Here's what a 14000.00 dozer can do for you guys on a budget....

[powerjoke]

TD25, i was affraid your truck was rolling away there at the end lol........ prolly should mention to readers that its wise to use a cable longer than the tree is tall as well haha

DirtHauler, thanks for geting us back on dad . threads dont always stick to the OP that's the great thing about forums.... DISCUSSION ! get used to it. if there is a problem there are some great MODS (some even "super mods" ) on here to take care of it, I feel that the Thread is very on track, we are talking about trees and removal of said items,,,,, i have not seen any post of anyone talking about harley's or muscle cars yet so I would say we're doing pretty good lol

Pj

 

[wilko]

Hey td25c, care to tell us a bit about that truck? Can't say that I recognize it.

 

[Reece38]

so how did you get it down. rope?

 

[td25c]

I did cut it a little close powerjoke . My big concern was that tree hitting the truck and knocking the ugly off of it

It's a 1969 FWD wilco. We had just got the winch mounted at the time and was looking for something to tug on . Old dying maple tree by the house needed to come down .

I thought coxey2 done a nice job dealing with the tree with equipment on hand. Been there & done it.

 

[Plant Fitter]

Yair . . .


If it ever rains again I am going to put a wire rope around that second tree about thirty feet from the ground and I have every expectation I can pull it with a fifty horse wheel tractor. I have never been shy to put a rope up a tree, it is mostly easier on the gear and can save a lot of time.

Cheers.

When you do this, be sure to give a report with some photos of how it all goes. I have tried to pull down a pine tree that was roughly 40 feet high with a chain about 20 feet up from the ground with a 90hp dozer. All it did was break the chain. Not saying you won't be successful but I would be interested to see a 50hp wheel tractor do anything much at all.

 

[Plant Fitter]

Yair . . .

Generally speaking it is normal practice to push a tree against its lean . . . that is to say you push from side where it is leaning towards the tractor, there is more purchase ant they mostly tip our easier that way.

Cheers.

I know you have spent a lot of time clearing trees, and I am not disputing your experience or knowledge, but this is a dangerous way to do it, having the tree leaning towards the tractor. If it works and you push it over in one go, then all well and good. But if you push on it and loosen it, but can't quite push it over, and have to reverse away and have another go at it, you may have broken enough roots for it to be unstable. You have placed yourself underneath a leaning tree which is now loosened and unstable. If it wants to fall, you are under it. Not where I would want to be that's for sure.

The safest way that I can see to attack a leaning tree is push with the lean. Then if things go wrong gravity is more likely to take it away from where you have the tractor placed.

Wind speed and direction also has to be taken into account, and of course there are places where it is not practical to do things the ideal way.

 

[Scrub Puller]

Yair . . . Plant Fitter. A couple of points. That pine tree, I assume you tried to get it rocking, gentle gentle to begin with and then when you get the timing and the top is swaying back towards you give it the works.

I ask because there seems to be an assumption around here (these days) that a tractor just drives/walks up to a tree and pushes it over . . . some of the stuff I saw on the tube a few years back was quite amusing.

As regards the leaning tree, what is going to happen? If it moves and you can feel a couple of roots break but you can't push it "over centre" just ease back nice and gentle and see what happens if it sticks back off and hit it a bit lower at a finer angle. If follows you that's fine, back off a few feet and hit it again screwing left or right which ever is the most advantageous.

I will add here that these comments are directed at general paddock clearing, with a treespear and adequately guarded tractor.

I appreciate and understand your comments but really, this stuff becomes second nature. In some blocks of South Western box and Yellow Jacket country operators took out hundreds of two to three foot diameter trees per shift . . . they double teamed five plus footers just for kicks.

The idea of course is not to push them over . . . just tip them a little off balance and leave them for the chain. If they fall it can be a pain as they can get tangled up and drag.

When that happens one of the tractors has to clatter back over the chain and sort out the mess.

I would add too that the timber is growing in different conditions and quite possibly many of our species may push easier than those in moister climates with better soil.

Cheers.

 

[8k bill]

Just a follow up on what scrub said about pushing a leaning tree. A leaning tree will have most of it's root ball on the windward side, so pushing with the lean is generally harder because the tractor is on the main anchor roots. I too have pushed some big trees with a d4 and spear, ripping and building a ramp. Where there's a will there's away. Cheers. Bill

 

[Scrub Puller]

Yair . . . 8k bill True enough, and the other thing that happens is the tree pusher may fail to bite and try and slide up the tree if its on much of a lean . . . I suppose I should have said push any way except with the lean. (big grin)

If you push from the side there is a bit of a twisting moment on leaners that can help.

Cheers.

