Pulling shrubs/small trees

[jymbee]

...I use a 5/16" grade 70 chain and a 2" pipe, and it will pull all my tractor can handle.

Pull AND keep a grip on that smaller stuff?? It's those 1-3 inches that drive me nuts-- especially where with some species they grow in clumps close to the ground and chain or cable slips right off. Definitely will give it a try. Thanks (to both who posted re. pipe technique) for the tip!

 

[Tollster]

I have always used a spare tire and rim, it limits yard damage and pulls em out like a cork,I have done this with the Jeep Cj as well as a tractor.
The trick is to mount the chain below the tire so the force is up,rather than sideways.,keep the tire as close to the trunk as you can, take up the slack and give it a tug. It will pop like a cork from your local winery.
It has always bee the quickest way for me and clean up is less time consuming as the yard damage is limited. When you start yanking sideways,you'll pull and chase the roots rather than breaking them off at the stump.

 

[eastexan]

Pull AND keep a grip on that smaller stuff??

Yes, the edge of the pipe will dig into the tree and will not slip as bad as chain or cable only.

 

[eastexan]

I have always used a spare tire and rim, it limits yard damage and pulls em out like a cork,I have done this with the Jeep Cj as well as a tractor.
The trick is to mount the chain below the tire so the force is up,rather than sideways.,keep the tire as close to the trunk as you can, take up the slack and give it a tug. It will pop like a cork from your local winery.
It has always bee the quickest way for me and clean up is less time consuming as the yard damage is limited. When you start yanking sideways,you'll pull and chase the roots rather than breaking them off at the stump.

Good point. Using a fulcrum is the easiest way to pull them out if you don't have a FEL. As Tollster said, a tire on a wheel is a good way. I've also used a board or 4x4 post if the soil isn't too soft. I like to hook the chain/pipe around the base of the tree and then use something as a fulcrum (tire/post/board) to pull the tree up and out.

 

[Technodive]

I've pulled some ash trees down as large as 2+ feet at the base, root ball and all with a 5 sheave pulley block I built and 5/8" polyeythane rope. I use to use the 'Portable Winch' till I got my skid steer to pull. That's over 10,000 lbs of pulling power. I also built a root knife for the skid steer to cut some of the roots that lay out from the tree. I used that for just the stumps. If I am going to use a choker chain on just stumps (tree already cut down) I might cut a small wedge in the stump to prevent chain fromsliding off. A lot depends on how long the stump is.

 

[Jagged1]

Anyone have experience with this "grubber" gizmo? I've seen similar approaches from other companies as well.

Seems totally unnecessary for the larger stuff given you can do the same thing with a chain/rope/cable (they show their larger model here) but for that much smaller brush, it's hard (all but impossible in some cases) to get a chain or cable to grab:

I also have the small one I've used it with both my truck and ATV to yank smaller 2" or less saplings and the occasional larger one. It is a great tool and I recommend it, but I have had a few that had massive root systems (into harder soil or big rocks) that needed a tractors pullin power... Which I didn't have at the time. I'm a bit unsure if the smaller grubber I have will take it though! :laughing: Might need a bigger one now.

OHhhhh.... Do NOT use one of these with a strap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It could kill you! I'd be like a weight on the end of a rubber band and if it slips.... Well, you can guess the rest. I use a dedicated chain with mine.

It can yank the smaller ones easily; especially in the woods with the softer topsoil. The soil stays moist with the leaf litter and trees there don't seem to have as much root travel as they don't need to go far for good nutrients. The ones we yanked out in the yard though where a bit more challenging. Hard rocky soil baked like a brick and more roots.

Later, Glen

The worst part about using one is that you have to fix it to each tree or shrub and it's a lot easier with two people. It also means getting close to thorny prickers and such. They do make some type of mounting arm that is supposed to be able to grab and release from an ATV (and maybe a tractor) and I wonder if it would work well with it???

 

[rd_macgregor]

Getting on and off the tractor to pull stumps is one thing, but doing it over and over again for the small stuff really gets old. Having an assistant would work, but is a rare luxury for me. I'd like some sort of device that either grabs the small stuff (eg hydraulic jaws) or that snags the stems like a claw hammer to pull them out (then just slide backwards to eject them)...am I just being lazy not wanting to mount/dismount for each little 1" stem?

BOB

 

[k0ua]

Getting on and off the tractor to pull stumps is one thing, but doing it over and over again for the small stuff really gets old. Having an assistant would work, but is a rare luxury for me. I'd like some sort of device that either grabs the small stuff (eg hydraulic jaws) or that snags the stems like a claw hammer to pull them out (then just slide backwards to eject them)...am I just being lazy not wanting to mount/dismount for each little 1" stem?

