DIY logging winch build
- Thread starter davedj1
- Start date
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farm boy00
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2014
- Messages
- 1,296
- Location
- Howard City, MI
- Tractor
- John Deere M&MT, Case 1030 comfort king, Sears ST16, Craftsmen 6000, homemade articulation mini-loader
One suggestion that would cost about $200. Go get a brake system off of a vehicle. I know ranger parts are cheap. Or you could find a junk vehicle and strip partsWELL DARN! I broke the winch today!
I loaded the tractor up and hauled it over to my buddies property to skid some trees for next years firewood. The first tree I hooked to was a 24' piece about 12" across at the butt, yanked it to the winch like a champ! I ran that one to the pile and came back for another larger Maple, I knew I couldn't haul the entire thing so I cut about 20' off the bottom which is about 20-21" across. I hooked it up, gave the lever a push and I heard a clunk, looked and didn't see anything too obvious so I gave it another push and heard a terrible clank,!
The Lovejoy connectors I made with the ramps the other day must be made from Chinese steel, the thing broke right in half
So I hauled it all home and parked the tractor in the garage. I'll pull the winch apart tomorrow and see if I can come up with a plan "C" or maybe back to plan "A"
Let's discuss the clutch for a bit. Can anyone confirm If I take the clutch off and cut every other pad off would it work any better? IE: grip more?
Or while I have it in the garage should I look for some brake pads from an ATV or something?
Thanks,
Dave
Well here's today's update.
Me and a buddy took the setup to the woodlot today for some testing
I feel the testing went well. One thing I cannot figure out is why I cannot get free wheel with the ramp set up. I have tried everything. I have started making a set of ramps on a piece of 3.5" solid bar that I had. The poor little HF bandsaw cut it like a big girl. Each slice is 5/8" thick. The hardest part so far has been to drill the 1" hole, I got them done but the chuck wobbles so bad on my Rigid drill press that I don't think they are perfectly round!
With the last set up with the ramps made from the Lovejoy connectors I had good free wheel of the drum. Today was a PIA having to pull the cable while not only the drum in turning but so is the clutch, chain and PTO shaft ugh!
I think the winch did OK other than that.
Here are a couple pics and a link to a video I made on Youtube.
Take of the day, firewooding. - YouTube
Me and a buddy took the setup to the woodlot today for some testing
I feel the testing went well. One thing I cannot figure out is why I cannot get free wheel with the ramp set up. I have tried everything. I have started making a set of ramps on a piece of 3.5" solid bar that I had. The poor little HF bandsaw cut it like a big girl. Each slice is 5/8" thick. The hardest part so far has been to drill the 1" hole, I got them done but the chuck wobbles so bad on my Rigid drill press that I don't think they are perfectly round!
With the last set up with the ramps made from the Lovejoy connectors I had good free wheel of the drum. Today was a PIA having to pull the cable while not only the drum in turning but so is the clutch, chain and PTO shaft ugh!
I think the winch did OK other than that.
Here are a couple pics and a link to a video I made on Youtube.
Take of the day, firewooding. - YouTube
Well here's today's update.
Me and a buddy took the setup to the woodlot today for some testing
I feel the testing went well. One thing I cannot figure out is why I cannot get free wheel with the ramp set up. I have tried everything. I have started making a set of ramps on a piece of 3.5" solid bar that I had. The poor little HF bandsaw cut it like a big girl. Each slice is 5/8" thick. The hardest part so far has been to drill the 1" hole, I got them done but the chuck wobbles so bad on my Rigid drill press that I don't think they are perfectly round!
With the last set up with the ramps made from the Lovejoy connectors I had good free wheel of the drum. Today was a PIA having to pull the cable while not only the drum in turning but so is the clutch, chain and PTO shaft ugh!
I think the winch did OK other than that.
Here are a couple pics and a link to a video I made on Youtube.
Take of the day, firewooding. - YouTube
Me and a buddy took the setup to the woodlot today for some testing
I feel the testing went well. One thing I cannot figure out is why I cannot get free wheel with the ramp set up. I have tried everything. I have started making a set of ramps on a piece of 3.5" solid bar that I had. The poor little HF bandsaw cut it like a big girl. Each slice is 5/8" thick. The hardest part so far has been to drill the 1" hole, I got them done but the chuck wobbles so bad on my Rigid drill press that I don't think they are perfectly round!
With the last set up with the ramps made from the Lovejoy connectors I had good free wheel of the drum. Today was a PIA having to pull the cable while not only the drum in turning but so is the clutch, chain and PTO shaft ugh!
I think the winch did OK other than that.
Here are a couple pics and a link to a video I made on Youtube.
Take of the day, firewooding. - YouTube
Update for today.
I tore the whole thing apart, found (which I had a suspicion) the shaft was not perfectly square to the front if that makes sense, the rear support (one facing tractor) had to be moved up and over a tad. I hogged the holes out with the plasma cutter and then once I got it all where I wanted it I drilled some locating holes in the pieces so now I can insert a couple of punches and it will be aligned.