 

[overworked]

I think the OP must still be at church thanking his blessings, he has not been back,

 

[coxey2]

No, I left the church when I found out about the "Clergy Response Teams" more information at infowars.com on that front....
I score it 4 to 6 somewhat positive to grossly negative respectively. Everything is relative-relative to one's experience. I did this everyday at my old job using 2 D11s and 2 994 loaders doing conventional surface mining before we shot the high-wall. Left that job a few years after Clinton gave the coal industry to China (further details see Nafta.) It seemed relaxing to do something similar with less... kinda like using a recurve bow to hunt rather than using a gun. For all of the experts here: I hope I did not draw any revenue away from your excavating businesses by encouraging newbe dreamers to buy a lower priced dozer and have some good experiences... (hey, bad economy for us all right?)
I do agree this method is not the correct way to remove a tree that large, and should only be attempted by the most experienced operators if attempted at all....many of the scaving responses here detail safe and proven methods for tree removal; please follow their advice.
grandma always said: "poor people have poor ways"...
regards

 

[Colorado Digger]

No, I left the church when I found out about the "Clergy Response Teams" more information at infowars.com on that front....
I score it 4 to 6 somewhat positive to grossly negative respectively. Everything is relative-relative to one's experience. I did this everyday at my old job using 2 D11s and 2 994 loaders doing conventional surface mining before we shot the high-wall. Left that job a few years after Clinton gave the coal industry to China (further details see Nafta.) It seemed relaxing to do something similar with less... kinda like using a recurve bow to hunt rather than using a gun. For all of the experts here: I hope I did not draw any revenue away from your excavating businesses by encouraging newbe dreamers to buy a lower priced dozer and have some good experiences... (hey, bad economy for us all right?)
I do agree this method is not the correct way to remove a tree that large, and should only be attempted by the most experienced operators if attempted at all....many of the scaving responses here detail safe and proven methods for tree removal; please follow their advice.
grandma always said: "poor people have poor ways"...
regards

Good for you Coxey, I could see that this would come to a head. It may not be the best way to skin a cat but there are a million ways to do it. No one can say that they always have the right piece of equipment for the job. There is quite a bit of nick picking here in the forums so don't take it personally. The problem is, you may not want to continue to share. The problem is there are a million armchair quaterbacks here on HEF. Many have never posted pictures of their work so none of us really no much about them. This is kind of the American way, getting by with what you have.

Regards, CD

 

[Dickjr.]

I've done similar things with a dozer , but I prefer a gun over a bow. That's just me. I have a smaller mid size dozer and have done lots of things with it that most would not do with a machine that size. But its what I can afford and make money. I've dug 1 acre plus ponds with my machine , its a D39 Komatsu same size as a D5G , yeah it took a while but I got it done and at an economical price. Didn't have to have an 8500 gallon tanker parked on the job either. None the less watch you a** when doing such and have someone around just in case. On a more positive note I'd like more pics and feedback on how those pads work and your soil type , looks somewhat sandy loam. Up where I am , you push the blade down and start a cut and you can feel the clay pushing back if the moister is high enough. Then there's the rock. My grandma said the same thing .

 

[Scrub Puller]

Yair . . . Colorado Digger and others.

I think the point has been made that unsafe practice should not be posted. That tree could have been dug and ramped (or roped) down safely with the equipment available.

Cheers.

 

[CM1995]

I think the point has been made that unsafe practice should not be posted.

Actually it was a good learning experience for our inexperienced Members and people who just read this Forum and may not even post. It shouldn't be discouraged to post pics of your doings but be prepared to take criticism if it's warranted, after all we're all grown adults and we are here to discuss HE and the in's and out's of it's operation - the good, the bad and the ugly.

Coxey2 took it on the chin like a champ and we had a good discussion of the practice of taking trees down - that's what we are all here for.

 

[Scrub Puller]

Yair . . . CM1995. Fair enough, that's another way to look at it. (wry grin)

Cheers.

 

[powerjoke]

im still trying to figure out how he ran 2 d11's and 2 994's at the same time lol

pj

 

[CM1995]

im still trying to figure out how he ran 2 d11's and 2 994's at the same time lol

pj

This thread doesn't need anymore sarcasm.:cool2

 

[qball]

I would hate to see a new member scared off but I would also hate to see one killed.
Operating ain't a game.
Looks like he got it done.

 

[Acivil]

My comment was not in an effort to be critical... I'm terrified at the thought that the operator got out from under the ROPS and took pictures. I think it is a strong virtue to be capable of producing a lot with a little, but this would've been a better match with a smaller investment: http://www.machinerytrader.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=9706353 I have taken down large trees with a D3C... I cut the roots on the side I'm pushing from, then backfill and ramp dirt up that side of the trunk until I have the necessary advantage to push it over. If your experience tells you the situation was fine, I am not here to second guess that, but I would caution anyone with less experience to seek out alternate equipment or methodology. Cheers to a clean getaway :drinkup