FRANSGARD VS IGLAND LOGGING WINCHS

[JACKIEBOY]

Anybody have any input on what winch is the best bang for the buck. I'm going to look at a IGLAND 3501 for $2500 and a FRANSGARD 3004 for $2500 for my Mahindra 2538 tractor. I would love to here from guys who have put them to the test rather then a salesman. I have to drive a couple hundred miles next weekend to look at them. The salesman sells both brands so it doesn't matter to him. Any help would really be appreciated. THANKS Ryan

 

[Agvg]

Igland has a hinged blade, that's a very nice feature when you are driving in terrain.

Historical has Igland been considered a more heavy duty winch. In the seventies Sandvik and Fransgard was almost identical, Sandvik became Igland/Norse so quality vise I think they are quite even.

 

[JACKIEBOY]

Ya the Igland comes with 3 chokers and 3 slides included. It also has some sort of toolbox. All the online searching I've done you find a lot more Fransgards then Igland. I plan on having this forever so I really want to make the best choice.

 

[BrokenTrack]

I would go with the Fransgard. I have a smaller one and in 30 years we have never replaced one thing except for a cable or two. I am not sure how many thousands of cords this winch has moved, but it has been a lot. I log not only firewood, but sawlogs for my sawmills and for commercial work too like pulpwood going to a paper mill. I even use it to move hay bales by wrapping the cable out around my big round bales, attach it back to itself, then suck in the cable and squeezing the bale...no bale spear needed.

It is a super safe winch to operate, easy to adjust (though we have only adjusted the clutches 2 or 3 times in 30 years) and attaching and unhooking takes mere minutes as a single person. I can probably unhook it from my tractor in less than a minute, and put it back on in 3 minutes time. Yes I have had lots of practice, but still. I have beat on this winch, use it for everything, always have it behind the tractor, and yet it still performs flawlessly.

It really could crap out tomorrow and I would not blame it, yet I see no reason why it would.

(I have no experience with the other winch).

 

[Oldpath05]

My Fransgard 3004 is ten years old, still works good but only 8-10 cord firewood a year + a few logs. ALL trees are pulled from top pulley, no rehook to the lower notches.
I have made a few alterations on it like a wider back screen, the first makeover/alteration was to add bolts to the frame that holds the cable spool on so the frame can be unbolted for changing out old cable easier. The original way was hard to remove the spool, Fransgard didn't make it easy on changing out cable. So if I was looking for a pto winch, one of the first things I'd look at is easy cable changing. 2nd thing is if I could afford it, a remote for winching.

If this video came threw, In this pull I had to release one tree, sometimes for me it's hard to tell how much weight I have on, the only sure gauge I have is if the front end of tractor comes up, if it does then I unchain a tree.
Tractor winching - YouTube

 

[Agvg]

If your tractor is small then the hinged blade makes all the difference, have had the pleasure to get stuck on the blade and it's no fun.

 

[Oldpath05]

In ten years I got stuck once 7 years ago with my winch blade, it was between a rock and hard place, took about two hrs to get unstuck with some fancy winch and jack work, it wasn't fun.

 

[JACKIEBOY]

Yesterday I bought the Igland 3501 it pulls 1100 more pounds, weights more, came with 3 free chokers and 3 free slides. The dealer actually matched the price of a ad I brought with me and I ended up getting it for $2425.00. The Fransgaurd was off sale Wednesday and that was going to be $2750.00. I also liked the hinged blade aspect. But probably the main reason I went with Igland was it was totally enclosed. The Fransgaurd was all open in the back and I have a habit of getting branches everywhere there not suppose to be. Got it all installed today with help from my brother and buddy. Cutting the PTO shaft, adjusting the height, winding the cable, and putting a stop on my PTO lever so it don't hit the back of the tractor when lifted all the way up. Can't wait till the snow goes so I can put it to the test. Ryan

 

[Citydude]

Good choice! Enjoy.

 

[xcgreene]

Id love to see a photo of it attached to your tractor, Ive got a 45 hp tractor and trying to decide on the 3501 or 4501 igland winch.