Where do you hook your chain for pulling trees?

[Tractorrr]

I put a 2 inch ball on the draw bar and hook the chain around the ball and then the stump.

 

[Fallon]

Also R1 ags & to a lesser degree R4 industrial tires are directional. Better traction going forward than reverse. Putting load on the beefy rears is better than on the weaker front axles too.

 

[CobyRupert]

I put a 2 inch ball on the draw bar and hook the chain around the ball and then the stump.

 

[s219]

How big are these trees, and what type? Even with a 12' high stump, pulling may not work -- I suspect you will run out of traction unless it's a real small tree.

 

[Egon]

How big are these trees, and what type? Even with a 12' high stump, pulling may not work -- I suspect you will run out of traction unless it's a real small tree.

Fully agree with that comment unless a real big tractor is involved.

 

[Baby Grand]

Use the backhoe if you can't have the drawbar on when the backhoe is installed.
When I pull a chain from the drawbar, I use a shackle & grab link:

This makes hooking up to the chain quick & adjustable.

 

[lzicc]

These are pine's, anywhere from 6" to 16" in diameter. I would dig around the roots to pull the stump out, but it is easier if I can dig some of the roots then pull roots and all with the tractor using the tree as leverage. I like that idea with the shackle and DB.

 

[Garycw]

Not too much experience with this , but I first cut tree down with chain saw leaving 4-5' stump. 15' chain around trunk to draw bar. Leaving slack in chain I use a series of snap jerks. NOT not full out W. O. T. I let the inertia of the tractor snapping chain tight to break it loose bit by bit. Being careful to engage clutch after snap. I've Never tried to pull a whole tree over and never will

 

[s219]

Pines have a deep and thick taproot. You can get 6" pines out by pushing with fel hydraulics up high if roots around base have been cut with axe and the ground is soft. Bigger than that and I would use the backhoe to dig and loosen rootball, then push up high. Backhoe is ideal for this, the best tool.

 

[Tractorrr]

View attachment 394830

You put that on the draw bar and put chain through it?

 

[Dr_Zinj]

I hook to the draw bar for pulling too.

You can either weld or bolt hooks to your FEL and use them to lift or move logs. I was playing around with a chain and the FEL to move support logs for my bridge this weekend. Just wrap the excess chain around the bucket and hook it back on itself. I should grab the camera this coming weekend and take some pictures while I move the logs into place.

 

[cartod]

My tractor wont allow a draw bar when the BH is on and its a frame mounted BH. I welded a chain hook on the frame mount in the back down below the axle.....where any pulling should be done. Pulling from a 3 point is risky.

 

[Fallon]

My tractor wont allow a draw bar when the BH is on and its a frame mounted BH. I welded a chain hook on the frame mount in the back down below the axle.....where any pulling should be done. Pulling from a 3 point is risky.

If you pull below the axle (drawbar) it will increase traction & pull you down.

Pulling with the 3pt means you might be pulling over the axle, even if you have the 3pt starting below the axle. Lack of down pressure means it will raise when pulled up at all. And when you pull over the axle with good traction against a hard load the tractor is likely to pop a wheelie & rollover.

 

[rswyan]

... I may have to yank the tree a little.

Very bad idea ...

You need to become familiar with what happens when a chain link fails/breaks when the chain is under tension - particularly when the break occurs at a more distant part of the chain.

(And yes: 3/8" or 1/2" chain can become worn or fatigued and separate ... particularly when subjected to shock loading)

Hopefully you'll be able to do that without being seriously maimed or killed.

To gain some understanding of what might happen, please consider the following:

1. The chain will likely attached to your tractor at the center of it's width.

2. You, as the equipment operator, will likely be seated at the center of the tractor.

If the above two items don't provide any enlightenment, feel free to drop me a PM ... and I'll be happy to elaborate further and tell you about my experiences as young man using an IH 444 and a log chain to yank stumps out.

Bottomline: if you are having to "yank" it, you haven't severed the root structure enough.

You have a backhoe ... use it.

EDIT: boggen ... great advice ... you win the TBN Voice of Sanity Award for the day ... :thumbsup:

 

[rswyan]

You put that on the draw bar and put chain through it?

I'd sure do that ... before I put a chain around a trailer hitch ball ...

Have a look at the rating on those shackles at say, TSC's website ... they're pretty rugged and designed to withstand quite a bit of force.

 

[NoNewParts]

6-16" stumps...?
not a chance
hillside with pure sand....maybe the small ones.
even a tiny stump anchored in clay will just laugh at even a large tractor.
(walk outside during a windstorm and look at a full grown canopied tree flexing and keeping its hold in the ground...can you match that power?)
I don't challenge stumps anymore. Don't care about the danger, but I got sick of fixing broken tractors.
dig em out, grind them down,
wait a few years, push them over in the spring when the ground is soft.

btw, attaching high on a tough stump anchored in good dirt.....you are creating a catapult, or bow and arrow.
Amazing how easy it can toss a 10,000 pound tractor when it springs back.
You'll need a pulley or old tire rim attached to a nearby tree to run the chain under/around
to keep the chain pull level at the tractor end.

 

[Garycw]

I'd 2nd no new parts advice. Dig them out or cut off low as possible & grind or drill holes & fill with diesel and burn out.

 

[bcp]

If the situation allows, don't cut the tree and then try to remove the stump.

Cut some roots, then push or pull the tree over, and the stump comes up attached to the tree trunk.

That's what windstorms usually do, and they have had lots of experience.

Bruce

 

[lzicc]

If I dig the roots somewhat out and pull high on the 12' foot tree still attached to the stump, they will come out fairly easy. Sometimes it takes a little yank, but they go. Pine trees have a very shallow root system. I don't see the catapult effect happening unless maybe the whole tree is still there, then I would say yes. There is just not enough weight left on the stump to have any bearing. Now the cable breaking...I could see that happening. I've pushed trees over with the FEL already, but I would rather pull instead of push. Again, I'm digging some of the roots out first depending on the tree size. My main concern is a good place to connect a cable to on the tractor itself while the BH is still attached.

Here is a picture of some of the trees I'm talking about. These, I pushed over with the FEL.