atv or compact tractor type grapple/log trailer

[Sandhill Crane]

Has anyone used one, or know of a preferred brand?
Neighbors are having some of their acreage logged.
I'm thinking personal use firewood, and nothing large scale, but something more efficient than a log arch for tops and limb wood. My age too has been creeping up on me a year at a time.
I am still buying logs for processing to sell, as it is much less work and time.
But I still enjoy getting in the woods and cleaning up a bit too.
Seems someone on here bought a Wallenstein trailer. Just don't recall who.

 

[sb47]

Has anyone used one, or know of a preferred brand?
Neighbors are having some of their acreage logged.
I'm thinking personal use firewood, and nothing large scale, but something more efficient than a log arch for tops and limb wood. My age too has been creeping up on me a year at a time.
I am still buying logs for processing to sell, as it is much less work and time.
But I still enjoy getting in the woods and cleaning up a bit too.
Seems someone on here bought a Wallenstein trailer. Just don't recall who.

I'm assuming you are looking for something like this?
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...4C0E6F0C1B0220148E354C0E6F0C1B02201&FORM=VIRE

If so, it's way to heavy for a compact tractor or an atv to pull with any real weight on it. Yes they do show one pulling it but I wouldn't pull it with an atv or even a compact tractor unless your hauling light loads.
It does look like a nice trailer but it need something heavier then an atv to pull it.

 

[T. Mainus]

The pricing for those looks to be between anywhere from 5 grand to 20 grand depending on which one you get. You could get a lot of loads delivered to your place for that. I get calls all the time for people asking if I want free wood from trees they have cut down etc.. Its not worth my time to go scrounging for wood when you can get it delivered to your yard and stacked in a big pile for $100 a cord. My time is getting much more valuable as I get older/smarter.

 

[NSMaple1]

Woody, made in Quebec, is solid gear. We have a loader trailer, and a dump wagon. Wallenstein makes good stuff too, I have one of their splitters.

But like said above, I can't imagine using one with an ATV. I have a pretty solid soggy ATV, and when my little walking beam wood trailer is behind it and loaded up (somewhere around 1/4 cord), it can be a real hand full on anything but smooth level road. Going downhill in the rough can be really sketchy - the wrong wheel unweighs at the wrong time and you are along for the ride unless you bail off. Going uphill can be just as iffy but that just usually leads to a spin out & a stuck. That trailer isn't very heavy when unloaded, so throw in all the weight of that loader gear & rigging and I don't see how you can safely haul much of a load with it. Unless, that is, you stick to the smooth & level - then you might be able to haul something. But it still likely won't be a whole lot.

 

[NSMaple1]

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Thanks for the input.
Presently using a LogRite fetching arch grouping up three small 6" to 10" stuff. It is dreadfully slow even with only .3 mile round trip.
When I get to bigger stuff it will be somewhat more productive, but still slow. I also question the quad pulling even a small loaded forwarding trailer. A small compact tractor seems more appropriate to the task.

Been cutting 100" lengths and stock piling. Then I can cut on the log bench and process the way I have been, using pallets. Another option is to cut rounds in the woods and stock pile those. Just more physical handling that way, but for stocking the wood shed for personal use, it may be the way to go. That's how I used to do it.

 

[DSW]

There's a really good video on YouTube of a guy using an ATV/grapple setup and I can't imagine anything working more perfectly for what he's doing. He crawls over anything, leaves no impact, doesn't beat himself up and gets some good production out of it.

No idea what his market is but it's very niche to justify the equipment, it would work for firewood but it'd have to be a special situation.

The lift capacity wouldn't pick up a big stick of timber, once the weight gets up there the ATV won't pull it or won't stop it once it does get it going. I believe his would drive the trailer as well which helps immensely for moving the weight in tight spots but that's probably going to keep the upfront cost pretty high.

In my mind if you had a LOT of small wood, in tight areas, and had a good sustainable market it'd be a fun way to make a buck. For most it just wouldn't make sense.

 

[sb47]

Note.
When they say compact tractor they show a fairly good sized tractor pulling it. So what is considered a compact tractor?
They also say it can be pulled with an atv. The atv they show is much smaller then the compact tractor they show in there ad.
My assumption is if there saying it can be pulled with an atv then the compact tractor should be much smaller then the one they show in there ad.
I have a Kabota B5200 compact tractor. I've had it for 30+ years. No way will my compact tractor handle that trailer fully loaded or even half loaded.
There trailer is rated to carry 5000lbs + the trailer weight (1000lbs) for a total of 6000lbs. Most 1000cc atv's weigh around 1000lbs tops. Are you gonna be bossing around a 6000lbs trailer with a 1000lbs atv? I don't think so.
Is it a good trailer? Yes it sure looks like it. But trying to handle that much weight with something that is to small is a disaster waiting to happen.
My B5200 dry weight is 1058lbs. I have a utility trailer rated to carry 5000lbs + the trailer weight (lets say 1000lbs). So we are looking at about the same weight of a LARGE atv. If I load my trailer with one cord of oak (average cord oak weight at 4000lbs) my B5200 can pull it on flat ground but the front end is so light I have to use my L/R breaks to turn the tractor.
Could this trailer be useful? Sure, but only if pulled by something a little more substantial.

