Winches Getting Your Kubota Out of Mud / Snow While Working Alone

[leonz]

You can also buy three point hitch ball hitch mounts for your three point hitch too so that doodad is a quick option to use for a heavy winch and you could put it in the bucket as long as the weldments are correctly built with heavy tubular bar stock where the smaller 2 inch receiver slides into the tube stock welded to the upper attachment plate.

Check with the Ramsey folks to see if their larger electric winches can be used with the winch trays that have the 2 inch receivers.

I think you will find that adding cross links of the V bar or open chain link will help you considerably or investing in the grader/logging ice and snow chains just for the rear will be a huge help too.


Not trying to spend your money, but have you considered a single stage snow caster for the rear PTO??? Reist Industries has 2 smaller model series 1000 and 2000 single stage units that use 20 percent less power than two stage units and do not clog with wet heavy snow due to the single stage design.

The exchange rate is favorable to us in the US now and the 48 inch units are $2,750.00 canadian loonies plus tax and frieght.

 

[CobyRupert]

You mount the winch in the bucket and are essentially pulling the tractor out by the loader? Eeesch!

I wouldn't recommend that. I get nervous pulling a tractor out by the front that doesn't have a frame, let alone by the loader arms. I'm not saying you will break something every time. It'll work most of the time until it doesn't. I guess the force the loader experiences depends on just how stuck are you, and how hard are you pulling.

Most of the time all one needs is just a little extra nudge (probably a few hundred pounds of force), other times a few thousand, and other times, especially in deep mud or clay, tons!

Anybody ever rig up a "bush winch" on their tractor rim for when you need just a nudge? Once in place it would seem to be an easier hook up when out on the trail.

 

[bdhsfz6]

Fortunately, I've never been stuck in the snow - knock on wood. However, mud has been my undoing. I've used the bucket on the FEL to assist in backing the tractor out. Curl the bucket all the way down - drop it into the mud and push down with the hydraulics to set the lip of the bucket firmly in the mud - with the lip firmly in the mud, the tractor spinning SLOWLY in reverse - curl the bucket up. This action will push the tractor backwards a slight amount. Continue this operation until you and the tractor are free of the mud. Most of the time this will free you - unfortunately, some times not.

I've even used this method to pull myself out forward once. Firmly set the bucket into the mud with it only SLIGHTLY curled, let the tractor spin slowly forward, curl the bucket down - thereby pulling the tractor forward. Continue until the tractor is free.

Unfortunately, I've had to call my neighbor a couple times - he came and pulled me out with his big Ag tractor.

You need to practice this procedure a couple times - on dry land, when not stuck - to get the idea of how this works.

I've used this technique many times in mud. Having a toothed bucket helps. It works in snow too but not as well since you break traction by taking the weight off the front tires. I usually have the backhoe on when working in rough muddy areas and have frequently used it to pull myself out of a tight spot.

 

[RjCorazza]

I doubt I would try it, but I have seen videos of farmers strapping a piece of wood to the outside of the rear tire and basically hopping out. Imho there is really no substitute for another vehicle and operator.
Were I truly alone and a mile out, I think I would want a shovel, piles of stone, and some lumber strategically placed in advance.

 

[big bubba]

I realize this topic has been discussed here many times but I've found little specific to carrying equipment to deal with the problem solo.

I maintain a mile and a half of steep private road and during the recent blizzard here in northeast PA, even with chains, it seems like I spent more time digging the tractor out than clearing snow. The older I get, the more of a hassle it becomes to get my tractor out of a jam. Invariably, it happens when working alone, at night and a mile or so from the barn.

I'm curious how others here deal with the problem when working solo. Obviously having a second person or another truck / tractor is the best solution but unfortunately, that isn't always an option. For now, about all I do is carry a shovel and my cell phone.

Lately, I've been considering some winch options.

The best would seem to be a 3pt skidder winch but the cost is high and I'm usually using another implement like a snow thrower or rear blade.

