hauling wood with garden tractor?

[bigblue12v]

Anyone using a garden tractor to haul firewood out of the woods? I don't have any woods to cut on my property, most of the land I can cut in is pretty hilly. I have a 4wd garden tractor with ag tires and weight all around. Wondering how well it might do pulling a wagon with rounds through hilly woods. Or a atv style log arch even better. It doesn't have locking differentials nor a lot of articulation in the front axle, it's really best at ground engaging attachments and soft ground or traveling across muddy areas. Aka can't climb logs across the trail... Wondering if it's a waste of time to build an arch to use behind it. The kind that hitches to tractor and picks the whole log up not dragging it in the mud.
Thanks

MS360 Pro
MS170
009L
Central Boiler CL5036 heating my house, water and 30x40 shop
04 Ram 3500 Cummins QCLB flatbed 4wd
Custom built 4wd Lawn Boy garden tractor with a slew of attachments
Jacobsen Turf Cat T422D with Kubota D950 22hp diesel 72" mower soon to be building splitter attachment (13 gpm single stage 4" cylinder)

 

[Fred Wright]

Yup, been doin' this for years with a dump cart. Ag tires and wheel weights are a must. Avoid muddy ground and you should be fine with it. It's easy to mire these things down where the ground is soft and wet.

 

[bigblue12v]

I run 26x12x12 ags in the rear and 18x9.50's up front, it flat out eats when you get in mucky mud. That being said, no one really enjoys getting stuck when trying to get work done. It does have a 2,000# winch up front though. I prefer my 4 wheel wagon it holds more and is a much smoother and more stable ride vs. my 2 wheel dump cart, ruts a lot less as well so theoretically won't get stuck as easy. Just curious about dragging a log arch. I'd think with some big soft flotation tires it would be ok.

MS360 Pro
MS170
009L
Central Boiler CL5036 heating my house, water and 30x40 shop
04 Ram 3500 Cummins QCLB flatbed 4wd
Custom built 4wd Lawn Boy garden tractor with a slew of attachments
Jacobsen Turf Cat T422D with Kubota D950 22hp diesel 72" mower soon to be building splitter attachment (13 gpm single stage 4" cylinder)

 

[tla100]

Now that is a mean looking lawn tractor.

Nothing like that for me. If truck can't get there, skidloader hopefully can, if not, it is staying.

 

[MechanicMatt]

Bigblue, nice ride! I got a little honda that cuts the grass and gets the snot beat outa it hauling wood. I only have one wheel drive so tire chains are a must. Your machine looks sweet!

 

[Chris-PA]

I often use our old WheelHorse 312-8 with a 12hp Kohler. Ag tires in the back. I can get it into places in the woods better than the big tractor sometimes, and it sips fuel just puttering along.

I was really close to getting an old large frame GE electric tractor, sans mower deck. I think it would have been a cool wood hauler with new batteries and ag tires.

 

[bigblue12v]

Thanks guys! I converted it, actually I did the 4wd conversion, added electric power steering, built a 3 point hitch (rare factory option I couldn't find one so I built it) and added a hydraulic top link (must have with certain attachments, once you've used one you won't go back) and upgraded the seat, cup holder and added the cooler/tool box. And winch of course. Stock tire sizes were 23/10.50 rear and 16/6.50 front. And I rebuilt the driveshaft when I first got it. It actually came out of a mower junkyard and this is lucky the original paint.

MS360 Pro
MS170
009L
Central Boiler CL5036 heating my house, water and 30x40 shop
04 Ram 3500 Cummins QCLB flatbed 4wd
Custom built 4wd Lawn Boy garden tractor with a slew of attachments
Jacobsen Turf Cat T422D with Kubota D950 22hp diesel 72" mower soon to be building splitter attachment (13 gpm single stage 4" cylinder)

 

[Deleted member 83629]

i just use a old beater murray lawn tractor from the early 80's 8hp 3spd pulls my little cart around fine from going to the wood pile to the house.

 

[chuckwood]

I often use our old WheelHorse 312-8 with a 12hp Kohler. Ag tires in the back. I can get it into places in the woods better than the big tractor sometimes, and it sips fuel just puttering along.

I was really close to getting an old large frame GE electric tractor, sans mower deck. I think it would have been a cool wood hauler with new batteries and ag tires.

I've got a wheelhorse 312-8 with a ten hp Kohler. These things are built seriously heavy duty. Unfortunately, mine has been used hard all its life and has thrown a rod. It's been sitting idle for three years. When I get time, I plan on rebuilding the motor, but the prices on rebuild kits are pretty high. A new heavy duty cast iron Kohler engine to replace it completely is over $800.00. In the meantime, I'm using a yamaha four wheeler for hauling firewood. However, with chains on it, my old wheelhorse could go places the 4 wheeler or my Kubota tractor can't handle.

 

[zogger]

I often use our old WheelHorse 312-8 with a 12hp Kohler. Ag tires in the back. I can get it into places in the woods better than the big tractor sometimes, and it sips fuel just puttering along.

