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

[FatTire]

I deal with the "get yourself unstuck" issue with a snowcat used for trail grooming. The need for winching can be off the front or rear, so the solution of a 2" receiver winch mount (post #11 above, for example) works for that. We have 2 inch receivers weld into the front blade and the onto the rear grooming implements. Winch can be installed temporarily either end and connected via heavy power cables with Andersen connectors. Neither of the implement attachments were designed for pulling like this, but for getting unstuck the winch is just "assisting" the tractive force of the snowcat and we never apply jerking force. So it works well and nothing has busted "yet".
Front blade shown here with a new shackle. This is for pulling out stuck snowmobiles. (Getting a snowmobile stuck while pulling an implement is easy. No training required.)

 

[AStanton]

I too have to plow a steep driveway. One time I got stuck. So I called my neighbor and he pulled me out with by 4X4 Silverado. I always run with rear chains in the wintertime. If the snow get over a foot or it's icy underneath, I chain up the fronts as well. Front chains are the easiest to put on. All I have to do is curl the bucket to get the front wheels off the ground.

 

[Adiredneck]

I work in the woods through the winter skidding logs with my 3pt winch. Usually in late February/early March, we get a winter thaw and it ices the steep trail up the mountain enough that I can't get up. I run double ring chains on the back (loaded tires) and 4 link spacing chains on the front. I just can't seem to exert enough force on the ice to have the chains dig in. There are 3 spots that give me trouble.

I have used the skidding winch countless times to winch myself backwards up the mountain. I put the tractor in neutral and the winch effortlessly pulls me up the hill with the tractor engine at just above an idle. It is not too fast, and has no ill effect on the machine. I always pull straight back and remain in the seat the whole time. With 165' of cable, it's not hard to find a tree that works. I keep the winch raised about 6" off the ground.

 

[Rustyiron]

A few basic's are plowing "with the storm" that is every 4"-6" or what ever you can handle. Another one I practice on my hill's is plowing up hill. Gravity is a great helper backing (down hill) out of trouble, and it's way to easy to get in trouble working down hill.
You'd be surprised what a bucket of coarse sand (mixed with some road salt to keep it from freezing) will do when you are stuck, a little sprinkle behind each tire and.......

 

[Deere Dude]

I didn't catch if you have weight on the rear end other than fluid. I would put a heavy ballast box on and maybe a wheel weight or two on each side.

 

[varmint]

Reading thru this thread and I started thinking along the lines posted by Egon- maybe a good winch mounted on the tractor's frame, where front weights would go (enough room behind loader cross tube?) and some simple guides to locate the cable below the bucket. I also don't like the thought of stressing the loader by attaching a winch to any part of it.

 

[AStanton]

Reading thru this thread and I started thinking along the lines posted by Egon- maybe a good winch mounted on the tractor's frame, where front weights would go (enough room behind loader cross tube?) and some simple guides to locate the cable below the bucket. I also don't like the thought of stressing the loader by attaching a winch to any part of it.

Yeah, I would never want my bucket to look like this one--it's even in the wrong color.

 

[bdhsfz6]

Reading thru this thread and I started thinking along the lines posted by Egon- maybe a good winch mounted on the tractor's frame, where front weights would go (enough room behind loader cross tube?) and some simple guides to locate the cable below the bucket. I also don't like the thought of stressing the loader by attaching a winch to any part of it.

This was my original thought as well. A front frame mount winch could be safely operated remotely but would require working under a raised bucket to get set up. The battery drain is still an issue as well. Hydraulic powered units are available but quite pricey such as:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200467173_200467173

Using hose extensions, a unit like this could be powered via a 3rd function valve or rear remote. I think some modifications would be necessary to get a unit like this to fit behind the FEL cross tube though.

I found some interesting winch mounting information in a post on another forum but a front frame mount isn't discussed:

Rear hydraulic winch - OrangeTractorTalks - Everything Kubota

 

[Egon]

It's pretty simple to set up a nice solid receiver type winch and battery on the three point or fixed drawbar. Easy on, easy off, doesn't have to be a big heavy winch as snatch block usage gives a nice advantage. It may be a little awkward pulling frontwards but a bottom roller and threading the cable under the tractor and bucket would work. Pulling frontwards may not be much of an issue.

If the pulling gets real serious and has the winch at its limits another snatch block (resemble hoist pully) and go again. It may be slow but it's quicker than walking.

 

[bdhsfz6]

It's pretty simple to set up a nice solid receiver type winch and battery on the three point or fixed drawbar. Easy on, easy off, doesn't have to be a big heavy winch as snatch block usage gives a nice advantage. It may be a little awkward pulling frontwards but a bottom roller and threading the cable under the tractor and bucket would work. Pulling frontwards may not be much of an issue.

If the pulling gets real serious and has the winch at its limits another snatch block (resemble hoist pully) and go again. It may be slow but it's quicker than walking.

The ideal setup for me would be an easily removable hydraulic winch installed either on the front frame or rear drawbar (not the 3 pt) depending on the direction of pull. When installed on the front tractor frame, the machine could be dragged sideways if necessary using the winch fairing rollers. Front or rear hyd. power could be supplied via a 3rd function valve or rear remote. When not in use, the winch could be stored elsewhere on the tractor to avoid damage.