Moving rounds out of a creek bottom

[lambs]

Hi guys.

This may not be the right forum, but the others don't seem to fit. I am helping move downed wood out of a creek bottom right behind a friend's home, and I've been doing it with a MF1010 diesel (16 hp) and a 4 x 8 utility trailer. It's all from the April 16th twister here in NC. Problems are:

• wet soil and leaves
• limited traction on turf tires
• lots of twists and turns with limited manueverability
• uphill slope to the driveway
  

As a result, I can only load my trailer about half full of wood (say, 12" high) and pull it up the slope. Not efficient, and it's really giving my tractor hurt feelings. I have no lack of power and torque, it's just too much weight to pull through the woods.

I'm starting to think of alternatives, and the one thing I've thought of is a carry all for the 3 pt hitch. I'd have to make a lot more trips up the hill, but it would be very maneuverable, and I could actually back up the hill if needed for traction. I guess I'd have to modify it some to get decent capacity. There's a LOT of wood down, and I could probably work out there every Saturday for months. So I need something durable and compact.....a skid steer would be ideal, but it would really cut things up, so I'm trying to stick with the tractor.

Anyone have thoughts on this? I'm "all ears". Thanks.

 

[Modifiedmark]

Yep wrong forum no two ways about it. Try the firewood forum?

 

[holeycow]

tire chains

 

[lambs]

Thanks guys. I will attempt to post this in firewood.

I don't think tire chains will work too well....got to go 100 yards down an asphalt driveway after coming out of the woods. Good idea though.

 

[Metals406]

Lambs, how bout some pictures of what ya got going.

 

[Stumpys Customs]

Skid the trees out with the tractor. If you got a good place at the top of the hill fer a landing. Then you could buck them up thier. Just a thought.

 

[slowp]

My answer is usually this.

With a nice carriage. This model is popular here.

View attachment 208627View attachment 208628

 

[deye223]

Thanks guys. I will attempt to post this in firewood.

I don't think tire chains will work too well....got to go 100 yards down an asphalt driveway after coming out of the woods. Good idea though.

if you are not going more than 20 MPH whats the problem. you can use rope around your tyers if there are gaps between the rim and the centers i'v done it in cars and works fine use 1/2 too 3/4 inch rope

 

[Rounder]

F&l

 

[NORMZILLA44]

Can you use, a winch on a truck instead of a tractor? That way you can run more line, and drive less, and not have to worry about traction.

 

[deye223]

f&l

f&l ???

 

[little possum]

How are your fabrication skills? Make you a trailer tounge axle- kinda like using the jack with the roller wheel on the bottom. But something like lawnmower tires on a straight axle that the tounge goes on. Then rig up a pulley system. Each pulley reduces the force it takes to move the load by like 50% they say.

 

[Slamm]

Wow, I say find your wood somewhere else.

Its all about picking your battles, if you are fighting a losing battle, go somewhere else.

They make lots of it in easier places.


Sam

 

[lambs]

I don't have pics

I'm just battin' clean up here, trying to help out a long time church member. This place is 20 miles away, and she lost her 70 year old husband to cancer almost exactly a year ago. The tornado took out maybe 40 good sized trees, and I'm helping her clear the creek bottom which is right behind her house, and which you can't get into without a small tractor or possibly ATV.

She has used two different tree services to handle the big stuff, including one that brought in a crane and lifted several 4k lb logs out. I'm working the smaller stuff, and we're setting it out for a county-sponsored program that uses volunteers like me to buck, split and deliver firewood for people who need heating assistance. It's a really good program, but I'm on my own dime here so I need to be efficient and cheap....

Thanks for all your thoughts. I've gotten several good ideas, and posted some thoughts on this on the firewood forum. I think I'm going to end up with a 3 pt hitch carry all, using a pallet to carry the wood. I can set this down and drive away from it if I have to, and I think it will haul all my tractor will want to move at a time.

 

[Officer's Match]

I've got a really nice sized red oak that slide down a 50 foot bank into a small river (about 18 foot across) that I'm contemplating going after. Kubota RTV and log chain is about all I have at my disposal, unless I go get Mom's 40HP Kubota 4WD tractor. Lotta' nice wood in that one, about 3 foot diameter at the base. Took a lot of dirt down too.

 

[andydodgegeek]

I've got a really nice sized red oak that slide down a 50 foot bank into a small river (about 18 foot across) that I'm contemplating going after. Kubota RTV and log chain is about all I have at my disposal, unless I go get Mom's 40HP Kubota 4WD tractor. Lotta' nice wood in that one, about 3 foot diameter at the base. Took a lot of dirt down too.

Good luck with all that. Were you thinking of bucking it up then hauling it up the 50' bank. I dont know the steepness of your bank but if it is very steep at all you wont be pulling up a 3' diameter oak tree up even with a 40hp 4x4 kubota. But like I said I dont know how steep your bank is, I am picturing a 50' cliff with a giant oak at the bottom.

 

[Officer's Match]

Good luck with all that. Were you thinking of bucking it up then hauling it up the 50' bank. I dont know the steepness of your bank but if it is very steep at all you wont be pulling up a 3' diameter oak tree up even with a 40hp 4x4 kubota. But like I said I dont know how steep your bank is, I am picturing a 50' cliff with a giant oak at the bottom.

That's pretty much the picture, but I'd be removing it from the bottom. Trick is getting big wood across the river, but lots of top on the other side already.

 

[NORMZILLA44]

Can you use, a winch on a truck instead of a tractor? That way you can run more line, and drive less, and not have to worry about traction.

Truck, winch, and snatch block's. Can't beat it. Keep's you from having to drive into to much mud or grass. If you have an area you can't reach and get the vehicle right to it. Then you can alway's get more cable, block it off to a good tree, or neighboring vehicle, something solid, and something to get the hard angle's out of the line. Depending on the size of the log's, that will dictate the length you buck. Been there 100 time's. Can't beat a winch line.

 

[Brian_NC]

I usually just hook the carry all up to the tractor when I am getting wood up in places like you are describing. It takes a few more trips but I can get in and out so much easier than with my trailer.

 

[sawinredneck]

How about a log arch? Pick one end of the logs up with the arch, connect the three point to the other with a chain and lift it up off the ground and drive out. Spreads the weight out and lets the tractor pull without being loaded with weight.
Get them up to dry ground and deal with them then.
The only other feasible options are going to be renting a track hoe or a tracked skid steer to minimize the damage and get better flotation over the mud. Again, all you have to do is get them to dry ground to work them there. Renting either for a day or a weekend should get close to accomplishing this if you stage and plan it right.