# Wallenstein FX90 Skidding Winch



## Sawyer Rob (Dec 19, 2013)

Several weeks ago we were hit by a tornado,












It just plain devistated many of the tree's in my woodlots. It took two of us two full days of chainsawing to open the road to my back field and get the tree's off about 100 yards of fence.











Anyway, rather than cutting roads in everywhere to skid them out with a tractor, i figured i'd buy a skidding winch and just pull them out into the fields that way.

Anyway, we had a week of on and off snowing by the time i got the winch and secured some help, here's the winch on my loader tractor,






This thing has HUGE power, with 24,130 pounds of pulling power on the first wrap on the drum,






and just about 9,000 on the last wrap,






There's really no "pull" on the tractor, as the winch blade just digs in, if the pulling get's tough,






Anyway, today we pulled out a nice pile of saw and firewood logs and i'm VERY happy with my FX90! I'll post more picts when i get to some big logs, and i WILL get to some big logs!

SR


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## Dave Boyt (Dec 20, 2013)

Wow, that is some serious damage-- I sure hate to see those trees all torn up. Cleaning up after a tornado is some of the toughest work there is! Lots of residual stress in trees where you normally don't find it. Be careful, and watch for those spring poles! Looks like a great winch and a good size tractor to put it on. Keep us updated on the clean-up.


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## hamish (Dec 20, 2013)

Wish my 8N had a live PTO!


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## Dave Boyt (Dec 20, 2013)

Hamish, a PTO winch works just fine on an 8N! I've been using one for years.


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## Beefie (Dec 22, 2013)

Wow Dave that is a well used old Farmi, looks like you have gotten your moneys worth.

Sawyer Rob , Turkeyslayer I think has the same model as you . He has had is for must be 4 years now. There was a thread in the firewood section on it. I think most of the pictures are gone now but it is amazing what those winches can do. Its on my bucket list of toys........... I mean tools to get. You will have lots of fun using it and your back will thank you.

Beefie


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## Sawyer Rob (Dec 22, 2013)

Dave Boyt said:


> Wow, that is some serious damage-- I sure hate to see those trees all torn up. Cleaning up after a tornado is some of the toughest work there is! Lots of residual stress in trees where you normally don't find it. Be careful, and watch for those spring poles! Looks like a great winch and a good size tractor to put it on. Keep us updated on the clean-up.


 
Yup, lots of tension in some of them, but we are slooowly, making our way through.

The winch is working out great! You should of seen how deep a ditch i winched a van out of today! lol

A neighbor with a MFWD tractor bigger than mine couldn't pull him out, so the guy walked to my place to see if i'd try with my tractor. I didn't even try to pull him out with the tractor, i just spooled out some winch line, wrapped a skidding chain around his frame hitch and started winching...

SR


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## hamish (Dec 22, 2013)

Dave Boyt said:


> Hamish, a PTO winch works just fine on an 8N! I've been using one for years.



Using the 3PT to raise the wheels off the ground, thus having a live rear? 

You have me thinking now Dave.

Jeremy


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## Dave Boyt (Dec 23, 2013)

Do you, by chance have a 9N or 2N? The PTO of an 8N can spin when the tractor is in neutral. That's all you need. I believe there are kits you can get for the older N Fords. The wheels never come off the ground. Mind you, it isn't as easy as some of these high-dollar, new-fangled (post-1960) units, but it gets the job done. One of these days, I'll shoot a video of the process.


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## hamish (Dec 23, 2013)

Thanks Dave now you have me rebuilding my carb so I can fire up my 51 8N to see how I can get the PTO to spin in neutral! I never tried or though to use it in a stationary application.


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## hamish (Dec 23, 2013)

hamish said:


> Thanks Dave now you have me rebuilding my carb so I can fire up my 51 8N to see how I can get the PTO to spin in neutral! I never tried or though to use it in a stationary application.


Great time for a brain fart, my pto only disconnects when the clutch is depressed, when I got to the end of the lane on Saturday with the blower on I put it in neutral till the auger housing cleared out in the deep stuff!


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## Sawyer Rob (Dec 23, 2013)

I had an 8N for a time, no problem getting the pto to spin, for a winch, when in nuteral. I found them to be a bit light duty, but if used careful, i don't see why one wouldn't work with a skidding winch to pull logs...

SR


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## Dave Boyt (Dec 23, 2013)

Last summer I used the 8N to winch out a 30" dia by 8' oak log with no problem. As long as the log doesn't hang up on anything, it will surprise you. The tractor can winch much more than it can drag, and it is safer, too. One of these days, I'll get a 40 hp 4wd tractor.


