Using a truck to pull a tree down

[Can-Do-It]

Knowledgable Advice

I posted a reply on how I use a winch to fall trees.

That was knowledgeable advice learned thru this web page from it's senior members and applied experience over the past several years.

One of the hardest things to do is tell someone that he or she is doing something a wrong way. Specially if they been doing it there way for several years. But please people read between the lines of what the senior people of this is web page have been saying. Don't use a truck to pull a tree down with.

Use a winch(850.00), block and tackle(400.00) or other equipment item that have manageable pulling force.

A guy here in Columbia was toping a tree using his pickup. Instead of the top being pulled out of the tree ...... he was pulled out of the tree. Thats right the wrong rope was tied to the truck.

Several years ago I used my chip truck to pull a large oak over. Everything went fine. The problem was when I was coiling the rope up and found that two strands of the rope had broken during the pulling process. Was I lucky or what. The next day a new winch was installed on the truck.

Knowledgeable advice.

Have a safe and blessed day,

 

[ropensaddle]

I posted a reply on how I use a winch to fall trees.

That was knowledgeable advice learned thru this web page from it's senior members and applied experience over the past several years.

One of the hardest things to do is tell someone that he or she is doing something a wrong way. Specially if they been doing it there way for several years. But please people read between the lines of what the senior people of this is web page have been saying. Don't use a truck to pull a tree down with.

Use a winch(850.00), block and tackle(400.00) or other equipment item that have manageable pulling force.

A guy here in Columbia was toping a tree using his pickup. Instead of the top being pulled out of the tree ...... he was pulled out of the tree. Thats right the wrong rope was tied to the truck.

Several years ago I used my chip truck to pull a large oak over. Everything went fine. The problem was when I was coiling the rope up and found that two strands of the rope had broken during the pulling process. Was I lucky or what. The next day a new winch was installed on the truck.

Knowledgeable advice.

Have a safe and blessed day,

Yes I am a winch man but my winch
is much more powerful and pto faster if needed and on a bucket with air
brakes I usually can uproot a 20 inch oak but that is at the farm as I don't
want to grind stump. My winch does best at twenty feet up as if you get a good pull at that point that is most times all the pull needed but if more pull is needed it pulls faster at that height than in top. Rope and pick up is just the opposite as they need all the pull they can get.

 

[John Ellison]

Just for the sake of conversation, can anyone give me a situation where you would need a fast pull on a tree? IF, it is sound and any heavy side lean can be countered with a good line/anchor.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Just for the sake of conversation, can anyone give me a situation where you would need a fast pull on a tree?

The only time I've had to drop a tree fast is when we had time constraints, like closed road, or between recesses at a school

 

[clearance]

Just for the sake of conversation, can anyone give me a situation where you would need a fast pull on a tree? IF, it is sound and any heavy side lean can be countered with a good line/anchor.

I can, pulling over big cottonwoods that are leaning two ways. If you use a Tirfor or let up when you are using a truck, they fall exactly where they want. Doesn't matter how much holding wood you leave opposite, it will be rippped off, weak wood, heavy tree. Pulling them over backwards in the opposite of the lean works, any other way you are asking for trouble. Yard on the ****** and yard hard and fast.

 

[lees trees]

I bet most cutters have pulled with trucks, just a short cut seems faster, not better or safer. too many variables, sloppy

 

[clearance]

I bet most cutters have pulled with trucks, just a short cut seems faster, not better or safer. too many variables, sloppy

Sloppy??? Not so, well thought out, double checked and proper. You'd best stay away from it, not competent.

 

[ropensaddle]

I bet most cutters have pulled with trucks, just a short cut seems faster, not better or safer. too many variables, sloppy

Well the only time I have got in trouble felling a tree was not
using a truck or equipment. I want enough pull, I now have a winch
that is capable of snapping the tree, I of course don't recommend pulling
that hard but it is nice to know I have that reserve! Grcs does not hold a
candle to my winch and most important I know my cable is strong enough
to pull the tree without fail. I have pulled thousands of trees over never
with accident and as I said only time had a problem was doing it by hand
not enough pull set down on bar! I however did not panic and got another
rope in it and pulled over with truck. Professional is using the tools you
have wisely not having every tool I can do it both ways but do prefer
a pto winch to back up my plan!!!!

 

[ropensaddle]

Just for the sake of conversation, can anyone give me a situation where you would need a fast pull on a tree? IF, it is sound and any heavy side lean can be countered with a good line/anchor.

