Logging PTO winch for Dexta

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Bensdexta
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Logging PTO winch for Dexta

Post by Bensdexta »

I'm thinking of getting a PTO driven logging winch to put on my Dexta's 3PL.

Something like this:
Image

About 3 tons pull seems to be about right for a 32hp tractor. The plate acts as an anchor when lowered to the ground to stop the tractor moving backwards. The winch can also be used for skidding logs - just winch log up tight against the plate lift the linkage and drag the log along. Should be good for up to a 1.5t log.

There are various makes Farmi, Igland and Uniforest amongst the better known.

Has anyone got one, or used one?

TIA :wink:
Bensdexta - 1961 working for a living!

woodcutter
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Re: Logging PTO winch for Dexta

Post by woodcutter »

I've have a fransguard 4ton behind a major I like them, a winch is a handy tool, my 4 ton will rip the major about so I would say 3 will be plenty for a Dexta igland are good quality but quite expensive so all depends how much your going to use it, fransguard are nice and simple if anything breaks

Bensdexta
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Re: Logging PTO winch for Dexta

Post by Bensdexta »

woodcutter wrote:I've have a fransguard 4ton behind a major I like them, a winch is a handy tool, my 4 ton will rip the major about so I would say 3 will be plenty for a Dexta igland are good quality but quite expensive so all depends how much your going to use it, fransguard are nice and simple if anything breaks
Thanks Woodcutter. :wink:

Where did you get your Fransgard, dealers seem to be thin on the ground? Fransgard seems to have a good name. I've looked up the Fransgard V3004 (3ton pull) - unlike some, it has two pulleys upper and lower.

Some just have an upper winching pulley, which is higher than a Dexta's top link, which I reckon will put a lot of load on it - more than the 3 ton winch pull. A lower pulley height shares the load between all three links, and also improves the tractor's stability.

Which pulley do you use for winching? Any tips on improving safety - eg must pull in-line and have weight in the front loader?
Bensdexta - 1961 working for a living!

woodcutter
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Re: Logging PTO winch for Dexta

Post by woodcutter »

Mine came from a.t Osborne, there's another dealer quite close to me (Powells chainsaw) he's pretty good, like you say the top pulley puts more strain on top link I've had the front wheels in the air I use both pulleys the top one is more to keep the front of log off the ground so u can hook your chains in to winch plate for when skidding, it all depends on situation but try and pull straight and if you got loader keep it low, I've got a boughton that's a beast that thing just keeps pulling plus your sat on tractor you got to use your clutch, they can be very dangerous where as the newer ones you just leave the pto running and pull on the rope while stood at side, so good luck with your purchase :D

Bensdexta
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Re: Logging PTO winch for Dexta

Post by Bensdexta »

woodcutter wrote:Mine came from a.t Osborne, there's another dealer quite close to me (Powells chainsaw) he's pretty good, like you say the top pulley puts more strain on top link I've had the front wheels in the air I use both pulleys the top one is more to keep the front of log off the ground so u can hook your chains in to winch plate for when skidding, it all depends on situation but try and pull straight and if you got loader keep it low, I've got a boughton that's a beast that thing just keeps pulling plus your sat on tractor you got to use your clutch, they can be very dangerous where as the newer ones you just leave the pto running and pull on the rope while stood at side, so good luck with your purchase :D
Have you any idea how much pull a Major top link is good for? I trust no damage to it thus far?

For bigger logs, do you winch with the lower pulley out of choice? I guess you can put smaller logs under the nose to act as rollers, and chain saw a bit of a chamfer on the underside, to stop the nose digging it.

Do you use snatch blocks to double up the pull, or improve the pull direction?

Thanks for the info - v helpful. :D
Bensdexta - 1961 working for a living!

woodcutter
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Re: Logging PTO winch for Dexta

Post by woodcutter »

If it was a large log or tree that I wanted to keep full length I would use boughton but if I'm just using it for firewood I just cut them in 8 or 12 ft lengths the fransguard will pull them easy either pulley even if they dig in ground or if the trees are not that big pull the whole tree I have got a pulley to double rope but never need it, best thing to get is three sliders to go on rope and three chains so you can pull a few lengths at a time or change direction of pull :D

Bensdexta
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Re: Logging PTO winch for Dexta

Post by Bensdexta »

Had a quote for a 3t Fransgard at £1900, so pretty much the same price as the others, exc Uniforest which is about £300 cheaper. Folk seem happy with Uniforest, so appears good value.
Last edited by Bensdexta on Thu Oct 15, 2015 11:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Bensdexta - 1961 working for a living!

Bensdexta
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Re: Logging PTO winch for Dexta

Post by Bensdexta »

I discovered that there's another CAT 1top link hole through the centre of the lower pin that holds the hitch rocker on.

This pin goes directly onto the backend casting, and so is quite a bit stronger that the usual top link spring hitch point. I just need to make up a bracket to attach to this backend hole onto which the top link proper from my winch can attach.

I'm told that this backend hole is used for attaching a rear end loader or back actor to the Dexta. :wink:
Bensdexta - 1961 working for a living!

Jerry Coles
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Re: Logging PTO winch for Dexta

Post by Jerry Coles »

Having been involved with Recovery in my time in the Army, a good earth spade should take all the pull of the winch with little strain on the linkage. The more pull the deeper the spade goes in. Any shackles/blocks should attach to the spade. This way the linkage is only for stability and transport. I would be tempted to fit a couple of strong eye bolts onto the spade, low down and near the centre but not fouling the winch rope.
IMHO

Cheers
Jerry
Jerry Coles
Camerton, Bath, UK
West Highland White Terriers, Dexta's, E27N's and DUKW's

Bensdexta
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Re: Logging PTO winch for Dexta

Post by Bensdexta »

Jerry Coles wrote:Having been involved with Recovery in my time in the Army, a good earth spade should take all the pull of the winch with little strain on the linkage. The more pull the deeper the spade goes in. Any shackles/blocks should attach to the spade. This way the linkage is only for stability and transport. I would be tempted to fit a couple of strong eye bolts onto the spade, low down and near the centre but not fouling the winch rope.
Jerry,
As you say the most of the winch's pull is resisted by the ground anchor plate, which for a logging winch is typically a transverse 'butt' plate a metre or more wide, see photo above, which digs into the ground.

As you point out the linkage's main function is to stabilise the anchor plate, in particular to resist the overturning moment acting on the plate caused by the height of the winch's pull above ground, which can be a metre or more high. This force appears as a tension in the top link, the higher the winch pulley, the greater the tension in the top link. A high pulley will also tend to destabilise the tractor and tip it over if the pull is not directly backwards. On the plus side a higher pulley tends to stop the nose of the log digging into the ground.

So how would you use the eye bolts?
Bensdexta - 1961 working for a living!

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