Skidding or trailering?

[joecool85]

I'm hoping to start using my John Deere 40T this summer and want to use it for firewood. I hear a lot about using it to skid logs out in 8-10' sections, then cutting them up near the truck, then loading the truck. I already have a trailer (made from a datsun pickup bed) for the 40T. Is there any reason I couldn't just cut the wood up to firewood length and then load the trailer? It makes sense to do it that way to me, and basically gets rid of the possibility of flipping the tractor over (sometimes this happens when skidding logs if it catches).

**edit**
Also, I was thinking if I load the trailer up like this, maybe I could find a way to switch the loaded trailer from the 40T to my truck, then haul it off.

 

[HUSKYMAN]

Well you are loading the trailer twice if you load it on the tractor trailer, as you have noticed.

If you use a logging arch to skid your logs then there is a much smaller chance of rolling your tractor

 

[Blakesmaster]

If you can figure out a way to switch the trailer from the tractor to the truck I'd do it that way. Skidding the logs makes them dirty. Dirt dulls chains.

 

[tanker]

T.S.C. sells jacks to put on your trailer,put the jack down,unhook from the tractor and hook up to your truck.

 

[bore_pig]

If you can figure out a way to switch the trailer from the tractor to the truck I'd do it that way. Skidding the logs makes them dirty. Dirt dulls chains.

+1

 

[HUSKYMAN]

Usually its hard to get bigger trailers in the woods though

 

[joecool85]

Usually its hard to get bigger trailers in the woods though

You're saying it's harder to move a trailer that is 10ft long and as wide as the tractor through the woods than a log of the same length - dragging on the ground? I'm thinking the trailer will actually be easier, and if I use a jack like tanker mentioned, it would make life real easy. Also, I was thinking along the same lines as Blakesmaster, skidding makes the logs dirty and dulls chains. Not flipping the tractor over is a bonus (a really big bonus), but not the only reason for wanting to use the trailer. I'm thinking that I should paint up the Datsun bed green and yellow to match my tractor

 

[Blakesmaster]

I don't know what your trails look like but unless there's a lot of backing up involved just pulling the logs would be way easier but if you can get the trailer in, do so and save your saws.

 

[HUSKYMAN]

If you can get a trailer in that is not wider than the tractor and not beat the #### out of the trailer, by all means have at it. This is only possible with decent trails, good traction for the tractor, etc. Pulling a loaded trailer out of wet muddy woods is another matter altogether.

My point is sometimes you can, sometimes you cant

 

[joecool85]

Yeah, I'm hoping to work with my uncle on his 80 acre woodlot, it has nice wide trails Also, I'm not worried about beating the crap outta the trailer, it's solid and it's old. So it probably won't break, and if it does I can fix it.

 

[Mike Van]

joe, one thing to watch out for - Steep down grades, trailer loaded with wood will push your JD like it's on ice - Big chains would help, but they'll slide too on some ground.

 

[joecool85]

joe, one thing to watch out for - Steep down grades, trailer loaded with wood will push your JD like it's on ice - Big chains would help, but they'll slide too on some ground.

Really that bad? My grandfather used this tractor for haying, and consequently used it for moving huge hay trailers full of round bails of hay (read: really heavy). I suppose he wasn't doing it on woods trails though

 

[Mike Van]

joe the woods are a lot different, you get a slick greasy soil, rotten leaves, etc. Much different than a haylot. I use an IH 574, I've had it sliding a few times [no trailer pushing it either] Lots of guys with skidders run chains year round.

 

[joecool85]

joe the woods are a lot different, you get a slick greasy soil, rotten leaves, etc. Much different than a haylot. I use an IH 574, I've had it sliding a few times [no trailer pushing it either] Lots of guys with skidders run chains year round.

Yeah, I'll probably run chains year round. I need to get them for winter anyway so that I can plow my driveway.

 

[bore_pig]

Only run chains year round if necessary. They do wear out eventually. Getting pushed down a hill by your trailer is not really an issue if you use a little common sense. I cannot see a datsun bed trailer being loaded heavy enough for this to happen anyways.

Do you have much experience operating this tractor? That's the most important thing! You need the seat time and confidence to act if the tractor does start doing its own thing. Happy Hauling! I love playing with the old Deere's!

 

[joecool85]

Only run chains year round if necessary. They do wear out eventually. Getting pushed down a hill by your trailer is not really an issue if you use a little common sense. I cannot see a datsun bed trailer being loaded heavy enough for this to happen anyways.

Do you have much experience operating this tractor? That's the most important thing! You need the seat time and confidence to act if the tractor does start doing its own thing. Happy Hauling! I love playing with the old Deere's!

Zero experience on any actual tractor. Lots of experience with trucks (on and off road), cars, snowmobiles, lawn tractors and mt biking. I won't be doing any hauling until I:

1. Fix the tractor
2. Drive it around a bunch and get use to it

And you are right, the Datsun bed is pretty small, I doubt I could put enough wood in there to push the tractor down hill too bad. I'll try it without chains and see how she goes, then if I need to run them I will.

 

[GeeVee]

My contribution to your thread needs to be tempered with the fact that I have absolutely zero elevation changes on my Hammock land.

What I do have is so many trees in an arm swing, that harvesting blow-downs and damaged is real hard, and an ASV RC -30 tracked skidder.

And heavy leaf cover and shade, and a clay layer that can get slick like snot.

If you have the trails, trailer what you can. trailering off road is not going to be fun. Even pulling log length is tough when you have to make turns, the tree lenght binds up on other trees.

I'd make the tools I need to fit my best handling practices for my conditiions.

 

[ken45]

Getting pushed down a hill by your trailer is not really an issue if you use a little common sense. I cannot see a datsun bed trailer being loaded heavy enough for this to happen anyways.

Common sense? True. It depends on the terrain. On our farm, most anything flat enough for a tractor is pasture. The woods only start where it goes downhill from there (too steep for a tractor.) Some of it is negoitable with a bulldozer, some of it isn't

Maybe I'm too safety conscious (I know I prefer to error on the side of safety), but some of our trails (done with a bulldozer), I won't even take a tractor and bushhog to mow them when they are dry.

 

[joecool85]

Common sense? True. It depends on the terrain. On our farm, most anything flat enough for a tractor is pasture. The woods only start where it goes downhill from there (too steep for a tractor.) Some of it is negoitable with a bulldozer, some of it isn't

Maybe I'm too safety conscious (I know I prefer to error on the side of safety), but some of our trails (done with a bulldozer), I won't even take a tractor and bushhog to mow them when they are dry.

Most of the trails I'll be working on are pretty level and pretty wide (I can always make them wider if need be), a few hills here and there.

 

[ken45]

Most of the trails I'll be working on are pretty level and pretty wide (I can always make them wider if need be), a few hills here and there.

Ahh! You are more fortunate than I am

Ken