Moving rounds out of a creek bottom.....

[lambs]

Hi guys.

I am helping move downed wood out of a creek bottom right behind a friend's home, and I've been doing it with a MF1010 diesel (16 hp) and a 4 x 8 utility trailer. It's all from the April 16th twister here in NC. Problems are:

•wet soil and leaves
•limited traction on turf tires
•lots of twists and turns with limited manueverability
•uphill slope to the driveway


As a result, I can only load my trailer about half full of wood (say, 12" high) and pull it up the slope. Not efficient, and it's really giving my tractor hurt feelings. I have no lack of power and torque, it's just too much weight to pull through the woods.

I'm starting to think of alternatives, and the one thing I've thought of is a carry all for the 3 pt hitch. I'd have to make a lot more trips up the hill, but it would be very maneuverable, and I could actually back up the hill if needed for traction. I guess I'd have to modify it some to get decent capacity. There's a LOT of wood down, and I could probably work out there every Saturday for months. So I need something durable and compact.....a skid steer would be ideal, but it would really cut things up, so I'm trying to stick with the tractor.

Can't go with tire chains since I need to go 100 yards down an asphault driveway once I come out of the woods.

Anyone have thoughts on this? I'm "all ears". Thanks.

 

[msvold]

3PT Hitch Hauler

Carry-On Trailers 3-Pt. Hitch Hauler, Model# 803 | 3-Point Category 1 Implements | Northern Tool + Equipment

due to shipping, I had a local metal shop put a 3 PT Hitch hauler together. Looks very similar to the one from Northern Tool. I have wire mesh on three sides though, to keep firewood from falling out. I'm in a similar situation - steep hills, when I used a trailer without brakes, it was not a safe trip down hills. This allows for easy loading by putting it to the ground and easy dump.

 

[lambs]

Wow, that's a nice rig

Thank you for the link. I will check it out, but at 270 pounds, I'm not sure I have enough weights on the front end to ballast it, especially after I load it with wood. My tractor only weights about 1300 or so.

 

[snofrog]

you might be suprised at what you can haul out without a trailer

 

[Dalmatian90]

Hey Guys -- this is a MF 1010:

Not going to haul much on a 3pt box on one of those.

Hell what he's saying he's doing -- a 1/4 cord (4'x8'x12") going uphill on soft ground is impressive to me!

Odd as it sounds, I wonder if this is one of the few times a smaller wagon and more trips might actually beat the bigger trailer? Usually the bigger you go, the more efficient things are...but maybe this time maneuvering and pulling the big trailer is losing too much time?

 

[kodiak]

I have a creek ravine on the backside of our property that I've been pulling wood out of lately. It's way too uneven to think about getting my little Kubota down there. Instead, I got a smaller yard trailer for the ATV and use that. I stack the wood up high and hold it in place with ratchet straps. No problem with traction whatsoever. While a smaller trailer may not allow for as much payload, you'll make up time traveling with the ATV on the long driveway as compared to your tractor. The trailer is light enough so I can pick up the back end and swing it around if I run into a tight spot trying to get turned around.

 

[zogger]

Cost ya a few bucks, but if you are serious about this, junk the turf tires, go to ag tires, liquid filled, then add wheel weights as well. Then load the trailer and away ya go, I bet you can drag twice whatever you are doing now.

There's a reason they are called turf tires, they ain't gotz no traction, just enough to run a belly mower and not tear up the lawn.

I have a 3pt hitch carry all I built, but it is on a 60 horse tractor, and yes, you got to back up to go uphill with a load on it. It is pretty spiffy loading and unloading big rounds though, none of that trying to figure out how to get something big and heavy up in the bed of a truck.

 

[fubar2]

Wait for a big rain and wait downstream.

 

[turnkey4099]

Hi guys.

<snip>


I'm starting to think of alternatives, and the one thing I've thought of is a carry all for the 3 pt hitch. I'd have to make a lot more trips up the hill, but it would be very maneuverable, and I could actually back up the hill if needed for traction.

