Seeking advice on pulling tree with tractor...

[codlasher]

Treat what looks like a simple pull with a tractor with caution.

If the tree is any bigger than 16" you will be surprised by the 'lift' created with pulling on the trunk with your cable/strop. Creating a big angle between the draw-bar and the attachment position on the tree itself will result in less grip the more you pull, often resulting on the rear wheels loosing grip much earlier than you would normally expect them to.

Try to loose weight on the opposite side by sending the Climber up to drop those limbs if you can.

I used to dig the forks of my old County/Cooks winch combination well in when doing this type of work as this occasionally dragged, particularly on wet ground.

All the equipment was 25mm cable rated to over ten tons. A short cable strop about 2.0 long was used to wrap around the tree then the main cable was attached from the winch, either pulled up by the climber or run up using a ladder. Webbing is probably as good but must be rated for what you will be putting through it. The plus side to webbing is the weight and none those bl**dy whiskers that always appear in cable waiting to get you no matter how thick your gloves are ;-(

codlasher

Edited December 23, 2012 by codlasher

[woody paul]

Treat what looks like a simple pull with a tractor with caution.

If the tree is any bigger than 16" you will be surprised by the 'lift' created with pulling on the trunk with your cable/strop. Creating a big angle between the draw-bar and the attachment position on the tree itself will result in less grip the more you pull, often resulting on the rear wheels loosing grip much earlier than you would normally expect them to.

Try to loose weight on the opposite side by sending the Climber up to drop those limbs if you can.

I used to dig the forks of my old County/Cooks winch combination well in when doing this type of work as this occasionally dragged, particularly on wet ground.

codlasher

 

That's right. You need a lot of ballast on tractor when pulling trees, or redirect with pulley to eliminate steep pull up on tractor.

[difflock]

Many years ago I questioned why my father kept the trailer hitched on the tractor when pulling a big Ash over.

With the wire rope att to the rear of the trailer chassis.

Simply to keep the tractor wheels on the ground for traction was his answer.

I found that a trifle counter-intutive at the time (why does pulling "extra" weight make the tractor pull better?) ,

but now it simply seems obvious.

Aint maturity and experience grand.

[woody paul]

If you use a heavy enough cable just the weight once pulled up will pull a tree over with out pulling. Remember on some big horse chests put a winch rope up and went to pull up and the cable didn't even got off the ground and the tree came over by It's roots.

[oldwoodcutter]

One simple tip,make sure the tractor you use has a clevis type drawbar hitch with a tow pin in it, if thats where you're attaching your cable or bull rope to.

I once saw a hawser under tension slip off one of those pointed ball type auto pick-up hitches on a tractor,nearly took a young fella's head clean off his shoulders.

[codlasher]

Sitting in the cab with a straight cable running up into the tree and watching. Engine running nicely on just above tick over, clutch in and waiting for the signal to go. Nervous.

 

I never put a massive strain on the cable to start with. The reason was not to trap the cutters saw when the directional cut was being made. This rule applies particularly to stems with potential for rot inside. As long as the cable was straight was the rule. When the felling cut was being placed I had a very good idea of what was happening by how the cable was behaving. If the cable bellied I knew that all would be well and the need for big pulling power was low. If the cable went bar tight I paid much attention to the pre-arranged escape route and the signal from the cutter that he was clear and to work up the power on the winch. There was always a point of maximum pull to where the tree reached its tipping point. Maximum pull sometimes resulted in the whole tractor rear end rising up onto the fork stops, this meant that there was now all weight on the mechanism and it was doing what it had been designed to do, dig into the ground and pull with all its 10 ton capability. As the tree reached the tipping point the tractor slowly moved forward and the wheels again touched the ground, the tree then hit the ground. Job done...Phew:thumbup1:

codlasher

 

As a PS to this. Ten ton of pulling power will pull a bogged and fully loaded timber lorry from a bad loading bay (See Nick Channer's pic as an example)

Edited December 23, 2012 by codlasher

[woody paul]

Sitting in the cab with a straight cable running up into the tree and watching. Engine running nicely on just above tick over, clutch in and waiting for the signal to go. Nervous.

 

I never put a massive strain on the cable to start with. The reason was not to trap the cutters saw when the directional cut was being made. This rule applies particularly to stems with potential for rot inside. As long as the cable was straight was the rule. When the felling cut was being placed I had a very good idea of what was happening by how the cable was behaving. If the cable bellied I knew that all would be well and the need for big pulling power was low. If the cable went bar tight I paid much attention to the pre-arranged escape route and the signal from the cutter that he was clear and to work up the power on the winch. There was always a point of maximum pull to where the tree reached its tipping point. Maximum pull sometimes resulted in the whole tractor rear end rising up onto the fork stops, this meant that there was now all weight on the mechanism and it was doing what it had been designed to do, dig into the ground and pull with all its 10 ton capability. As the tree reached the tipping point the tractor slowly moved forward and the wheels again touched the ground, the tree then hit the ground. Job done...Phew:thumbup1:

codlasher

 

Brings back memories of when I use to pull trees for my old boss with a Bedford RL.

[codlasher]

There's always that jangling nerves bell as you are waiting!

We always talked each tree through no matter how many times and no matter how many times there is always the jangle of that feeling!

codlasher

[Marc Lewis]

Personally i wouldn't put the rope as high in the tree as possible as the flex in the tree does not give such an even pull on the hinge. You also risk snapping the top of the tree out! Half to two thirds up is ideal.

[Marc Lewis]

of course the height you put it depends on the nature of the tree. i.e. if the tree has been pollarded in the past you wouldn't attach above the pollard. Also rot, V shaped unins etc etc