Moving Logs with Tractor

[Bronco]

Howdy:

I've been looking for plans to build a bracket that would enable me to attach a set of log tongs to my 3-point  I have a good friend who can weld anthing I can get on paper.   The primary use of would be dragging logs out of the woods to my building site for peeling and drying.  I'll be using my Kubota 29XX (cant remember the actual model off hand).   I am pretty green when it comes to tractors and just learing about all the wonderful things I can do with her.  I did search this website for "tractor log tongs" and it seems that I'm not alone in thinking this would be a good way to go but I haven't found much in the way of details.

Also came across this guy on the 'net: http://www.mammothwoodproducts.com/gallery.html  Any thoughts would be appreciated. 

The few local tractor dealers I've talked to aren't very helpful with my request either.  They usually give me the deer in the headlights look so either I'm not speaking thier language or this is a typically home made item ???

[rbjones03]

Take a look at the FARMI-Winch. It works off the 3 point hitch and the PTO for Skidding logs.

http://www.valby.biz/newpage1.htm

Be really careful when skidding anything with  a tractor in the woods. They can be unstable and top heavy increasing your chance of a roll over. Don't ever get crossways on a hillside.

Be Safe.

[Tom]

no need to build anything too fancy.   I use a "tool bar" and they are readily available.  I did build myself one that is a little heavier than usual and put a little larger hole in it for the skid hook, but it is no differently designed than the commercially made ones.

All it is is a piece of bar that is about 3/4" to 1" thick and 3" or 4' wide and as long as the distance between the lower links on the tractor.  It has ends welded to it that fit the holes in the lower link and has holes for clinch pins.  Hang the skidhook from the bar, raise the front of the log an inch or two off of the ground and pull.

Your biggest concern is that you don't let the weight of the log get above the axle.  You could turn the tractor over.   To help to stop this, run a short piece of chain from the tow-bar to the top of the skid hook.  The hydraulic bottom link on the tractor does the lifting and the pull bar (which is down low) does the pulling.

Some folks build a boom to put on the 3 point hitch.  they are handy around the mill but can be dangerous for skidding.

[Fla._Deadheader]

More important is getting hung on a stump. That 3 point will allow the tractor to rear up and fall on you. I always kept my hand on the 3 point lever and my foot on the clutch.  BE CAREFUL.  I used Tom's idea. Bolt the tongs to the bar, loosely.

[JP]

Here is a picture of the 3 pt hitch log carrier I use with a Norwood grapple.  JP

see last pic at :

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=4231442&a=31354963

[Bronco]

Hey tom, that sounds like what I was thinking of and hoping for.  8) I don't understand why the local farm implement guys wouldnt suggest such a commonly used component.   

Thanks for the other tips on operating on slopes, I cut in a road this spring to my building site and have noticed I've developed the same habit of keeping one hand on the 3 point lever and my foot on the clutch.  I always wear my seatbelt and keep an extra pair of shorts in my toolbox.  ;)

I did look at the farmi winches a while back and it seems like the safest option but, also probably overkill for dragging a few logs around this winter. 

[Bronco]

Here is a picture of the 3 pt hitch log carrier I use with a Norwood grapple.  JP

see last pic at :

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=4231442&a=31354963

Thanks for the picture, I may try to do something like that.    I'd better get to work!

[beenthere]

Bronco
Two ways I've done it, both simple.


and now with tongs

[Fla._Deadheader]

      Very dangerous. Not telling anyone how to do it, but, not me !!!!!!!!!

  I've seen 65 HP tractors rear up .

[Tom]

beenthere,
The problem with doing it that way is that the skid hook is hooked to the top link.  that gets the fulcrum way above the axle.   It's safer to hook to the lower links where you stand a better chance of keeping the fulcrum at or below the axle.   There is less chance of turnover that way.

Putting that short chain from the skid hook to the tow-bar helps even more.

[beenthere]

More important is getting hung on a stump. That 3 point will allow the tractor to rear up and fall on you. I always kept my hand on the 3 point lever and my foot on the clutch.  BE CAREFUL.  I used Tom's idea. Bolt the tongs to the bar, loosely.

I agree with you FDH, but I don't think as dangerous as diving for logs, but then just my opinion.  

One needs to just pull trimmed logs (no hanging stubs), go at a slow speed, and keep the hand on the 3pt lift and be ready to stop. Any backwards flipping will be only as fast as the forward motion, and when the front wheels rare up, I let the log down or stop (happens seldom as I now run with the front end loader on the tractor and there is enough weight that there is not a problem - the wheels spin before the front end comes up). But racing out of the woods with a log carried this way is not good, IMO.

I like this method as the log is mostly in the air and except for the tail end, it is out of the dirt and there is good traction on the rear wheels. Keep the tractor in low gear and it should work well.  

[Fla._Deadheader]

Touch'e there Beenthere  ;D :D 

  Man said he wasn't 'sperensed, so, thought I'd give him a little food for thought.

  I'va dragged MANY logs out with a tractor. Same way as described. Never had a real problem. Lucky i'd guess.

[floyd]

one would hope one has enough sense to add some weight to the front of the tractor

[beenthere]

Yes FDH (soon to be CRDH), I caught that 'in-xperienced' comment too, but then bronco talked about having his hand on the 3pt and foot on the clutch - so decided to send him pics of a cheap way to do it. He can decide given the other wise and experienced comments and warnings. 

