New Truck/Tree Puller

[EXCALIBER]

Well only had the cell phone so pics are small but loaded the truck with wood, took forever, then took a picture of it after pulling a 30inch dia 40 ft tree out of the brush. Only problem is its bending my high test 3/8 log chain, time to buy half inch I guess and a winch for the front!

 

[RVALUE]

Don't waste your time with 1/2 cable. Go bigger. Unless you're pulling out firewood that is already down.

If your pulling live trees out of the ground, 1/2 inch won't cut it.

 

[RAMROD48]

Don't waste your time with 1/2 cable. Go bigger. Unless you're pulling out firewood that is already down.

If your pulling live trees out of the ground, 1/2 inch won't cut it.

He said chain....not cable....

 

[RVALUE]

He said chain....not cable....

You are right. And that is even worse......



Good read, and good spot.

 

[Steve NW WI]

Looks like a nice rig. Been pondering getting one myself, but lacking in the funding department.

Couple of tips:

1: Don't use "zoom" on a cell phone camera, it's really just a "crop" and makes tiny pictures. Just get closer.

2: Good (read American made) Grade 70 (transport grade) should take the beating that thing will dish out. I pull 20-24" dia whole trees with the stuff. "High test" or grade 43 chain is usually foreign stuff and of questionable quality. Grade 70 is called transport grade because any lower grades are illegal to use for tying down cargo on the highway.

Enjoy the new toy!

 

[EXCALIBER]

Looks like a nice rig. Been pondering getting one myself, but lacking in the funding department.

Couple of tips:

1: Don't use "zoom" on a cell phone camera, it's really just a "crop" and makes tiny pictures. Just get closer.

2: Good (read American made) Grade 70 (transport grade) should take the beating that thing will dish out. I pull 20-24" dia whole trees with the stuff. "High test" or grade 43 chain is usually foreign stuff and of questionable quality. Grade 70 is called transport grade because any lower grades are illegal to use for tying down cargo on the highway.

Enjoy the new toy!

I got online after work and checked grade 70 transport chain, and I don't think 3/8 will hold up. The specs say 3/8 grade 70 has a working load limit (W.L.L) of 6,600 lbs, 7/16 has a W.L.L of 8,750 lbs, 1/2 inch 11,300 lbs W.L.L, 5/8 inch has W.L.L of 15,800 lbs. The truck weighs around 13,500 Lbs empty, not including the thousands of pounds of wood loaded in the bed. Not sure what to use now as its looking like 5/8 or bigger but the price is a killer. Maybe time to get that winch on the front of truck I'm thinking. IDK any ideas anyone?

 

[dingeryote]

Military Vehicles :: Colemans Military Surplus LLC - Your one-stop surplus store with Army/Navy products for hunting gear, camping gear, emergency products, and survival products

Give 'em a call. They ain't exactly swift on updating the web site.
Odds are they have a winch and frame that will bolt right up, and plenty of cable.

Nice rig!

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[kubotakid]

Your Truck

I got online after work and checked grade 70 transport chain, and I don't think 3/8 will hold up. The specs say 3/8 grade 70 has a working load limit (W.L.L) of 6,600 lbs, 7/16 has a W.L.L of 8,750 lbs, 1/2 inch 11,300 lbs W.L.L, 5/8 inch has W.L.L of 15,800 lbs. The truck weighs around 13,500 Lbs empty, not including the thousands of pounds of wood loaded in the bed. Not sure what to use now as its looking like 5/8 or bigger but the price is a killer. Maybe time to get that winch on the front of truck I'm thinking. IDK any ideas anyone?

That truck will never even test a 3/8 chain,.UNLESS YOU RUN AT IT WITH SUM SLACK,..Give it up,...

 

[EXCALIBER]

That truck will never even test a 3/8 chain,.UNLESS YOU RUN AT IT WITH SUM SLACK,..Give it up,...

Your right of course it does not test grade 70 3/8 chain it bends and destroys it beyond usability. That is why grade 70 3/8 is only rated to hold 6,600 lbs maximum, past that point it bends. I will try to get some pics of what it does to 3/8 grade 70 that I borrowed from my dad. It might hold up using a log arch but when you are pulling them on the ground and they catch something or dig into the dirt all the sudden, even though I am just crawling along, the chain is already at max use just pulling the tree, then any sudden shock load while pulling bends it, or straitens the link out so much the chain can no longer move freely any more.

 

[hamish]

Have fun if you get a winch for the truck, you'll be amazed how heavy that cable is dragging it out all the time. The winches on the M35 series/MLVW etc.... are good for recovery of self or others, you will beat yourself to sleep using it for any repeated task.

 

[flushcut]

Why not look into higher grades of chain like 80 or 100. I don't think 6600 lbs is the yield strength of 3/8 grade 70 I could see around 11 or 12k which is more likely what you were pulling between the truck and the dead weight of the log. I would think 1/2 grade 80 would be good but nice and heavy and cold in the mourning. Have you looked into Amsteel as the main body of your pull line and heavy chain chockers?

 

[Highbeam]

Grade 70 is called transport grade because any lower grades are illegal to use for tying down cargo on the highway.

I will wave the BS flag. You absolutely are not required to use G70 chain for transport. You are required to use restraints with the proper load limits. Only a chain salesman would tell you that crap.

You'll even see nylon straps used for cargo these days.

 

[RVALUE]

Those 4 inch straps are strong as heck. I watched the tail wrap around the duals of a semi trailer once and stopped them at 70 MPH. The tires caught on fire before he stopped.

 

[Steve NW WI]

Y'all make me doubt myself, so I went looking for answers. What I found was clear as mud.

