The start of my atv logging arch

sublime68charger · Jun 20, 2015

Hello, thanks for reading

This will be long build but when I make progress I'll post up the picks

It has been a 2 plus year back burner idea gathing stuff
Atv is a 2003 honda foreman 450es with cycle country cat 0 3 pt system on the back.

The main tow bar was a CL find 1 year ago took Friday off work and took wife and kids and spent day making a 5 hour garage sale loop with midpoint stop to get the tow bar.

Any way enough talk first mock up pic atv and tow bar

sublime68charger · Jun 20, 2015

The tires are from old boat trailer my uncle scrapped out.

Made going to this years family Easter fest worth while as that's when I scored the tires and hub talking to him at Easter time.

I have had the tow bar for 2 years and a winch plate welded into the top 3 pt support arms but until I got a set of tires to use to help carry the log weight I was kinda stuck.

Had to grind down the attach plate on back side of hub as the old axle tub was rotten.

View from the back spacing out the tires close to where I want them.

sublime68charger · Jun 20, 2015

Started my mock up for adding tires to the system using some scrap wood to get my angles down and since drilling in wood is fast and easy I'd rather mess up the mock up set up rather then when I due this in metal.

Side pic of wood mock up tire mount.

sublime68charger · Jun 20, 2015

Rear pic of the tire mock up

Also with 3 pt raised up arch tire is 3" above the ground which I hope will allow me to back the atv up where I want to hook up the logs. Once in position
Lower arch hook up rear winch to log pull up tight to tow bar and then away I go with the log.
I only got one side done and have a quick clamp holding the mount to the main tow bar body. The are 2 holes all ready drilled in the sides of the tow bar mount that I'm gonna run through with ready rod to hold the tire mount on each side that way if I don't like this I can remove the tires and try a different design.

sublime68charger · Jun 20, 2015

Even the locals stopped by to check out what was going on in the atv workshop today, sorry this is the best pic I could get before thet took off

Thanks for viewing and I'll post back when I work on this again.

I have boyscout camp tomorrow slingshot, BB guns and bows and arrows. Oh my
Good times for the kids.

Enjoy sublime out

larry_g · Jun 21, 2015

Interesting project. I'm wondering how your going to deal with the weight transfer and keep enough on the ATV to have the traction necessary to pull and not be doing wheelies all the time. Something to think about. We had a little John Deere tractor and when having a load on the back there was not enough weight on the front and steering was accomplished with the brakes. Be safe out there.

lg
no neat sig line

sublime68charger · Jun 21, 2015

Larry the idea is that the dolly wheels will hold most of the log weight. I an pick up on the 3pt system to gain traction but will loose steering it will be a balance act between them.

I thought about making a pull behind arch but there are many places I can only back the atv up and around trees and rocks and there is now way I could maneuver a trailing behind arch so this is gonna be my hybrid try at making a workable arch that can back up where the atv goes.

jd_1138 · Jun 21, 2015

Maybe build a box for the front to put tools, smaller logs into. That would put some weight on the front. I don't think you will have many problems with the weight back there unless you are trying to haul out massive logs or something.

brycez28 · Jun 30, 2015

I don't think you will have any issues pulling logs with the arch, especially if you have 4 wheel drive.

sublime68charger · Jun 30, 2015

Jd 1138, I have 2 different packs of old window weights 4 in each duck tape together for front weight if needed that I can put on the front rack or like you said a box to hold saws and stuff also might be in the cards.

Brycez28 the old Honda has a open diff up front so most time end up with only 1 front wheel spining sometimes both depends on the terain. They make a cheap front locker mod for the foreman but then it's a bear in the turns as the inside wheel has to slip on the turn. Or there is a pricey Detroit spool you can get as well.

I got the 4 vertical plates cut today now just need to find some tubing for the supports and get the angle cut and weld it all together and bolt it up

Thanks for the comments

WoodsTruck · Jul 11, 2015

There was a guy that used to make one here in Oregon that resembles this product. His used a boat winch to lift the front of the log between the wheels then pull with the quad. He had some impressive sized logs that he could move easily. Good chance that this is the latest version.

I skidded a bunch of logs to make firewood to invest for down payment on my house so I can relate.

http://www.benmeadows.com/logrite-atv-skidding-arch_s_145238/

sublime68charger · Jul 18, 2015

Woodstruck

Thanks for the link, there's no way I can spend $$$$ money like that for a logging arch,
It is nice though
Heck I might have $400 in this when done and that's with a $250 in the winch itself.