I was really close to getting an old large frame GE electric tractor, sans mower deck. I think it would have been a cool wood hauler with new batteries and ag tires.

I used my WH c101 a lot before, hauling a wagon in and out of the woods, and dragging logs and big ole landscaping rocks out. It has turf tires, but...with the rototiller on the back, need more traction, drop it down adjusted to dig in just a few inches and engage pto lever.

 

[Big_Al]

Just watch your angles and be careful on all those hills.

 

[milkman]

I've got a wheelhorse 312-8 with a ten hp Kohler. These things are built seriously heavy duty. Unfortunately, mine has been used hard all its life and has thrown a rod. It's been sitting idle for three years. When I get time, I plan on rebuilding the motor, but the prices on rebuild kits are pretty high. A new heavy duty cast iron Kohler engine to replace it completely is over $800.00. In the meantime, I'm using a yamaha four wheeler for hauling firewood. However, with chains on it, my old wheelhorse could go places the 4 wheeler or my Kubota tractor can't handle.

Repower that thing with a Yanmar diesel clone, the Wheelhorse is sure tough enough to handle the torque and last forever.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-10HP-SM...568?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a4a9e30b0

Or maybe one of these.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-16HP-Ga...824?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27bcdc0ea8

 

[Dr. Hackemoff]

I often use our old WheelHorse 312-8 with a 12hp Kohler. Ag tires in the back. I can get it into places in the woods better than the big tractor sometimes, and it sips fuel just puttering along.

I was really close to getting an old large frame GE electric tractor, sans mower deck. I think it would have been a cool wood hauler with new batteries and ag tires.

Toro Garden Tractor...blew the 16 single Kohler Courage and replaced it with a 23 HP Kaw twin

 

[Chris-PA]

Repower that thing with a Yanmar diesel clone, the Wheelhorse is sure tough enough to handle the torque and last forever.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-10HP-SM...568?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a4a9e30b0

Or maybe one of these.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-16HP-Ga...824?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27bcdc0ea8

I really looked into those at one time, but the darn Kohler works so well. It fired right up with temperatures in the mid-teens the other day. The throttle cable was frozen as usual, but I know to park it with the throttle at a good useable rpm!

 

[zogger]

I really looked into those at one time, but the darn Kohler works so well. It fired right up with temperatures in the mid-teens the other day. The throttle cable was frozen as usual, but I know to park it with the throttle at a good useable rpm!

I looked at those china clone diesels as well for a replacement for the non running k241 on mine. But...finally got a weak spark the other day and today got a call from the local dealer and my new points and pushrod came in, so I'll try that. If I can't get this old one going now, I am thinking the cheapest usable option is a harbor freight predator gasser. I'd *like* the diesel but it's too high, for a little bit more I could get a two cylinder deutz tractor local to me. Ugly but runs..

 

[Chris-PA]

I looked at those china clone diesels as well for a replacement for the non running k241 on mine. But...finally got a weak spark the other day and today got a call from the local dealer and my new points and pushrod came in, so I'll try that. If I can't get this old one going now, I am thinking the cheapest usable option is a harbor freight predator gasser. I'd *like* the diesel but it's too high, for a little bit more I could get a two cylinder deutz tractor local to me. Ugly but runs..

Good choice! I was first looking at those diesels to replace the crap Tecumseh 10hp on my generator, back when we still had an oil fired heating system I wanted to rig it up to run off the hating oil tank. But that's gone now - wood heat only! And we got a better generator.

 

[tla100]

Y

I looked at those china clone diesels as well for a replacement for the non running k241 on mine. But...finally got a weak spark the other day and today got a call from the local dealer and my new points and pushrod came in, so I'll try that. If I can't get this old one going now, I am thinking the cheapest usable option is a harbor freight predator gasser. I'd *like* the diesel but it's too high, for a little bit more I could get a two cylinder deutz tractor local to me. Ugly but runs..

You will love the Deutz. Sips diesal. If I was a bit closer I would be interested in it, heck.

 

[Jere39]

I built this log arch last Spring (hence mower deck on tractor, which I remove for winter time firewood processing)

But usually, I buck and split in the woods and use my cart:

But in the end, I found a great deal on a 12 year old ATV that I can use all year, without worry of my mower deck:

 

[Dirtboy]

I either use this or my ATV. Depends on the terrain.

The 3 point hitch is great for dragging the splitter around also.

 

[zogger]

Y


You will love the Deutz. Sips diesal. If I was a bit closer I would be interested in it, heck.

Oh, I am not going to buy it, was just saying for the 700 bucks for a chinese yanmar diesel clone engine, I could get a running smallish deutz for not much more. I already have two here to use a 6206 and a dx90 with FEL. They are my boss's but I am the only one who uses them, his other guys use different tractors.

The 6206 gets unreal fuel mileage, simply amazing.

At my budget, the 300 dollar predator gas engine is a better option for my wheelhorse, if I can't get the real old k241 running. That's the only "real" tractor I personally own.