From FMCSA regs 393.104:

(e) Manufacturing standards for tiedown assemblies. Tiedown assemblies (including chains, wire rope, steel strapping, synthetic webbing, and cordage) and other attachment or fastening devices used to secure articles of cargo to, or in, commercial motor vehicles must conform to the following applicable standards:
An assembly component of . . . Must conform to . . .

(REMOVED BY ME)

(2) Chain National Association of Chain Manufacturers' Welded Steel Chain Specifications, dated September 28, 2005.

(Further down and not copied are specs for straps, rope, and cable.)

So I looked up the NACM specs, and this is the best I can do:

Sorry about the fuzzyness, it was part of a PDF, and I copied it as an image and made it a jpg.

Note that it doesn't say Grade 43 can't be used for securement, but does specifically list G70 for cargo securement. Looks like an attorney's dream...

This law also only applies to commercial motor vehicles, there are probably state laws that apply, but I have an hour into this already. Were it me, I'm not tying anything down with a G30 or G43 chain. If something bad happens and you're using the good stuff, it's one less thing to sweat about. Also, part of my original comment was trying to convey that much of the lower grade chain is cheap overseas crap and the rating stamped on them doesn't mean squat. I've seen supposed G43 5/16" chain snapped by a 700lb ATV. It's C-R-A-P and if you trust your equipment to it, you deserve what happens to it.

Yes, I've broken G70 3/8" chain, but it was chain that was past it's prime already and should have been replaced. I've stopped my tractor dead in its tracks catching a log on a stump more than a few times, and I'll bet the tractive effort of a 10K# farm tractor is close to what a duece will pull, if not more on loose ground.

Use what works for ya, and I hope I at least confused a few people as much as I did myself researching this!

BTW, someone mentioned Amsteel synthetic rope. I've got 150' of it I haven't got to try yet, but it's rated way higher than 1/2" chain, and the whole rope, 2 clevises, bag, and tackle block weigh less than a 16' 3/8" chain does. I'll put up a review of it when I get some use out of it (soon I hope...rain rain go away!)

 

[EXCALIBER]

Yes, I've broken G70 3/8" chain, but it was chain that was past it's prime already and should have been replaced. I've stopped my tractor dead in its tracks catching a log on a stump more than a few times, and I'll bet the tractive effort of a 10K# farm tractor is close to what a duece will pull, if not more on loose ground.

Actually if anyone is interested, on the farm tractor, I was using dads John Deere 3020 diesel 2wd tractor to pull trees out. It has a farmhand F11 loader with bucket, and a thousand pounds of calcium chloride in each rear tire. The specs say it weighs 7695 to 9585 pounds depending on equipment, so with the calcium chloride it should be at an easy 10,000 lbs of weight. It would pull the trees out but spin huge foot deep ruts in the ground, same trees with the truck not even in 6 wheel drive, and never have spun a tire yet or had to use 6 wheel drive. Just some info in case anyone has thought about buying one and wondered how it would pull. I had thought the tractor would pull more too!

On the synthetic line that might be just the ticket, I had totally forgot about that stuff. I heard it works good if kept clean and out of the sun, with nothing to abrade the rope.

 

[DangerTree]

Those 4 inch straps are strong as heck. I watched the tail wrap around the duals of a semi trailer once and stopped them at 70 MPH. The tires caught on fire before he stopped.

Don't be taking chances on these things! This winter working on an oil derrick we broke a 4" strap like a twig with a 12,000 lb tugger and shot the cable 100' past the crown! Just by pulling the control toggle the wrong way. If that was attached to a truck with no protective cage the damage would likely be severe, maybe deadly. If someone was unfortunate enough to be in the bite when one goes. In half- that's what he'd be. Don't mess with underrated tackle it's a killer!!!

 

[EXCALIBER]

Don't be taking chances on these things! This winter working on an oil derrick we broke a 4" strap like a twig with a 12,000 lb tugger and shot the cable 100' past the crown! Just by pulling the control toggle the wrong way. If that was attached to a truck with no protective cage the damage would likely be severe, maybe deadly. If someone was unfortunate enough to be in the bite when one goes. In half- that's what he'd be. Don't mess with underrated tackle it's a killer!!!

My thoughts after bending some chain, go big or go home! Its worth the extra money to know your equipment won't let you down when you need it the most, or get someone hurt.

 

[RVALUE]

My thoughts after bending some chain, go big or go home! Its worth the extra money to know your equipment won't let you down when you need it the most, or get someone hurt.

Am I crazy, or (ok let's not go there.) BUT doesn't cable out perform chain fairly quickly according to weight?

You can drag my 5/8 cable and it is strong. I have broken lots of chains, but mostly only one link at at time.

 

[flushcut]

Cable is stronger than chain but does not take a beating like chain nor is it as dangerous when it breaks.

 

[dingeryote]

LOL!!

There is a reason the winch cable on those old M35's is so dadgum heavy. Lesser cable had been tried and was found to be inadequate.

At 13,000lbs+ they will destroy civvie binder chains just pulling themselves out of a medium stuck, and forget synthetic jerk straps.

Anything that can haul 8 men and all thier gear, plus 200 rounds of 155mm ammo, spare fuel and chow while towing a 13,500lb Howitzer offroad, is gonna be able to mangle most any 1/2" chain if care isn't taken.

The shock load is the problem, and chain dosn't "Give" like cable.
If you're gonna be skidding big logs, find some good looped heavy cable sections, or expect to bust and mangle chains regularly.

Hell, I can remember a M35 Comm truck bieng used to pull a stuck Gamma goat outta the muck(Dork tried crossing a small pond) and the resulting carnage, when the doubled up 5/8 chain held and mangled the front end of the Goat. M35's are like an old Mule...be carefull and considerate what ya ask them to do, cuz they damn sure will do what ya ask of them. LOL!!

Stay safe!
Dingeryote