Pulling bushes via FEL or 3 point?

[BadDecisions]

Had to remove a bush from the property yesterday...pulled it out easy enough with the FEL on the old Ford, though I found it was a real pain working underneath the FEL to get the chain rigged up on the trunk of the bush..not to mention wondering if I'd be able to move fast enough if a hydraulic line popped and dropped the bucket (I ended up dropping a mound of dirt on the opposite side of the bush to rest the bucket on and prevent the thing from being able to drop far enough to bean me if that did happen)

Which made me wonder if something like this would be better served by using the 3 point? I had considered welding up a quick crossbar, but wasn't sure if point loading the bar like that might cause damage to the tractor or if this is just a bad idea all around regardless?

 

[LD1]

Are you pulling or just lifting?

I'd think that any old loader on an old 8n that had the *** to straight up lift a bush out would be easy to simply wrap a chain around and drive forward and watch it pop out.

I dont think the 8n has enough hydraulics out back to lift with enough force to bend a drawbar. But they are made for pulling (their stronger direction).

There is a method where you can use an old wheel/tire with a chain and pull out stubborn bushes.

Another option is to have the chain already wrapped around the bush THEN drive up to it with the loader and simply hook it up. That way you are not under the loader fumbling around

 

[Zebrafive]

I pull, that is hook your chain to the drawbar (not the 3pt hitch) and PULL!
And yes, I do have a loader.
My worry with using the 3pt to lift is blowing the seals on the lift cylinder (internal on my 2030 JD)

 

[jeff9366]

I often pull bushes and trees to 2-1/2" and 6" X 6" posts using the TPH.

Use two (2) chains, one from each Lower Link to the item to be pulled, to center the load. Lift on my tractor is around 15", therefore I often need to make repeat hitches and lifts with the chain and slip hook in order to pull posts in the ground 4' to 5'.

One can pull much more stubborn items with the Lower Links close to the large rear wheels than with the FEL, which tends to lift the rear wheels with the front wheels as the fulcrum.


Factory cross-drawbars are intentionally made of soft steel so they will bend, rather than snap, with injury potential. You cannot apply very much vertical load to a factory cross-drawbar before it bends. If it does bend, you can turn the drawbar upside down and bend it the other way, within reason. Cross-drawbar is Plan 'B' rather than Plan 'A' for me for heavy removal.

As always it is much easier to pull out items when the soil is moist.

My Florida soil is relatively soft sandy loam.

Henry Ford used high quality steel in the 8n's. I speculate the Lower Links on an old 8n are stronger than the Lower Links on many contemporary tractors under 2,500 pounds bare tractor weight. My Kubota L3560 has massive Lower Links for a 3,700 pound tractor.

 

[oosik]

I use my grapple. I have Buck brush. About 1/2" in diameter and two feet high. Grows thick in large areas - like hair on a dog's back. Push forward with the bottom lip of the grapple. When I get a lot gathered up - clamp it tight with the upper jaw and lift. Usually pulls about 95% to 100% out very easily. Any leftovers are pulled by hand.

 

[WranglerX]

Not sure why you would be working under the FEL.... I don't trust the hydraulics no matter how good they are.... Wrap chain around base of bush, THEN bring tractor in close THEN attach chain to FEL (with FEL on ground) then lift..... Have hooks on FEL bucket for just that purpose....



IF pulling from rear, connect chain to "drawbar" below axle height.....

Dale

 

[MF243RedTop]

Had to remove a bush from the property yesterday...pulled it out easy enough with the FEL on the old Ford, though I found it was a real pain working underneath the FEL to get the chain rigged up on the trunk of the bush..not to mention wondering if I'd be able to move fast enough if a hydraulic line popped and dropped the bucket (I ended up dropping a mound of dirt on the opposite side of the bush to rest the bucket on and prevent the thing from being able to drop far enough to bean me if that did happen)

Which made me wonder if something like this would be better served by using the 3 point? I had considered welding up a quick crossbar, but wasn't sure if point loading the bar like that might cause damage to the tractor or if this is just a bad idea all around regardless?

No idea why you would have it raised above it...
Unless you only have a short length of chain...
Then you need to buy longer lengths..

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Try pushing them out with the FEL, lot faster than chaining and pulling or lifting. My little BX will push out some pretty good size bushes and saplings up to 4-5" depending on type of root structure. Push out , then back drag the extra dirt back in place.

Ron.

 

[Wagtail]

I pull, that is hook your chain to the drawbar (not the 3pt hitch) and PULL!
And yes, I do have a loader.
My worry with using the 3pt to lift is blowing the seals on the lift cylinder (internal on my 2030 JD)

I wholeheartedly agree with pulling... the major reason is the roots and your not knowing which direction(s) they have grown.

Lifting with a FEL could topple your tractor. I write from experience. ath:

 

[sandman2234]

I wholeheartedly agree with pulling... the major reason is the roots and your not knowing which direction(s) they have grown.

Lifting with a FEL could topple your tractor. I write from experience. ath:

Toppling the tractor is possible with both methods the O/P mentioned. If you are going to pull something of unknown resistance, you need to use the drawbar, so that the tires will spin instead of toppling the tractor on top of the operator!
David from jax