But, things can happen. I was helping a friend of mine use this technique once, and had constantly been told of all his 'jet plane flying' experiences. After instructions on what to do and several days of pulling out logs, he was pulling a couple logs out of some thick brush and up a hill with his 555 Oliver.  I saw the logs catch on something, and wached as the front end started to rise on the tractor. This guy didn't lower the 3pt, and didn't put in the clutch. He got bug-eyed, then stood up, and jumped off the tractor (I think he was looking for the ejection seat button, but couldn't find it :D). The tractors front end just kept rising up (low gear, idle engine) so I stepped over and turned the key off. It stopped with the front wheels about 4 ft off the ground. I pushed down on the clutch and it settled back to the ground.  So, ater all that training of what to do - he just panicked and dove off.  
(We bought a John Deere crawler (420) after that and used it for his logging on that hillside.   )

Some people put a chain around the raised log and cinch it to the tractor drawbar to do the pulling (let the tongs do the lifting) and that takes away some of the tendancy to want to make the front end light.  Years back a couple of us would ride the hood and front wheels of the 8N Ford to get some big logs out of ditches or ravines. Wild (and foolish)  :

[Tom]

Weight on the front helps steering but the most important part is how you hook the load, I think.  It's the where you hook the load that can get you killed.  

Here is a link to another idea for skidding.     Skidding Cone

[RMay]

This is my log mover

[MULE_MAN]

There is several ways to move logs with a Farm Tractor or even Backhoe
But I think the main thing, is use common sense & go slow on your larger
logs. My 2 cents is the heavy the log ,the closer to the ground I keep in
when hauling. And like Harold said I have my hand on the hydraulic at all
times & ready to drop if need be .

[Woodhog]

Around here when the horse left the woods it was replaced with Massey Ferguson 35/135
type tractors...
Most all the logs were skidded out on the tractors own 3 pt hitch drawbar...

All you need to get started with no manufacturing work is as many of these drawbar
grab hooks as you want to populate your drawbar with...you just pin them to the holes already in your drawbar...(tie the pin hooks with wire)

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=6970&productId=390612&R=390612


Buy some of these logging winch chains..

http://www.northeastimplement.com/newpage14.htm

Get this open hook type as the closed ring type a a real pain to unhook at the landing....

Skid with the small end of the  log length hooked to the drawbar, this will get the
end further off the ground and help keep it from getting hung up...

Follow all the good advice given on safety..

Farm tractors can roll over very easy in thewoods not only pulling a load, if you already have a
lean on and the other wheel rolls over a stump or rock it may just be enough to upset you sideways also...

Also you may have to protect the tractor also , it should have a skid plate a roll over bar/cage,
radiator protection or you will have to be super carefull and have eyes in the back of your
head not to break something on the machine...

A broken axle/transmission busted etc and you may as well buy the logs delivered or have someone else skid them for you...


Also be real carefull of your tires for pucture, cut small stumps flat and low...watch for sharp rocks... the list goes on and on.....if it is wet area you should have chains on the rear wheels.
these will also protect the tires from rock cuts....

Good luck and have fun...

[Ed]

I use a homemade boom pole & tongs. I usually try to heel the log & carry it out to minimize damage. These were just to DanG big.

Ed

[Murf]

One of the big things you have to be careful with is pulling a log by the 3PTH.

The bottom two (lower) links, the arms are designed to take a load pulling, but the upper link point. They are not meant to take anything more than the weight of an implement hanging from them.

The shock load of a moving tractor and log being stopped by that poor little bracket is often too much.

I've seen more than one tractor with the upper link bracket torn right out of the rear end.

Besides, as has already been mentioned, a tractor will roll back over in a split second if it snags while pulling from anything above the axle's centerline.

Better safe than very, very sorry.......  :

[treeboy]

Thanks for the ideas guys, your all just full of info. I am planning on buying a tractor soon for haulin logs. Can't you just use choker cable though? The logs I'm after are less than 18" and I have old skider trails to use. We were just using a truck to move the smaller one a few weeks ago, so it seems doable.

[WH_Conley]

I have been using a hook on the drawbar, farm supply store, and two chokers at a time for years.

[beenthere]

Treeboy
Yep, that works if you don't mind all that rock, gravel, dirt, mud packed into the bark just waiting for a sharp tooth to try to get through it, be it a band saw tooth, a circle saw tooth, or a chain saw tooth.    A good debarker will knock all that off before sawing.  That along with the harder pull when the nose is in the dirt, and the conditon it leaves the skid trails in.
Just not the way I prefer to do it, but whatever works for you to get R dun..

[routestep]

Just for the record

My JD 990 has a front end loader with a bail. I wrap a chain around the log and the other end through the bail and drag the log. With a short chain the log will lift up a little.

[Lud]

Log too high too close to the tractor could be real trouble.  I solved the puzzle for short pulls by putting a mast  to hang my snatch block on the back end of the blade.  I can get lift with winch and with hydraulics but no tipback.


But dragging them thru the dirt isn't good either so I built this guy out of an old disc frame:


Which is great for the half mile run up to the mill, back it over and load right to the mill but I'm looking for the niche sled that I can slide it out of the woods easy out to where I can pick it up.  I'm thinking about a "sled" out of sheet metal so it would only pack the path and keep the log clean.