Since the outside temp is in the 90's and high humidity, time to work on this again where the temp in the atv workshop is only 75.

Got the metal plates cut and drilled out to bolt up to the axle stubs and to the toolbar base.

Just doing some grinding down so have good metal for welding to.

Have to get the tubing I'm gonna use for the strut support measured out and cut to angle and length.

sublime68charger · Jul 18, 2015

Got the struts as I call them cut and they are ground ready for welding.
Tomorrow get to play with the welder,

Here's a mock up pick sorry for plywood hold up brace but was only way to stage for pic

Thanks for viewing

sublime68charger · Jul 19, 2015

Getting first strut tacked into place on the wheel and my temp holding jig,

sublime68charger · Jul 19, 2015

All tacked together and the dolly wheels are free turning in this pic.

Now to unbolt from the wheels and toolbar and take the tacked parts to a way better welder than me and have it welded up proper or at least so that won't come apart.

I have uncle down the road couple miles who will due the heavy welding.

Thanks for viewing

sublime68charger · Jul 19, 2015

Got it all welded up and first test fit,

Seems ok now gonna add a lower cross bar to help prevent the wheels from spreading out from each other

jhelrey · Jul 19, 2015

Interested in seeing how this turns out!

sublime68charger · Jul 19, 2015

All apart and a five minute rattle can paint job,

Will wait till tomorrow I hope to put back together, also need 2 more bolts for the lower brace bar. Holes are drilled for it just need the bolts when I put it all together.

When I did the first bolt up after got back from welding trip, I test lowered the wheels down till back of atv was off the ground. And I have 100lbs of reader rack weight on the atv.

sublime68charger · Jul 20, 2015

Got the dolly wheels put on and did a 5 minute test ride around,

Pic on way back into shop put dolly wheels down and the rear atv wheels up in the air, have ratchet under rear wheel not even touch atv wheel.

Had to drive around in 4 wd to move 2 wd just spun out

sublime68charger · Jul 20, 2015

Another from the back of atv
right tire is a little kiddywampus on the alingment but seemed to track fine driving around didn't dog track that I noticed.

When I use this for logging I will take out the 3 point down force bolt so that arch can float up/down,

Just will pick up arch when backing up to the log then set down when winching log up into position.

Next step will be pulling a test around with front of log lifted. To find out how atv handles

Then getting winch put on wired up etc?

If you look in this pic you can see the lower brace bar I added from 1 strut to the other running under the tool bar.

Enjoy
Sublime out

sublime68charger · Jul 26, 2015

Started on the upper arch fair lead connecting point,
Sorry for the temp clamp in the pics I don't have bolts long enough to hold this in place at the moment.

The bracket behind the fair lead,

sublime68charger · Jul 26, 2015

Now with the fair lead up into place held with a quick clamp, since I don't want to drive the 7 miles to town to get long enough bolts to hold this together.

Thanks for viewing,

sublime68charger · Aug 2, 2015

Got the fair lead welded up and the winch bolted up, and got the upper pulling point welded into place as well, got a rattle can paint job to try and make look better

View from the back side, with winch bolted up

Still have to run the wiring for the winch.

sublime68charger · Aug 2, 2015

Up and in place minus the dolly wheels have to bolt them back on, took em off to make it easy to load and unload to take to my uncles for the welding of things.

Get dolly wheels Bolted back up
Then I have old rotater winch switch that I'm gonna try, eventually I have a wireless remote switch for the winch I need to find and put on.
But the old rotater switch will work and then it's out the door for field testing.

Thanks for viewing and wish me luck on this.

sublime68charger · Aug 4, 2015

Got my choker chain made, and it's in place ready for test runs,

sublime68charger · Aug 4, 2015

Dug out my old rotator winch switch, took this off my main plow quad way back in 2004 cause it was temperamental engaugeing the winch in/out,
when your atv plowing and your cold things that don't work how they suppose to every time get replaced.

But it will work for testing this out for now. Someplace I have a wireless remote for the winch I just don't know where, but I knew where the old rotator switch was so into use it will go!

