3-point logging winch info needed

Arborist Forum

Help Support Arborist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
I have had a Fransgard V4000 for about 5 years now and I have been very happy with it. I have it on a 40HP Kubota 4wd. It was recommended to me by two other fellows that own them and use them lots. As others have said try and keep your tractor in line while winching or you could easily roll it.
Good luck with your decision,
John
 
The Paul Bunyan Festival is coming up in early Oct. You might be able to look at some winches there. Cambridge is a ways from Cincy but might be worth the trip. Tried to find a list of manufactures for the show but had no luck.
 
Tangentially related question:

I see that Farmi sells their 290 winch for the 17-30hp tractors. Forgive my ignorance, since I'm a suburban boy whose only tractor experience has been with a lawn tractor, but how much real-world skidding and pulling could be done with a tractor of that size? I'm thinking something like a JD790 or one of those 20-25hp Japanese used imports.

A little late, but for what's it's worth......this is a pic of a JD790 with a sm. Fransgard winch. I had stopped on this rather steep slope to see how safe I was. I was just playing. Had no problems, as long as common sense was applied....

I saw no problems with the quality of the Fransgard winch. Would buy one again. Purchased the Farmi with my new tractor for "cost", so I'm told...

Anyway a sm tractor and winch, as you can see, can do a pretty good job for a homeowner. The lack of power when pulling can be frustrating at times. Lots of walking back and forth. It is not at all fast, but is fun;)

I now have a 65 hp tractor with a Farmi, and there is no comparison...grunt...grunt....:chainsawguy:
 
Last edited:
Speaking of protective screens, I decided it would behoove me to have one. So I made one that clamps to my rops. I was mainly worried about backing into a branch and breaking the rear window. The winch has put a few dents in it so I guess it's paid off.
attachment.php
 
Great minds must think alike...

I also attached protection to rear of rops. Also made me a ruuf. Got tired of wearing a hard hat and wondering what was going to fall on me.

This tree falling on the roof was my fault. Just got too lax when lifting up high and didn't roll bucket forward.

Pic. also shows front tractor weights mounted on winch for weight when needed. Tires also loaded.
 
This is an interesting thread to me, as I have just recently turned my team into pasture ornaments and am using (not mine) a 30 hp New Holland 4wd to take the pine saw logs out of 10 acres. No winch, but it suprises me what it will pull and the front end loader is a real labor/back saver.
I have no idea how they figure the pulling power of the winches, but looking at the specs even the smaller ones are impressive. I think the range is somewhere between 7000 and 12000 lbs. Does anyone have any winching stories about the big one that did'nt come out easy? Is it possible with some combinations that the winch can pull more than the tractor?
 
The Paul Bunyan Festival is coming up in early Oct. You might be able to look at some winches there. Cambridge is a ways from Cincy but might be worth the trip. Tried to find a list of manufactures for the show but had no luck.
You can find just about anything made for logging/arborists work at the PBS.Anyone that hasn't attended and has an interest in this type stuff,it's well worth the trip.According to mapquest the trip from Cinci to Cambridge is about 3 hours ,which is about the same distance for me.
 
This is an interesting thread to me, as I have just recently turned my team into pasture ornaments and am using (not mine) a 30 hp New Holland 4wd to take the pine saw logs out of 10 acres. No winch, but it suprises me what it will pull and the front end loader is a real labor/back saver.
I have no idea how they figure the pulling power of the winches, but looking at the specs even the smaller ones are impressive. I think the range is somewhere between 7000 and 12000 lbs. Does anyone have any winching stories about the big one that did'nt come out easy? Is it possible with some combinations that the winch can pull more than the tractor?

I had to drag some logs through a low wet spot last winter. I would stop before I got to it, let the winch loose, drive through, then drag the logs over to the other side. One time the chain on a log caught in one of the notches on the winch, so I barrelled into the wet area dragging it behind me. I got good and buried and finally got turned sideways and could move no more so I hooked the winch up in a tree. What I didn't know was the tierod was hung up on a stump. I ended up ripping the tie rod right off. Lucky I didn't rip the tractor in half. I've also bent my three point lift arms. Lot's of power there for sure.
 
Is it possible with some combinations that the winch can pull more than the tractor?

Absolutly. Assuming you have 100 feet of winch cable you can drive ahead 100 feet, lower the winch to the ground, pull the logs back to the tractor, drive ahead another 100, winch it back and so on and so forth. This can be done with a big winch and a small tractor. It's not very productive becaause of how slow the winch line speed is.


Craig
 
If you get more winch than your tractor can handle then you can and probably will tear the tractor up! For an L5030 a 10k winch would be the MAX that I would stick behind it! I've got a new holland TC40D that I use an Igland 4001 on which is a 8,800lbs pulling power winch and that is all I really want back there! You would be amazed at what that combo will pull though. A 36''x12' poplar log is no trouble to skid out on good ground and I have pulled 14's out that size. I've run the same winch on my Kubota M8200 and man you can really move some wood then! My M8200 is too much tractor for the winch at that point.
 
Almost forgot, I'm starting a 30mbf cut of white pine and poplar next week that I will be logging with the new holland and the winch. I'll try to post some pics.
 
Ryan, I didn't mean some one should get an oversized winch i was just replying to whoever asked if it could be done. I would not recommend it either it's a waste of money and time, its just... possible..

sorry for the confusion




Craig
 
Can't seem to help myself!LOL:monkey: Its a bad addiction! I'm doing predominatly urban logging now although I will still do some convintional logging.
 
Back
Top