Hillbilly stump puller VERY effective

[totalloser]

Just thought I'd share an interesting piece of junk I recently built. Medium sized portable hydraulic unit running a 6hp pull start diesel, turning a two stage 16gpm hydraulic pump runs two 2.5" cylinders off a two spool load checked DA valve with QD's for hooking up the cylinder lines.

I have pulled stumps out with it that D8's gave up on (after circling and busting all the roots of course) and it will readily BREAK 3/8" grade 70 chain if you double up the cylinders on a single chain. Hauls in a pickup, and pretty easy to build. It's been VERY handy and will pull nearly ANYTHING if you have a deadhead to hook to. I usually hook to a tree, and use a section of worn out excavator rubber track to protect the bark/cambium. This is also VERY effective and usually leaves such minimal marks as to be irrelevant. These also make great pads for unstucking your haul truck.

Mine pulls roughly 20,000 pounds dead pull. This has been an extremely useful piece of equipment to haul to site prep with a mini excavator or loader/backhoe.

[Hendrik]

And the pictures to accompany the story are coming when?

[totalloser]

Right now. Here's a picture of the unit without the chain. I rolled it over to the hydraulics, but didn't feel like dragging chain around for a photo shoot.

Incidentally, anyone with a log splitter pretty much has what they need to do this. Just tap into the splitter's hydraulics to run the cylinders.

I think the biggest stump I've pulled with it has been about 20,000 pounds, but I've pulled bigger out by breaking them piece by piece to deal with a smaller rootball. The biggest was an old growth redwood with three 24-30" second growth stumps, and a handful of third growths off it. This bunch measured about 18 feet across at the widest, and a big root had to be axed in half before it would come out in two pieces. Actually that was the first stump I pulled.

Oh and those blue things are a couple of hooks I used to rig up a safety chain on the last site prep I was on. They were completely destroyed. Look at the angle of the opening. GRADE 70 3/8 CHAIN ONLY for 2.5" cylinders @2000psi

[HeyUvaVT]

hmm cool any pics of it in action or maybe even a video...we LIKE videos!

[stumpjumper83]

Yeah what he said... so hows that durn thing work?

[totalloser]

I put up this thread after finishing up a hairy scary site prep on a 300foot precipice that had a bunch of stumps to pull before doing the excavation and footing. Never thought to take pictures before, but after wrapping up, it occurred to me that I'd NEVER heard of it done this way, and it might interest someone.

I will take some pictures the next time I'm pulling out something big-the only job I have lined up right now is pulling out a herd of puny (12" give or take) fir stumps.

The way it works, is the hydraulic unit provides pressure to run a valve. The valve operates cylinders. The cylinders are attached to a deadhead (like a tree or stable stump) and the other end (business end) is hooked up to a stump that is ringed and all the roots busted. The valve makes the cylinders pull chain between the deadhead and stump, pulling the stump out. Having two cylinders allows you to keep tension on one chain while you extend the other cylinder to hook up for more pull. The I use the excavator track to protect the deadhead from damage.

You could easily use a log splitter to provide the hydraulics end, but I built my own unit for two reasons: 1. I am usually pulling a piece of equipment, and a second trip to tow a log splitter would waste time 2. I wanted a diesel powered unit so it would share fuel with the truck, and my other equipment.

I guess I like the idea of the fantastic fuel efficiency of a diesel, too. About twice, or more that of a air cooled gas engine. The fuel cap didn't like biodiesel, though. Puffed up.

[stumpjumper83]

So what does your machine do that my 50 ton winch on my deere 450 doesn't? Essentially your just using hydraulic power to pull them out, right? I mean other than the fact that you can get your power unit into way tighter quaters than my 450, but I have a loader bucket on the front to help me get them out as well.

I mean don't take me the wrong way, If you have made something that people will pay you to use, congrats thats the goal.

[totalloser]

What does it do that a 450 won't do? Ride in the bed of a pickup while towing a small bobcat AND an excavator on a class C. Work in tight quarters, and with minimal equipment impact. Oh and probably pull out bigger stumps.

The first stump I pulled out, a D8 had failed to remove. I probably tried a lot harder, but if a D8 gives up after a few tries, I don't know if a 450 would have much luck. Besides, the limitation of pull with something like this is simply the number/size of cylinders and chain.