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## Sawyer Rob (Dec 28, 2013)

We are getting a real "old time" winter here, so i'm going through more wood that i normally would. SO, i decided to skid out a couple of the logs i had set aside just for an occasion like this!






There's a LOT of firewood in this log,






The skidder makes short work, of even big logs like these!






I also skidded out a second, slightly smaller maple,






Looks like i have some cutting/splitting to do! lol

SR


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## Dave Boyt (Dec 29, 2013)

Rob, it looks pretty cold up your way-- good to have the right equipment to do the job. Hope you've got a good log splitter. Do you have an outdoor wood furnace?


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## Sawyer Rob (Dec 29, 2013)

Dave,

I have an "add on" wood stove in my basement, so it gives me central heat..... It was in the 40's here yesterday, but the cold will be back this week! I managed to block up the two big logs yesterday, i went through 5 chains before i was done, actually, i just sharpened them and put them back on.

This is the biggest saw that i have, it has a 24" bar and it's been a GREAT saw!






Here's the bigger log, all sawn, of course i had to cut it from both sides to get all the way through it,






Then i moved the blocks with the tractor to over by the log splitter,






to be sawn again with a chainsaw into managable sizes,






then to be finished up with my "splitter"...

SR


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## johnzski (Dec 29, 2013)

Slid my tractor off the road and down a steep hill today , real close to a rollover . The only way it came out was the skidding winch ! That is still my favorite attachment ever for the tractor !


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## Beefie (Dec 29, 2013)

johnzski said:


> Slid my tractor off the road and down a steep hill today , real close to a rollover . The only way it came out was the skidding winch ! That is still my favorite attachment ever for the tractor !


What no pictures? Well At least you are safe, any damage to the tractor? Got to love a winch.

Beefie


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## Greenland South (Dec 30, 2013)

Since no one has asked yet, what was the damage$.


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## Dieselshawn (Dec 30, 2013)

Sawyer Rob: good to see the winch is working good! I live only 10 mins away from the manufacturer of these machines in ontario. 

I've never seen the winch in action yet but seen new ones that were just built in the yard. 

I've used their Wallenstein stump grinders for tractors on some stumps.


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## Dave Boyt (Dec 30, 2013)

Rob, that chain saw ought to do the job. Put a 42" bar on that bad boy & cut some slabs! 

Johnzski, glad you're OK! Thanks for the reminder of what can happen. If that tractor had gone over, it would have taken more than a winch to set things right. I'm sure a lot of people on the forum can relate to your incident. For me, it was on a D2 Cat (no roll cage) sideways on the mud. It didn't roll, but I was shaking so hard I couldn't even shut it down for a couple of minutes.


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## johnzski (Dec 30, 2013)

No damages , no injuries , no pics cuz I was in overdrive trying to get it out . Promptly drove it home and parked it for the day , didn't want to push my luck any further


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## johnzski (Dec 30, 2013)

Dave Boyt said:


> Rob, that chain saw ought to do the job. Put a 42" bar on that bad boy & cut some slabs!
> 
> Johnzski, glad you're OK! Thanks for the reminder of what can happen. If that tractor had gone over, it would have taken more than a winch to set things right. I'm sure a lot of people on the forum can relate to your incident. For me, it was on a D2 Cat (no roll cage) sideways on the mud. It didn't roll, but I was shaking so hard I couldn't even shut it down for a couple of minutes.


Track machines love to slide sideways !


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## john taliaferro (Dec 30, 2013)

ive got a 66 9 n i got new . I use a homemade boom to move logs around in wood yard. But its all flat smooth ground , wouldn't want to try to drag logs in the woods with it . Think it would get wrong side up again .


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## Dave Boyt (Dec 30, 2013)

> Think it would get wrong side up again .



Again? There must be a story behind that.


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## Sawyer Rob (Dec 30, 2013)

Dieselshawn said:


> Sawyer Rob: good to see the winch is working good! I live only 10 mins away from the manufacturer of these machines in ontario. I've never seen the winch in action yet but seen new ones that were just built in the yard.
> I've used their Wallenstein stump grinders for tractors on some stumps.


 
Here's a good u-tube on them,



We managed to cut/split about 1/3 of the big blocks today, it's a big job for me, as my back sure isn't what it use to be! It's getting colder out, so i'm thinking i'll wait a few, before i get back to that job! lol

SR


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## Dieselshawn (Dec 31, 2013)

SR: Thats a very neat setup! It's all pto powered? That really makes me want to get one for my John Deere.