View attachment 504918

Portable electric or gas powered winches that can be carried onboard are a possibility but Aren't as powerful and require being out of the tractor seat to operate.

View attachment 504919 View attachment 504920

Jeep / ATV frame mount winches would seem to be a possibility. When mounted to the front tractor frame, it would not interfere with either FEL or 3 pt implements. The effectiveness of these winches would be limited by the rather small battery capacity of most compact tractors but the remote control feature would allow you to be in the seat using tractor power to assist.

View attachment 504921

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

how often do you get stuck? is it cost effective to sink the $ for only an occasional stuck in mud? if you are not earning a living doing it, imho don't waste the money....just get help, that's what friends are for. unless you want another toy on the tractor...been there myself

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

You can always do what I did with my mudding truck is buy a 4,000lb-5,000lb come-along, in my experience that was enough tension to get the truck out on its own.

I had to carry 100-150ft of chains and tow straps to be able to reach the trees in the meadow I often ran in.

It sounds like a lot of work but it's not that bad, once your stuck, find a good strong tree to hook to, attach a chain or strap to that, a chain or strap to the tractor (not to the loader) and a come along in the middle, the come along will pull the whole rig 3-5ft and that's usually enough that the tractor can walk out on its own, on a few times in deep mud did I have to repeat shortening the chains ext for about 30ft till the truck could get out on its own power, that was a 5,200lb 4x4 lifted F150 on 33in mud tires buried to the frame and my I believe 4,000lb come along was able to put enough tension on it that the truck could power itself out.

This option is about the cheapest one, a double cable come along is less than $100 plus the chains or straps to reach a tree.

This way is a heck of a lot easier than by hand, usually I was free in 10-15 mins in swampy mud, a tractor in snow would be a lot easier.

I picked my come along up at TSC and used it more than I care to count when I was mudding, that was for about 2-3 years.


Tuf-Tug Cable Hoist Puller, 4, lb. Pull Double Line - For Life Out Here

I think that's the one I bought but it was over $100 when I picked one up.
I still have it, it's been great and I still use it time to time, no complaints what so ever.

 

[bdhsfz6]

You mount the winch in the bucket and are essentially pulling the tractor out by the loader? Eeesch!

I wouldn't recommend that. I get nervous pulling a tractor out by the front that doesn't have a frame, let alone by the loader arms. I'm not saying you will break something every time. It'll work most of the time until it doesn't. I guess the force the loader experiences depends on just how stuck are you, and how hard are you pulling.

Most of the time all one needs is just a little extra nudge (probably a few hundred pounds of force), other times a few thousand, and other times, especially in deep mud or clay, tons!

Anybody ever rig up a "bush winch" on their tractor rim for when you need just a nudge? Once in place it would seem to be an easier hook up when out on the trail.

The only way I would use a bucket mounted winch would be to pull the tractor straight forward. Putting a lot of side pressure on the FEL is asking for trouble. I was thinking of "hanging" the winch on the front tractor frame with the FEL bucket raised out of the way.

 

[leonz]

The bush winch is always handy except when you do not have one
-been there done that.

 

[leonz]

Its never a good idea to be standing under an unsupported boom and bucket unless it is
blocked up and or the boom is pinned up for maintenance.

The Kubota hydraulics do not have the four port hold check valves to hold the boom
and bucket in place.

If you anchor the 12 volt winch in the bucket you can use a large diameter sheave
block attached to the tree to winch it out with very little stress on the winch and the bucket as long
as you use a web strap under the bucket attached to the axle on both sides

The mechanical advantage created by the sheave block will not require a lot of winching power
to pull it out.

The same would apply to using a three point hitch receiver kit from tractor supply on the
rear of the tractor.

 

[Egon]

I'm assuming the bucket is being used for moving snow.

Mount a winch on the back with a very large battery hooked into the charging system. Lots of cable and a snatch block or two and you can pull yourself out either frontwards or backwards. Need a lower roller and run cable under bucket to pull out front ways.