winch and trailer to load logs

Jerry · January 06, 2009, 09:32:50 AM

I have a 10,000 lb harbor freight winch mounted in back of my truck. Made a bracket to take the place of my 5th wheel setup. I use a homemade arch that probably cost about $400 use a snatchblock on the arch and pick the logs up one end at a time. I hauled a white oak log that was 34" in diameter and 20ft long had no problem picking it up and bringing it home. Just a thought instead of a trailer for logs that are close and to move them around the mill area. If you dont have a big operation. I am just cutting for myself and a few of my friends. I have been retired for 4 years . Love to saw but don't want to get in a hurry like to take my time if I don't saw but 1 log a day.

DanG · January 06, 2009, 02:41:08 PM

Quote from: Jerry on January 06, 2009, 09:32:50 AM
Love to saw but don't want to get in a hurry like to take my time if I don't saw but 1 log a day.

Keep workin' at it Jerry, and you'll eventually get the hang of this retirement thing. I sawed half of a log Sunday and ran out of gas. Went and got gas yesterday, then sawed the other half log this morning. I think I'll take a nap now. ;D 8) 8)

Papa1stuff · January 06, 2009, 02:42:52 PM

;D ;D ;D ;D

bck · January 06, 2009, 11:52:26 PM

Anybody using a hydraulic winch on a trailer ? How are you running it ? Did you build a hydraulic system on the trailer ??? From what I read they are designed to run on a trucks power steering pump.

DanG · January 07, 2009, 12:12:38 AM

bck, the Milemarker winches do run off the truck's PS pump. As far as I know, they're the only ones that do. My winch is mounted behind the cab of my truck, and cannot be removed without disrupting the power steering. The electric solenoids that control it are mounted on the winch itself, and the PS fluid circulates through them all the time. Since I got mine, they have come out with a different system, where the solenoids can be mounted under the hood of the truck, and the hoses going to the winch are not pressurized unless you are using it. This enables you to put quick-disconnect fittings on it and move or remove it. If you can think of those hydraulic lines in the way you would an electrical circuit, the old way was a series circuit, and the new way is a parallel circuit. With the new way, you could easily mount one on your trailer, and just unplug it like you do your lights. ;)

backwoods sawyer · January 07, 2009, 06:16:51 AM

Not all hydraulic winches run off the power steering pump. I had a Ramsey 12,000 lb that the pump mounted on the side of the trany. It had a 4-gallon reservoir that I mounted under the bed, right behind the cab. I mounted that winch inside the frame on the back of the 1-ton truck. When I got the winch, the gear in the pump was right angled for a Chevy trany. Therefore, I had to change the gear to a left angle to mount it on a ford trany.

The reason I mounted the winch on the back of the truck was that the truck was built for mud running, and it takes 50% less pull to winch out thru the tracks that you made then it dose to create new tracks. I rigged up some heavy hangers under the truck that I could hang cable in for when I needed to pull from the front.

In my opinion the hydraulic winches way out perform electric winches. I have seen more cables over heat than I have hoses blow. If you plan to work your winch, be sure to build a heavy roller frame. I have seen the light rollers that come with the winch go flying the first time the winch was used.

bandmiller2 · January 07, 2009, 06:48:55 AM

Hydraulic winches,If a fella is serious you can mount a hyd. pump with a magnetic clutch off your fan belt,not only use it for the winch but plow and dump body.My old 1 ton ford I ran the pump from trans. pto for dump, winch, and rear firewood loader.With a good long cable you can back the trailer agenst a tree and do some serious yarding.Frank C.

DanG · January 07, 2009, 08:51:32 AM

Those belt driven, engine mounted pumps seem like a good way to go, but it is difficult to install them these days with the serpentine belts. :

bck · January 07, 2009, 03:03:49 PM

Its fustrating to run out of battery before you get all the logs loaded, happened to me again this week. It's usually not a problem but if I have to drag the logs any distance the battery I have just wont hold up long enough. Plus the electric limits me to one load a day.
I hadnt thought about quick disconnects, like what the jaws-of-life use ?? Guess that would be the easiest and cheapest.
If I switch over maybe I can fix the other fustrating thing about the way I load logs. My winch is mounted solid to the trailer and that means I can only load the trailer from the passenger side. Wonder if instead of the winch mounted on one side of the trailer , I could mount it on the truck and use something like a 3x3x1/4" steel tube with a shackle that could be moved to either side ? Run the cable through the shackle to roll the logs up the ramp? Or instead of a shackle use a roller fairlead ? Think the cable could take the 90degree bend long?

fishpharmer · January 07, 2009, 03:32:14 PM

SCSawyer I like your homemade mill.

