What size chain should I use to pull large trees

SkyPup · Dec 15, 2004

Whatever you use, DO NOT use a nylon "Snatch-'Em" strap even if it is rated at 20,000 or 40,000 pounds.

A close friend (veterinarian) lost his entire right hand to one when it snapped and took it off his arm. He was dragging his horses water bucket across the pasture with his JD tractor using a nylon snatch-em strap when it snapped. We took him to the hospital and they asked if we had his hand so they could try to reattach it and we said no, it flew off 200-300 yards down the pasture and we later found it covered with ants (too late) .... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

stevenf · Dec 15, 2004

skypup now thats just gross! OK ya'll convinced me don't be playing around with a over 6000lb 90HP tractor with a 3/8" chain.
I have to relate my new story about going to get 1/2" system 7 chain good for 11,300lbs. I went to Alamo Iron Works a very large San Antonio Metal supplier a while ago after calling and confirming that they had 1/2" sys7 in stock. I went to the counter ordered 30' and paid them and they turned the order back into the shop to have it cut and brought up (now bear in mind when I called them they said they had 58' instock so 30' wouldn't be a problem. This pimply faced kid comes out of the back with a bag and said he had my chain ready was it OK if he gave me 32'. I thought about it, figuring theres a catch but said OK! why? He says he had to rummage around a little bit but the closest he could come up with was 32' = one piece 12', two pieces 4', one piece 5' and lastly one piece 7'. Then he smiles and said I can cut off 2' of one of them if you don't want it but I didn't know which one to cut. I'm sure I turned a little red at this point and the manager came over to keep me from killing him and informed me that they would call their supplier and have a single 30' piece delivered to me as soon as it gets there tommorrow.
Steve /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

beenthere · Dec 15, 2004

Hmm? I wonder what 32' of ½" chain in a bag would weigh? Was the 'pimply-faced' kid carrying that bag?

slowzuki · Dec 15, 2004

32' of 1/2" chain weighs a lot. I know cause I drug a bunch of it around last winter doing some logging.

Don't use 1/2" chain unless your logs are 4ft diameter. Your arms will thank you.

If you are working with lots of small logs say 12" or less, buy a 3/8" or 1/2" cable of good grade. Buy an appropriate number of chokers to grab the number of logs you want in each twich. I prefer chain chokers, they are 5/16" or so usually. Get the slide rings and stopper for the main cable.

You hitch up each long and pull, they all group together and ride along. The 8000lb or so 4wd tractor I used last winter would pull 1x3ft diameter x 40 ft long spruce in snow or about a dozen 12" x 30 ft long ones.

DON'T TRY AND YANK THEM OVER STUMPS! You can damage the tractor and you will break your line no matter no strong.

Line up your skids, if you are using a tree as a bumper make sure the butts of the logs are past it before pivoting because cables don't reverse well!

If you need to skid over a stump, cut it slopped so the logs don't fetch up.

DocHeb · Dec 15, 2004

At least you didn't get home, dump out the chain, and find it is really five pieces!

stevenf · Dec 15, 2004

beenthere 32' of 1/2" system 7 chain weighs about 76lbs. And the kid was a very big kid probably 18 or so with enough hardware in his face to have to avoid magnets or it'd rip half his face off his eyebrows,ears,nose and tongue woulda come right off. You really had to be there to see the look on the customer service guys face when James the pimply-faced kid said he didn't know which one to cut the two feet off of. It was hard to be mad, I figured any second somebody'd jump and say surprise your on candid camera.
Steve

btolle · Dec 15, 2004

( Whatever you use, DO NOT use a nylon "Snatch-'Em" strap even if it is rated at 20,000 or 40,000 pounds.)

He is right. A "snatch" strap will stretch and build up kinetic(?) energy.

Highland Group Industries "Vehicle Recovery Straps

Heavy duty tow straps designed to free stuck vehicles. Made with Power Web webbing with the ability to stretch up to 20%, then recoil back to "pop out" a stuck vehicle."

The vet was probably using one of those, it may have hung on something and when it broke the stored up energy was tremendous. Sort of like a rubber band that is stretched too tight and breaks.

Chain or aircraft cable is probably best because it will not stretch or store up energy.

Bill Tolle

penokee · Dec 15, 2004

stevenf
I use cable chokers rather then chains when skidding logs with my AC H3 crawler. At the landing it's easy to pull the cable from under the log. Planning to do some skiddding with my L3130 and trying to figure out a good/safe way to do it. Got some good advice on that procedure today from this Board.
penokee /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

rambler · Dec 15, 2004

( I'm sure I turned a little red at this point and the manager came over to keep me from killing him and informed me that they would call their supplier and have a single 30' piece delivered to me as soon as it gets there tommorrow.
Steve /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif )

Thank you so much for my chuckle of the day! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I'm not sure what is right, I don't want to advise someone into an unsafe situation.

I use 3/8" chain with my 85 hp tractor. I tend to not jerk anything, as I am usually pulling a stuck (combine, tractor, implement, fill-in-the-blank) out of the mud, but have pulled a few logs & such as well.

You said you plan to pull trees - do you mean out of the ground, or do you mean pull logs on the ground? If pulling trees out of the ground, you need to have a longer chain. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

--->Paul

Deerlope · Dec 15, 2004

I been skidding logs all my life, 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.