Making my own wheel chains for the Logbullets

[IronMike]

Now then ye wise and knowledgeable lot.

 

I've a site I'm working on currently that is steep in places, with the understory being quite slippy also. I was wondering about making my own chains uonfor the wheels on the Logbullets perhaps? Would this offer much more grip on the loose stuf? 

 

Has anyone done anything similar before? And if so, what type of chain did you use, where did you get it, and are there any techniques for construction?

 

One of my machines does have bandtracks, the other doesn't. @Big Ji know you had decent success with the bandtracks but was this on steeper stuff or more on peaty type ground that was flat?

 

Cheers in advance!

[drinksloe]

Can u not just use the machine with the band tracks on it then?

Or put/swap the tracks over?

 

I imagine it will be getting them tight might be the problem.

I take it no quad or UTV/small tractor tyre chains would fit? Althou i would imagine any quad chains will be designed for snow and might not be hard enough wearing for full time use in forestry

 

Thats wot they were designed for but they do make a mess if ur leading throu any fields or loanings, if steep ground big grousers are ur friends but they do make a mess if turning on turf

[IronMike]

The machine that’s geared up for the bandtracks is the one I bought secondhand, and as yet I’ve never fitted them to see how they go. Of the two machines I’ve got, one climbs much better than the other (the one without bandtrack compatibly annoyingly) and the other is much better on flatter ground with tight turns. 
 

I might be able to swap the mounting parts for the bandtracks onto the other machine and see how it goes, possibly just put them in the back? 
 

I priced up some chains last year from an Avant dealer, the price was eye watering! Hence why I wondered if I could buy a bulk reel of chain and make my own.

Edited April 11, 2022 by IronMike

[josharb87]

There’s a machine in Finland with chains on, could be worth asking them? 
 

a mate had chains on The rear of his avant, made a massive difference 

[drinksloe]

Just thinking wot type of drive are log bullets?

 

Are they cage driven? I dunno how a whole tyre chain would work on a cage driven wheel?

 

I would be looking at using wot u already have.

Is it a big job putting them on the smaller machines?

I know with full sized forwarders if on forestry tyres rather than agris are absolutely useless without tracks on, amazing how easily they get stuck when off a brash matt

[spuddog0507]

11 hours ago, IronMike said:

The machine that’s geared up for the bandtracks is the one I bought secondhand, and as yet I’ve never fitted them to see how they go. Of the two machines I’ve got, one climbs much better than the other (the one without bandtrack compatibly annoyingly) and the other is much better on flatter ground with tight turns. 
 

I might be able to swap the mounting parts for the bandtracks onto the other machine and see how it goes, possibly just put them in the back? 
 

I priced up some chains last year from an Avant dealer, the price was eye watering! Hence why I wondered if I could buy a bulk reel of chain and make my own.

Oh dear, i just got shut of a bag of 6mm galved chain, i think it was 80ft long and had been used to moor a boat on Windermere for only one season, it was in a bag in the building and i was getting fed up of moving it, so i swapped it for a light board,,,

You should be able to get some new chain with ease i would of thought, there is a lad near me who i use for a lot of stuff who supplies chain called  A,T engineering, i think they would put it on a coriour for you, and they aint expensive either, hope this helps, 

Edited April 11, 2022 by spuddog0507
spelling

[slack ma girdle]

When i used to use the Nuffield of power (two wheel drive) to skid out timber, i used loops of chain around the tire and rim joined with a bolt and nylock nut on the underside of the rim.

Made a massive difference to traction.

You could do the same, but you would have to drill holes through the rim for the bolt.