# skidding logs with four wheeler



## forestryworks (Oct 4, 2007)

got a call from a guy yesterday...

he wants me to cut "firewood trees" (as he called them)
for him

he said they'll range from 6 - 12" DBH and all i have to do is
fall and drag them out of the woodlot and he'll do the rest

i'll be using his fourwheeler

and it's got a winch on it, but i have no experience in skidding

would any of the skidding stuff from bailey's work?


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## deevo (Oct 4, 2007)

Easy, depending on how far you have to drag them, get yourself a good set of strong cables or chains depending on the terrain there. Set them up to the size you need and attach them to the ball hitch at the back and your off to the races. Depending on how big your atv is will determine how much you can pull out, I usually cut mine depending on the diameter 10' long, you should be fine. If it's just with an atv, you don't really need any other special equipement. I've been doing it like that for a while now and works great. My 2 cents anyway


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## forestryworks (Oct 4, 2007)

it's pretty level ground

the woodlot hasn't had any maintenance in several years it looks like

i guess the old man decided to get off his easy chair
and impress the wife  

the longest i'd have to drag would be about 200 yards

i forget what kinda four wheeler he had
either yamaha or kawasaki or something

i can't find any spec sheets... wouldn't wanna ruin his atv


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## wood4heat (Oct 4, 2007)

forestryworks said:


> it's pretty level ground
> 
> the woodlot hasn't had any maintenance in several years it looks like
> 
> ...



I don't want to tell you it won't hurt his quad without knowing what it is but it would most likely spin the tires before it did any damage. I have a 650cc Honda that I've pulled a small grader around with, a 6x9x3 utility trailer, driftwood logs through the sand, pulled up bushes, even pulled a greenhouse eyesore thing over with it. Had fun with that one.


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## sawyerDave (Oct 4, 2007)

*You're a lot braver than I am...*

Iff'n I'd tried a stunt like that, I'da probably ended up with an upside down atv and 4 welts on the back of my head from where the ropes hit when they broke!:jawdrop:


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## wood4heat (Oct 4, 2007)

All I really did was pull it over, I pried it loose from the house first so I wouldn't do any damage to the siding or anything. It actually came down fairly easily.


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## Stihlboy088 (Oct 4, 2007)

*ATV Skidding*

Almost everything I cut before I got my tractor I hauled out with a four wheeler. Chains, cables, straps, bull lines, and tongs all work pretty well, just make sure to keep slack out of the line and watch where you're going hitting stumps and dips in the ground ain't as orgasmically fun as it sounds. check out, www.novajack.com www.hud-son.com and definately bailey's. If your going to be doing alot of this kind of stuff look into building your own trailer or rack, that way you can build it so it's easy for you to work with and on. Hey it's easier than workin' with a pair of stubborn Belgains like my grandad used to.:hmm3grin2orange: 

Stihlboy088
___________________
Stihl 360 Pro, Stihl 260 Pro, Husky 372 XP, Jonny 2165 Turbo
74 International 200 4x4, 80 Scout II 4x4, International 3444 "Yeah I like Binders, I bleed red for a reason"


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## Ianab (Oct 5, 2007)

A small logging arch would make life easier.

Something like this
http://www.futureforestry.com/forestry/products/atv/atv.html

If you are handy with a welder and have some scrap steel then you can build one yourself.

Cheers

Ian


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## slofr8 (Oct 6, 2007)

Hi all,
Been lurking a while but first post.
This is what I use and love it.

http://www.novajack.com/en/0104.htm

I'll set up the block system on a good tree and cut every thing diseased or dead that i can reach. Been cutting fire wood off my lot this way for a few years now. The cone more than doubles the pulling power of the four wheeler.
Dan.



http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o43/Slofr8/DSCN9243.jpg


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## woodfarmer (Oct 7, 2007)

hauling some maple in some really rough country, i'd call it draggign logs, first day out with the yamaha grizzly 660, snagged a few trees and rocks but got all the logs out with few problems.


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## ASEMASTER (Oct 7, 2007)

*you will be surprised*

hauled these with my 500 tbx


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## woodfarmer (Oct 7, 2007)

asemaster, thats a great log skidder, did you build it yourself?


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## ASEMASTER (Oct 7, 2007)

*yes*

it's from an old trampoline from my youth., just threw it together one day it needs some work as the draw bar is to short and it needs a better winch .


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## IndyIan (Oct 7, 2007)

I've use my atv for 8 cords of wood so far and about 5000bdft of sawlogs and my advice is get your wood onto wheels as soon as its cut. 
My atv can skid a 400lb log on fairly flat ground but with an arch I've moved a 1400lb log without much drama. Same with firewood, I find its easier to buck in the woods and load up the trailer with 1000lbs of wood than to take double the trips, and dirty up the logs. I still have to buck the logs but now I have to sharpen my chain more often....


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## SRT-Tech (Oct 8, 2007)

keep the front end of the log UP off the ground - this will save you from the log hitting a root and digging in, stopping you cold in your tracks....  

if you can weld up a trolley (two wheels and cradle) for the back end of the log to sit in...MUCH eaisr to drive around the woods towing a log that way.


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## Mark Currie (Oct 11, 2007)

Skid cones work great too, at least better than just hauling bare logs through the woods. Front ends from kayaks, car hoods (bent to form a cone) or pretty much anything would work. Cheaper than a logging arch, but won't always work as good.

Mark


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## Wismer (Oct 11, 2007)

My Arch is made by Norwood (www.norwoodindustries.com)

Great product, no winches or manual lifting involved at all, its simple and works like a charm.

This is my honda foreman 450 ES moving a god size hemlock. (over 600 pounds.)







A closer look at how it works, The grab hook slides down the silver bar, you choke the log and hook the choker chain to the grab hook, as you start to move the atv forward, the resistance of the log pulls back on the slider and it moves up the silver bar. This elevates the log. to unload it do the opposite, reverse and it brings it back down.






My brother and I moving two good size (and gorgeous) choke cherry logs with the 500cc rubicon. (both of these logs together weigh in about 1500 pounds)









Craig


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## VTWoodchuck (Nov 22, 2011)

Wismer said:


> My Arch is made by Norwood (Sawmill, Portable Sawmills, mobile sawmills, band sawmills, portable band sawmills, bandmills, Norwood.)
> 
> Great product, no winches or manual lifting involved at all, its simple and works like a charm.
> 
> ...




That looks really cool! I was looking at the site but can't find a price anywhere. About how much is that Skidmate? I'm planning to get an 4wheeler for next year since I've pretty muchh cut everything I can thats right on my logging road.


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## floyd (Nov 24, 2011)

How interesting. A guy had an arch like that over 20 yrs ago. It was designed to be hooked to a team of animals. Wonder if that is where the idea came from?

I skid with an ATV now. Poor man's pan is a disc blade.

I used to use a go devil. Sat of trucks 1" higher than the rims which are on an A frame with a ring to hook the puller. Stand it up perpendicular to the long axis. run a chain/choker around the log thru the ring & hook. Swing 90 degrees & the log loads on the trucks.


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