I don't know a whole lot about this stuff but I would stay away from the small four wheeler type winches. They have plastic gears. They can strip and kill you.

Also, another trailer idea. Not sure how it will turn out, I got an old pole trailer from a power company. I don't know what its rated for but it has dual tires and heavy leaf springs. I got it cheap.

my $.02
jdphish

metalspinner · January 07, 2009, 04:07:12 PM

BCK,
I understand your frustration totally about the electric winch limitations. :(

I mounted my winch on the front of the trailer and use a snatch block on either side as needed to parbuckle logs up. If pulling a smaller log up the back end of the trailer, I may need to use the snatch along the side of the trailer to help direct the angle of pull.

Fla._Deadheader · January 08, 2009, 08:16:02 AM

Loading Arch, nice load of 1400 bd/ft of soaking wet cypress and Pine, from the river. 12V deep cycle battery in the neck of the trailer, and, 8000# Warn Winch mounted in the neck of the trailer. Took about 1 hour to load, and 3 loads a day was done several times, once we got the mill, and cut travel time.

The arch helps to drag the logs off the ground a little, to save from tearing up the yards. Build a Low wheel Log Retriever, and take the strain off the winch. Load it ON the Trailer to go get logs, and load it ON the logs, to go home, all using the Arch.
It ain't difficult to do.

Wired the power to charge the battery right from the trailer socket on the truck. Ran #10 wire to the battery. Battery would charge from the truck as we traveled to the river and back.

Hydraulic is nice. Electric cost $600.00 including Winch, Battery, and wiring ???

Trailer might be for sale. Contact Oakiemac.

Ironwood · January 08, 2009, 08:48:19 AM

FLADH,

Hey, up north here we use tires on our wheels ;D Good pics.

Ironwood

Fla._Deadheader · January 08, 2009, 11:14:21 AM

That was what we had laying around. Only needed it for 2 days. :

;D ;D

Stephen1 · January 08, 2009, 12:11:34 PM

my guess is it turns right real easy :D :D

Ironwood · January 10, 2009, 02:09:32 PM

FLADH,

That trailer was 1/2 Amish, 1/2 English that's all!!! That is a very rare thing down there, but common round Pa and Ohio. :D ;D (came up with that one all on my own too :

)

Fla._Deadheader · January 10, 2009, 02:34:18 PM

Reid, that small wheel device was in Florida. We got some "free" logs, and had to drag them 75 yards, from behind a house. Don't know if you saw the part of the arch we built for our smaller trailer, just like the one on the big trailer.

We used a boat Trailer "Super winch" on that trailer. :

:

;D ;D ;D

379hammerdown · February 08, 2009, 10:10:05 PM

This setup has worked great for me, and I no longer need to bring a tractor with me to get logs. I have an 8000lb winch mounted in the bed of my pickup, and the cable runs down to a snatch block in the middle of the trailer and then across and down the opposite side, over the log, back under it, and attaches to the middle of a chain. Both sides of the chain are attached to the sides of the trailer with a span of about 5 feet. I also have ramps down the side that the log rolls up and into the trailer using the winch power, just like some others have explained. I've loaded some REAL big logs and though the winch may strain... I've been successful every time. My only suggestion is to load your smaller logs first, so you're big log's don't have as far to fall and slam into your trailer... if you have one similar to mine.

Here are some I loaded this morning using this method:

kelLOGg · May 09, 2009, 06:28:37 AM

This thread has lots of good info for the log loading I need for salvaging logs. But I need more info on the trailers you guys use. I'm thinking of a setup like 379hammerdown has. It he uses a landscape trailer and I have been thinking of the same - 2 axles w/ brakes. I don't need to haul heavy loads - probably 5000 - 6000 lbs (including the trailer weight). Do landscape trailer side rails hold up to loading as Hammerdown shows? Any other info on trailers for small scale log hauling would be great.
Bob

bandmiller2 · May 09, 2009, 07:49:04 AM

Bob,its good form to beef up the sides of the trailer your going to roll the logs up,and make up attachments for the ramps to hook to.Myself I have a small but heavy tilt bed trailer and pull them over the fantail,usally with a come-along no batteries to worry about.Have a very heavy attachment at the front of the trailer and can haul a couple of good logs behind my f-150.Frank C.

