Action - 770 skidding

BobT_770 · May 27, 2008

Here are some shots of my clearing task. Skidding tulip poplars - all oak, maple hickory, cherry and maple gets processed for the wood stove.

lincolnvt · May 27, 2008

Nice pics - I have a lot of fun doing that with my 2520. Looks like some good wood. How many acres you working on?

Brad

BobT_770 · May 28, 2008

I'm on 5 acres, and 4 of it is still woods so I am expanding the yard a little

. I am still pondering how I am going to get rid of 5 large poplar stumps (all 22-30" diameter) and a couple decent cherry stumps which can be toughies

lincolnvt · May 28, 2008

Bob
Yes indeed the stumps can be a big problem - When I cleared I ended up hiring an excavator to stump it and bury the stumps just inside the tree line. Couple hundred bucks but worth it in the end....

Brad

Willl · May 28, 2008

Bob, what are these ?

BobT_770 · May 28, 2008

Willl, 'those' is actaully ONE big-*** piece made of plates. It is the bracket for the model 261 5-foot RFM (has rear castors only, front of deck 'hinges off the tractor via chains that hook to this bracket) I use to chop the grass. It also becomes the rear mounting point for that middle link. It stays on my tractor full-time, does not hamper any other uses (so far).

Lincoln, what size excavator? Did you say 'rent' or 'hire' ? My brother offered to use a mini-excavator but then saw the trees/stumps and said 'no thanks, too big'. I agreed.

arrow · May 30, 2008

Dead dragging like that with turf treads is surprising to me. I guess they provide more traction than what they look like they can do. Stumps can be a pain especially if you are dealing with one or two and can't rationalize the cost of an operator with a backhoe. I cut the stump as close to the ground as possible, make 1" criss crosses with the chain saw about 1-2" deep on the remaining surface and hog that out with a maddox until below ground level. Works like a real slow stump grinder but hey when you're retired, everything works real slow.

BobT_770 · May 30, 2008

Dead dragging: it works the machine, no doubt. 250 lbs of windshield washer fluid in each of the rear tires really helps tractive effort. But I use LO range, then engage MFWD, and then lock the diff if needed. If the tree gets hung up or otherwise refuses to move (only one did this so far), I break out the saw and make it smaller so it can be pulled.

I have no doubt R1's would really pull but the machine does everything pretty well and doesn't harldly leave a mark. My last tractor had 4 ags on it but marred everything all the time and I hated doing anything in soft soil conditions. The 770 pulls better than the last machine (B7100) only by merit of its weight.

BobT_770 · May 30, 2008

Arrow: I am with you on the stumps. Heck, it costs me enough fuel to haul or chip the limbs (neighbor has 12" 85-odd hp chipper) without worrying about stumps. For real small stuff I will use the 770 with the tooth bar, and chain. Larger will be weakened with the 770 and an axe then pulled with the truck. The biggest will get to sit there for a while while I ponder how to eventually get rid of them.