Load Trailer with Logging Winch

[FLRA_Dave]

I was thinking about how my 3032e is limited to how much weight it can lift on the 3pt and how this effects getting wood moved out to the landing. I was thinking that I could take a trailer / wagon and hook it up to the winch's drawbar and use the logging winch to pull logs out and directly up onto the trailer. When I get to the landing I would unhook and use the grapple to load the logs onto the road worthy trailer. Or if i was splitting at the landing, then I would buck them right on the trailer.

What does everyone think? Has anyone on here done this before? I saw many videos of people using electric winches to load trailers, but they were painfully slow.

Here is the rough idea (remember, don't take the simple model too literally - I know people do!).

 

[mainewoods]

I have seen some trailers with an arch mounted on the rear of it, something like this one. Lifting logs with the aid of an arch allows you to stack them on top of each other relatively easy.

 

[FLRA_Dave]

I have seen some trailers with an arch mounted on the rear of it, something like this one. Lifting logs with the aid of an arch allows you to stack them on top of each other relatively easy.View attachment 344001

Yes, that was my plan. It was just a tad more work to add it in to the model than I was up do doing at the moment. I was also thinking that I could use the winch and snatch block to load my dump trailer (while bed is raised a bit?) in the same way for logs that are too heavy for my tractor to pick up.

 

[cat-face timber]

You do not have any tread on your tires, in read life you will right
Just kidding..

I do wonder how the logs will pull up the ramp though, I would be worried they would get hung up, what surface are you going to use on the ramp?

 

[FLRA_Dave]

You do not have any tread on your tires, in read life you will right
Just kidding..

I do wonder how the logs will pull up the ramp though, I would be worried they would get hung up, what surface are you going to use on the ramp?

I was thinking more like the other trailers that I've seen that use an electric winch... like posted above. Thought that a beaver tail on the end would be nice to have, but may not really be necessary.

 

[nathon918]

maybe something more like this?
personally i think it would be faster to just skid them, even at a shorter length if theyre too big for the tractor,
also if you to the trailer deal, you would still need 3 point capacity for tounge weight on the trailer, if the axle is too far foward then your likely to have traction issues when it wants to lift the rear of the tractor, so your going to need tounge weight, and looks like your hitch is on the winch frame... i dont think you would gain anything, you may be able to haul more wood per trip, but hitching the trailer, then pulling the logs on, drive to the landing, unhook trailer, unload with loader, re hook trailer. no real gains...

 

[midwest_170]

That arch looks real safe.........

 

[nathon918]

That arch looks real safe.........

which one?...

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Yes it's been done before, I've done that and parbuckled them on, many times, by myself.

IF, you have a skidding winch on your tractor even better, you are 75% there!

SR

 

[FLRA_Dave]

I was up in the air on whether or not it would be worth it. Might try it sometime just to experience it first-hand.

I will most likely winch everything (cut to length) to the edge of the trails, then switch over to the grapple (LX5100) and skid them out. Drop them at the landing and load with FEL.

Not sure if that will be better either. Right now with the winch I can get 4 runs in about 2 hours (with a guy limbing in the woods so I just have to hook up and go).

 

[mainewoods]

If it's speed you're looking for, you would be better off to skip the trailer and skid log length.

 

[FLRA_Dave]

If it's speed you're looking for, you would be better off to skip the trailer and skid log length.

Yeah, trying to get more out faster. I'm skidding it out now, but at nearly 30 minutes a cycle it feels like it takes forever. On the heavier loads I actually try to raise the 3pt, but end up getting off and pushing up the winch to get it off the ground.

 

[FLRA_Dave]

My goal is moving out 2 cord in 2 hours. May not be feasible.

 

[nathon918]

Yeah, trying to get more out faster. I'm skidding it out now, but at nearly 30 minutes a cycle it feels like it takes forever. On the heavier loads I actually try to raise the 3pt, but end up getting off and pushing up the winch to get it off the ground.

do you winch the logs off the ground then lift the 3 point?
you can winch to the tractor, then drop the logs, lift the 3 point, then winch the logs back up... it really only needs to be on the ground while winching to keep from being dragged back...

 

[nathon918]

if it takes you 30 minutes a turn, you should be moving your landing closer to the wood.

 

[FLRA_Dave]

if it takes you 30 minutes a turn, you should be moving your landing closer to the wood.

It would be nice if I could, but my truck doesn't stand a chance of getting back very far. A lot of the trails are too narrow. I think many of the trails I'm using are atv trails.

 

[FLRA_Dave]

do you winch the logs off the ground then lift the 3 point?
you can winch to the tractor, then drop the logs, lift the 3 point, then winch the logs back up... it really only needs to be on the ground while winching to keep from being dragged back...

I was winching the logs in and unhooking to set the chains in the grabs on the winch, then lifting... or trying to. I have a ball on the tow bar which renders the lower pulley useless. When skidding by the top pulley the logs wander all over and the front tires like to come off the ground. I usually carry all of my gear in the bucket so I don't put anything in it.

I like what you are saying though. I think that will help me out a bit. I'm new to winching and I'm learning a lot about it on here.

 

[Oliver1655]

How about about using a log arch? It would keep your logs cleaner, decrease the work load on the winch potentially speeding it up. If you have an atv & can use it in combination with a log arch, it might be more effective, providing you have the ground clearance.

Another thing I do is to use short chains & hook several logs together & pull a group at a time. This really works well if you have trunks with several large branches to be able to cut them loose then chain them to the trunk. It is like folding up the tree & really decreases the drag & hang-up potential.

 

[FLRA_Dave]

How about about using a log arch? It would keep your logs cleaner, decrease the work load on the winch potentially speeding it up. If you have an atv & can use it in combination with a log arch, it might be more effective, providing you have the ground clearance.

Another thing I do is to use short chains & hook several logs together & pull a group at a time. This really works well if you have trunks with several large branches to be able to cut them loose then chain them to the trunk. It is like folding up the tree & really decreases the drag & hang-up potential.

I don't have an atv. I've thought about an arch for behind the tractor. There is something kind of like an arch, but looks like it could lift a full log, at the edge off a farmer's field in the next town over. It hadn't moved in the 6 years I've lived here. Total length has to be at least 20 ft.

The problem I run into isn't getting enough hooked to skid, but rather it doesn't take a lot for the tractor to be over loaded and not be able to lift the 3 pt to get the butts off the ground (or the winch off the ground if I try using the cable).

 

[Oliver1655]

I have seen folks use a skid plate where the butt rests on it & the front is angled up to keep it from digging in. There is a hole in the front of the plate for a chain to go through.