3pt skidding hitch project

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thumbilly

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So just seeing what everybody thinks about my take on this theory. I was just skidding dead wood for firewood but last winter I took on some logging and the situation I had was not working so I built this and then improved it with a hydraulic winch. I was in a hurry so I didnt get a lot of photo documentation on the initial build.
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Dont mind the mess it's been a decade in the making sadly

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That looks about like the one I started with, but instead of a hydraulic winch, I bought a skidder...


Keep the weight low with a tractor, ya run out of steering in a hurry, then pour the shifter is in a very uncomfortable place
Someday maybe a skidder. Or I'll just pack it in. On the right tractor, 4030 jd in this case it works really well no issues with a light nose until really big skids or when the fuel tank gets low. The tractor shifter is in exactly the same spot as it would be in a jd skidder so that's irrelevant. The release for the winch is well placed for me because usually I'm cutting and I pull the cable and hook the chokers. Clean up as we go kinda thing. Going in and cutting a big mess just makes it harder. The only time it's a real issue is if I'm cutting and skidding myself or just skidding down ash and get back on and forget to engage it. But im 6'5' so when it's up I can reach no problem from the seat. All and all for the $500 or so I have into it im more than pleased.

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Also since in grenaded the one tractor the plan is to replace it hopefully. I'm planning on getting a 100hp or so fwd jd tractor so less of steering issue even.

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Yeah, the 4000 series JD row crop tractors built from the 1970s to the 1990s were not a small tractor. The 4030 was one of the lighter, lower horsepower ones, but you can still add a lot of counterweight on the front. Still running a 4240 & 4450 out on the farm. That fairlead looks nice, and the whole piece looks really well fabbed.


The early 6000 series Deeres are nice. The newer ones... Not so much. They’re a fair bit lighter than your old 4030 too, depending on the setup. I feel like Agco (Challnger/Massey-Ferguson) builds the nicest new tractor at the moment. Definitely the easiest to work on and see out of.
 
I'd be a little concerned about that cable breaking and nothing between you and it. Nice fab work,kinda looks like my shop too!
 
I'd be a little concerned about that cable breaking and nothing between you and it. Nice fab work,kinda looks like my shop too!
Yeah I hear you. It's still in the testing phase. Wont take much to throw a shield up in it though so minor details. Not like osha is involved

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For NM and others with smaller skidders, do you run fluid in your tires? If so, what?

Thanks, Ron
They're loaded with chloride. It farms for a living normally. I wouldnt try it without weight though. Even with chains it struggles for traction sometimes.

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Calcium Chloride has been the standard for years. It’s cheap, non toxic & works well. You just have to fill it above the top of the rim or it will rust the rim out, and quickly.

Glycol has been used, I’m pretty meh. It’s just barely heavier than water, and it’s a mess to clean up correctly if it’s spilled.
 
Mainly curious if skidders run fluid or have enough weight without it. AG folks have moved away from calcium chloride here due to the corrosion; that is what I have in my little firewood tractor- really rough on the rims. Some are using antifreeze. The local coop is using methanol. No one sells rim guard locally. I am fixing up a slightly larger firewood tractor, each rear tire requires 55 gallons to get over the rims - shipping two drums of rim guard would be pretty expensive - probably as much as a tote.

I need about 1300# of ballast for the FEL. Right now I am looking at 700# on the 3 pt hitch with the rest either in or on the tires. Is there any water based fluid that is not corrosive? I would like to keep my ballast as low as practical. Axle height fluid would take care of the remaining weight I need. At a healthy price I can get 600# in wheel weights.

Ron
 
Mainly curious if skidders run fluid or have enough weight without it. AG folks have moved away from calcium chloride here due to the corrosion; that is what I have in my little firewood tractor- really rough on the rims. Some are using antifreeze. The local coop is using methanol. No one sells rim guard locally. I am fixing up a slightly larger firewood tractor, each rear tire requires 55 gallons to get over the rims - shipping two drums of rim guard would be pretty expensive - probably as much as a tote.

I need about 1300# of ballast for the FEL. Right now I am looking at 700# on the 3 pt hitch with the rest either in or on the tires. Is there any water based fluid that is not corrosive? I would like to keep my ballast as low as practical. Axle height fluid would take care of the remaining weight I need. At a healthy price I can get 600# in wheel weights.

Ron
We still just run chloride. Cheap and easy. Takes years and years to rot the rims with a good tube. I have a 1956 farmall with the original rims and chloride in them. Put new tires on and pumped it back in. They're just now starting to get bad. 63 years is a long time to be worried about the rim rusting on tractors people only keep a handful of years. Wheel weights are way to pricey and just aren't the same. Liquid ballast puts the weight low right to the ground. If your gonna skid with it keep as much weight other than the logs off the back. Makes for a light front end and gains nothing in traction. We didnt run any ballast in our actual skidders at work maybe would've been nice in the fronts to keep them from getting light with a big load but that opens up to other issues beating through the woods. Cant just go smashing trees out of the way with a little tractor.

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