BOB

I have the same problem.. I am too old and fat to get on and off a hundred times.. so if the wife is busy and can't help, it doesnt get done.. I made one of those pipe and chain gizmo's and it works well for the small stuff, cost a buck or two for the small chain, and a couple of minutes on the welder. Anything over 2 inches I just use the 5/16 chain, works well.

James K0UA

 

[deezler]

For the lazy guys, the same company makes this:

BrushGrubber | Skid Loader Heavy Duty Brush Grubber

 

[bcp]

For the lazy guys, the same company makes this:

BrushGrubber | Skid Loader Heavy Duty Brush Grubber

And there is this style:
Brush Grubber Post/Tree Puller — Model# BG-10 | Weed Control Brush Removal| Northern Tool + Equipment

Bruce

 

[257NH]

Here's what I use on shrubs,trees,stumps (within reason) so far I haven't had one make me say uncle.Another plus is that it can be used to transplant shrubs reasonably well.I got it used for short money,the guy said he bought it out of North Carolina,I'll say this about it,you would need a **** of a big tractor to damage it.
Brian

 

[jeff9366]

Following is a link to my August 2012 post on "Pulling shrubs/small trees", with photos:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/land-clearing/255939-pulling-trees-wheel-rim.html

Here is a photo of Bucket Solution's clamp on "Bucket Spade". Not a backhoe but it beats a man powered shovel for occasional use.

www.bucketsolution.com

 

[johnrex62]

Hey Brian, Does that bucket give you any trouble when pushing it into the ground? I have been trying to get some real world facts about how well they work on a tractor rather than a skid steer. Some of the dealers I have talked to have never seen them used with a tractor and are hesitant about how well they would work with something lighter than 6000lbs. Any limitations or issues using your on your TC40DA?

Here's what I use on shrubs,trees,stumps (within reason) so far I haven't had one make me say uncle.Another plus is that it can be used to transplant shrubs reasonably well.I got it used for short money,the guy said he bought it out of North Carolina,I'll say this about it,you would need a **** of a big tractor to damage it.
Brian

 

[SCUTBoss69]

I'm looking for some clever ideas: how do you guys best pull unwanted shrubs and/or small trees? I've tried the tractor and chain and the chain never fails to slip off and over the darn things, no matter how tight I get it ...

thanks!

I have heard of something called the "grubber" or something like that. Anyone out there have experience with this tool?

 

[SCUTBoss69]

I have read about the "grubber" Looks like a pretty cool tree puller.

 

[k0ua]

I have heard of something called the "grubber" or something like that. Anyone out there have experience with this tool?

A lot of the guys use a grubber, Northern Tool among others sell them..I made something of my own that works well for small shrubs.. take a piece of pipe 1 inch or square 1 inch tubing, about 6 inches long. Weld a length of (about 18 inches) small chain, I think I used one rated for about 330 lbs on to one end of the pipe on the outside. weld a long 1/4 inch bolt or long nail to the other end of the chain, to function as a "needle" to thread thru the pipe or tubing. I also made an adaptor (chain hook) to hook on to the small chain, with a piece of 5/16 chain on it to slip in my regular chain hooks on my bucket..Yes I know one picture would be worth about 2000 of these words, but it is raining, and I don't want to go out and photo it. Anyway the small chain when wrapped around the bush, and threaded back through the center of the pipe, will push the sharp edges of the pipe or tubing up against it and it will not slip.. It will pull up your bush with the hooks you have on your FEL bucket. This works well, is not a lot more trouble than the grubber to hook on, and cost's next to nothing to make.

James K0UA

 

[257NH]

Hi John,I haven't really had any trouble at all getting it into the ground sometimes you have to rock it back and forth a bit.The teeth make all the difference in the world.

Hey Brian, Does that bucket give you any trouble when pushing it into the ground? I have been trying to get some real world facts about how well they work on a tractor rather than a skid steer. Some of the dealers I have talked to have never seen them used with a tractor and are hesitant about how well they would work with something lighter than 6000lbs. Any limitations or issues using your on your TC40DA?

 

[EggsOverGreasy]

My More Power Puller winch worked great to pull Bush Honeysuckle from the roots. It's slightly labor intensive but it can save your turf. I only had a problem with one larger plant but only because the ground was still a bit frozen. Once it warmed, it came out easily.

 

[01hunter570]

I have had pretty good luck pulling trees and shrubs with a slip hook on the end of the chain that I hook around the tree. make two wraps around the tree with the chain tighten it up as much as possible and put the slip hook over the chain, be sure to have the open end of the chain pointing to the ground so it tightens when lifting. if you are not familiar with a slip hook, the mouth of the hook is wider than a regular hook,and allows the chain to slide thru it.

 

[k0ua]

I pull them with my grapple attachment I made:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...d-grapple-bush-grabber.html?highlight=grapple