Poor person's haul back winch ideas please.

[KiwiBro]

Couldn't afford a double drum PTO winch for my tractor and need to come up with a cheap but clever way to get the cable back down to the choker rat.

A question first, if I may:

Would you rather the choker rat controls the haulback or is it better to have the winch operator control this from the landing as it is they who will know first when the line is ready to be hauled back?

In a fit of suck-it-and-see, I bought a cheap truck 2-speed 'lecky wiper motor with a view to mounting a drum to it and a switch between it and the 7-pin connector on the back of the tractor, and mounting it to my winch. But I didn't think about the fact it won't free-wheel when the main cable is hauling, and I'm concerned about unnecessary strain on the motor or the small (about 1/4" poly) haul-back rope the main cable might put on it when winching it back up the hill.

Assuming I can carry on this harebrained idea, what would you suggest for the freewheeling mechanism that's simple, robust, and cheap please? Alternatively, if it best to scrap the idea, what should I be using to get that main cable back down (or up as the case may be) to the choker setter please?


Thanks.

 

[northmanlogging]

There is a few ways to rig up a haul back first and most common is gravity get yer self a sky line of sorts and a simple carriage means climbing a tree and a few snatch blocks... but it can be done. the other way is to use a capstan type wear the haul back makes a big triangle around the area to be worked and the haul back is tensioned by a tail hold should be easy enough to build a capstan out of an old car wheel won't handle huge loads but it will get the rigging back to the rat...If you have a newer tractor it might have another pto on the front somwhere you could mount the capstan too

 

[KiwiBro]

Thanks. Having come up with something I'll need to test it out at some stage before settling on it as a workable option.

 

[tramp bushler]

If you have good lift and can see where the chocker dog is . Hang yiur skidding line thru a block at the landing Best to have a designated skyline . Hook it to the tractor so you can drive the tractor ahead and back to skyline up/ skyline down . Get 2 spare blocks and make a couple straps . Get a good 8' long log that weighs a couple , three hundred pounds one ob one end , one on the other .. then attach 2 chockers to the log about 1.5 ' from each block . So they are about 4' apart . Hook your winch line to the front of the log . . Basically a shotgun carriage
Cable up. Slack the skidding line . Stop carriage/dkiddin line . Back tractor up till the dog has enough slack to set the turn . Cable up/ drive tractor ahead till skyline is tight and go ahead on the winch line/ skidding line

 

[tramp bushler]

Its hard to explain with a shaky internet connection . But basically a home made shotgun catriage with the skyline cable hooked to the tractor and the winch line as the skidding line .

 

[northmanlogging]

tramp's got a good idea there just make sure yer brakes are good on the tractor, My tractor would never bea able to stop that kinda load...(brakes were iffy even from the factory...)

 

[D&B Mack]

tramp's got a good idea there just make sure yer brakes are good on the tractor, My tractor would never bea able to stop that kinda load...(brakes were iffy even from the factory...)

Make an anchor for your 3 point?