I’m building a winch to pull large fat lighter stumps out of the ground, could use some advice/help

[sevin910]

I want to preface this by saying I am new to mechanics and building stuff in general, so some of this could be completely wrong and a terrible idea, and If it is, please let me know…I’m inexperienced, and trying to teach myself this kind of stuff, so criticism is welcomed as is better ideas; also my budget is super tight so I’m trying to build this with stuff I already have at the house/ stuff I can get pretty cheap…and I have a ton of junk laying around.

So heres my game plan so far. I have a large Gearbox I plan to use, and I have a 6hp Predator Motor that will be running the winch. Still on the fence as to whether I will be using pulleys or roller chains and sprockets. I want this winch to be mounted on its own little “trailer” that I can pull into the woods behind my gas powered golf cart. When I’m ready to start winchin’ I plan to unhook from the golf cart, and chain it off to the nearest two large trees. I have a mounting base that I plan to use. It’s actually the support from an old 10hp compressor. I need to put an axle or 2 axles under it, but I need to be able to lift the wheels up somehow, and let the steel frame sit directly on the ground because I’m sure they would bust from the pressure. I have some drop down axles I can use. I plan on welding these 2 flywheels to the side of this huge pole as the drum. Let me know if you see any better ideas. Here are some photos of the stuff I have already, I will upload photos of all the other stuff as soon as I get home. Thanks.

 

[sevin910]

Here is the gearbox…thing is super heavy. Will cut the length of the yellow pipe down some, and weld those flywheels onto each side. Thoughts so far?

 

[dave_dj1]

Two things so far:
1) keep it low to the ground, stand back
2) You don't want it too slow so do the math and figure out the speed before you start welding/bolting
OK three,
3) are you planning on welding and if so how are your welding skills and equipment? Don't want to see anyone get hurt from a failed weld.

 

[buzz sawyer]

How large of a stump are you talking about? Just be very cautious of tension when pulling - stay clear, out of the line of the pull.

 

[mrhemihead]

Please post shots of the stumps you are intending to pull.

I never had success pulling out poplar tree stumps.

Most of the time we dug them out with a backhoe, popped them out of the ground with a front loader or used a stump grinder.

 

[lwmibc]

I am immediately stumped at understanding what a 'large fat lighter stump' is and therefore can't offer anything by way of advice.

 

[lwmibc]

That said--I build a lot of stuff myself and heartily support your attempt; go for it. Think safety when you try it like dave_dj1 suggested, and go on to a Mark 2 version if it fails. I've got a hunch it will fail dismally due to inadequacy, but like I said I don't know your stumps.

 

[singinwoodwackr]

I want to preface this by saying I am new to mechanics and building stuff in general, so some of this could be completely wrong and a terrible idea, and If it is, please let me know…I’m inexperienced, and trying to teach myself this kind of stuff, so criticism is welcomed as is better ideas; also my budget is super tight so I’m trying to build this with stuff I already have at the house/ stuff I can get pretty cheap…and I have a ton of junk laying around.

So heres my game plan so far. I have a large Gearbox I plan to use, and I have a 6hp Predator Motor that will be running the winch. Still on the fence as to whether I will be using pulleys or roller chains and sprockets. I want this winch to be mounted on its own little “trailer” that I can pull into the woods behind my gas powered golf cart. When I’m ready to start winchin’ I plan to unhook from the golf cart, and chain it off to the nearest two large trees. I have a mounting base that I plan to use. It’s actually the support from an old 10hp compressor. I need to put an axle or 2 axles under it, but I need to be able to lift the wheels up somehow, and let the steel frame sit directly on the ground because I’m sure they would bust from the pressure. I have some drop down axles I can use. I plan on welding these 2 flywheels to the side of this huge pole as the drum. Let me know if you see any better ideas. Here are some photos of the stuff I have already, I will upload photos of all the other stuff as soon as I get home. Thanks.

O…boy…
I have a 9500# winch on my 5000# truck. I’ve pulled shrubs out of the ground…maybe 4” diameter…by standing on the brake pedal…and still moving the truck.
what you propose can’t work Hooked up to a golf cart.

try a D4

 

[fields_mj]

Well, he did say he was going to remove it from the golf cart and chain it to the nearest tree. Still, I agree with the majority here. I've removed a few shrubs over the years along with one or two stumps. I've seen G70 5/16 chains snap more than once. Trying to pull a stump that hasn't sufficiently rotted off is normally a wasted effort unless you have the correct piece of equipment (loader, backhoe, dozer, excavator) for the job. If the stumps are in the woods and not in the way, then no reason to remove them. If they are in the way, wait until you have a bunch to remove and then go rent a mini-hoe to dig them out with. That would be my recommendation anyway, and I am certainly one who's prone to try to build something whenever I get the chance.

 

[slabMan]

A log arch or even a tall spare tire works well for the lifting part. If you have two snatch blocks you could rig a 3 to 1 MA instead of the big weight of gears/gearbox, etc. I glanced at your pics and that stuff looks heavy! Keep it simple...if you can find an old hydraulic winch [planetary, best--but worm drive is also good , just a bit slower]. Log arch's are also great for loading logs onto a trailer. This is a 12k lb Braden winch I mounted to a skid steer plate quick attach, but you get the idea. It can be mounted on your trailer as well in a similar rig...toss a wet towel or rubber mat on your rope when you are pulling so nobody gets decapetated from any broken rope--just a tip! Good luck to you!

