Electric Logging Winch Build with Pics

[Dakota]

With a big logging job coming up on my place,  it was time to make a better logging winch.  I liked the winch that bill m built.  I would like to thank bill for his advise that I received through email exchanges.  I used his ideas for my basic winch frame and added the things I needed.  Sooo...

I started by buying the metal I needed.  This is all scrap bought locally.  Cost was about $450.








Building the frame:







The outside of the frame meets the inner frame at 22.5 degrees













The butt plate is welded on:




The chain pocket covers are cut and installed:







I wanted to be able to haul a trailer when necessary so I installed a receiver:










Mounting the winch roller head:







deck/shelf for the electric winch:  I wanted a hydraulic winch,  but they were almost 3 times as expensive.



brace the deck: Love my new coffee cup.  Thanks Jeff.



Install the deck for the battery:



It's starting to look like something:  I got the sliders from our sponsor Bailey's.



Mount for the remote control:




I wanted to be able to quickly disconnect the battery and take it home in the evening while leaving the tractor in the woods, so I installed a quick disconnect for the battery.



Tacked on some mesh for safety.  With a little sandblasting and paint, it's ready for service.

The winch is a Warn 8,000.  I got it locally off craig list, new out of the box for $450.  So all in all, I probably have $1000 into this project.

Dakota

[Bill Gaiche]

Very nice and great photos. Let us have a peek with new paint and in action. bg

[treetech]

Looks like a nice rig Dakota! Good fabrication skills as well. Are you going to hook your chokers to anything or will the winch be able to take the strain when you are traveling?

[beenthere]

Looks like a good heavy duty fab job. Good to see it near finished.

When are you going to put it in action and what tractor is planned?

Maybe a PTO winch is in your future?

[Dakota]

treetech
Are you going to hook your chokers to anything or will the winch be able to take the strain when you are traveling?

they are hard to see, but there are three weld on hooks above the butt plate in the center and on the sides.

Beenthere
I will start logging with it in May.  My tractor is a Kubota L3010(30 hp).

[mad murdock]

 8) 8)Nice lookin' riggin' there Dakota, looks like you will be having some fun soon!

[chevytaHOE5674]

How are you going to charge the battery while winching?

The warn winch on my pickup will suck two Optima batteries dead in a couple minutes with the truck not running.....

[fishpharmer]

Well done fabricating job.  I am considering the build of a similar setup with an electric winch.  Looking forward to your progress.  Chevytahoe5674 brings up a good point about charging. I have had similar experiences of winches draining the batteries.

[Dakota]

As far as charging the battery, it will be hooked up to the charging system on the tractor.  In the past, I have been able to do quite a bit of winching with a stand alone system like this:




But , the winch I was using in the above picture was a small 2,500 lb.  I am sure the new 8,000 lb. winch will be a different story, thus the need to be hooked into the tractor charging system.

[shinnlinger]

YOu may want to check into your alternator, my Kubota charging system can't charge the battery if the lights are on at an idle.  My rig is a mid 80's and they may put a beefier unit in yours, but I am thinking an automotive unit in mine might be better.

Somebody on here claimed he ran an electric winch all day with (2) 6 volt deep cycle batteries wired in series.

Dave

[chevytaHOE5674]

The warn M8000 pulling a full 8000 lbs draws 435 amps and at 6k lbs draws 350 amps. That will suck a good battery dead in minutes or less. You will need a good alternator to keep the battery charged (which most tractors do not they are usually around 45 amps).

My truck has a 135 amp alternator and two optima batteries and on long heavy pulls I have to rev the truck up to 3-4k rpms (where the alternators puts out its rated 135 amps) and take breaks to let the batteries charge.

Though logs may not be that heavy (usually a few thousand pounds) dragging them across the ground and up hills adds a lot of drag to them this increase the load on the winch.

[pineywoods]

You probably won't be very happy with the electric winch. Pulls too much amperage from a battery to do any serious logging. That 8000 pound rating is for intermittent use only. Hydraulic winches are kinda expensive, but there is another way. Look around for a used pto type winch off a truck and hook up a hydraulic motor running off the tractor hydraulics. There are several threads on this forum, with pics.

[shinnlinger]

It would be a shame for that nice cage to go to waste....