Pull tree with a winch?

[EO2NMCB]

I have searched, seems some have had success and others not with using a winch to pull over trees. I have three that I want to pull or fall, so I can widen the driveway. My concern is power lines on the other side of the road, otherwise falling them would be no big deal. Largest of the three is a 18" dia oak maybe 50' in height. Would use front winch and snatchblock on the m816. So is this doable or not?

 

[Coffey1]

I think you will have trouble with the oak.
How dry is the ground.

 

[Squirt-Truck]

Sure, just be sure and not pull the tree onto you or the truck.
We "persuade" them all the time with a winch line. Snatch block is an easy way to stay out of the way.

 

[Floridianson]

I would use the truck not the winch.

 

[simp5782]

Snatch block x 2 on triple line and use the rear winch. Just make sure your shear pin is in good shape and not a bolt in its place

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[AMGeneral]

I pulled a poplar (approx 14 inches in diameter) over a couple weeks ago, I still had to dig around the opposite side and cut several of the larger roots before the M62A1 would tug it over.

At the time the ground was fairly damp( 4inches of rain over the preceding days) and it still dragged the wrecker uphill towards the tree, even with the cable attached almost 30 feet from the ground.

In the end it actually snapped the tree off about 8 inches above ground level and I had to dig it out with the track loader.

 

[Floridianson]

Rear winch is to slow for me. If the tree decides to fall to a side when using the winch you can not speed it up. The truck in low second will pull faster and the tree will follow the path of the pull line better.

 

[Csm Davis]

Don't use the front winch they are to easy to break, use the rear and plenty of cable to keep you out of the path of the falling tree. The big oak might give you problems but with the ground spades down and a snatch block you should be able to pull it over. Attach as high as you can without going over the biggest lower branches. This should not be a one man show, you will need help to do this safely. Preferably someone with a bit of tree and winch experience.

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[alpine44]

I would use a snatch block so that a helper can drive the vehicle down the driveway while pulling the tree in the desired direction as it falls. Then a correct felling cut

proper felling cut ,

some wedges, maybe some pre-tension with the truck and the tree will fall exactly the way you want it. Unless the tree leans the wrong way or the wind blows hard in the wrong direction, you do not even need the truck.

The problem is that many people do not understand how the right cut creates a hinge that constrains the direction a tree can fall. If you use the boring technique on the backside, the worst case scenario is a stuck saw and then you can still use a rope to pull the tree over in the right direction. If you omit the hinge or cut it too small, all bets are off.

BTW: The Stihl video should mention that you cannot use their safety chain with the green-painted links for boring. That chain is designed not to cut on the tip to reduce the chance of kickback for the unskilled user.

 

[my blood flows OD]

I had to shorten this one down before ripping it off due to all the power lines in the area. This was only a spruce and it took me 3-4 whacks on a 20' long 3/4" cable Choker to get it out. I was backing up 5' and hit it. I don't have a shaft in winch but if I did I wouldn't epect that it would be able to uproot an 50' oak. Unless you had a back hoe or excavator to dig out the roots on the far side of the tree.
If you are talking about using the winch to control the tree as someone wedge cuts and back cuts it then I would still use the truck over the winch.
The winch will get it started but it's to slow to control the fall to the ground. The other issue you need to be aware of is a "barber chair" due to over tensioning before the back cut is done.
if you are not familiar with that do some research on it.
have fun with it. Be smart about it and let us know how it worked out for you.

 

[74M35A2]

Just hook it up, let all the winch cable out in a wad on the ground, and take off. Let us know what happens.

 

[my blood flows OD]

Just hook it up, let all the winch cable out in a wad on the ground, and take off. Let us know what happens.

That sound like it would be eventful. Make sure to get that on video.

 

[red]

Yea shock load on steel winch cable, almost as entertaining as a shock load on a chain.

If going to use a winch on that big of a tree use the rear winch cable and the ground spades to anchor the truck.

 

[my blood flows OD]

The safety concerns of the cable is not the only thing I would worry about. The damage done to the internal components of the winch is also a real possibility

 

[m1010plowboy]

Trees can be a battle, especially that Quercus macrocarpa as the boys have said, Take plenty of pics of whatever process you try that works. You're in for a fight!

I clear and grub with a cat and the worst one I did had a dead top. Just touched it with the bucket and half of it came back on top of the cab. Other trees left a 10' x 10'x 5' hole in the ground by the time the rootball came out.

There was one other tree that I was running through and the tree started falling over. The rootball lifted the cat right off the ground down the center of the tracks which was a new surprise.

Those are good days because this type of work can be a killer. Keep the A game going!

 

[M543A2]

I in no way recommend doing the 'winch cable on the ground in a wad and taking off' solution. Many things can and likely will break in the winch, or if it is a mechanical drive winch, the brake can slip as I have had happen with my wrecker. Best to dig around on the opposite side of the fall direction then apply a load. We put a 6" recovery strap in the line, tension it, then work at digging the tree opposite side or in the case of felling it, making the back cut. The strap keeps a tension on it which starts and directs the fall along with the science of your notch. I find I can pull much more with the winch than with driving effort.
To prevent barber chair on a live tree, cut into the sides of the tree inline with where you are going to make the back cut far enough in to get past the live wood. Then when making the back cut inline with the side cuts, do not cut past the innermost penetration of the notch cut so a hinge exists. The even thickness of the hinge left directs the tree fall direction.
One can do lots of interesting things cutting trees, but also get hurt very easily. Dad worked for a lumber company as a feller so I was lucky enough to have his teaching. He was on a crew that was sent along the Kankakee river to cut leaning, curved oak trees out over the river that had the right curve to make keel parts for the ship Admiral Byrd took to the North ice cap region. I am 70, so that as you can imagine goes back a few years and I was not yet around then! A leaning tree can even be jumped over a nearby fence if you do it right. Watch for 'widowmaker' dead limbs above you the vibration of the saw can cause to fall.
All of this about felling is for discussion; you want to uproot these. In sandy soil my M543A2 rear winch has easily pulled out 18" cherry trees with a single block in the line.

 

[M543A2]

m1010Plowboy, I am with you on the root ball coming up under a Cat. I had one come up between the back of the blade and the tractor on a D6. Interesting to watch when I was lucky enough to still have enough traction to back up and watch the tree come upright again!

 

[EO2NMCB]

Well SWMBO had the trees dropped while I'm out here on the road, so When I get home only have to dug out the stumps with backhoe.

 

[EO2NMCB]

Just hook it up, let all the winch cable out in a wad on the ground, and take off. Let us know what happens.

How about you post a video of you doing it first.......so that I know it would work!

 

[Csm Davis]

How about you post a video of you doing it first.......so that I know it would work!

Glad to hear that you are still reading this. Are you pulling roots and all over or cutting the tree using the truck to help guide?

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