Thinking about adding a winch to the 3pt...

[Gobblin Tom]

Once again I am not sure what I would have to do to add a winch for electrical. I am sure I can come up with a way to make a quick add on / remove platform for the winch (3pt). I have a lot of tree tops down in the valley of my property that I would like to get out for firewood and I wouldn't dare take the Tractor down them. I could always rig some kind of pulley system with cable and use the tractor to pull them but the winch would be easier.... So has anyone done this?

 

[mwb]

What size tractor and what size winch? If you are only putting a 2000 lb winch on then ok but that is probably way too small for any tractor; a bigger winch (8000 lb) would probably be tough on your battery and alternator, probably should have a second battery installed.

Do you have rear remotes? Hydraulic would be a better option IMO. PTO would also work well but harder to build. I have a hydraulic winch I built using a low speed high torque motor and a simple chain reduction to drive the spool.

 

[Gobblin Tom]

I have a 2520 on the way, smaller tractor just want something to give me some help. I saw an 8000# on sale for $399. To be honest a 3000-5000 pound would be plenty for me because this wood is not that big. Trying to get away from killing my back!! I have a gel battery at home that I hope will fit the tractor if not I might get an optima to minimize acid spilling. Hydraulic would be way to expensive, not looking to spend that much..

 

[beeforty]

How far is " down in the valley" of your property? A lot of winches are less than 100' of cable. When I used to do a lot of winching in one area I would often take up the slack to make sure I didn't come loose and then just back up my truck, a lot faster:thumbsup: Also didn't have to worry about a straight pull for cable to wind up evenly on winch, gets to be a pain. A length of cable and a pulley with a helper will be the quickest. Not sure how much a 3pt can take, might do a pin attach to your drawbar so is can swing a little. rarely can you get exactly a straight pull.

 

[Gobblin Tom]

How far is " down in the valley" of your property? A lot of winches are less than 100' of cable. When I used to do a lot of winching in one area I would often take up the slack to make sure I didn't come loose and then just back up my truck, a lot faster:thumbsup: Also didn't have to worry about a straight pull for cable to wind up evenly on winch, gets to be a pain. A length of cable and a pulley with a helper will be the quickest. Not sure how much a 3pt can take, might do a pin attach to your drawbar so is can swing a little. rarely can you get exactly a straight pull.

Most of the trees would be less than 100' and I could get pretty straight on them. Just want to have a to get the wood out. There is no way im taking my truck down on these paths!!! If I have to I can cable and pulley them up with the tractor...

 

[crazyal]

One option would be to add a battery to what ever 3pt frame you make to hold the winch.

 

[Gobblin Tom]

One option would be to add a battery to what ever 3pt frame you make to hold the winch.

Should I run wires to it from the tractor to recharge it?

 

[crazyal]

I wouldn't see why not. Maybe get a heavy duty battery connector so you can connect it up and remove it easily. I would think a nice sized battery would put out the power needed for a winch. Since you're only running the winch for short bursts the alternator would charge the battery back up in between pulls.

 

[High Compression]

I have an 8000# winch that I mounted on a 2" draw bar to fit in any 2" receiver hitch. On both of my tractors, I ran a 4 awg set of jumper cables that i cut the ends off of and a put loop ends on at the battery. I then routed to the back of the tractor with and mounted a quick disconnect on the other end and one on the winch. It works great and i can move it between tractors or to my truck. The disconnects I bought from a local forklift supply house. They were way cheaper than the "Warn" disconnects and made by the same company.

 

[Gobblin Tom]

I have an 8000# winch that I mounted on a 2" draw bar to fit in any 2" receiver hitch. On both of my tractors, I ran a 4 awg set of jumper cables that i cut the ends off of and a put loop ends on at the battery. I then routed to the back of the tractor with and mounted a quick disconnect on the other end and one on the winch. It works great and i can move it between tractors or to my truck. The disconnects I bought from a local forklift supply house. They were way cheaper than the "Warn" disconnects and made by the same company.

That's a good idea!! Do you run the extra battery or does your tractor have enough juice to keep it charged up?