But the point is like the name; HILLBILLY stump puller. Stump puller for those that don't have a 7.5 ton 450 crawler to play with. I wouldn't mind having a crawler as well, though! :)

[stumpjumper83]

On the subject of d-8's and stumps... A couple of years agop I was working for an excavation contractor in south central pa. We were building a development out of an old field. There was a hedge row made up of maples and locust and some oaks along the property boundry and the trees got a fair amout of wind.
Well that day they wanted me to bring my stihl in and cut the boundry back a little bit so a swale could go in. Along the path that the swale was going in was about a 20" maple tree, maybe 50' - 60' high.
So I asked the d8r driver how high he liked thr stumps for digging them out, then I asked the guy int the 953 what his preference was, and they both said, "however you want..."
At this point its 10:30, and triming back the hedge is suposed to take all day... and this maple is the last to go...
Now I could have been nice when I cut the maple off, and left them a 5' high stump, but I needed amusment and left them a loggers stump, just as low as I dared....
first off they tried a 953 and that was nothing doing, so the d8r with a single shank came over. His first attempt was blade first and he stalled the crawler. then he spun around and put his ripper down, after about 30 mins of ripping he finally had all he could get to ripped. Back in with the blade, this time it wiggled a little... To get that little maple stump out they both had to work together, but they got it after about 1.5 hours of playing with it. Maybe I should have been nice and left them a 5' stump.

[totalloser]

Here's a better illustration of the pulling power of this machine. This (and broken chains) is why I only use grade 70, now. But the rams pulled the hooks open, and ruined the chain, too.

The reason I chose 2.5" cylinders and only 3/8" chain is the portability issue. 2.5"x24" stroke cylinders can be picked up fairly easily, and picking up 30 feet of 1/2" chain would be difficult... at least for me! :)

I actually originally used this setup running off the hydraulics on my JD790, but I couldn't run the tractor and stump pull at the same time. The portable hydraulic unit keeps the tractor(s) mobile while reefing on the stump.

[Monte1255]

I think the puller you have is good for a veriety of reasons it will prove to be very useful if you apply it to several situations towing, felling, leaners and widowmakers, any time you can take hydraulics to the field you are better off than not having it available. Deffinatly think outside of the box on this one cuzz you have a handy tool there!!!!:D
Maybe find some thick plate and make some stands and you can use it to lift logs if for no other reason than for emergency lifting purposes.
:usa
I guess with all the talk of what the 953 and d8 can do I just had to add my two cents worth here......myself I run a 953, I call it my skidloader on Steroids!! I use it for everthing! including a tree stump I dug out this last summer. as it happens to be I cut the tree down two years ago on our property. it was a forked 65 to 75 foot tall cottonwood which had started to split apart in the crotch at eye level. the stump was 5 1/2 feet across and had been there since my Great Grandpa had bought the farm in 1906. Needless to say when the tree went over it's trunk remained about 10 feet in the air. just to give you an idea of the size of the tree. (I'm sorry no pics though) When we dug the stump, I started removing dirt and cutting roots, all the way around this went and I cut as close as I could to the stump with the bucket. After about 20 minutes of digging I had a hole about 15 feet wide around the stump, and about six feet deep, then all that remained was to level a few spots in the "pit" to level out the 953 and ensure good center of gravity and then under we went with the bucket, rolling the bucket back as we pushed and a few attempts later it was loose!!! The Cat had successfully removed a 5 and half foot stump that was larger than what we could carry and could deffinatly not be hauled in standard dump trucks of the twin axle variety. the stump is now residing in the nearest ditch with about 150 yards of dirt on top. total time about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
As I said...........just my two cents worth :usa

[KW318]

I'm thinking :idea of a safety improvement, radio remote control for the power pack, so you could be in a bunker when the next chain gives out! :shf

Thanks for the post.

[Monte1255]

maybe you don't need remote control.......just longer hoses? I'm not sure how far the chains are flying when they break but I would say depending on the length, maybe twice the working length of the chains should be suffcient for your hydraulic line. Also I would check your chains to see the tensil rating of each chain and then match accordingly, then add your safety factor of two or three times the peak working load.
I've built several rams and tools in my shop and used the following formula to good results with no breakage to date.
Hydraulic pressure force
output pressure of pump times area of cylinder ram. equal total force applied to each ram.
ex: 1500 psi x 3" x 3.14 = 14150 lbs of force for work done
Then match your chains to be twice the load possible applied shouldn't break any more chains.
hope this helps, just my two cents I guess.

[totalloser]

I appreciate the input. Glad someone is at least getting a kick out of it! :drinkup

The hydraulic lines are long enough to keep you out of the way. The chains don't stretch much, so when they let go it's nothing like breaking a cable which would take your head off. The two ends just pile up by the deadhead and stump. But the broken link sails off at a 90 degree angle with some force. Plenty enough to hurt you.

My setup is actually set up to peak at 2200psi on a two stage pump, so it delivers 16gpm, but drops down to about 4gpm at full pressure. With 2.5" cylinders with a 1.25" rod, the math works out like this: (Pie radius squared of the cylinder diameter)-(pie radius squared of the rod diameter) multiplied by 2200psi works out to about 8100 pounds dead pull per cylinder. So not quite what I originally claimed. Doubled up, mine only pulls 16200 as currently set up. However, more cylinders/chains could easily be added to nearly infinitely increase the pull.

