Winches Stuck in marshy/muddy section

[ShhDragon]

About to buy a new JD 3000 series.
I expect to keep the tractor in known places on property for much of its life.
Some of those known places may at times become a bit boggy (sink to shoelaces when walking on them, no worse) and or pooling. Soft earth in short that may soak well at times with weather.

I figure, at some point, I will get it stuck. the known likely to be stuck places are 40 yards from barn. I thought I could mount an electric winch to barn and run a cable to tractor if ever stuck and have a one-man job of solving the issue. It occurs to me, however that i might get a winch on tractor itself and run its cable to something fixed wherever the tractor happens to be stuck.

Thoughts? If a winch, any recommendations?

 

[Thomas]

Winch on tractor sounds like good idea..quick hitch for front and rear,you may want to consider heavy duty come along,come along will help getting unstuck also handy for other projects.

Winch/come along,I like to double the pulling power,for suction of mud etc...belly hung sometime can stress cable...extra chain,cable,straps may come in handy.

 

[Egon]

Winch for the tractor is probably preferable as a new soft spot just 20 feet past your cable reach is developing at this moment. :laughing:

Consider the battery/winch compatibility on the tractor.

 

[jenkinsph]

If I thought I was going to have problems getting stuck very often I would move up in tractor size to a 4x20 and use smaller implements. That would help alot with this issue. I would also park the tractor on firm soil or build a pad to park it on for safe keeping.

Can you subsoil to get better drainage for this area? Having to use a winch very often sure doesn't sound like fun. The 4x20 series tires have a larger rolling diameter and will be less affected by the mud.

 

[ShhDragon]

Thanks everyone. Winch is best with a few miles of chain/cable and a come-along or two. Any guess as to the rating I might need given this tractor's weight? I plan to improve drainage first but also plan not to trust that it'll work as planned or as well as planned, hence this post.

If I thought I was going to have problems getting stuck very often I would move up in tractor size to a 4x20 and use smaller implements. That would help a lot with this issue. I would also park the tractor on firm soil or build a pad to park it on for safe keeping.
The 4x20 series tires have a larger rolling diameter and will be less affected by the mud.

I do plan to build a pad so that is set. Smaller implements meaning less weight? As far as 4x20 and so on; I am new here explain? What is a 4x20?Is rolling diameter the width of the track; therefore like snowshoes the weight is better dispersed in the footprint of the wheel and hence less sinking?

thanks again everyone.

 

[jenkinsph]

Well 4x20 is the series of 4120, 4320, 4520 and 4720. These have larger tires which will float better with larger footprints. Just compare these to the 3x20 or 3000 series tractors at the dealer. Then use the lighter implements or buy the subsoil plow first to see if you can improve the drainage. Obviously if you can correct the drainage issue first this changes what implements can be used and I would wan't to know that right away.

Not familiar with your area but have you seen any analysis to determine what kind of ground structure you have that holds the water?

 

[Barely Smokin']

This guy is on the cheap side, but I have used one for 3-4 years now to load cars, etc. on to my equipment trailer and the sucker is pretty torquey. No real issues. I like the fact that it's portable---it'll hook up to anything ya got. Even if you don't use it for this app, it's a pretty handy thing to have lying around.

I don't claim it's the baddest winch out there, just handy. :thumbsup:

2000-Lb. 12 Volt Portable Winch | AC Powered Winches | Northern Tool + Equipment

Also---do you know the trick about burying a 8" x 8' log at 90 degrees, about a foot down, and attaching the winch cable to its middle? Good when you're stuck in mud and can't reach a tree, etc.

 

[jenkinsph]

This guy is on the cheap side, but I have used one for 3-4 years now to load cars, etc. on to my equipment trailer and the sucker is pretty torquey. No real issues. I like the fact that it's portable---it'll hook up to anything ya got. Even if you don't use it for this app, it's a pretty handy thing to have lying around.

I don't claim it's the baddest winch out there, just handy. :thumbsup:

2000-Lb. 12 Volt Portable Winch | AC Powered Winches | Northern Tool + Equipment

Also---do you know the trick about burying a 8" x 8' log at 90 degrees, about a foot down, and attaching the winch cable to its middle? Good when you're stuck in mud and can't reach a tree, etc.

I have used steel plates with chain hooks mounted about 1/3 the height up from the ground to pull against. I have made these plates 12" wide and 30" tall from 3/8" plate with a piece of 2"x1/2" flatbar welded to the center as a rib. Drive these down to ground level with the chain attached. Gives you something to pull out a small dozer with. I used to keep these on my trailer when in the dozer business and could drive these in the ground and hook to the lower edge of the tracks at the rear and back out of a sink hole.

 

[Cocre]

The R4 tires on my JD 3320 do a good job of staying on top of muck that sinks the 8N with ag tires. Then again, the 8N can pull in loose dry stuff that the JD only spins in.

 

[Barely Smokin']

I have used steel plates with chain hooks mounted about 1/3 the height up from the ground to pull against. I have made these plates 12" wide and 30" tall from 3/8" plate with a piece of 2"x1/2" flatbar welded to the center as a rib. Drive these down to ground level with the chain attached. Gives you something to pull out a small dozer with. I used to keep these on my trailer when in the dozer business and could drive these in the ground and hook to the lower edge of the tracks at the rear and back out of a sink hole.

