Winches hydraulic winch idea

[Sawyer Rob]

You get one individual tractor stuck 3 or 4 times a year??

That's rather small thinking right there, don't you think?? Who said I got stuck with my tractor even ONE time per year??? Is getting your self "unstuck" the only thing a winch can be used for???

When you have equipment that is used for things other than being "toys" you have more good reasons than getting unstuck, to own/use a winch.

SR

 

[Xfaxman]

I hear ya. A winch on a 4x4 will definitely deplete brain cells!!!

Threepoint, You get what you pay for in winches. I consider Warn to be the best in electric winches.

I agree, I have one on a receiver mount that I got about twenty years ago. Used it a lot for things other than unstucking the tractor.

Sold the V518 and tractor, but can use the winch on the V417 and my truck.

 

[ovrszd]

That's rather small thinking right there, don't you think?? Who said I got stuck with my tractor even ONE time per year??? Is getting your self "unstuck" the only thing a winch can be used for???

When you have equipment that is used for things other than being "toys" you have more good reasons than getting unstuck, to own/use a winch.

SR

In post #57 you said it would be a recovery winch. In post #61 you said you would need it 3 or 4 times a year.

A recovery winch by definition is used to extricate the attached vehicle from a situation that it cannot get itself out of.

If you think my uses of winches are "toy" issues you are sadly misled. Sorry if I contributed to that confusion.

I'm just trying to keep this on track for what the OP originally discussed. We seem to get wayyy off that. Sorry to him.

 

[Chilly807]

A few years ago I was in the same kind of situation, and the hydraulic winch looked to be the way to go. My use was for small scale logging, mostly firewood harvest. My situation was driving to the cutting area, snaking the limbed trees out, then hauling them to the woodpile maybe a 1/4 mile away in long lengths.
As time went on and I considered what I'd have to build to do this, (it was essentially a PTO logging winch frame with a hydraulic winch mounted to it), the cost kept climbing to the point where it wasn't much more to buy the right tool for that job. I got a new-on-pallet Norse 290 winch for less than $3k, complete with a set of chokers. The previous owner had a change in plans and didn't use it after he bought.
It's been a great tool, but in the OPs case, he'd need to remove the backhoe to use one.
I'd suggest the front mounted hydraulic winch is a good tool in the right hands, an expensive and dangerous one in the wrong hands. Adding a separate pressure relief to the winch circuit would mitigate the risk a bit, limiting how much force can be exerted.
Has anyone considered how much cable can be spooled on a hydraulic winch? I have over 160 feet of "reach", saves cutting too many roads into the area I want to cut.

 

[dbutler]

Chilly807,
I have looked into the 3 pt logging winch prices and it looks like about $4000 give or take for the size of my L45. As you mention, it forces me to remove the backhoe and simply is more than I can spend at this point. The Warn winch Im considering has 125' of cable which is plenty for my use.
I agree completely the winch on the front could be dangerous and expensive in the wrong hands, as could a 3pt style winch. I think the fairly slow speed of the hydraulic winch is a plus for the safety of the machine and operator. Common sense will play a big part in the success or failure of this idea too. I think a low, straight pull will be fine. When the log slow or stops, you let off the button and go see what is causing it. I think the machine will likely be pulled forward a little before any damage could be done to the loader. The L45 loader is quite a bit heavier than a comparable size ag tractor too.

As for price, I think this will cost about $1800 to build. That includes the winch, cable, fairlead and QA plate.

Thanks for your input as well as all other input so far. Some interesting ideas have come out and hopefully they keep on coming.

 

[Rustyiron]

Chilly807,
Thanks for your input as well as all other input so far. Some interesting ideas have come out and hopefully they keep on coming.

Here's real out of the box thinking….. how about a hyd. winch that "pinned on" your backhoe either boom (down low) or your bucket? You would have to swing your "dipper" up and out of the way, but your stabilizers would hold the tractor still, you could swing your hoe l/r for a perfect straight line pull for good spooling of the cable.
That one is not even near "the box" :laughing:

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Chilly807,
I have looked into the 3 pt logging winch prices and it looks like about $4000 give or take for the size of my L45.

