Log Wagon / Trailer With Tractor

[FLRA_Dave]

I got a wagon that I stripped all the old decking off and just added a bracket in each corner to capture logs to tow behind my tractor. I use it to forward logs about 1/3 mile at the moment (in the woods, down the edge of a field, and down the road a bit). The load in the picture was from the first time I used it just over a week ago.

I was out yesterday with it and ran into a situation that almost tipped me over / pushed me down the hill. There was some slushy snow on the hill and the weight of the loaded trailer started to make the tractor power slide going down the hill. So I dropped the 3 pt to let the winch drag on the ground to act as a brake and so the wagon didn't force the 3 pt up. This caused the rear to become unloaded and the log on the forks (that the loader could barely lift) brought a rear tire off the ground. Luckily it all came to a stop and I was able to lift the 3 pt a bit to bring the rear down and crawl ever so gently to a leveled off area. I eventually made it out of the woods and it was smooth sailing after that.

I have been wanting to get a "legit" forestry trailer (possibly with loader), but after this experience I am not sure what size I would be looking to get or if it would even be worth it. Ideally I could pull at least 1 cord out at a time. I haven't looked yet, but do most of the log loading trailers have brakes? This would seem like a really important feature to have.

I really think this keeps coming back to the same thing... I need a bigger tractor!

This gives you an idea on the terrain.

If it's close to the field, then I just pull logs to the wagon.

It's when I get so many of the smaller logs the I really want to take the wagon in the woods so I don't have to keep driving small loads back and forth... over and over.

 

[farmer steve]

you were in 4 wd right? from the pics i'd say just a tad overloaded for the snowy conditions. i usually gear down a bit when towing my trailer in snow with a heavy load.

 

[FLRA_Dave]

you were in 4 wd right? from the pics i'd say just a tad overloaded for the snowy conditions. i usually gear down a bit when towing my trailer in snow with a heavy load.

Yes, always 4WD off road. I've tried 2WD before = no work good.

From a sales rep on the Woody's log trailer.. I was asking about the 95HD and he responded with this:

"well, all I can tell you that I have the 115 hd and I have to haul 8 miles two times a week and I round that right up and never lose pieces of wood and it takes me 3/4 of an hour from the time I leave till I come back and I load two tiers of wood. All I know that your tractor is plenty big to run and pull this loader trailor. I've got a customer that has one that pulls it with a 4-wheeler and puts 3/4 of a cord and handles that real good up hills and down. so the crane is 6995 plus the trailor is 3000. That would cure all your problems. thanks and have a good day."

http://equipementswoody.com/woody-equipment-products/forestry-equipment/log-loader/95-hd-log-loader/

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Do you have a QUALITY set of tire chains on your tractor?? Pretty much a must on a light tractor used in the winter!

SR

 

[Whitespider]

Chains and "loaded" tires will make any tractor thinks it's bigger than it is...
And yes... I have a couple pretty good inclines in the woodlot...

 

[FLRA_Dave]

Do you have a QUALITY set of tire chains on your tractor?? Pretty much a must on a light tractor used in the winter!

SR

No chains. I have a used pair of the kind with the cross links, but I need to shorten them up.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

No chains. I have a used pair of the kind with the cross links, but I need to shorten them up.

A GOOD pair would be my next purchase, if I was you!

SR

 

[speedthrills]

Chains and "loaded" tires will make any tractor thinks it's bigger than it is...
And yes... I have a couple pretty good inclines in the woodlot...

View attachment 414717 View attachment 414718

That is a sweet little setup, looks like it works well for you!

 

[FLRA_Dave]

A GOOD pair would be my next purchase, if I was you!

SR

What qualifies as a good pair?

Mine are like these: http://www.tirechain.com/duo-grip-detail.htm

 

[Whitespider]

What qualifies as a good pair?

The V-BAR type (bottom of your link) will give you the best grip on ice, hard pack, and such (that's what I have on my little Garden Tractor).
But be warned... they're rough on asphalt.
*

 

[Mad Professor]

I ran into that problem when I brought a GI ammo trailer they pull behind the 2 1/2-5 ton military trucks.

It weighed near the tractor unloaded.

Solution! Bigger tractor. I still have yet to overload that trailer, it is a beast.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

What qualifies as a good pair?

Mine are like these: http://www.tirechain.com/duo-grip-detail.htm

Those look good to me, but you know, they only work when they are on the tractor!! lol

SR

 

[NSMaple1]

Yes, always 4WD off road. I've tried 2WD before = no work good.

