My log skidding/ballast hitch project

[PapaPerk]

Thought I would share my latest attachment design.

I wanted a skidding hitch that also served as a trailer mover and ballast box. Nothing of this type was on the market so I developed one. My tractor, L3830 Kubota, does not have filled tires. So I determined how much ballast I needed by developing an axle loading equation in excel. :teacher: Here's a screen shot.



I determined wheel loading using a bathroom scale and long beam. :laughing: Worked great and is accurate enough for my purposes! :thumbsup:

To achieve 50/50 loading with loader empty, I need 550lbs of ballast at the 3 point.

I'll share pics of the hitch when time allows...

 

[94BULLITT]

That's cool how you used excel to figure it out.

 

[magicheater]

That's cool how you used excel to figure it out.

I agree and will be watching, EXCEL is a great tool.

 

[PapaPerk]

Yeah Excel makes the number crunching easy! Just gotta make sure I have my theory right. :reading:

 

[PapaPerk]

Here's the pics.

 

[PapaPerk]

Notice the use of choker chains and grab links. This is a great way to choke logs.

 

[PapaPerk]

The hitch is ballast is visible in a couple pictures. Laser cut steel 1/2" plate. It looks small but this hitch weighs in at around 550 lbs. :blacksmith:

Also note is it compatible with my iMatch JD quick hitch.

 

[dstig1]

Nice work!

 

[Dadof3]

Great idea, Superb craftsmanship. Many of us can't justify a $4k farmi for the amount of logging that we do.

 

[94BULLITT]

It looks very nice. I like that it is qh compatible.

 

[FreshRouteFarm]

That looks great!

 

[PapaPerk]

Thanks guys. It turned out pretty well. I notice a huge difference when using my loader. Much better weight distribution. Amazing what 500+ lbs of counterweight does!

It serves three purposes. Skidder hitch, ballast box, and trailer mover. The ball on the top is for goose neck trailers. Also it can serve as a winch anchor as the blade will dig into the ground when pulled in reverse.

 

[pat32rf]

Looks good enough to paint green and yellow........

 

[PhysAssist]

Looks good enough to paint green and yellow........

EWWWW!?!?!
Thomas

 

[fredflintstone]

that is some really great work, do you have any plans you could post.would really like
something like that

 

[PapaPerk]

that is some really great work, do you have any plans you could post.would really like
something like that

Thanks for the compliment! It has been working well!

 

[jim_wilson]

Pretty slick. I've been contemplating building something like that when I get some spare time. What I'd really like to do is build one with a winch - but I'm having a hard time finding a candidate for a suitable PTO winch that doesn't cost a fortune.

With a skidder like the one you made - how do you get the logs to it - you must have either get the tractor right up on the log or drag it out a bit at a time before you can finally get the tractor right up on it.

 

[PapaPerk]

Pretty slick. I've been contemplating building something like that when I get some spare time. What I'd really like to do is build one with a winch - but I'm having a hard time finding a candidate for a suitable PTO winch that doesn't cost a fortune.

With a skidder like the one you made - how do you get the logs to it - you must have either get the tractor right up on the log or drag it out a bit at a time before you can finally get the tractor right up on it.

Yeah if the logs are deep in the woods I pull them out with a long chain... Then reattach and hook up to skidder hitch.

Those skidder winches like Farmi makes would be great for logging. The pto winch is really slick. Not sure where you could get something like that for do it yourself.

 

[boutym]

Here's the pics.

View attachment 278388View attachment 278389View attachment 278390View attachment 278391View attachment 278392View attachment 278393View attachment 278394View attachment 278395

SWEET!!!

 

[bcp]

Seems like there are often cheap PTO winches on Craigslist here, but they are from trucks. The problem would be making it reverse using a tractor PTO.

Bruce