 

[slabMan]

A log arch or even a tall spare tire works well for the lifting part. If you have two snatch blocks you could rig a 3 to 1 MA instead of the big weight of gears/gearbox, etc. I glanced at your pics and that stuff looks heavy! Keep it simple...if you can find an old hydraulic winch [planetary, best--but worm drive is also good , just a bit slower]. Log arch's are also great for loading logs onto a trailer. This is a 12k lb Braden winch I mounted to a skid steer plate quick attach, but you get the idea. It can be mounted on your trailer as well in a similar rig...toss a wet towel or rubber mat on your rope when you are pulling so nobody gets decapetated from any broken rope--just a tip! Good luck to you!

 

[lwmibc]

This winch is adequate for dragging 24" logs out of the bush, but it won't drag the stumps out of the ground they came off of. It just skids the tractor.

 

[OH_Varmntr]

Well I'm intrigued. I generally wouldn't advise anyone who's "new to mechanics and building stuff in general" to attempt a build such as this as you don't really have any understanding of the capabilities of these sorts of machines.

That said, a man has to start somewhere.

What's the reduction of the gearbox you have?

You talk of flywheels and yellow pipe but there are no pics of said items.

There are a lot of components that, properly sized, need to work together in a setup like this for it to work as you are hoping. Ideas are always fun to build off of and it would be a shame to see a proper amount of time and effort go into a project like this for it not to work.

 

[MikeRock]

We used to pull these in the Black Hills, they were logged off in the 1930's.
Cut in the winter, the sap rose in the spring, had nowhere to go. So it just sat there and over the years the volatiles leaked off. This makes the stump like petrified turpentine. Hell of a fire!.... we burned whole stumps or broke them up into splinters for fire starting.
I used an M37 Power wagon and pulled them out. One trick a guy showed me was to use an old tractor wheel rim. Put the chain over the top and back to the truck. The rim redirected the force to almost straight up and the stumps popped up! Not as much fun as dynamite...

 

[slabMan]

Yes, those tall tractor rims work great as a fulcrum. A tall wide, preferrably light and strong is ideal as the wire rope/rope rides inside the rim. I personally see nothing wrong with cutting the stump as low as possible and leave the roots in the ground and save a lot of time and $$, unless the job calls for 'all organic material removed'...When I dont have an excavator on site, I will do a 3 to 1 mechanical advantage with a 980b wheel loader and 2 large blocks and some 6 x26 and pull the entire tree, roots, etc out all at once. The only issue with pulling over a 175' Conifer is to make sure the tap roots are not configured so that the tree 'pivots' on what I call a "3 legged stool". IF you have ahold of the tree and the direction to where that big tap root prevents you from pulling the large tree in your direction and ending up on something that was not made to handle the tens of tons of weight when it comes down! So, it always works for me to be methodical before big things start falling!

 

[northmanlogging]

Here is the gearbox…thing is super heavy. Will cut the length of the yellow pipe down some, and weld those flywheels onto each side. Thoughts so far?

I'll start by saying I appreciate folks trying to DIY stuff, and I don't wanna **** all over your project... however, winches for pulling stumps need huge gear reduction and huge power, less of one means more of the other, can it be done yes, is it cost effective HELL NO
you will also wanna think about using heavier gauge steel for the frame work, and some method of keeping said winch anchored (your pick-em-up truck isn't enough)

In short save your time and money and either rent an excavator or hire it done,

Now I say this having built more then my fair share of homebuilt logging equipment, did they work yes, were they a total PITA and a time suck, also
yes, did they eventually pay off, I suppose so?

 

[slabMan]

Nothing time consuming or expensive for my little build for the Q/C skidsteer winch mount. I got a pair of those Bradens for 6 hundy. The ss mounting plate was a hundy from Am. A few hrs welding a base mount support, some 7/16 super swaged [150'] and hardware I had laying around...I do need to fab up a "spud" or 2 adjustable pivot arms [IE mini outrigger]. That said, I do agree with you, in that people [myself incl] tend to try and reinvent the wheel or even make things from scratch and piece it together, as opposed to finding a rig all ready to go with some minor repairs. I have learned that it is best to go with a proven design of winch, especially if it can kill you and to let the previous owners eat the costs. It is also amazing what kind of quality parts, tools, hydraulic motors, etc that people cant be bothered to fix themselves and just discard them.

 

[OH_Varmntr]

I'll start by saying I appreciate folks trying to DIY stuff, and I don't wanna **** all over your project... however, winches for pulling stumps need huge gear reduction and huge power, less of one means more of the other, can it be done yes, is it cost effective HELL NO
you will also wanna think about using heavier gauge steel for the frame work, and some method of keeping said winch anchored (your pick-em-up truck isn't enough)

In short save your time and money and either rent an excavator or hire it done,

Now I say this having built more then my fair share of homebuilt logging equipment, did they work yes, were they a total PITA and a time suck, also
yes, did they eventually pay off, I suppose so?

He's going to chain it to a tree, which makes frame design even that much more important.

When I’m ready to start winchin’ I plan to unhook from the golf cart, and chain it off to the nearest two large trees.

 

[buzz sawyer]

He's going to chain it to a tree, which makes frame design even that much more important.

My brother chained a chainfall to a tree with a 3/8 chain to pull a stump. Under extreme tension, the chain broke, the chainfall body shot back and almost killed him. Be sure the chain will handle the load.

 

[OH_Varmntr]

My brother chained a chainfall to a tree with a 3/8 chain to pull a stump. Under extreme tension, the chain broke, the chainfall body shot back and almost killed him. Be sure the chain will handle the load.

That's no good. How badly was he injured?