Log skidding,Never done it, tips, and advice

[OH_Varmntr]

$160-180 is not in my budget right now. I'd like to try it though. Thanks for the tip!!

Google "log sled" and look at some of those pics. You could easily make something of that nature out of a sheet of steel that would work very well to keep the front of the log out of the dirt and snags. For cheap too.

 

[timbrjackrussel]

Just my advice...not a pro here by any stretch of the imagination.

I'd hook it up and pull. The largest log dug in less where my wedge was cut. I could have pulled much bigger, this was my first attempts.
<iframe width="853" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qPwRztyRc3Y?list=UUmAX9myX4TPAAp_xWuzEFLQ&amp;hl=en_US" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>



It was a wet, rainy day so I aired down my M/T 33's to about 8-10 psi and I have selectable lockers front and rear...

Here's a pic of the Jeep

Looks like you can get a trailer anywhere in that bush. Fell the tree, buck it up while it is clean, load , take it home. I only drag out trees with my Norse 400 Logging winch when time is a concern and the trees won't be needed for a couple of years.
If you need to get them out now, make up a couple of choker chains and a grab hook hitch insert. Hook them close and high. A bit of snow will help to keep the logs clean.
Don't ever get behind the vehicle. Helpers must stay of to the side until vehicle is stopped and can't roll.

 

[cantoo]

Go to the scrap yard and get a hood off of a smashed car. Put the chain thru the hood latch and away you go.

 

[timbrjackrussel]

A snatch block with 50' and 100' pieces of cable will let you pull at 90 degrees when you get caught or just can't get there from here.

 

[zogger]

$160-180 is not in my budget right now. I'd like to try it though. Thanks for the tip!!





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You can use a beat up old steel truck hood as well.

We used the cj7 here before skidding modest logs and big landscaping rocks.

Much better idea to get even a small tractor. Or just use a winch.

Ive used my come along to haul logs to a better area for bucking, but man is that tedious. i want to get one of those rope pullers instead. Works like a comealong, but you can use whatever length of rope you have with it.

 

[HDRock]

Some of these ideas are kind of funny, because it just so happens I have a crumpled up hood from my Tahoe that I just put a whole front clip on, and the hood is waiting to be taking to the scrap yard, I also have some pallets in my backyard right now that are almost a pre built sled, see pic. And a couple of pics of something similar, I guess it is called a dray
The thing is these trees have been on the ground for two years, (a lot of trees, that's another story ) some parts of them are touching the ground some parts are not, so the ones on the ground will have .crap stuck to them anyway.
The reason I need to drag them out is because I can't get the trailer backed up in their or the Jeep, too many saplings and bushes, but I think taking my time I can drag them out, rather than cutting them up then getting them out to the trailer
Like I said I'm not going to buy a bunch of stuff or a power winch, to do this, I do have a hand winch I can hook to the Jeep, and I know would be kind of tedious.
About the snatch block, I was actually looking at those to use to pull some trees down at 90°, at my property
So there may be some trial and error involved but, I'm not pressed for time, so I'm not going to get in a big hurry and tare stuff up, or hurt myself

 

[JimiLL]

I drag some decent sized stuff with my gasser 4x4 f250. Some 2ft pin oak 12 ft long was heaviest log pulled. Dont worry so much about power....if it has enough power to spin the tires, it has enough to do the job.

Run it in 4Lo, without a doubt. I tug with 3/8 DOT chain, it will never break with that truck pullin it. Chains are nice you can drag em through the dirt and over rocks and such, try that with a rope.

 

[HDRock]

I drag some decent sized stuff with my gasser 4x4 f250. Some 2ft pin oak 12 ft long was heaviest log pulled. Dont worry so much about power....if it has enough power to spin the tires, it has enough to do the job.

Run it in 4Lo, without a doubt. I tug with 3/8 DOT chain, it will never break with that truck pullin it. Chains are nice you can drag em through the dirt and over rocks and such, try that with a rope.

That's why I want to get some chain/cable, to wrap the logs, I can use the big as$ rope I have, to hook to the chain. The rope wouldn't last long, around the logs , dragging through everything.

I bought a nice used cant hook AND 2 log jacks ,one real heavy duty all for $45 from the guy that's gonna hook me up with chain/cable, the point here, no need to spend a bunch of money, when there is good used stuff out there cheep

 

[Dalmatian90]

Two basics I don't see mentioned at least directly (although maybe I read too fast...)

1) As a general rule, the more weight you can put in your jeep, the better. The weight gives you traction in most pulling conditions.

When I'm pulling with my Ranger the first thing I do is load up the bed with firewood before I even consider skidding a log of any size.

2) "Twitching" is your friend if you can possibly do it all.

The hardest thing to do is start moving a load pulling in line with it.

If you can come in at angle and start the log moving by rotating it a bit first, then now that it's in motion it's much easier to continue forward as it straightens out behind you.

See 37 seconds into this video for what I'm talking about:
<iframe width="640" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_P2FWDPOdIk?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[HDRock]

[QUOTE

2) "Twitching" is your friend if you can possibly do it all.

The hardest thing to do is start moving a load pulling in line with it.

