Tractor logging with winch

g_man · February 05, 2015, 08:06:27 AM

I like choker chains too. They are easy to work with and make all kinds of wraps and connections. Most of the time the end pin is enough to get under the log. When it isn't I made a choker grab hook to get under and pull the chain thru. It hangs right beside the peavey/cant hook.

gg

sawyerf250 · February 05, 2015, 08:39:08 AM

Go to the post that you want to quote. Click on the"Quote" button top right.
Then the entire quoted post will appear in the "Post reply" block. You can leave the entire quote in, or you can edits pieces out.

Reference bucket & saw.... you may want to consider a scabbard. Consider mounting it on your skidding winch screen.
[/quote]

Did the quote work? :-\

l have them on all my saws anyway.. don't just let the chain smash around in the bucket?! l unload most of my gear once l'm in the cut and l usually leave my two biggest saws in the woods once l'm there and only carry my small saw on the tractor next to my seat and 3 -point controls so l can either cut a branch out of the way on my trail or trim and top a little more on the yard.. often leave my tops small in the woods and top them bigger on the yard. Whatever species they are they all make good bonfire wood! lol

sawyerf250 · February 05, 2015, 08:42:56 AM

I have the screen and it fell apart. So I went back and got after them and they gave me a new one and I never put on. The best thing I like on it is the lock. Pull the tree up with one rope and pull the #2 rope and it locks the cable in place.

[/quote]

Yes that is another feature that l like about them.. l have really been thinking about getting the remote add-on for mine or selling it to a neighbor and getting a new one with the remote included. Wouldn't have to worry about the ropes then!? lol and you wouldn't have to walk back and forth so dang much either... Work smarter not harder?!!

thecfarm · February 05, 2015, 08:44:30 AM

I got this idea from bill m

I like my saw where I can see it.

sawyerf250 · February 05, 2015, 08:49:13 AM

Quote from: thecfarm on February 05, 2015, 08:44:30 AM
I got this idea from bill m

I like my saw where I can see it.

Ya l don't tote them around in the bucket when l'm working just while traveling to and from the woods... but it never fails that that is the time l wish l could scoop up some rocks and fill in a mud hole or do a little back dragging. lol l do like that idea though although l would mount mine on the top of the hood l think? But l also can't get too hog wild with the tractor mods either as we farm full time with it in the summer. l have it during spring and fall mostly..

waynem3020 · February 05, 2015, 12:33:13 PM

Hi, I too have a Wallenstein FX90 and really like it. I got an office job, but am always looking forward to skidding logs whenever I get chance!
Below are some pics of the tractor and winch.

chainsaw holder

and tool / glove / water bottle box

and my "remote control " ( in the top right corner of the picture) , which is simply a length of rope on a cord reel

thecfarm · February 05, 2015, 12:36:28 PM

waynem3020,looks good. I like to see wood behind a tractor.

sawyerf250 · February 05, 2015, 01:03:04 PM

l was curious as to what the reel was tied to your safety screen. So you "remote" is simply put just more rope so you have to walk less distance back and forth?

waynem3020 · February 06, 2015, 06:16:45 AM

Quote from: sawyerf250 on February 05, 2015, 01:03:04 PM
l was curious as to what the reel was tied to your safety screen. So you "remote" is simply put just more rope so you have to walk less distance back and forth?

Yep, that's all it is. I don't use it all that much but it sure is handy when I do need it.

furltech · February 06, 2015, 09:41:11 AM

I have been mulling around something in my head the last few days not sure if it will work or not .My forestry trailer has a small atv winch with a remote that works for about 50 feet i am wondering if a person could mount the winch on the top of the farmi and feed the cable in place of the rope and just engage the atv winch and it would engage the farmi. The biggest problem i see and it is a big one is the fact that the winch doesn't just reverse as soon as you let the remote go so if something happened it would not stop the farmi .And i am kinda big on the safety issue so i thought maybe with my germ of an idea someone else might have some ideas .

dsgsr · February 14, 2015, 06:29:08 PM

Ok, I'm upset. Have broken the cable on my Fransgard Winch twice in 1-month. Winch is brand new. Why is it breaking? it kinks easily. Is Fransgard using a cheap cable? I had a smaller Fransgard winch for 14-yrs and never had a problem with the cable until the 13th yr.

David

thecfarm · February 14, 2015, 08:00:53 PM

@dsgsr,new cable?? What size cable??I have broken mine a few times,but that was an old worn out cable. I had a ½ cable on mine,but was really too big for the spool. When I would release the cable it would become loose on the drum. Went back to 3/8 and worked the way it should.
I get my cable from Labonville. I replaced my 4-5 times. Mine is starting to get bad now.

Maine logger88 · February 14, 2015, 09:33:34 PM

dsgr be careful when those cables break sometimes they come back hard and there's not a lot of protection on a tractor winch

dsgsr · February 15, 2015, 07:48:30 AM

I think the size is about half inch. It says 11mm in the manual. My V4000 that I had was 9mm. I've told Hammond Tractor (where I bought it) To try and negotiate with Fransgard this time for a cable through Harolds Logging. The last time it broke ( just before all of this snow) this is where I was working.

Conditions were great, Now it's like this.

Thanks ML88 for heads up. On a hard pull I try to position the tractor so I can be standing behind a big tree when pulling the clutch rope.