379hammerdown · May 09, 2009, 08:14:03 AM

Quote from: kelLOGg on May 09, 2009, 06:28:37 AM
This thread has lots of good info for the log loading I need for salvaging logs. But I need more info on the trailers you guys use. I'm thinking of a setup like 379hammerdown has. It he uses a landscape trailer and I have been thinking of the same - 2 axles w/ brakes. I don't need to haul heavy loads - probably 5000 - 6000 lbs (including the trailer weight). Do landscape trailer side rails hold up to loading as Hammerdown shows? Any other info on trailers for small scale log hauling would be great.
Bob

Hi,

My trailer that is pictured is a pipe top and its held up extremely well with NO modifications. If it was an angle iron top... then it would need a lot off beefing up.

You mention that you'd only need a trailer with a capacity of 5 - 6k.... meaning two 3500lb axles. I said the same exact thing when I purchased this trailer just for doing this. That was a mistake.

I PROMISE you, 5200lb axles as a minimum will save you a LOT of stress. I actually went and removed my 3500lb axles and replaced them with two 7000lb axles along with 10 ply tires. I wont actually put 14000lbs on there... but I KNOW that I was exceeding the capacity of the original trailer with pretty much every load.

What prompted me to put the higher capacity axles on there? Getting the last load from somewhere... there was one log left. I knew I was very close to max weight... but didn't want to come back so I load it on up too. I figured I'd drive slow... Well, a few miles down the road, when one tire blew, broke all the lugs and rolled away... I was regretting that decision as I puckered up my backside. Luckily I was able to keep the whole thing straight and coast to a stop... but it was REAL close to being a wreck. A few extra bucks when I bought the trailer would have prevented that... Please keep that in mind!

Keith

pineywoods · May 09, 2009, 09:28:04 AM

you will find most guys load logs up a set of ramps and over the side. Kinda rough on the trailer. Another way you might consider is skidding the log lengthwise up the back of the trailer. I have a winch on the front bumper of my pickup, added a trailer hitch on the front. Hook the trailer to the front of the truck, then it's real easy to maneuver the back end of the trailer to the end of the log. Use the winch to skid the log endwise up on the trailer. To get the log up on the trailer, either use a ramp or better yet build an arch up about 4 feet high across the back of the trailer. Attach a pulley and run the winch cable through it. There's some posts on here somewhere about a DanG Deadheader loader. Use the search function to find it.

metalspinner · May 09, 2009, 09:45:49 AM

Kellogg,
If you're starting from scratch, I would keep my eyes open for a deck over the wheels type trailer. It makes unloading logs just as easy as loading them. Plus, loading/unloading pallets and such with fork lifts from the side is possible. The higher deck means the center of gravity is higher, which feels a little different with a tall load, but I haven't had any troubles yet.

Another thing I like about my trailer is that it's only twelve feet long. Lots of my logs come from back yards and tight spaces. This makes manuvering around easier than with a 16 footer. Plus, I cut all my logs shorter than 12' anyway.
One feature I would like to add are some legs that drop down from the rear for when I dead pull big logs up the back. This would put less strain on the tongue. Now, I just use a block of wood to keep the back end up.

jim blodgett · May 09, 2009, 10:22:49 AM

There are lots of great methods for loading logs in this thread. Many thanks from a rookie log handler.

But you folks who winch these heavy logs up onto your trailers with high sides - how do you get the logs out when you get home?

kelLOGg · May 09, 2009, 06:08:39 PM

Thanks for the feedback. It gave me enough to chew on to make my plans. I know will get (or make) a 12 foot trailer because I foresee manuvering in tight spaces too. I've been known to haul a log as as short as 4 feet. (In fact my photo on the FF profile page is a maple crotch just that long.) And I will have the pipe top rails, too - in fact, I saw a landscape trailer pass me today and I said "Hey! that's like Hammerdown's trailer". The axle weight I will have to mull over. I can certainly appreciate not having to make 2 trips when one could do but I will have to seriously assess just how much hauling I will do. Thanks again