Well now what are you going to anchor a 60 inch sweetgum with?
I can do the same thing by getting my winch to pull from the off lean side
a little and I know it is going away from house powerline or any other
object I wish to miss. The fast part is I am watching what is going on
while in pull if hinge wood fails I can horse it clear also some people have
said as slack gets in cable they are fearful they will lose control, my winch
is fast enough to prevent slack but the control is actually at the cut.
I also can bring up the whole tree if it is in a hole and facilitates faster
clean up ,and on the off chance I get on a underground stream and get
buried I don't have to call a wrecker as I am equipped, and a grcs won't
pull a 28000 gvw bucket out!!!!!

 

[lees trees]

not talking about winches on your truck I like those. I think riding the clutch pulling with the truck is putting variables in the already dangerous situation. you know is the tree live or dead is it softwood or hardwood leaning, rotten,wind with us or against us. is the truck heavy enough, Strong enough, is running good how driving is he gonna over pull the dead tree, what he can't hear with the motor running I thought you said go not no. tires are slippin. is that when back up and git a run at it?:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[ropensaddle]

not talking about winches on your truck I like those. I think riding the clutch pulling with the truck is putting variables in the already dangerous situation. you know is the tree live or dead is it softwood or hardwood leaning, rotten,wind with us or against us. is the truck heavy enough, Strong enough, is running good how driving is he gonna over pull the dead tree, what he can't hear with the motor running I thought you said go not no. tires are slippin. is that when back up and git a run at it?:hmm3grin2orange:

Ok I still feel if you instruct your man to get a pull before you start back cut and kill in gear if manual and then get out and pull rope by hand to finish it would be better than relying on a ground man to pull with a block.I have used trucks to get pull but usually automatic so a steady pull can be obtained.

 

[ropensaddle]

A grcs would probably be a fine choice also but if you don't have
one that does not mean you are not a pro it means you are not rich!

 

[joesawer]

If you need a faster pull than your pulling system can provide, you can hang a weight in the middle of your line before it is pulled tight. This will give a steady pull as the tree moves forward. Until the ballast hits the ground anyway.
I have used this method when working by myself (or with help I didn't trust) more than once.

 

[ropensaddle]

If you need a faster pull than your pulling system can provide, you can hang a weight in the middle of your line before it is pulled tight. This will give a steady pull as the tree moves forward. Until the ballast hits the ground anyway.
I have used this method when working by myself (or with help I didn't trust) more than once.

Never had to but can understand the theory did you use
a motor block? I trust my help because they know I will
break bad if they do anything stupid

 

[joesawer]

Never had to but can understand the theory did you use
a motor block? I trust my help because they know I will
break bad if they do anything stupid

I used a 16' x 28" diameter saw log the last time. It was tied to a 3/4 inch swedged skidder mainline. In residential work i have often used rounds from another tree. It doesn't take much weight to put a big pull on the tree. You would be amazed at how hard it is just to get them off the ground, and the straighter the line is the more pull they have.

 

[clearance]

I don't think pulling a tree using a manual trans is a good idea. Riding the clutch is not acceptable. There are enough dangers pulling trees without introducing a manual trans into the picture.


I've always used 3/4 ton 4 wheel drives with auto trans.

I've also done some nice pulls using the chipper truck and the boom truck and they have Allison 545 Automatics.

Low range works great. Its best to get a bit of tension on the rope first (a bit) and then block the wheels, so it can't roll back. I have never actually done it with an automatic. No need to ride the clutch, just wait for the signal from the faller and drive away.

 

[lees trees]

Ok I still feel if you instruct your man to get a pull before you start back cut and kill in gear if manual and then get out and pull rope by hand to finish it would be better than relying on a ground man to pull with a block.I have used trucks to get pull but usually automatic so a steady pull can be obtained.

I like what your saying THE TRUCK IS NOT MOVING, AN ANCHOR. the torqe converter in a auto will get hot and let you down

 

[2muchstuff]

It is a good idea for safety. A pick -up is a great tool and if you cant use it safely you shouldnt be cutting trees.

It is best to face the tree and use reverse this way you have clear view. The leverage is far better since it forces traction rather than lift.

 

[lees trees]

is it possible to loose traction, how many pounds of pull forward how many backwards, on clay? sand? grass? I don't think any one knows at least with rope and saddle's wench you know that you have 8000 or 12000lbs of line pull. hay I just thought is the grass wet? Don't think I've never pulled a tree with a truck. Its just not consistent

 

[teamtree]

Well...If all my competitors would stop pulling over trees and customers are willing to pay, I would be glad to piece them all down (climbing or bucket).

For the most part, we take risks all the time in this industry. It is the nature of the business. We all take risks everyday. Anyone that says otherwise is a liar. Some reduce the risk as much as possible.

Are you saying you never used a rope to pull a tree or never used a rope on a truck?