I like it. Sounds a lot better than the log-chained-to-the-tracks technique I've heard so much about but never had to deploy.

That's the nice thing about having a winch rated at 66,700lbs attached to the back of your dozer. Never had to use it to pull out my JD, but I'm betting it would work...:drink: In fact, at a weight of 1,980lbs, I'm wondering if the winch itself weighs more than my 790...

 

[RickB]

The best thing to do is learn to use your tractor without beaching it. And more importantly, learning when and where not to use it. The best time to accomplish most jobs is when soil conditions allow, not when we want to get them done. Continually driving on wet soil increases compaction, decreasing whatever natural drainage is trying to happen. You not only go out and make a mess of everything and not accomplish the task, you are liklely making a poorly drained area worse.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Perhaps you could improve the area by tilling in some sand and finding a way to grade the ground to favor runoff.
larry

 

[LostInTheWoods]

How large is the swampy area that you need to get through? Do you have anything on your property to use? I have an abundance of cedars...if I had an area that got mushy, but still provided a modicum of support, I could cut a bunch of cedars down and arrange them side-by-side, then drive right over them. Sounds like they would press down into the muck enough to remain stable for crossing, yet give enough support to your tractor, perhaps?

 

[BobRip]

That's the nice thing about having a winch rated at 66,700lbs attached to the back of your dozer. Never had to use it to pull out my JD, but I'm betting it would work...:drink: In fact, at a weight of 1,980lbs, I'm wondering if the winch itself weighs more than my 790...

What would you tie it to that would not be pulled out of the ground at 66,700 pounds. WOW!

 

[ShhDragon]

How large is the swampy area that you need to get through? Do you have anything on your property to use? I have an abundance of cedars...if I had an area that got mushy, but still provided a modicum of support, I could cut a bunch of cedars down and arrange them side-by-side, then drive right over them. Sounds like they would press down into the muck enough to remain stable for crossing, yet give enough support to your tractor, perhaps?

the area is not all that bad maybe 50 square yards
but it is a road/lane of sorts and i need to get through it
the bottleneck is mushy
but i am slowly adding woodchips and plan to re-grade shortly and add a curtain drain in the area so it all SHOULD improve
but I do want to plan for some failure now and have the tractor survive the much/mushy

thanks everyone once again

PS most of the driving of tractor will be on very slight slopes (occasionally) and essentially lawn/gravel driveway
I'd say lawn more than anything else
but ALWAYS with the need to get through the maybe still mushy patch
any suggestions on tire choice to give me the best result?

I do have my JD mostly picked out
have a number of option questions remaining but about ready to go buy her

 

[LostInTheWoods]

the area is not all that bad maybe 50 square yards
but it is a road/lane of sorts and i need to get through it
the bottleneck is mushy
but i am slowly adding woodchips and plan to re-grade shortly and add a curtain drain in the area so it all SHOULD improve
but I do want to plan for some failure now and have the tractor survive the much/mushy

thanks everyone once again

PS most of the driving of tractor will be on very slight slopes (occasionally) and essentially lawn/gravel driveway
I'd say lawn more than anything else
but ALWAYS with the need to get through the maybe still mushy patch
any suggestions on tire choice to give me the best result?

I do have my JD mostly picked out
have a number of option questions remaining but about ready to go buy her

We'd need to know exactly what you were planning to do with your tractor, but when you say mostly on the lawn/gravel with very slight slopes...I'm thinking turf tires would be perfect (after you've fixed that trouble spot)

 

[ShhDragon]

We'd need to know exactly what you were planning to do with your tractor, but when you say mostly on the lawn/gravel with very slight slopes...I'm thinking turf tires would be perfect (after you've fixed that trouble spot)

Yes, thanks. Mostly it is moving manure (there are 5-7 horses) and compost. I am sure the occasional stone or stump will be moved too. I plan to brush cut and mow as well.

 

[radman1]

I had a 3720 and sold it for a 4520. Number one reason for the swap was the poor mud and soft ground traction of the 3720 with R4 tires. R4's are not good in mud. The 3x20 series ground clearance is about 8-9" at the rear drawbar with R4 tires. My 4520 with R1 tires is about 16-17" clearance. The R1 tires on the 3x20 series only raises the clearance by about 1".

 

[ShhDragon]

I had a 3720 and sold it for a 4520. Number one reason for the swap was the poor mud and soft ground traction of the 3720 with R4 tires. R4's are not good in mud. The 3x20 series ground clearance is about 8-9" at the rear drawbar with R4 tires. My 4520 with R1 tires is about 16-17" clearance. The R1 tires on the 3x20 series only raises the clearance by about 1".

Very helpful, thanks. I think I will try R4 anyway as I don't plan for ANY mud work but maybe some wood chippy mushy areas. I expect that the price difference between the 3720 and 4520 was quite a big one. The ground clearance sounds sweet but I am mostly level and doing field work here. No stumps to surmount or rocks I cannot go around.

 

[427ricky]

I would recommend a 8000 LB Warn winch. Mine is 15 years oid and will still pull a fullsize truck with the wheels locked up on my trailer witch is 38 inches off the ground.