Just how much can the (GRCS) Lift???

[JTinaTree]

This is for all of you GRCS owners, got my dvd from Sherrills and have been watching it. This tool is truly amazing I plan to buy one in a month or two.The ad states lift up to 2000lbs in the 12:1 ratio counterclockwise on the winch. My question is what limits this number, will the winch get too hard to turn by hand?
Will the winch see faliure if more weight is tryed to lift? In the dvd he lifts a whole stem up like it was nothing, to me it looked like he could have easily lifted a whole lot more..I would like to know just how much you have lifted with this device...Thank You

 

[kkottemann]

I personally do not have one but have used one recently on a fallen hackberry (sugarberry) in a back yard. The tree was uprooted and fell across the yard landing on the house. After we brushed out the tree on the roof the tree was still laying heavy on the house. luckily the neighbor had a hackberry still standing right next to it. We rigged a block about 35 feet up and ran 3/4 samson through the block to the middle of the tree laying on the house. we lifited the tree up about 6 inches off the house so we could cut. once it was off the house we continued to cut until we reached the tie point. Next we let off the slack and the tree came slamming to the ground. Now how much did the tree weigh???I cannot be sure, but it was about 18 inches in diameter at the stump and mabe 45 feet tall to the top branch. the tree was uprooted in october and probably lost plenty of moisture, but was still alive. It was heavy enough for me to be damm impressed with the rigging device. I would not hesitate to use it on any lateral for lifting or lowering. Just use good rope and a good block, both rated for extreme weight capacity.

 

[daveyclimber]

I thought these were a 44:1 ratio. I remember seeing these in baileys years ago with a picture of the device lifting a F-350 crewcab off the ground. Thats about 7,000 lbs I assume

 

[treeman82]

As far as actual lifting goes, I wouldn't know. I mean a while back I lifted a 12"+ diameter sugar maple off the ground from an elm tree and set it down right where I wanted it. That tree was a SOLID 40' tall with a crown full of leaves.

As for pulling though, I've pulled over some MAJOR back leaners just using the winch in low gear and a couple of pulleys.

 

[newb]

Ive had mine for over a year now (488) , and the failure wont be in the GRCS but in your rigging points and ropes. I believe the #2000 is for liability reasons. I will tell you get off the fence and buy it, you will never look back. Pete

 

[JTinaTree]

Ive had mine for over a year now (488) , and the failure wont be in the GRCS but in your rigging points and ropes. I believe the #2000 is for liability reasons. I will tell you get off the fence and buy it, you will never look back. Pete

So the winch will lift more from what I understand? But the weak link is the other tree you are hanging your block from? So I guess if I have the block way up in some white oaks around here it would be smart to use a 3in ratchet strap to hold the rigging point to another leader up in the tree. The main reason I would like to have one is because I climb everthing right now and it would be a great tool for lifting branches away from rooftops...It would save me alot of time not having to limb walk as much...

 

[Sunrise Guy]

I just got mine last week. It is one handy little son of a gun. It is rated at 2000 lbs., and Good is a fellow who has done much work on this puppy. Anyone can go beyond that limit, of course, but why bother? On 99% of your jobs, if you just piece out a bit instead of slamming down the huge stuff, you'll be fine. I think the DVD segment where he takes off half of a tree is a bit extreme. Obviously he shows that it's doable, but ya gotta trust the tree you're rigging to. If I'm taking down a big one with co-dominant leaders, I tend to be conservative on estimating the weight either one will bear. As it's been stated in here more than a few times, the fellow who literally wrote the book on rigging, Peter Donzelli, was killed when the tree beneath him failed as the piece he cut was being lowered. Take it easy, don't slam those big ones, and you'll be fine.

 

[northernmover]

This will work great for what you are looking to do with it. We use ours for the same purpose and have yet to find it's limitations. You will wonder why you didn't get one before and will never look at a tree the same way again with this in your truck. One word of advice....get the visor plate for mounting it on removals, this is a VERY heavy piece of equipment and is hard to mount by yourself.

 

[JTinaTree]

I saw that visor plate and I don't plan on buying the GRCS without it. I am more curious than anything about lifting weights, I know the device is not ment to replace the job of a crane on heavy stuff. I am a pretty cautious in my jobs if I have any doubts I will rope it down. If I thought a limb even weighted close to 2000lbs I still would cut into a smaller size before lifting it with the GRCS at least until I got comfortable with operating it.

We have lots of White,Red,Willow Oaks around here and there is always the scared homeowner who wants the limbs away from the roof of there house. As I siad earlier the GRCS could cut my job time in half for this kind of work. One last question Did anyone get one for less than the Retail price?? $2495.00

 

[daveyclimber]

I just seen this in the Wespur catalog today and it says the two speed winch is a 22.1 and 44.1 ratios and can lift 3k

 

[rbtree]

Ther new ones sport a chrome Harken 46-1 winch. Here's yesterday's tree. We currently have it supported with 2 GRCS's, and are adding a third today if needed (as one of our anchor trees is only an 11" dbh dogwood. We have lightened the weight resting on the house, but have been unable to lift it off. The last bit was done in the dark, so we'll resume this morning. But it is resting at a 45 degree angle, and likely weighs 10,000 lb....it's about 32" dbh. The third anchor tree may have to be a fir a good 200 feet away in another yard, which will require my as yet uncut spool of 1/2 inch Spectra, near zero stretch and 24,000 tensile.

