Is a winch enough?
- Thread starter Preston
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zogger
Tree Freak
I made A hybrid. I got a used 2 speed winch of big old boat trailer. Have about 60' of 1/4" cable on it. I leave it set on smallest gear all the time and also us a block. I think the winch is rated at 6,500 lb. It didn't have a handle so I used an impact socket that fit over handle shaft. I drilled it and pinned with roll pin.I use my 18 volt Dewalt with a socket adapter it works great .I cut trees to 6-8 foot length depends on diameter.Choke in center less drag and pull trigger on drill
Well dang, that sounds just perfect!
arborjames
New Member
you guys should look into the Portable Gas Powered Winch (Honda powered) from West Coast Winch. i have used one before removing dead fall and it works like a dream. The neat thing about this particular winch is the capstan drum. the rope or wire runs through the drum rather than lapping on top of its self meaning that there is no limit to the length of the pull (only how long your rope is) and the pull power is always constant so it will run forever. with the other conventional winches, as the line laps on top of its self, the capacity for pulling, or in other words, the weight in which it can pull gets lower and lower as the line continues to lap.
Its a pretty cool little machine.
Its a pretty cool little machine.
Used mine many a time to pull them on a trailer or up a hillside to cut. Use a snatchblock and it will make it easier on the winch.
deutzman
ArboristSite Operative
Mile Marker makes a hydraulic winch and can tap into the power steering pump for hydraulics. I think 3.5 gpm and 1,500 psi min. is needed. I found a used one for $450 and use my tractor hydraulics to operate it. This one came with wireless remotes or can be hardwired. It's rated 10,500lbs. 2 speed in and out and free wheel. Right now I'm pulling butt cuts and some logs out of left over logging piles. It sure operates smooth and has plenty of power for my use. 100 ft. of 3/8th cable. I pull most out in fast speed and that's about as fast as I walk. Pulled a few in low speed that high wouldn't pull. I have it mounted on the 3 pt. hitch. Very happy with it so far.
imagineero
Addicted to ArboristSite
Can't believe it took so many posts for someone to mention hydraulic! Electric winches are really only for very occasional and short use - pulling your vehicle out of a bog. They have the advantage that you can pull yourself out of a river if your engine stalls, but that's about it.
Hydraulic is the only way to go. You can run them forever, all day long, year after year so long as your engine is idling. I picked up a milemarker couple years ago and mounted it on my old truck. I got it used for $200. That truck is gone, but I'll be getting another similar winch for my new truck.
Shaun
Hydraulic is the only way to go. You can run them forever, all day long, year after year so long as your engine is idling. I picked up a milemarker couple years ago and mounted it on my old truck. I got it used for $200. That truck is gone, but I'll be getting another similar winch for my new truck.
Shaun
Preston
Addicted to ArboristSite
Probably cuz I asked how would my 8000 Warn electric do. I don't have a hydraulic winch. If I did, no need to post. I know the results with that one.
imagineero
Addicted to ArboristSite
Well then, in answer to your question, I'd say "poor to middling" if used for that purpose for any length of time.
Shaun
scottmphoto
ArboristSite Lurker
I don't have any photos but I saw someone mention earlier using an "A" frame at the back of the trailer. That is what I use myself with a pulley to lift the logs onto the back of the trailer then I unhook from the frame and use the winch to pull the logs to the front. I was using a Milemarker 8,000 winch until recently and now have one of the Q-Series 11,000 pound winches from Quadratec. The 8,000 worked ok but it was hard on it. The 11,000 works much better and doesn't work as hard. I usually load between 9 and 12 logs on a 16' trailer each load. I drop my trailer and flip my truck around and use the winch on the front of it. I run a generator and a battery charger to keep my truck battery charged instead of running my truck engine. Much cheaper on gas as I have a '76 Dodge Power Wagon with a big block 400 in it and it is not fuel efficient. This process is a little slower than I'd like, but I'm poor and it works for me.
Preston
Addicted to ArboristSite
Scott..........I don't see that makes you poor. Looks to me like you're thrifty and efficient.
I have a Ram 1500, 2 wheel drive and an 8' dump trailer. I have pulled some mighty big logs up the hill on my farm for fire wood. I use a 300' piece of 5/8 rope, 3 or 4 pieces of chain (as needed), and a snatch block. Wrap the chain around the trunk of a tree 6 to 8 feet high, and hang the snatch block. I'll hang the chains on the path out, you can snake them around obstacles. As you pull, the height of the snatch block, lifts the front of the log making it easier to pull. Get to your first obstacle or turn, back up to let off pressure, move snatch block up to next pre-hung chain. Continue till you get to loading zone. At that point I pull the log high enough up in the air to back the trailer under it or put some kind of block under the log to keep it up off the ground. Then my cheap 6000 pound winch pulls the log the last few feet easy. I've pulled 24" Oak logs 50' long up the side of the hill with the Ram easy. The Ram weighs about 5,800 pounds plus all of the junk I've got on it. The trail the Ram is on is sloped down hill pretty good. It might not work if I were pulling up hill? Just to clarify, I only pull 8' sections on the trailer, not the whole log , Joe.
, Joe.