David

Escavader · February 15, 2015, 12:25:02 PM

I'm in the market for a tractor and winch for some firewood harvesting under 20 cord per year . I currently only have a 23 horse kubota.i see some of you are running 30 horse ,do you think a 30 would be fine for my use? Flat ground mostly some rocks was thinking a front loader on it I priced a 40 horse and it scared me 33000 without winch
I'm using an atv and log arch now works good but no volumn plus I wanna travel 3 Miles to get to my wood lot rather than trailer it

rick f · February 15, 2015, 12:30:46 PM

That tractor should work fine, maybe not the biggest hitch of wood but it will do it. Just think of all the wood that was brought out with the old farmall's and 8n fords. Maybe slow but steady.

thecfarm · February 15, 2015, 04:27:26 PM

A 30 will do it. Reason I have a 40hp is because I use to work it hauling out some big pine. Now I use it to haul out some big rocks. ;D I hope you have better luck getting parts for your kubota than I did. The dealer in Dixfield and Auburn would have me waiting a week for part. A few times I was down for 2 weeks. :

I went back to NH and can have Dave drop off parts to me in 3 days. ;D A 3pt winch is pricey,but will last you for years. Get a 4 wheel drive and a loader. Both come in real handy in many ways. Once you get a winch,you will kick yourself for not getting one sooner. Get the ag tires too. The ones with the deep narrow cleats and get the rear tires loaded too.

Escavader · February 15, 2015, 06:49:23 PM

Rick I'd get a small one for my little kubota but didn't think id be happy I'm finding a lot of used kubota so around 30 hp with very low hours in the 15000 range
Cfarm
Im haven't needed a lot in 1800 hours on my little bota but I do go all over hammond tractor,union farm etc last spring I bought a self feeding chipper at union farm it's too big for my tractor to lift with the 3 point I use a come along to assist the lift the little diesel powers it fine though.. So in a nut shell I'm needing an additional tractor anyway I bought a wood lot on Zion's hill and I'd like to be able to drive what I buy from the house(I live next to Dave)I'm putting in a mill in next couple years where an old lane mill once was I'd like a tractor that could lift a small log too

thecfarm · February 15, 2015, 06:55:45 PM

A 30hp would have a hard time lifting logs,but rolling them onto a bed than the sawmill,would help out the little tractor. I have a 30hp that the wife uses to mow with. It's nice for the things that she does. I do use it in the winter for a rear mounted snow blower. That is about the only time I am allowed on it.

g_man · February 15, 2015, 07:59:47 PM

My Kubota L3010 is 30 HP and I do pretty good with it for firewood and spruce/fir. Of course I wish it was bigger sometimes. I have the LA482 loader so I can pick up a 800 lb or so log. So any big maple has to be short. Some Kubota loaders are even weaker so if that is important pay attention.

gg

Ed_K · February 15, 2015, 08:18:23 PM

David I'm wondering how your hooking to your log/tree? Are you using a grab hook on the end or slider past clips for the hook? I had trouble using the hook as the cable would slide down tight to the hook then start fraying. I now do my heavy pulling using a slide,have 4 of them on the cable and haven't had the cable break unless it was from having the log up tight to the winch plate and turn a sharp corner.

tapper2 · February 15, 2015, 08:36:48 PM

I have a farmi jl351p on my 1992 FORD 1720. I love the way it works and won't part with it ever. I also have a small skidder but the tractor/winch combo does less damage.

dsgsr · February 16, 2015, 08:04:08 AM

Quote from: tapper2 on February 15, 2015, 08:36:48 PM
I have a farmi jl351p on my 1992 FORD 1720. I love the way it works and won't part with it ever. I also have a small skidder but the tractor/winch combo does less damage.

Ed, I have 4-sliders.

David

47sawdust · February 16, 2015, 11:26:38 AM

Quote from: Escavader on February 15, 2015, 12:25:02 PM
I'm in the market for a tractor and winch for some firewood harvesting under 20 cord per year . I currently only have a 23 horse kubota.i see some of you are running 30 horse ,do you think a 30 would be fine for my use? Flat ground mostly some rocks was thinking a front loader on it I priced a 40 horse and it scared me 33000 without winch
I'm using an atv and log arch now works good but no volumn plus I wanna travel 3 Miles to get to my wood lot rather than trailer it

I started out with a Kubota L2550 4wd about 30hp.It did not have the loader capacity I needed.I sold it and got a 45hp L3750 with a loader capacity of a little over 2000#.It is a 1985 vintage and is a very well made tractor.I paid less than $9000.00 for it with about 2000hrs.The L4150 is the next size up,also an excellent tractor.Good tractors are out there and spring is not far away,people will be getting the itch to sell and trade.The larger tractors are a lot safer to do loader work with.
Good luck,
Mick

NHMike · February 16, 2015, 09:07:05 PM

I have a 24hp Kubota with a Farmi 251 winch. I have no issues logging with it. I have pulled some pretty good hitches with it, but just use common sense and don't push it.

I have 3 chockers on the line. You will be surprised at what it can pull. I have 40 acres and it is just about all hill. I am logging to improve the land, and also for my firewood business. I can't wait until spring gets here so I can get back out in the woods to cut & skid.