Just testing out with the old fluke multimeter from my first career job as electronic tech. Way back in 1997.

sublime68charger · Aug 8, 2015

It's ready to go out the door for field testing,

Switch in the middle of the back seats runs the winch on the arch.

sublime68charger · Aug 8, 2015

Winching the test log on up to the arch,

This old dead tree fell on top of my rock pile I'll be needing this fall for landscape trim around my garage. So it made a great testing log for trying the arch out on.

sublime68charger · Aug 8, 2015

And pulled out to the burn pile, had already raised back up and unhooked from top pulling like so that is why so much slack in chain,

I pulled around 7 different logs today and thinking I'm gonna need to extend out the top hook and fair lead placement so as I can get a more vertical lift.

No problem the top square tube will fit a 1x1 steel bar so gonna put a length of steel stock and move the towing hook and add a 2nd fair lead block for the winch. Wasn't unplanned for to have to due this. My main fear was the dolly wheels and brackets would epic fail my first turn at pulling a log.

Comments or any other ideas on this little adventure of mine are welcome,

I'm no expert just kinda making this up as I go so to speak,

Thanks sublime,

RickP · Aug 9, 2015

Wow, that looks great. I just saw your thread for the first time, but I've been thinking about a log arch for a long time. I don't have any ideas that you haven't already done, and your fab skills are excellent. Thanks for posting detailed progress photos along the way. It looks like extending the top hook and fairlead will really help with vertical lifting.

sublime68charger · Aug 9, 2015

RickP said:
Wow, that looks great. I just saw your thread for the first time, but I've been thinking about a log arch for a long time. I don't have any ideas that you haven't already done, and your fab skills are excellent. Thanks for posting detailed progress photos along the way. It looks like extending the top hook and fairlead will really help with vertical lifting.

Glad you like it,

That your tractor in your avator?

What's the specs on that?

Looks nice

sublime68charger · Aug 9, 2015

I cut up one of the logs that I had pulled up and after clearing some brush to throw on the burn pile I turn around and view my youngst in this photo,

I asked her what she was doing and she told me she was adding sprinkles to the blocks of wood!!!

RickP · Aug 10, 2015

Your youngest is very cute - and I'm sure she can never have enough sprinkles around the wood pile!

Yes, we bought that tractor new in 2002, along with 13 acres of trees. It's been a great help in clearing logs and blazing trails through the woods. But I've always wanted to fab up a log arch to use along with the 3 point hitch. I have an old lawn tractor that's ready for the scrap heap, but I've been hanging on to it so I can repurpose it as a log arch someday.

The tractor is 4wd with a loader bucket. It was advertised as 28hp, but I think it's closer to 25hp (or less). But the bucket will lift 1,000 lbs, so it definitely earns its keep around here. My main problem is trying to keep up with repairs on it after 12+ years - it's all I can do to keep it running half the year...

sublime68charger · Sep 5, 2015

Had some time today and since it was hot and humid outside, I worked on revamping the towing point on my arch.

Added a adjustable bar that I can length out to provide farther reach.

This pic of the new set in close

sublime68charger · Sep 5, 2015

And this is the far reach,
Takes 20 sec to change from on to other

I think I might have to replace my erector set part with a solid 1x1" but I can get a idea from this if I like this or not.

sublime68charger · Sep 28, 2015

got some free time and took the arch out for a trial run with the new setup.

pulled this log around and did okay.

it worked out How I wanted it to,

I still have some work to due yet on the arch I want to add 2 slip hooks for when I am pulling multiple lines of light brush and just using chains so that I can pull the lines up snug.

so far works how I wanted it to.

now will just have to see if it holds up over the long haul.

sublime68charger · Sep 28, 2015

and then went and used the winch to pull a log out of the brush to the arch.

I could have back right up to the load but wanted to test out the winching power and ability to pull the log to the ATV.

first pic is out far,
2nd is up close and *******
3 is down the trail I go.

drivesitfar · Sep 28, 2015

Sub: nicely done. isn't it nice when a plan in your head can get built and work like you hoped it would?

cheers

sublime68charger · Sep 28, 2015

drivesitfar said:
Sub: nicely done. isn't it nice when a plan in your head can get built and work like you hoped it would?

cheers

Drives, yes it is

I hope it holds up over the long haul of use and abuse I'm sure to put it through.

you could say the same about my garage thread there was no plans for that either cept what was in my head and away I went.

dlcwent · Sep 29, 2015

Well how in hell did I miss this thread. Sorry Sub. I like what you have accomplished. I hope we get to meet someday.

The start of my atv logging arch

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