If you can come in at angle and start the log moving by rotating it a bit first, then now that it's in motion it's much easier to continue forward as it straightens out behind you.
[/QUOTE]
Good point and it makes sense
What is "Twitching" ??

 

[Patrick62]

If you can come in at angle and start the log moving by rotating it a bit first, then now that it's in motion it's much easier to continue forward as it straightens out behind you.

Which is not so great on a hill. Log rolls down hill. jeep slides sideways. Parts of driver pucker.

 

[turnkey4099]

I've been all over Baily's and all I found were arches that I couldn't justify. Google here I come....

An old car hood from the days when they were made from real steel works well, torch a hole in the front, run chain/cable through hole to log, hook up and pull. End of log 'should' slid up on the hood and away you go. Or visit a local welding shop and have them bend a piece of about 12" wide by a couple foot long 1/8" sheet iron with a hole in the upbent end.

The problem with a sloping cut on the drag end is mostly a waste of time as the log _will_ roll unpredictably.

Harry K

 

[turnkey4099]

If the thread is still available "yarding with an F150" shows one of my jobs.

Harry K

 

[turnkey4099]

Tried to edit but it ain't working (again).

Another more recent thread showing snatch block lashups and towing with a 2x PU.

"Steve's place"

Harry K

 

[ropensaddle]

Just my advice...not a pro here by any stretch of the imagination.

I'd hook it up and pull. The largest log dug in less where my wedge was cut. I could have pulled much bigger, this was my first attempts.
<iframe width="853" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qPwRztyRc3Y?list=UUmAX9myX4TPAAp_xWuzEFLQ&amp;hl=en_US" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>



It was a wet, rainy day so I aired down my M/T 33's to about 8-10 psi and I have selectable lockers front and rear...

Here's a pic of the Jeep

I can't get my mind around willful abuse of equipment"driving over log pile!" nice jeep though

 

[bentring]

Truck, chain, choker cable. Jeep will work, but has much more limited capabilities than a 7000+lb truck.

Please don't walk behind stuff like that. You made me wince.

 

[EXCALIBER]

I got tired of the limitations and bad fuel mileage of the jeep and upgraded to a 1 ton. That proved to be to small so I upgraded again. Bottom line you can pull with a jeep, they are quite capable. You will just have to cut the trees down to size. My truck is high enough that when I pull a tree, the tree lifts up in the air and there is only one small part getting drug through the dirt. Here is my truck pulling, sorry no pics of it pulling a tree though, yet anyway! Watch the sled's bottom at the end of the pull, and keep in mind this sled weighs in excess of 40,000lbs. I can pull them forward or backwards and very rarely use...um I would say 4x4, but rarely use 6x6.
[video=youtube;YpRRTwyK_fw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpRRTwyK_fw[/video]

 

[OH_Varmntr]

Please don't walk behind stuff like that. You made me wince.

You do your thing, and ill do mine. :beer:

 

[shawnw]

I got tired of the limitations and bad fuel mileage of the jeep and upgraded to a 1 ton. That proved to be to small so I upgraded again. Bottom line you can pull with a jeep, they are quite capable. You will just have to cut the trees down to size. My truck is high enough that when I pull a tree, the tree lifts up in the air and there is only one small part getting drug through the dirt. Here is my truck pulling, sorry no pics of it pulling a tree though, yet anyway! Watch the sled's bottom at the end of the pull, and keep in mind this sled weighs in excess of 40,000lbs. I can pull them forward or backwards and very rarely use...um I would say 4x4, but rarely use 6x6.
[video=youtube;YpRRTwyK_fw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpRRTwyK_fw[/video]

That's kind of cheating, isn't it?

 

[singinwoodwackr]

I'm not sure this is the right place to post this but


Until three weeks ago ,I didn't even know what skidding was, but now I need to drag some stuff out into the open to cut n load, split at home ,elect splitter.

I don't plan on buying a bunch of stuff to do it, except, I'm going to see. a guy tomorrow with used chain and cable, at a very good price,I have 100ft of big fat rope, and a jeep.

Any thing U can think of I should know ,Does,Don'ts, what ever, Thank You

for small stuff that I can get my truck into I'll just hook up with the choker and drag by the small end. For stuff down an incline, not accessible for truck or bigger than I want to drag I'll set a block up as high as I can in a tree near my chosen landing spot. then either pull with truck or winch at as close to a 90* angle as possible. Having 2 people is really essential or you'll wear yourself out fast
I have a 200' and a 125' cable and use whichever suits the project. Sometimes I'll use 2 blocks to compound the angles and add pulling power but rarely have to do this.

gear:
3" Tree straps, 6', 10', 20'
14' choker, 1/2" (Bailey's)
10' chain choker (use this most often)
200' 5/16" cable with eyes at both ends
125' 5/16" with same (old winch cable, modified)
2 25k# blocks
4 3/4" shackles
9000# winch on truck with 100' of 3/8" AMSteel blue winch rope (if you haven't swapped out your winch cable for this stuff, do so. It is stronger and tons safer )

Any time you use regular cable stay well clear of that sucker when pulling!!!
winch rope will just snap and drop or at worst snap and return directly to what its tied into.

draggin logs with an old Jeep works too
'02 fun
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