As for price, I think this will cost about $1800 to build. That includes the winch, cable, fairlead and QA plate.

First of all, if my memory is right, your tractor is around 30 to 35hp... You wouldn't have to look too hard to find a decent 3 point skidding winch for about $3,000.00 and probably less and it will be a "world" better winch than what you want to do...

BUT, if "I" just had to do what you want to do with a Warn winch, that winch would go on the front bucket... It could be made to easily go on, or come off. You could curl the buck, digging in to take ALL the strain off your tractor or loader...

I've did something like that in the past, and it's a good choise for what you want to do...

SR

 

[Chilly807]

I'd agree that a slower pull is easier to control, the logging winches are fairly fast in comparison. I run mine at about 250 pto speed unless it's a wide open area.
Also, I wouldn't be too concerned about a careful straight pull from the bucket, the tractor will move before something breaks. From experience, my concern would be with any side loading. My winch manual warns against any pulls that are angled more than 15 degrees to the side. My winch generates roughly 7000 pounds pull force, it'd be really easy to flip the tractor on it's side if you're not careful. I came way too close to doing that one day. It's not so much being careless, sometimes it's the only angle you can get without using a snatch block. I have a snatch block now!
Anyway, side loading is something you're going to have to be careful of. Loader arms are strong in a straight load situation, not so much with any side pull. Good luck!

 

[David P]

I found a great deal on a mil surplus Mile Marker hydraulic winch locally and have it mounted to a winch cradle. I had a receiver welded to some flat plate (can't recall thickness) and drilled out to match the bolt pattern for the weight bracket on the front of my tractor. When I need the winch up front, I just slip the cradle into the receiver and have a very solid platform for winching, even from an angle. The down side is I can't get the loader down all the way when the winch is on. I use the remotes on the back of the tractor with long hoses run to the winch. I also have a couple holes in my drawbar that match another receiver so the winch may be moved around back if needed.

 

[NoNewParts]

I have an L45 Kubota and one of its many uses include cleaning/thinning of the woods on our 20 acres. Most of the logs and brush I want to move I can get with the grapple and or backhoe with thumb. Occasionally I use a chain and skid the log where it needs to go. In several cases, the logs are on a slope that does not allow me to get the tractor close enough.

My idea to get these logs close enough is to mount a Warn 7500 lb. winch to a QA plate and use the optional hydraulic ports on the loader arms to power it. They provide 11.8 gpm. which per the winch specs will give me ample line speed and pulling power. The winch has 125 feet of 3/8" cable. This would give me the reach I need to skid the log to a point I could get it with the grapple or re attach it with a chain to the rear of the tractor. I think by pulling fairly straight on I would avoid any loader arm problems. Pulling hard from a side angle may over stress the loader arms.

The reason I want the winch on the front is because I want to keep the backhoe mounted. The weight of it gives me much better stability and traction, as well as maintaining the ability to use the hoe and thumb. A "farmi" style 3pt winch is not in my budget and it would force me to remove the backhoe.

By mounting the winch to a QA plate, I could swap swap between the winch and grapple or bucket in about a minute giving convenient flexibility.

By using a hydraulic winch, I could control it with the buttons on the loader joy stick. I spoke with a Warn tech who said the winch would work perfectly for the application I described.

Any thoughts or ideas on this project would be appreciated.

Thanks, Dave

fine idea
but
You need another tractor.
I have a newer Kubota with loader and backhoe (wish I had a grapple too)
fine tool for lots of jobs.
But when I need to drag something, or work the dirt, I climb on
one of my ancient heavy ugly tractors. Does what it was designed to do, doesn't care about brambles, swinging limbs, flying rocks.
........and I never have to take the backhoe off my 'pretty' one.
(if I ever find a forestry winch cheap, it will go on the back of one of the old beasts.)