Second issue I found was a bad bearing on the sprocket, there are two, the outer most one was sticky so I ordered two new ones from McMaster Carr. I think the reason for the bad bearing is two fold, one it was being pushed on by the little thrust bearings I was using but only pushing on the very center, I don't think these bearings like side loading. And two the DOM tubing it is going into is not perfectly round or proper size. I'll figure out how to deal with that when the time comes
Third issue I found was some galling on the thrust washer at the ramp piece and drum, I greased them but I guess not enough or because the ramp only exerts pressure in one spot it's not spread around. I hope to solve this by installing some high load bronze oil impregnated washers from McMaster. They come in two sizes for 1" shaft, I ordered the larger size, 2 7/8".
My thought here is it will transfer the pressure to the DOM and not the bearing and hopefully the new ramp I'm making will more equally distribute the pressure.
It is a learning experience for sure.
Stay tuned for more updates when I get the parts.
I tore the whole thing apart, found (which I had a suspicion) the shaft was not perfectly square to the front if that makes sense, the rear support (one facing tractor) had to be moved up and over a tad. I hogged the holes out with the plasma cutter and then once I got it all where I wanted it I drilled some locating holes in the pieces so now I can insert a couple of punches and it will be aligned.
Second issue I found was a bad bearing on the sprocket, there are two, the outer most one was sticky so I ordered two new ones from McMaster Carr. I think the reason for the bad bearing is two fold, one it was being pushed on by the little thrust bearings I was using but only pushing on the very center, I don't think these bearings like side loading. And two the DOM tubing it is going into is not perfectly round or proper size. I'll figure out how to deal with that when the time comes
Third issue I found was some galling on the thrust washer at the ramp piece and drum, I greased them but I guess not enough or because the ramp only exerts pressure in one spot it's not spread around. I hope to solve this by installing some high load bronze oil impregnated washers from McMaster. They come in two sizes for 1" shaft, I ordered the larger size, 2 7/8".
My thought here is it will transfer the pressure to the DOM and not the bearing and hopefully the new ramp I'm making will more equally distribute the pressure.
It is a learning experience for sure.
Stay tuned for more updates when I get the parts.
Jim Timber
Veteran Member
You're handling the bugs like a true R&D man, bravo!
Great thread, and awesome winch. When you get 'er sorted, you'll have a tool to be proud of and make you smile in use.
Great thread, and awesome winch. When you get 'er sorted, you'll have a tool to be proud of and make you smile in use.
Rustyiron
Super Member
Still watching here also, and I'll 2nd Jim's message:thumbsup:
These are the pictures I took putting the winch back together, maybe they might turn a light bulb on for you, to bad you are so far away you could of skip over and help put it back together last week, as it is I had to do it twice because I put the winch together without first running the cable threw the cable guide, I didn't notice it til I had the cable all stretched out and ready to spool in, a good way to learn to speak in tongues, I could've cut the brand new cable but just didn't want to do that.
First thing I replaced 2 berings one on each side of spool, the original ones wasn't turning smooth, 2nd I dug out old short cable piece, run new cable threw winch over to my bench (without going threw cable guide) put the small cable holding block on, 3rd wipe LITTLE grease on shaft and bring spool over the the winch and put it back together, hoping I didn't get any grease on the clutch disc or spool pressure plate, I'll find that out tomorrow.
Near as I can tell is that the lever arm with the 3 pins pushes the pins against the opposing block, they both have rounded ramped slots in them and the lever doesn't move much to push against the spool bearing or spool, not sure which but it creates a lot of pull. So if everything works right this weekend I should be able to plow snow or mud with the trees...............Winching trees in March - YouTube
For some reason I cant download pics on private message it only shows the URL option and I dont know what that means or how to to that on TBN, which dont surprise me, I dont even know enough to first put the cable though the cable guide first.
Jim Timber
Veteran Member
I wonder if that's how the Wallenstein works too? There's 3 set screws to adjust the pre-load (just short of dragging and pulling the cable), and it too has a lever inside with a pulley system to reduce needed force input.
I've been wondering if it'd be possible to rig a self-contained hydraulic system running a pump off the outside of the drive chain off the PTO, then a solenoid valve to operate a single acting cylinder which is retracted via a spring? Then you'd only need the 12v for the valve and you already need that for the remote anyway.
I've been wondering if it'd be possible to rig a self-contained hydraulic system running a pump off the outside of the drive chain off the PTO, then a solenoid valve to operate a single acting cylinder which is retracted via a spring? Then you'd only need the 12v for the valve and you already need that for the remote anyway.
Jim Timber
Veteran Member
I don't know why I forgot this - they use ball bearings and an eccentric race (cammed). At any rate, this manual has some detailed drawings of the mechanism(s) they use and might be of help to your design process.
http://www.wallensteinequipment.com/file.ashx?id=c644233e-b89c-439e-ab47-224658c55ab5&h=1000&w=1000
http://www.wallensteinequipment.com/file.ashx?id=c644233e-b89c-439e-ab47-224658c55ab5&h=1000&w=1000
Jim Timber
Veteran Member
Yeah, having the hydraulics internal to the winch wouldn't cost me anywhere close to what the Wallenstein kit costs. It's something like $2K and has to be dealer installed (for God knows why?).
That would be pretty slick. You probably could get away with an electric linear actuator but it would be slower.
I "think" I have found part of the problem , I believe I am able to apply enough force with the setup I have now, it's just that the force isn't being applied evenly. Because the diameter of the clutch and drum is so large I believe the drum and maybe the sprocket are flexing so I'm only getting force on the inner edges of the clutch disc. I'll try and get some pics of the clutch disc, you can see where it is and isn't wearing/rubbing.
