Traction Tree pulling traction: loaded tires or ballast?

[johnrex62]

johnrex62, Do a search for "tree getter". It may be faster for you to push the trees with the FEL to loosen then lift with a tree getter & eliminate the chain completely. MikeD74t

It looks interesting, but unfortunately I don't have the capability to make anything like that. I would have to buy a rig like that and don't have the extra funds for it now. Unless, of course, you were offering to make me one?:licking:

Nah, didn't think so. :laughing:

 

[rd_macgregor]

When you say "pulling trees" do you mean dragging (forwarding) them, or do you mean uprooting them? From the responses so far, it isn't clear which is involved.
For uprooting, I usually use either my FEL bucket with toothbar or my grapple rake. Slipping a rake tooth under the root ball will pop most trees up to 4" dia. or so. With bigger ones, I first push it over until some of the roots are exposed, then push horizontally (with a little lift) to just slide the tree out of its anchor point.
For dragging trees, the idea of chaining them to your box blade so the butts can be lifted a bit should work well. I mostly use my grapple for this operation, but it also involves driving backwards a lot, which is a nuisance if distances are very great.

BOB

 

[deerefan]

I recently acquired a real nice pulling machine, a JD 4020. I use a drawbar with a log tong to move the big trees and the front end loader for small stuff (saplings and youpan). My 5103 has the rear tires filled and it makes a big difference traction wise. The 4020 has wheel weights. If I have to completely remove a tree of any size, I rent an excavator and loosen the root ball and use the excavator to push the tree over. I then use the 4020 or 5103 to drag it out the way, depending on the size of the tree.

 

[johnrex62]

When you say "pulling trees" do you mean dragging (forwarding) them, or do you mean uprooting them? From the responses so far, it isn't clear which is involved.
For uprooting, I usually use either my FEL bucket with toothbar or my grapple rake. Slipping a rake tooth under the root ball will pop most trees up to 4" dia. or so. With bigger ones, I first push it over until some of the roots are exposed, then push horizontally (with a little lift) to just slide the tree out of its anchor point.
For dragging trees, the idea of chaining them to your box blade so the butts can be lifted a bit should work well. I mostly use my grapple for this operation, but it also involves driving backwards a lot, which is a nuisance if distances are very great.

BOB

I am talking about hooking up to a live, growing tree with an intact root system and removing it from that spot.

I have tried chaining it to the bucket, but did not have any luck curling it out of the ground that way. Maybe there is a technique that works, but I don't know it.

I have had luck wrapping a chain to the trunk, low to the ground, and hooking the chain to the swinging drawbar and pulling it out of the ground. I am looking to make this process more effective. As mentioned by someone else, not all trees are created equal and some put up more of a fight than others. I want as many edges in that fight as possible.

I don't make any money on this and it is just for making it possible to clean up the thickets and to make room for the brush hog. I don't need to spend a lot of money on new attachments and I dont have the skills or equipment to make anything. I figure if loading my tires will make a noticeable difference I can spring $10-$15 for an adapter and run my water hose out.

If there is any other free or cheap tips, I am open to those too. :thumbsup:

 

[knightrider955]

What I do is line my bucket up so it contacts the trunk about 4 feet up from the ground, back the tractor up about 10-15 feet away from the tree, put her in 3rd gear low, and let her go. Usually after a couple times the tree is pushed over. Then push and lift at the same time with the bucket to lift the rest of the roots free. I do that with 60-80 foot tall Red pines with 12 inch trunks with no problems.

 

[beppington]

I've had good luck just raising the FEL to ~6 feet hi & just push the tree over. Use 4WD & a low gear.

The ones that won't go over this way just need some of their roots ripped.

 

[deerefan]

What I do is line my bucket up so it contacts the trunk about 4 feet up from the ground, back the tractor up about 10-15 feet away from the tree, put her in 3rd gear low, and let her go. Usually after a couple times the tree is pushed over. Then push and lift at the same time with the bucket to lift the rest of the roots free. I do that with 60-80 foot tall Red pines with 12 inch trunks with no problems.

That has to put quite a toll on the tractor. Maybe I am not grasping exactly how you do this. Do you have any videos or pics? It sounds like a method I would like to adopt if possible.

 

[knightrider955]

That has to put quite a toll on the tractor. Maybe I am not grasping exactly how you do this. Do you have any videos or pics? It sounds like a method I would like to adopt if possible.

Not much of a toll on the tractor at all. After the first push of two, the tree is leaning so much that the shear wieght of the tree pretty much brings it down the rest of the way. You just have to be careful that the swaying doesnt cause the tree to break in two and fall on you and the tractor. If I had 4wd, would probably pull up against the tree and then push it right over, but with 2wd it doesnt work, my tires just spin. So I gotta get a running start at it. The momentum of my 6000 lb tractor pushes it over. Not hard on the tractor at all.

 

[Baby Grand]

What I do is line my bucket up so it contacts the trunk about 4 feet up from the ground, back the tractor up about 10-15 feet away from the tree, put her in 3rd gear low, and let her go. Usually after a couple times the tree is pushed over. Then push and lift at the same time with the bucket to lift the rest of the roots free. I do that with 60-80 foot tall Red pines with 12 inch trunks with no problems.

I really think this is a risky method. A running start to get up to ramming speed is not very kind to your equipment. Some might call it abuse. Also, you have been very lucky not to shake any widow makers loose using that approach - I wouldn't suggest doing it without a fully armored cab - even then, I wouldn't do it.
-Jim

 

[k0ua]

Loading the tires makes a big difference in the ability to push over trees, with the FEL, or pulling them from the drawbar for that matter.. couple of things. just be careful not to push on any tree that looks like it has dead branches, or you may get one over your head. just put the center of the bucket at about 4 or 5 feet high on the tree and push gently and carefully. I don't recommend the ramming thing..for the dead/broken branch thing, and not to mention you would have to have one heck of a sturdy bucket to keep from folding it up if you picked too big of a tree that did not "give". So if you pick a tree you can really push over, either push it over fully, or if that cant be done, then hopefully you can get the root area up enough to get the bucket in under it and shear off some of the roots. of course if you have access to all sides, work on it from several different angles until you get it. If you have some kind of "ripper" like a sub-soiler or some such. that could loosen the roots and really help. With loaded tires and proper ballast on the rear both, you will think your tractor is a tank. Just be careful with the pushing because now with improved traction the tires just wont spin much and there goes one of your "safety mechanisms" and now you are free to "wad up" things like buckets, loader arms etc. I havent broken anything yet but the tractor has a lot more push after the tire loading. Good luck
James K0UA