We'll cut it off the stump and it should come right over...but that maneuver might shock load the dogwood out of the ground....and that would not be a good thing....:help:

Reference my storm thread for more pics.

 

[rbtree]

I saw that visor plate and I don't plan on buying the GRCS without it. I am more curious than anything about lifting weights, I know the device is not ment to replace the job of a crane on heavy stuff. I am a pretty cautious in my jobs if I have any doubts I will rope it down. If I thought a limb even weighted close to 2000lbs I still would cut into a smaller size before lifting it with the GRCS at least until I got comfortable with operating it.

We have lots of White,Red,Willow Oaks around here and there is always the scared homeowner who wants the limbs away from the roof of there house. As I siad earlier the GRCS could cut my job time in half for this kind of work. One last question Did anyone get one for less than the Retail price?? $2495.00

Heh....i've done boatloads of jobs with it where it and our expertise negate the need for a crane. Two trees the last two days and $12,000 raked in, and none of it went to pay the crane fees!!!!!! Of course these trees required two devices, and we're adding a third on the oak today.

 

[jmack]

I saw that visor plate and I don't plan on buying the GRCS without it. I am more curious than anything about lifting weights, I know the device is not ment to replace the job of a crane on heavy stuff. I am a pretty cautious in my jobs if I have any doubts I will rope it down. If I thought a limb even weighted close to 2000lbs I still would cut into a smaller size before lifting it with the GRCS at least until I got comfortable with operating it.

We have lots of White,Red,Willow Oaks around here and there is always the scared homeowner who wants the limbs away from the roof of there house. As I siad earlier the GRCS could cut my job time in half for this kind of work. One last question Did anyone get one for less than the Retail price?? $2495.00

23 wesspur

 

[jmack]

23 wesspur

o yea go for it build your rigging around it , wish i had j

 

[(WLL)]

1 supirior pice of equipment

This is for all of you GRCS owners, got my dvd from Sherrills and have been watching it. This tool is truly amazing I plan to buy one in a month or two.The ad states lift up to 2000lbs in the 12:1 ratio counterclockwise on the winch. My question is what limits this number, will the winch get too hard to turn by hand?
Will the winch see faliure if more weight is tryed to lift? In the dvd he lifts a whole stem up like it was nothing, to me it looked like he could have easily lifted a whole lot more..I would like to know just how much you have lifted with this device...Thank You

if you try to lift more than tool can handle the rope just sits there while the tool spins ithink every tree company should invest in one of these tools and they can lift far more than any 1or2 men can man this tool is sweet and can be fabricated instead of forking out the dough. the most expensive parts are the winch and handle. this tool should of bin out 20 yrs ago and i dont understand why i have 3 of these and would not give up for any reason i sleep with this thing lol

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

The reduction gear is 12:1, the lever of the handles adds the further MA to get the 44:1.

If you do a lot of removals, the visor is a very good investment. If you have a high torque drill and do a lot of city work, then the drill adaptor is very handy for lifting long limbs and forwarding brush up slopes.

I know some people who have brokes winches under extream loads. Many here will remember Frans and Jerry doing comp's on GRCS vs. the Hobbs.

Think of the 2000# as the WLL for dynamic forces when blocking big wood out. Know the fall factor of the load, or the cycles to failure will get you after a wile.

Everyone who has used it has picked out much heavier loads.

As you work with it you learn to use different ropes, high streach for dynamic loads, low streach for gentle picks.

Backing up a rig point is allways a good idea, one way you can do this is to use several blocks in the tree so you are distibuting the load between stems.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

if you try to lift more than tool can handle the rope just sits there while the tool spins ...

When this happens, try loosening up the coil around the winch drum so that it will push up onto the back slope. this way you can usually get an extra wrap or two in to give the needed friction.

On the off occasion where you've mistaken the estimated load, having a third man hold the rope to tail it will usually help get things started.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Nobody knows the line pull this tool will generate?
There was a promotinal picture that showed a pick up truck with the back end up in the air, so I'd guess it could lift at least 800 or a 1000 pounds. I never saw the one lifting a whole truck, I'd like to know how they did that.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

so I'd guess it could lift at least 800 or a 1000 pounds.

I've read somewhere that an average person can move 75% of their weight standing. So 200# person =150.

With 12:1 MA that would be 1800# optimal output.

IF you have a high tie on a leader that you are hinging up, you will not put the whole load onto the system untill the load comes off the hinge. So system output is only one concideration you need to make when operating the winch (I know you know, I just needed to bring it upopcorn: ).

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

I've read somewhere that an average person can move 75% of their weight standing. So 200# person =150.

That applys to pulling on a rope, turning a crank may be higher or lower, I dunno.