 

[homemade]

Trailer weights. It’s usually a gross weight rating. That’s weight of the trailer plus payload. Example of a 5000lb rated trailer, means if you drove it over a scale with the load on could not total more then 5000lb. Then when you remove the load, you will have an empty weight. Subtract empty weight from gross weight rating and you get max payload.

Working at a gravel pit I see a ton of trailer and truck combinations and have to make sure they are not overloaded.

 

[homemade]

https://www.prolinetrailersales.com/news/gvwr-payload-trailer-weight-why-it-matters

 

[sb47]

I'd like to have that grappler on my splitter. Looks like a much easier way of lifting big rounds then with a log lift.

 

[DSW]

Found it.



Pretty neat video regardless of how effective it would be for the average person.

Anybody know the pricing on their equipment?

 

[sb47]

Found it.



Pretty neat video regardless of how effective it would be for the average person.

Anybody know the pricing on their equipment?

Cool video. Did you notice that the atv is not doing all the work. It's being assisted by the drive system on the trailer.

 

[sirbuildalot]

sb47,

I would consider your Kubota a subcompact. Back when it was introduced it was advertised as a compact tractor, but it lacks serious size. Really could be called a super garden tractor as it isn't any bigger than many of the SGT's of yesteryear.

Examples of those include the:

John Deere 400's--- 400, 420, 430, 455, etc

Wheelhorse D series--- D160, D180, D200, D250

Simplicity/Allis Chalmers Powermax series--- 4040, 9020, 616, 620, 720

Case/Ingersoll Hi-wheel series--- 444, 446, 448 and 4016, 4020

Bolens large frames--- 1250, 1477, 1886, HT20, HT23

Etc.

A compact tractor in my opinion, as classified in todays market is around 1500-4000 lbs

My Ford 1700 is 2300 lbs empty, 27 hp diesel, 60" wheelbase. That would be average sized compact. My Kioti NX4510 would be a large compact. 4000 lbs without the laoder, 5500 with, 7000 with juiced tires. 45 hp diesel, 75.6" wheelbase

Point is a real compact tractor would pull that trailer

 

[sirbuildalot]

If you have two machines, one to load a trailer on site in the woods, and another to pull the trailer out of the woods, you don't really need a logging specialty trailer.

If so, you could bring any trailer into the woods, load it and pull it out. Something like the Country Manufacturing carts could be pulled by an atv, and are a heck of a lot cheaper than a timber talon.

Picture this, but with stake sides instead of solid sides.






















I made a log cart, and loaded it weighs around 2000-2500 lbs.










If the pulling vehicle is a decent size atv or a true garden tractor, Id say 1/3rd of a cord-1/2 of a cord is the limit with relatively flat ground. A compact tractor, up to a full cord.

 

[sb47]

sb47,

I would consider your Kubota a subcompact. Back when it was introduced it was advertised as a compact tractor, but it lacks serious size. Really could be called a super garden tractor as it isn't any bigger than many of the SGT's of yesteryear.

Examples of those include the:

John Deere 400's--- 400, 420, 430, 455, etc

Wheelhorse D series--- D160, D180, D200, D250

Simplicity/Allis Chalmers Powermax series--- 4040, 9020, 616, 620, 720

Case/Ingersoll Hi-wheel series--- 444, 446, 448 and 4016, 4020

Bolens large frames--- 1250, 1477, 1886, HT20, HT23

Etc.

A compact tractor in my opinion, as classified in todays market is around 1500-4000 lbs

My Ford 1700 is 2300 lbs empty, 27 hp diesel, 60" wheelbase. That would be average sized compact. My Kioti NX4510 would be a large compact. 4000 lbs without the laoder, 5500 with, 7000 with juiced tires. 45 hp diesel, 75.6" wheelbase

Point is a real compact tractor would pull that trailer

Yeah I get that. My point is the biggest atv is much smaller then whats considered a compact tractor. The ad leads one to believe a compact tractor and an atv are about the same size.
According to Kabota my b5200 is considered a compact not a subcompact.

 

[JeffHK454]

Found it.



Pretty neat video regardless of how effective it would be for the average person.

Anybody know the pricing on their equipment?

Cool little setup..I bet that’s $75K rolling through the woods right there?

 

[DSW]

Cool video. Did you notice that the atv is not doing all the work. It's being assisted by the drive system on the trailer.

I did, i mentioned it in my original post. Basically becomes an 8 wheel drive forwarder that articulates.

Cool little setup..I bet that’s $75K rolling through the woods right there?

I wouldn't doubt it one bit. What a fun way to process some pecker poles though.

 

[sb47]

Here is my little yard rig. 4x8x2 trailer holds 1/2 cord level with top. A little more if pilled up. The little Kabota handles this trailer just fine

This trailer has a cord loaded and is a little much for my little Kabota. I can still pull it but I have to load it differently and reduce the tongue weight or the front of my tractor pops wheelies. I have weights that go on the front of the tractor that help but I don't generally use them.

 

[cantoo]

This old thread has some of my equipment on it that I use for smaller trees and tops.
Picture is my BIL's Steiner and one of my trailers. The trailers and grapples are cool but the price point will give you a heart attack.
https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/steiner-logging.256905/#post-4811884