<snip>

Thanks.

??? Just curious. How does backing up the hill improve traction? Logic says there is more weight on the drive wheels going up the hill forwards.

Harry K

 

[Steve NW WI]

??? Just curious. How does backing up the hill improve traction? Logic says there is more weight on the drive wheels going up the hill forwards.

Harry K

Likely not as much about traction as balance. A little tractor with a lot of weight on the 3 point will get real light in the nose on level ground, and want to tip backwards going uphill forward.

 

[Nosmo]

Down in a ravine

Back in 2003 I had a similar situation. My neighbor had cut a lot of hickory and post oak trees down and gave them to me. The problem was these were way down a slope which no vehicles could go up and down.

I bought one of those heavy carts (wagon) like Lowes and the other box stores sell. I'd load the cart and used a 1/2" nylon rope which was 100 feet long to pull the cart up the slope with my pickup. Three cart loads filled the bed of the truck enough for a load to carry home.

Just an idea you may want to try.

Nosmo

 

[stevejr33]

my 1010 MF has ag tires and with weight on the 3 point i dont think you can stop it. just bought it a cupple weeks agao and it is a verry impresive tractor fore as small as it is.

 

[TreePointer]

Can you get the logs up the hill before you buck them?

Maybe some thing like a skidding cone + snatch block + rope/cable.

 

[stevejr33]

that plate you have your weights on i installed a 3000 # atv winch also. havent yoused it yet but it is there.

 

[sb47]

Cost ya a few bucks, but if you are serious about this, junk the turf tires, go to ag tires, liquid filled, then add wheel weights as well. Then load the trailer and away ya go, I bet you can drag twice whatever you are doing now.

There's a reason they are called turf tires, they ain't gotz no traction, just enough to run a belly mower and not tear up the lawn.

I have a 3pt hitch carry all I built, but it is on a 60 horse tractor, and yes, you got to back up to go uphill with a load on it. It is pretty spiffy loading and unloading big rounds though, none of that trying to figure out how to get something big and heavy up in the bed of a truck.

x2

Get an adaptor that will fit your water hose and fill the tires with water. Don’t forget to add some antifreeze to it so they don’t freeze on ya when it gets cold. The antifreeze will also keep your rim from rusting on the inside. Also if the tires are old and the rubber is dry, you will lose traction as well. Go to Smiley’s racing products and order some tire tack. It’s a product that will re soften the rubber of the tire and help give it traction. (even on dirt) Lugged tires will tear up your yard when it’s wet so you may want to stick with turf tires.
I have a Kabota about the same size as the one he has and the water in the tires trick does work very well for traction. Also drop the presser in the tire and that will help get a bigger contact patch on the ground.


Good luck! Dennis

 

[avason]

Can you get the logs up the hill before you buck them?

Maybe some thing like a skidding cone + snatch block + rope/cable.

Those skidding cones look cool and very useful. I might have to get one soon.

 

[avason]

I will never try one of those skidding cones. Just looked one up. $$$$$$

Bailey's - Portable Winch Skidding Cone Kit

 

[KiwiBro]

I will never try one of those skidding cones. Just looked one up. $$$$$$

Bailey's - Portable Winch Skidding Cone Kit

You could drill a hole in the bottom of a plastic 44 gallon drum or the like. Especially the drums with tapered bottoms. I was gobsmacked how well it worked, snaking logs around stumps and up steeper sections. It really works.

 

[zogger]

Oh wait, this is arboristsite

I almost forgot the meme, "bigger is always better, go pro quality"


heh heh heh One of these bad boys will get your dang rounds outta the creek bottom!

Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[KiwiBro]

I almost forgot the meme, "bigger is always better, go pro quality"


heh heh heh One of these bad boys will get your dang rounds outta the creek bottom!

Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yeah, I must have missed the forum rule that said "thou shall open thy wallet and close thy mind to preach at the AS pulpit".