This significantly overrates the chain, but the working load of the chain has a safety factor (probably 3:1 or so), and shock loads to consider. Hydraulics are very friendly in this regard, transmitting very little in the way of shock loads. The way I have broken the tougher gr70 chain was when a stump was aaaaalmost coming out, and so I cheated and doubled up the cylinders on a single chain and overrated the chain. The nice thing about gr70 is that it doesn't bend, it breaks. So all you do is remove a weak fuse! Yes, and I still have all my teeth...

I would post up some pics, but site prep has been at a standstill for a while now. Rough times. I can't believe in retrospect, that I didn't take pics. I can think of a few choice Kodak moments that have passed me by.

[kthompson]

totalloser, a few questions:
Is it to-tall-o-ser or total-loser?
Is there a Fort Bragg in Calif? There is a large Army base in NC by that name.

Now to your red neck stump puller. So the retraction stroke is the all the pull power and the retraction stroke is less powerful than the extension stroke.

If I understand all you have written, you may have solved my how do I pull some of my stumps.

[Monte1255]

I guess it was just a little too late at night for me when I last posted. I should have remembered in your post you said "pulling" and then of course the rod Dia has to be figured in......(stupid me) I like the way you think on this.....I've had to make do with so many things that were maybe not quite right, mostly because well.it all costs money.
What about Rod ends, Piston? any trouble?
I was thinking lately about an auction I saw on Ebay last winter advertising a tilt cylinder from a Cat 973 loader boom, they said good for wood splitter! I was thinking cycle time was way too slow for that, but would have liked it for jacking purposes for say lifting something like a loaded Dump trailor when hydrualics fail...Well anyway.......you know what I mean.

[totalloser]

What's a handle that you can't forget, and no one else wants? Total Loser. :D And that's Fort Bragg, California! You know, the one everyone has heard of! Just keep in mind hydraulics are good at breaking things. Be careful with it.

[Wolf]

hill billys get the job done alright

[Wolf]

What's a handle that you can't forget, and no one else wants? Total Loser. :D And that's Fort Bragg, California! You know, the one everyone has heard of! Just keep in mind hydraulics are good at breaking things. Be careful with it.

lot of big trees in Ft. Bragg area.

[kthompson]

What's a handle that you can't forget, and no one else wants? Total Loser. :D And that's Fort Bragg, California! You know, the one everyone has heard of! Just keep in mind hydraulics are good at breaking things. Be careful with it.

If you can call yourself such with a great attitude then it proves you are not. :)

Fort Bragg, CA wow it has streets and houses and ... but no Air Borne??
Seriously what a great county we live in.

[Wylie5]

Just read this blog, And all l can think is a killing machine, and the reason for my comments is that, l nearly lost my dad when l was about 9 years of age, My dad was pulling stumps like you are, but much bigger when one day the cable broke, My dad lost a part of his head, took out the corner of the shed The corner of the shed was about 5' high concrete wall totoly demolished, dad was never the same, he did all the calculations and yet it still happened, dug around the tree stump cut the roots, and took precaution that he could. He was no dummy either, as he was a marnie steam enginneer with honnors in his field.

All l can say is, be safe and stand well back, May be try to get a machine to do the job instead.

Wheelybin.



I'm thinking :idea of a safety improvement, radio remote control for the power pack, so you could be in a bunker when the next chain gives out! :shf

Thanks for the post.

[kthompson]

That is sad.

[Wylie5]

That is sad.

you are well come

Wheelybin.

[special tool]

Maybe I don't understand something here.

Grade 70 3/8" chain has a load limit of around 10,000 pounds - and that's right around where it'll kill you, NOT the safe range.

How did you do the work that a D8 (47,000 pounds drawbar pull) couldn't do?
Who was on the tractor, Ronald Mcdonald?

[totalloser]

My grade 70 chain is rated 6600 *working* load. The overrating of the chain is discussed in some detail. Very sorry to hear the cable story, but I also addressed that issue. DO NOT USE CABLE. It COULD be a killing machine if you did. Besides it seems pretty obvious that such a machine is inherently dangerous. Common sense IS required.

How did I get it out where a D8 couldn't? The land owner didn't want the D8 digging around, so he only tried to push it. I went in with my JD790 and busted all the roots up, axed a big root to break it in half, and then pulled with chains.

Who's this Ronald Mcdonald? A friend of yours? :D

[2stickbill]

The real Hill Billy Stump Remover. Lite fuse and run like hell.
Dynomite