Winch Advice

[campy]

Greetings:

We are looking for a winch to help us bring logs back to our mill.

The idea is to use my dual axel trailer with tire ramps to transport saw logs.

I would back up to the log and put down the metal ramps and tug the log up the ramps into the trailer.

I am thinking of anchoring the winch between the trailer and the truck.

The winch I am considering buying is a Harbor Freight 12,000 pound winch for $399.
The company that makes it is called Badland Winches.

[beenthere]

Keep in mind that the log coming onto the rear of the trailer lifts the tongue. We lost a very good member when this happened to him, causing his Suburban/trailer to lose rear tire traction (in Park) and take off down the road. He was caught under the trailer and dragged along to his death. The ramps may include the blocks that keep the trailer from lifting up the tongue.

RIP MarkM.  May we learn from your tragedy.

[medic]

Campy
#1.  Think long and hard about getting a winch from Harbor Freight.  I've got one of the 8,000 pounders that I use for the same thing you're wanting to.  The winch starts off ok but if I try to load more than one or two pretty good size logs from the back it hits a thermal overload and shuts down. 
#2.  To minimize the problems I encountered  winching logs up a ramp at the back of the trailer I've starting 'parbucking' logs up over the side of the trailer (which I learned about on the F.F.).  Rolling logs up over the side of the trailer seems to be easier on the winch than dragging them up a ramp at the back of the trailer.
My $0.02
scott

[DanG]

I wouldn't be afraid of that winch as long as I had the unlimited warranty you can buy with it.  HF is really good about replacing things under warranty.  As Medic said, use a method that gives you more mechanical advantage.  Parbuckling seems to be the slickest method, as the log becomes a rolling load. ;)

[kelLOGg]

I agree about parbuckling over the side. I, too, learned of it on the FF. I rolled a 3300 pound post oak via a 1500 pound pull Rule Winch up ramps on the side of my trailer.  Got pics but haven't had time to upload them to the gallery.

Bob

[kelLOGg]

Ok, I just uploaded it. The outside chain lines are static lines for securing the log while I run the winch out to restart the pull. That's sort of a drag but necessary for small pull winches.

[Magicman]

Parbuckle (cross-haul) for sure.  I use a 8K Mile Marker.  Here are several examples.

[sst04]

I am going to rig my trailer just like Magicman has his. 

I have the 8000lb version of the winch you are going to buy, mine is a Chicago Electric. It was 319$ then.

I bought it a couple of years ago to haul off junk cars for a friend of mine.  I ended up hauling about 40 cars.

Pulled everyone of them on my trailer with this winch, Using a snatch Block of course, sometimes two.  Most of the cars had no wheels on them, just spindles and a couple weighed over 4000lbs.  Looked like a tractor had been through there after I skidded one on my trailer.   What I am getting at is that mine has been an excellent winch, Partly because I used the snatch blocks and did not strain the winch.  Yes It would have probably moved the cars without the blocks, but I needed it to last. 

12000lb might be a little big, but might as well since it is not much more than the smaller ones.


Til I get everything set up, I have been using the 1500lb winch on my 4wheeler to get the logs onto the mill.  It strains a little but does not try to drag the 4 wheeler, but the biggest log so far I pulled with it was a 21in 18ft pine.

[carykong]

Yes to parbuckle.  If my FEL is not available,thats how I load logs onto my woodmizer LT25 saw bed.  It is amazing how much log you can load with ramps ,a rolling log,and a cable wrapped over the top of the log and back to the saw bed. Don't need a power winch. Just the factory manual winch that came with the mill. Black coffee and advil helps ,too.

[mikeb1079]

one thing that hasn't been mentioned is that make sure your snatch blocks are rated at or above your winch rating.  don't use a 750lb snatch block with a 10k winch.  you can turn it into a missile.  good way to kill someone.

[Jeremy2200]

I just ordered a winch through warn. They offer one right now with a mail in rebate. After the rebate the winch is only $399 for an 8000# warn winch. In my opinion a warn winch speaks for itself

[Magicman]

Notice that I have a short chain e/w a hook for the block on each side of the trailer.  The ramps will fit either side.  That way, I can easily load from either side.  It probably would be better if the winch was located higher, but mine works fine.