Seeking advice on pulling tree with tractor...

[swinny]

Hi there,

 

Just seeking some advice on what rope to get / wire for use with a tractor when pulling leaning tree's over.... and any other advice that can be given.

 

I do have a decent steel cable with fixed eye's but this is too short!

 

Also when you get steel cable, you are at a fixed length so it may suit one job but may be to long for another.

 

I need it to be versatile, light ish and strong.

 

Do people use decent ropes and use knots? Or use a portawrap to tension/attatch to the tractor? doesn't this put to much strain on porta wrap which would still need to be used for rigging operations...

 

All help greatly appreciated!!

 

Cheers

[easy-lift guy]

I would not use either a rope or cable or chain. Find some cardboard and wrap around the trunk of the tree. Borrow or buy a tow strap wrap around trunk and slowly draw up slack until taunt. Pull desired length and your done. This should be a Two person job,although if you notch the cardboard and place the strap just right you should be able to handle the job.

easy-lift guy

[swinny]

These are big tree's though.... sticks 40-45 ft tall then 15-20ft topping growth... 28"-30" at base. sight back leans towards houses...

 

Want some good rope etc

[easy-lift guy]

If I had a choice it would still be a decent tow strap for maximum control. The problems with rope cable and chain is damage to the trunk and less control.

easy-lift guy

[Dan Earp]

If ur worried about the tree falling on the tractor could u not use a redirect with a prussic, so if u lost traction the rope would be held tight by the prussic. Place a towing strap around the tree as high as u can get it attach rope

[Reddog]

What size tractor are you planning to use? I like to size rope and cable with a minimum of 5:1 safety factor when pulling based on the tractor weight. If I have a operator that is not as smooth and more likely to jerk the line I size it larger. Not sure what is standard in the UK.

 

Are you planning to climb the trees to set the line or use a throw bag?

 

Below are my thoughts on what is available at my location.

 

Amsteel/dyneema, and Tenex are light and strong. But work best in eye to eye configurations. Using slings and shackles to connect at the stem and a shackle at the draw bar. So climbing to set the line is best.

 

Stable braid will take more abuse in sliding or chaffing in the pull. So if some thing slips a little less chance of rope damage when set from the ground with a running Bowline at the tree and a shackle and a Anchor hitch at the draw bar.

 

Cable when sized right works great from a strength, durability and almost zero stretch but is very heavy and time consuming to rig hard to take up slack. Up the tree a sling and shackle seem to be the best/easiest connection to the stem.

Making an industrial prusik out of Tenex works to hook the cable to the draw with a shackle and make the system adjustable. But you need to test pull and make sure it doesn't slip. Also cable wears the tenex quite quick so checking it after each pull is critical.

 

Just my .02 always open to learning better options.

[combined tree services]

i would be having a look at getting s decent winch preferably with an anchorage system of some sort , just consider how much weight there is in the tree and how confident you are that the tree wont go backwards taking the tractor with it and also how sure you are that the tractor can pull the trees over .

[monkeybusiness]

We often use a good 16mm lowering rope with large portawrap to connect it to a winch/tractor etc for assisted felling on big stuff. This avoids knotting the rope and gives very easy length adjustment. Always rig the rope as high as possible - even big trees with back lean don't require a massive amount of pulling if you get the rope near the top and the hinge isn't left too thick. Always use wedges as a backup in case of a failure within your pulling system, and chase them into the cuts as they open if safe to do so.

[Gray git]

Use a winch on the tractor as tyre grip is always the thing that will let you down not what attaches it to the tree as long as you dont yank it, a winch gives a lot more control and is unlikely to slide and drop the tree backwards, plenty of people over your way that have them to help you.

[woody paul]

Got a 20mmx50m Polysteel bull rope I bought a year ago used it on 10 biggish sycamores the other month all where leaning back over garage block. Redirected with a pulley do to no room for tractor on trees came over. You can allways hold with tirfor or similar to stop them going back and pull with tractor. Shorten rope with bowlen.