From a sales rep on the Woody's log trailer.. I was asking about the 95HD and he responded with this:

"well, all I can tell you that I have the 115 hd and I have to haul 8 miles two times a week and I round that right up and never lose pieces of wood and it takes me 3/4 of an hour from the time I leave till I come back and I load two tiers of wood. All I know that your tractor is plenty big to run and pull this loader trailor. I've got a customer that has one that pulls it with a 4-wheeler and puts 3/4 of a cord and handles that real good up hills and down. so the crane is 6995 plus the trailor is 3000. That would cure all your problems. thanks and have a good day."

http://equipementswoody.com/woody-equipment-products/forestry-equipment/log-loader/95-hd-log-loader/

If he's telling you someone is pulling that 95HD setup with an ATV, with 3/4 cord of wood on it, up hills & down - I'm throwing the BS flag. No way would I want to be on that ATV going down a hill, you would be upside down against a tree before you know it. The loader itself is 750lbs - x2 for the trailer and you're at 3/4 ton empty. I use an ATV with a light trailer, if I get 1/3 cord on it I am tippy-toeing anywhere near a hill.

 

[FLRA_Dave]

If he's telling you someone is pulling that 95HD setup with an ATV, with 3/4 cord of wood on it, up hills & down - I'm throwing the BS flag. No way would I want to be on that ATV going down a hill, you would be upside down against a tree before you know it. The loader itself is 750lbs - x2 for the trailer and you're at 3/4 ton empty. I use an ATV with a light trailer, if I get 1/3 cord on it I am tippy-toeing anywhere near a hill.

Exactly.

 

[cantoo]

Dave, that's why I went to a 4 wheeled wagon. And it's easier to load it too. I usually drive right onto the bush and load 12' logs onto it. I sometime cut the logs into rounds right on the trailer. I have a couple of decent hills and going down them I slow right down and drop the 3 pth all the way down or it will lift my tractor up. I just bought another wagon last weekend to convert over.

 

[chucker]

What qualifies as a good pair?

Mine are like these: http://www.tirechain.com/duo-grip-detail.htm

! same here for the chains ... this is what I have used on all my tractors from the h farmall 12.00x38's through the d15 allis which has 13.6x26 tires. with a shorter chain needed I just clipped the length to fit the allis an set the rest of the chain up with quick links for future use? it looks like the v-bar would do better on ice than the plain cross/box links!

 

[FLRA_Dave]

A bit of a tangent from this thread...

I know... Sometimes I'm a bit too trigger happy. I like having the wagon a lot behind the tractor, but it goes like this:

1 - tow trailer into woods
2 - unhook trailer
3 - load trailer
4 - line up without being able to see the ball/hitch perfectly, because the wagon is too heavy to man handle, and hook wagon onto tractor
5 - Exit woods with load
6 - Unhook trailer
7 - Unload trailer (not as easy as loading) and load into dump trailer hooked to truck

So this morning I ordered a Wallenstein LX115/LT60H/Power Pack/Back Hoe/Dump package!

http://www.embmfg.com/Forestry/Trailers/LX115LT60.aspx

It sure will be nice to be able to load both wagons in the woods while current wagon hooked to tractor, then haul full wagon to landing, and drop it. Head back into the woods and hook to loader. Load up. Head to landing with partial load. Hook loader trailer to truck and grab logs off old wagon and onto loader trailer. Head home?!

I'm told it will be about a 5 week wait as they are build to order.

 

[dancan]

Cantoo and SR have some nice carts , I built my trailer for atv logging but have been hauling it behind the tractor .

But ,I avoid steep downhill runs , the pushing up of the winch I have experienced so I have to figure out how to limit that when travelling , the old Belarus tractors used a hydraulic ram for the 3pt so they had full down pressure .

I've got a set of Norse tire chains to mount on one of my tractors , they look like these .

 

[boxygen]

A bit of a tangent from this thread...

I know... Sometimes I'm a bit too trigger happy. I like having the wagon a lot behind the tractor, but it goes like this:

1 - tow trailer into woods
2 - unhook trailer
3 - load trailer
4 - line up without being able to see the ball/hitch perfectly, because the wagon is too heavy to man handle, and hook wagon onto tractor
5 - Exit woods with load
6 - Unhook trailer
7 - Unload trailer (not as easy as loading) and load into dump trailer hooked to truck

So this morning I ordered a Wallenstein LX115/LT60H/Power Pack/Back Hoe/Dump package!

http://www.embmfg.com/Forestry/Trailers/LX115LT60.aspx

It sure will be nice to be able to load both wagons in the woods while current wagon hooked to tractor, then haul full wagon to landing, and drop it. Head back into the woods and hook to loader. Load up. Head to landing with partial load. Hook loader trailer to truck and grab logs off old wagon and onto loader trailer. Head home?!

I'm told it will be about a 5 week wait as they are build to order.

Nice setup. I'm jealous, however it looks like buying firewood would be a lot cheaper

 

[cantoo]

Wow Dave, that is definitely a big jump up. They are made about 50 miles from me. Wallenstein makes some nice stuff and they are $proud of it too. Horst Manufacturing is just up the road from them, Helm Welding is only 7 miles from me and Smyth Welding is 10 miles the other way. We have lots of good companies around here and I'm too cheap to buy from them all.
http://www.smythwelding.com/
http://www.lucknowproducts.com/
http://www.horstwelding.com/