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## Dave Boyt (Dec 31, 2013)

Nice rig. It is hard to imagine how I would get along without a winch to bring up firewood and logs to the sawmill. I've also been looking at Tajfun winches. There are some benefits to a remote control.


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## Sawyer Rob (Dec 31, 2013)

Yes, it's PTO powered.....you keep the RPM just above an idle and the winch line has plenty of speed/power. On mine, it takes 30 PTO hp to get full power out of the winch, i haven't found anything i can't pull with my tractor just above an idle, then again i have it on a bigger tractor too.

Dave, Wallenstein offers a wireless remote, but i wanted to put my $$ into getting what i thought was the best winch mechanically, so i put my money into that, instead of a remote...

Anyway, i got my choises down to Farmi or Wallenstein, i liked the idea that Wallenstein is made in Canada instead of europe. I like the Wallenstein design and in my area, more Wallenstein dealers, also better prices and they were offering 3 skidding chains with the winch for FREE.

All the winches seem to work pretty good, but it looks to me like Farmi and Wallenstein have the best designs....

SR


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## KiwiBro (Jan 2, 2014)

Uniforest PTO winch + 50hp tractor + log forks with grab = lots of fun.

It's only a 4t winch, but with two snatch blocks, suitable anchor points, I haven't found anything it wont winch, yet. 

Logs too big for the 3PH to lift one end of to help skid can at least be winched to where bigger gear can get to. The winch used to surprise me with what it can do. Now, I think I'll be more surprised if I find something it can't manage (if lucky, will get the chance on some monster gum trees in a steep gully this Summer). Have had to crank up the revs to the recommended PTO revs on some logs/turns or it will stall the tractor. Also need to be mindful of the turn hanging up because the front of the tractor gets awfully light in a hurry if I don't react fast enough.

Tajfun winches look great but were priced way out of my budget. Came down to Uniforest and Wallenstein as the good quality winches that I could afford and budget dictated the Uniforest and I've been very happy with that choice. Also found Hud-son Forest Equipment (sell the Uniforest winches) a great USA business to buy from - which is critical for me being on the other side of the planet. A point reinforced when I later tried to buy log forks from some jackasses who cost me huge amounts of money and time.


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## Sawyer Rob (Jan 4, 2014)

Even thought it was 32* out today, we have some serious cold temps coming for next week, so i figured i better get on my "splitting" project!! My splitter has mega power with it's 6" cylinder, it's powered off the tractors hydrauilc remotes,







And it's getting a good workout with these big blocks!






There's only a few left to split now, and with below zero temps coming this next week, i'll be burning a lot of wood! Time to skid in a couple more big logs!!

SR


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## Sawyer Rob (Jan 13, 2014)

A friend came over today, we skidded out a pretty nice blk. oak,






It was a ways back in, and the road home had some hard pack snow on it, so i skidded it all the way home, right now the road.

Once home, we cut/split about 2/3's of it,






Sure glad i have a STRONG splitter! We will get the rest of it another day...

SR


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## Dave Boyt (Jan 15, 2014)

S.R., so you'd rather split wood than mill it? Looks like there would have been a board or two in the black oak!


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## Sawyer Rob (Jan 15, 2014)

Dave Boyt said:


> S.R., so you'd rather split wood than mill it? Looks like there would have been a board or two in the black oak!


 Hi Dave,

The logs have been on the ground for some years and as they are VERY big.... (i no longer enjoy milling BIG logs even a little) AND as i could use some firewood, YES i'd rather saw/split/burn those big logs! lol 

That blk. oak would have had some decent lumber in it, but it also has a LOT of BTU's in it too! lol It was a freebie a neighbor gave me...

Anyway, i bought 1,120 pounds of coal today,






I burn about 3 tons a year...

SR


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## Dave Boyt (Jan 16, 2014)

Those look like pretty good-size chunks of coal. Do you have to split them, too?


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## Sawyer Rob (Jan 16, 2014)

Dave Boyt said:


> Those look like pretty good-size chunks of coal. Do you have to split them, too?


 
naaaaaaa, i just bought a bigger stove!





I'm just trying to helo out Ozone Al with his global warming...i wouldn't want him to look any more stupid than he already does! 






SR


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## Greenland South (Jan 16, 2014)

Those Polar bears travelled a long way for that barbecue.


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## john taliaferro (Jan 17, 2014)

Thats cool i think i felt heat off their fire


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