Like Rambling man mentioned, I strap snatch blocks to sturdy "pulling trees" and re-direct the pull for the best line for the tractor to take, usually straight down a slope, sometimes re-directing twice using wire or strong fiber rope, I do sometimes chain/strap a pulley to the log to be pulled for a pulling strength advantage
Adding a "bumper" winch
- Thread starter Mtsoxfan
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Rustyiron
Super Member
Depending on I'm doing, that sounds about right for me too.
RedReloader59
New member
From a YouTube video on winching logs and such I made this up for my 3 pt. Had a large 30 inch log that I couldn't get traction due to soft soil layer and a slope. Took about 5 minutes to drag that oak log 50 feet. Used an old rear blade and cut it down to act as a holder in the ground.
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beenthere
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I would pull from the rear. More pulling power, and wheel lugs are set for pulling forward, not backward.
Good to have a quick hitch on the 3 ph to hook to, for better traction as well.
Use a snatch block to help locate the position of the cable for the best pull.
beenthere
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The loader is not built/designed to pull back on something.. designed to push forward. But backing or pulling forward is something you need to decide.
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MarblemountLane
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It really comes down to what you’re doing. I’m cleaning up an area we selective logged in 2016, just picking up what’s down for firewood. I bought a good 3-point boom pole for my Massey Ferguson 204; the pole has an eye at the end and at the halfway point. I had an old Powerwinch in the shop, one of those square 3,500 lb. rated things used mostly for loading boats. Free is a good price, so I adapted the trailer ball mounting plate and put it near the base of the boom pole.
Yeah, it’s a PITA using a winch with no power out, just a knob you turn to “de-clutch.” But I hung a little bitty block on the boom pole, used a snatch block to double the line. This serves to get the end of a log off the ground. Usual cautions apply: don’t pull too hard or too high, especially off to the side (easy to exceed rating of the boom pole), but we’re just bringing downed second growth to where I can buck them into firewood and my wife can process them with the hydraulic splitter.
If seriously yarding logs, you want a good PTO winch, with good steel cable that will stand up to abrasion. I did a lot of work with the 10,000 lb. Ramsey PTO on my 1966 International 1300 4x4. I kept 150 to 165‘ of good 3/8” line on the drum, and the truck had a Mico brake lock from a wrecker. A 10,000 lb. electric means that under ideal conditions, fresh battery and only one layer of line on the drum, it will just barely pull 10,000 before stalling out. A 10,000 lb. PTO is rated to pull 10,000 but with a V8 engine driving it, it will pull until something breaks. Use common sense.
I have a 9 year old 10,000 lb. Harbor Freight electric winch on a 2” receiver mount I built, used mainly for loading dead cars onto my 16’ trailer. I could put it on my 3-point 2” receiver, and I did put an alternator on the tractor. But there’s no need for a big winch on the tractor for getting in firewood. Don’t even consider spending tons of money on a big winch if your need is merely to get a few logs up a hill. Borrow a couple blocks and some line, and do some rigging.
Remember, electric winches are for occasional short term use, and synthetic line doubly so. Great combo for getting Jeeps unstuck. I will consider synthetic line when I see Loggers using it on their equipment. Before you spend a dime, think about what you actually need and about the stresses and loads involved. Then Keep It Simple.
Yeah, it’s a PITA using a winch with no power out, just a knob you turn to “de-clutch.” But I hung a little bitty block on the boom pole, used a snatch block to double the line. This serves to get the end of a log off the ground. Usual cautions apply: don’t pull too hard or too high, especially off to the side (easy to exceed rating of the boom pole), but we’re just bringing downed second growth to where I can buck them into firewood and my wife can process them with the hydraulic splitter.
If seriously yarding logs, you want a good PTO winch, with good steel cable that will stand up to abrasion. I did a lot of work with the 10,000 lb. Ramsey PTO on my 1966 International 1300 4x4. I kept 150 to 165‘ of good 3/8” line on the drum, and the truck had a Mico brake lock from a wrecker. A 10,000 lb. electric means that under ideal conditions, fresh battery and only one layer of line on the drum, it will just barely pull 10,000 before stalling out. A 10,000 lb. PTO is rated to pull 10,000 but with a V8 engine driving it, it will pull until something breaks. Use common sense.
I have a 9 year old 10,000 lb. Harbor Freight electric winch on a 2” receiver mount I built, used mainly for loading dead cars onto my 16’ trailer. I could put it on my 3-point 2” receiver, and I did put an alternator on the tractor. But there’s no need for a big winch on the tractor for getting in firewood. Don’t even consider spending tons of money on a big winch if your need is merely to get a few logs up a hill. Borrow a couple blocks and some line, and do some rigging.
Remember, electric winches are for occasional short term use, and synthetic line doubly so. Great combo for getting Jeeps unstuck. I will consider synthetic line when I see Loggers using it on their equipment. Before you spend a dime, think about what you actually need and about the stresses and loads involved. Then Keep It Simple.
Mudfarmer
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1) The cheapest solution: chains, snatch blocks, cables (but useless if the tractor gets stuck)
2) The inexpensive solution: A cheap Harbor Freight winch mounted on the three point hitch. I mount my winch on a two inch receiver plate (also cheap at HF) and use it when needed in the two inch receiver I can mount on the three point. (Thus I can also switch it to my Pickup when needed.) I power it with old jumper cables to the battery. (Very useful if the tractor gets stuck, particularly since you can chain it to the front if you need to pull out that way - been there, done that)
3) The expensive solution: Get a PTO or hydraulic made-for-logging winch. Useful if you are doing every-day commercial or semi-commercial pulling, too expensive for occasional use. (And if you get stuck you can only pull out backwards)
Over the years I have found a combo of 1 and 2 to fit my needs on my hilly tree farm. I've alwas wanted a PTO winch, but could never justify the cost.
MF
2) The inexpensive solution: A cheap Harbor Freight winch mounted on the three point hitch. I mount my winch on a two inch receiver plate (also cheap at HF) and use it when needed in the two inch receiver I can mount on the three point. (Thus I can also switch it to my Pickup when needed.) I power it with old jumper cables to the battery. (Very useful if the tractor gets stuck, particularly since you can chain it to the front if you need to pull out that way - been there, done that)
3) The expensive solution: Get a PTO or hydraulic made-for-logging winch. Useful if you are doing every-day commercial or semi-commercial pulling, too expensive for occasional use. (And if you get stuck you can only pull out backwards)
Over the years I have found a combo of 1 and 2 to fit my needs on my hilly tree farm. I've alwas wanted a PTO winch, but could never justify the cost.
MF
WranglerX
Super Member
Do you mean a capstan....
Not for quite the same purpose, but I installed a winch on the front of my Kubota ride on mower/lawn tractor. Despite the 4WD I kept getting stuck in the winter, and didn't have the tractor at time, so came up with this as a cheap way around it.
It doesn't get used for long periods of time so the power draw isn't a concern and it has got me out of a number of sticky situations - both for pulling the mower when it got stuck, and pulling logs and other heavy stuff. The winch was fairly cheap, about £100 (about $140 or so).
I fabricated the mount out of 3mm plate (excuse my welding!):
It doesn't get used for long periods of time so the power draw isn't a concern and it has got me out of a number of sticky situations - both for pulling the mower when it got stuck, and pulling logs and other heavy stuff. The winch was fairly cheap, about £100 (about $140 or so).
I fabricated the mount out of 3mm plate (excuse my welding!):