2008 - Volume #32, Issue #6, Page #19
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3-Pt.Mounted Hydraulic Winch
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He bought a used hydraulic-operated winch and bolted it onto a commercial steel frame that mounts on a tractor 3-pt. hitch. The winch has its own hydraulic motor and valve bank with control lever.
He bolted a pair of "brace legs" made from 6-in. angle iron to the bottom of the frame. "The brace legs strengthen the entire framework and also dig into the ground as I pull the tree in, to keep the tractor from pulling backward," says Barton.
"I live in a steep, mountainous area where it's often quite dangerous to work. In the past, I often had to cut a path to the log so I could drive in with my tractor and pull it out. Now I can bring the logs to a convenient and safe work area, without tearing young trees down. By using additional cable and snatch blocks, I can double the strength of the pull and pull the log out from any direction.
"One problem was too much hydraulic pressure to the winch's hydraulic motor and not enough return line capacity. I solved the problem by replacing seals in the motor and adding a second return line."
He says his total cost was about $800. "I used all new parts except for the used Ramsey winch. I paid $100 for the frame, $75 for the valve bank, $300 for the cable, $100 for the winch, and another $300 to have it rebuilt."
The winch is valuable for other jobs, too, says Barton. "I use it any time I need to make a heavy, precise and stable pull. For example, one time I used it to straighten out a wall on an old barn that I rebuilt. I hooked the cable onto the wall and pulled it back until it was straight."
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, R.L. Barton, P.O. Box 357, Speedwell, Tenn. 37870 (ph 423 562-2106).
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