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

Just a thought from a rigger...... Use a pulley in the mix or maybe two pulleys.. They will definitely make the job easier.. Snatch Blocks and some cables cables will make your days a lot easier........... Think Easy. The Egyptions did it.. When you are done drink a brew or two and do the Egypt dance with your friends or kids. They will remember it.............. My name is Tom................ An Old SeaBee..............

 

[Gobblin Tom]

Just a thought from a rigger...... Use a pulley in the mix or maybe two pulleys.. They will definitely make the job easier.. Snatch Blocks and some cables cables will make your days a lot easier........... Think Easy. The Egyptions did it.. When you are done drink a brew or two and do the Egypt dance with your friends or kids. They will remember it.............. My name is Tom................ An Old SeaBee..............

Hey thanks for the input!! Do you know where I can get snatch blocks that can be taken apart easy to put cable in or where you can get some that you just slide over the pulley? Thanks!!

 

[crazyal]

Try Tractor supply. I remember seeing some in the rope and chain section. DOn't know how much they cost though.

 

[Baby Grand]

Just a thought from a rigger...... Use a pulley in the mix or maybe two pulleys.. They will definitely make the job easier.. Snatch Blocks and some cables cables will make your days a lot easier........... Think Easy. The Egyptions did it.. When you are done drink a brew or two and do the Egypt dance with your friends or kids. They will remember it.............. My name is Tom................ An Old SeaBee..............

I second the Snatch Block idea - it lets you quickly put a change of direction in your pull. This allows you to orient you tractor so it won't get pulled over sideways. It's also a lot safer if a cable, chain, rope, hook or whatnot lets go on you, as it won't be coming directly at you & the tractor when it recoils.
-Jim

 

[High Compression]

My alternator produces enough for relatively short pulls here and there. If the winch was to be used on a regular basis with constant use, I would recommend a second deep cycle battery in parallel to the original tractor battery. Assuming you only have one.

 

[pat32rf]

I use 8000lb winches mounted on 2" receivers that plug into a counterweight that stays on my 3pth most of the summer. The bracket has a battery spot on it for my Optima. Quick release battery cables to the battery and a 15 amp male "twistlock" plug let me hook into a permanently mounted female twistlock in the tractor (for charging) and the whole units can be removed in two minutes. A few years ago I also mounted a cheap "keyless remote" starter unit so I can control the winch from back at the log (or snatch block).
Look at the snatch blocks that Warn sell, then make your own....finding the actual pulley is the hard part. I have one that came with one of my $400 winches, but I also have a few more homemade snatches....
The same winch brackets plug into my truck and my "big" trailer. Handier than a 3rd arm...

 

[deereman75]

just find an old 3ph implement for $50 if you can and cut it up and weld up a mounting plate on the 3ph frame. Then you could just bolt on a winch from a truck and run it off the tractor battery:2cents:

 

[pat32rf]

just find an old 3ph implement for $50 if you can and cut it up and weld up a mounting plate on the 3ph frame. Then you could just bolt on a winch from a truck and run it off the tractor battery:2cents:

He's got a small tractor with a small battery and a small charging system, but wants to do long (100') pulls. Its going to be a lot easier to use a secondf battery and run a #12 charging wire than run #2 main wire from his battery to the winch, then have the main battery go dead during his second pull.

 

[deepNdirt]

Heres something I found while browsing the subject, not the best in looks and is quite bulky, But i think you might benefit from the design,
Note: the bottom of the platform the winch sits on, it looks like it has plates angled to dig into the ground to help stationary itself, this would help to keep some of the pulling pressure off of the 3 pnt system of the tractor,
dont' you think!

 

[Mudfarmer]

Harbor freight has a two inch receiver winch plate rated at 8000# that they sell for around $40 bucks. They also have all sizes of cheap winches. I have one winch with a bunch of receivers: front and rear of pickup, attached to a 3 point boom (using a snatch block on the end of the boom helps wind the winch evenly), attached to 3 point ballast bloc, even thinking of attaching one to my box blade. If you would like to see a video inaction send my a private email and I will email one to you. I use 4 gauge wire to the battery and hook up with a couple of alligator clamps from an old set of jumper cables. I rev the tractor whenever I am winching.
Mf