Where do you hook your chain for pulling trees?

[RaydaKub]

DianneInVA, you have all the right letters in your description, but that's one of the worst misspellings I've seen of Kubota in a long time.

I have yet to see anybody explain why there is a chain/cable/rope involved at all. There's a friggin' BH on the rear end. Why not use the darn thing?

 

[RaydaKub]

DianneInVA, you have all the right letters in your description, but that's one of the worst misspellings I've seen of Kubota in a long time.

I have yet to see anybody explain why there is a chain/cable/rope involved at all. There's a friggin' BH on the rear end. Why not use the darn thing?

 

[DarkBlack]

If I dig the roots somewhat out and pull high on the 12' foot tree still attached to the stump, they will come out fairly easy. Sometimes it takes a little yank, but they go. Pine trees have a very shallow root system. I don't see the catapult effect happening unless maybe the whole tree is still there, then I would say yes. There is just not enough weight left on the stump to have any bearing. Now the cable breaking...I could see that happening. I've pushed trees over with the FEL already, but I would rather pull instead of push. Again, I'm digging some of the roots out first depending on the tree size. My main concern is a good place to connect a cable to on the tractor itself while the BH is still attached.
Here is a picture of some of the trees I'm talking about. These, I pushed over with the FEL.
View attachment 395052

Being next to each other in a row like that, lets you use an old physics 'trick'. Chain or tie 2 trees together and double back your chain, or retie your pull point to the middle of the span you just created between the 2 trees to create a 'T" shape with your chains. It doubles your pull force on the tree(s).

 

[jaywdeee]

The best way to skid a tree or a log is to chain it to the 3 pt drawbar, not the swinging drawbar and pick the butt of the tree/log off the ground so as to PREVENT it from catching on a rock or a stump. If caught, as in dragging it, it could flip the tractor over backward before the operator can react!!! If you don't know how to hook the log use a choker that you can make up from the hardware in the TS store.

 

[Toolguy]

This is something I read about all the time on TBN. Please explain to me how pulling from the drawbar below the axle housing would cause a tractor to suddenly flip over backwards without warning if what you are pulling hits an obstruction. In my experience the tractor just stops and either stalls or spins the wheels. I do agree with pulling from a drawbar between the 3pth arms and raising the log off the ground. It transfers weight to the rear wheels for more traction by doing that and it lessens the likelihood of catching the front of the log on something. Even with the 3pth raised the pull is still from below the axle. In the unlikely event that the front of the tractor comes up off the ground, the forces causing the front to raise are offset by the pull point trying to pull it back down. Now, all bets are off if your pulling point is even with or above the rear axle. That is why you should never pull from a chain wrapped around the axle housing or from the top link of the 3pth. Always pull slowly at a low throttle setting so if something does get caught there is not enough speed involved to make things happen suddenly, without warning. Good luck.

 

[Toolguy]

This is something I read about all the time on TBN. Please explain to me how pulling from the drawbar below the axle housing would cause a tractor to suddenly flip over backwards without warning if what you are pulling hits an obstruction. In my experience the tractor just stops and either stalls or spins the wheels. I do agree with pulling from a drawbar between the 3pth arms and raising the log off the ground. It transfers weight to the rear wheels for more traction by doing that and it lessens the likelihood of catching the front of the log on something. Even with the 3pth raised the pull is still from below the axle. In the unlikely event that the front of the tractor comes up off the ground, the forces causing the front to raise are offset by the pull point trying to pull it back down. Now, all bets are off if your pulling point is even with or above the rear axle. That is why you should never pull from a chain wrapped around the axle housing or from the top link of the 3pth. Always pull slowly at a low throttle setting so if something does get caught there is not enough speed involved to make things happen suddenly, without warning. Good luck.

 

[AchingBack]

There is a good reason loggers use wire rope and not chains. A cable is much safer and less likely to break.

 

[Fallon]

There is a good reason loggers use wire rope and not chains. A cable is much safer and less likely to break.

Actually the main reason loggers use wire rather than chain is it's compatibility with pulleys. Especially when not under tension & running horizontally you can do stuff with wire you can't with chain.

 

[AchingBack]

Actually the main reason loggers use wire rather than chain is it's compatibility with pulleys. Especially when not under tension & running horizontally you can do stuff with wire you can't with chain.

Exactly!

 

[Egon]

You can tell when a cable has been over stressed by visual inspection. Can't do that with chain.

 

[Baby Grand]

Actually the main reason loggers use wire rather than chain is it's compatibility with pulleys. Especially when not under tension & running horizontally you can do stuff with wire you can't with chain.

Yep - when pulling on trees a snatch block can be your best friend.
A snatch block is nearly impossible to rig if you're pulling the load with a chain.

 

[jaywdeee]

Yup, it would be nearly impossible to flip the tractor if the pull point was below the horizontal centerline of the rear axle. I knew of a local young man who was skidding logs and his tractor did flip backwards and pinned him. He did not survive. I suspect that he somehow was pulling from a point above the centerline of that axle. We all should be aware of that possibility. No ROPS on his old tractor.

 

[idaho181]

I use the draw-bar with a clevis. Only once did I use it for a standing tree. Had a wind blown "widow maker" that was detached from the stump. Pulling a standing tree is another deal entirely. I do pull downed trees up out of our draw with the L4600 and it's surprising how well it works on some decent diameter logs. Be safe and feel what the tractor is telling you. ROPS always.

 

[footloose64]

I throw a string with a weight as high up the tree as I can, before I cut anything, say 20'-25' up, then haul a 3/4" poly rope up there. Then I dig out the roots on the back side, and uproot the tree easily from 100' away. With leverage that good, I don't worry about damaging my FEL. A pulley connected to another tree works when you can't get the tractor in position where you want the tree to fall. Even once had my grandson back the tractor to fell the tree, thrilling for him!