pulling vehicle is moved forward as fast as possible to give that extra momentum. Using pulleys to make the pull in the oposite direction keeps the vehicle out of the fall area. That is, if the cut is made right, there's not strong wind, and all goes well. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Anything can happen! John

 

[kensfarm]

"A close friend (veterinarian) lost his entire right hand "

Though this reply is off topic but it could help someone in emergency situations like this.. Task someone to find the severed body part. I had learned from helping at a skiing accident.. that putting severed body part in milk.. and keeping it cool.. will help preserve the tissue for re-attachement. (Ziploc bag w/ milk in it laid in a cooler w/ ice)

At the skiing accident.. the teenage girl had one of her ski's.. cut out a section of her mouth pallet.. teeth included.. the guy who got there before me was bent over throwing-up. The girl was awake.. sent one buddy for help.. the other dealt w/ her severed part. I put her mouth/tongue back together so she could close her mouth and we could apply pressure. A woman who showed up.. went and got her husband who was a facial surgeon to ride w/ her to the hospital. We never knew the outcome.. but we did our best to help her.

 

[slowzuki]

A note about the chain chokers, you can get them with a needle for threading under the log. And a note about winter, it is easier to get any choker under a tree in winter on the ground than in summer, you can dig a tunnel under!

Ken