ATV/Garden Tractor brush puller

[rslaback]

So almost 2 years ago my family bought a new home after a job move. We're in a country subdivision and have sections of the property which have been overrun with wild multi flora rose. There are sections that you can't even walk through in the summer. I'm not a fan and this year I decided to do something about it. The combination of winter and our friendly neighborhood rabbits have chewed down the stalks to a reasonable length.

The only way to get rid of it (aside from numerous chemical applications) is to pull them. The thorns and root structure **** to try to pull them by hand, not to mention I already have a bad back. Using a chain to pull them doesn't work because the chain just slips off the top. I looked into something like the brush grubber but they don't grip small enough to clamp on most of the bushes. I could've gotten one of the leverage type pullers but that seemed like a lot of work to get all the bushes pulled and they aren't giving away those pullers either.

So I adapted an old farm magazine trick to a smaller scale. I took a 1 1/4"x6" pipe ****** and welded on a chunk of a 1/4" clevis hook. I also bought a 4' length of chain and another clevis hook. Total cost was about 15 bucks.

To use it you thread the chain end through the pipe,

wrap it around the stem low,

cinch it in place,

and pull with the garden tractor.

The pipe lip pulls onto the stem and bites into it, pulling the bush, in most cases root and all. This thing has been awesome. Everybody should make one.

 

[Provincial]

Very slick! If you were doing the pulling with a front end loader or backhoe to get a vertical lift, I'll bet it would work on fence posts, too.

 

[Lightman]

wrap chain two- three times then hook?
Skidding hitch with chain, pulled 10 foot , 1/2" ground rods or trees or broke poles ( using pole setting derrick truck)

 

[rslaback]

wrap chain two- three times then hook?
Skidding hitch with chain, pulled 10 foot , 1/2" ground rods or trees or broke poles ( using pole setting derrick truck)

It'll just slide off the top. The chain by itself can't get tight enough.

 

[larry_g]

Looks good. I sure hope that you have a 'choker setter' to work with you. Looking at the amount of plants to be pulled it would get old real fast jumping in and out of the tractor. If I might suggest put a large ring in the end of the chain so that it will not pull through the pipe. Rethreading the pipe with chain would get old, and with a ring or some retainer you can drag it along and not loose the pipe.

I do not envy your job ahead.

lg
no neat sigline

 

[theoldwizard1]

Go to your local "old fashioned" hardware/farm store and buy a larger hook, on the the chain will easily slide through. Replace one of the hooks.

I saw this on YouTube the other day. Connected to a good sized tractor, it can dig in and easily pull out stumps up to several inches, roots and all.

Anyone ever seen one of these before ?

 

[rslaback]

If I might suggest put a large ring in the end of the chain so that it will not pull through the pipe. Rethreading the pipe with chain would get old, and with a ring or some retainer you can drag it along and not loose the pipe.

Go to your local "old fashioned" hardware/farm store and buy a larger hook, on the the chain will easily slide through. Replace one of the hooks.

I want the chain to be able to come off. If I put something larger on that end of the chain it makes it harder for me to feed it around, under and through roots.

 

[jimgood]

I think that's pretty slick. I may have to try that.

 

[M-technik-3]

I like the weight plate you have for your Deere, looks like a 318? Boys are in process of doing a repower on a 317K here.

 

[BD1]

I made one similar with 2 1/2 '' schedule 40 pipe. The pipe is about 12'' long with a cutout for the hook to drop in and hook on the inside of the pipe instead of welding the hook to the pipe. Run hook with chain attached through the 2 1/2'' pipe go around bushes with chain, and hook chain to inside of pipe. Grabs great like yours does.

 

[cgrutt]

That is freaking awesome!!!! Thanks for posting.

I wish I had known about that when I had my vacation house. Section of back yard was overrun with Adirondack bamboo. Very invasive fast growing weed that if you let it go takes over everything in its path. It's pretty resistant to almost everything but pulling it.

Great idea.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

It looks like in OP's case, walking through with a brush cutter or chainsaw and lopping everyting off a foot or so tall, then you could just drop the loop over the top with no threading around needed.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I want the chain to be able to come off. If I put something larger on that end of the chain it makes it harder for me to feed it around, under and through roots.

All you need is a hook that that is just large enough for the chain to slip through on one end.

I have a "logging chain" from my grandfather (that's what my Dad told me), so it is pre-1920s, that is set up this way. It achieves the same thing your pipe and hook does. Pulling tightens the noose.

I have made up other chains like this and the work great.

 

[ishiboo]

It'll just slide off the top. The chain by itself can't get tight enough.

I've pulled a lot with just a chain and it seemed to work fine. It would sometimes work its way up a bit, but then it would grab and pull.

Now I have a BrushGrubber.

 

[FTWingRiders]

/\ /\ /\.. I was looking at those.. Do you like it? Does it work as advertised? Thanks!

 

[Griff93]

That's great. I might have to upsize that to 3/8 chain and use it for a little bit larger stuff. Sometimes it's hard to get a bite on small stuff like that.

 

[RPH]

I just fence it in and let the pigs go at it. They love eating the roses, thorns don't seem to phase them. Once the bushes are gone they till the ground for me. And it only costs them there meat, love the home made smoked bacon. Not sure if they appreciate the bonus at the end of the job!

 

[cgrutt]

Is that galvanized steel pipe? What did you weld it with? Would a small 120v MIG work on that? I'm thinking it might be too thick...

I want one!!!!

 

[rslaback]

I like the weight plate you have for your Deere, looks like a 318? Boys are in process of doing a repower on a 317K here.

It's a 212 actually. I'm a fan of the old gear drives.

All you need is a hook that that is just large enough for the chain to slip through on one end.

I have a "logging chain" from my grandfather (that's what my Dad told me), so it is pre-1920s, that is set up this way. It achieves the same thing your pipe and hook does. Pulling tightens the noose.

I have made up other chains like this and the work great.

Kind of like this:



I tried that last year and it gets tighter but with just smooth edges on the links it just slides up and off the stem as soon as there is any resistance from the root system.

I've pulled a lot with just a chain and it seemed to work fine. It would sometimes work its way up a bit, but then it would grab and pull.

Now I have a BrushGrubber.

I looked at them but it doesn't look to me like the jaws come together well enough to pull something with a 3/4" diameter or so. I should've thrown something in for scale so you could see how small the trunks are that I have to grab a hold of.

I just fence it in and let the pigs go at it. They love eating the roses, thorns don't seem to phase them. Once the bushes are gone they till the ground for me. And it only costs them there meat, love the home made smoked bacon. Not sure if they appreciate the bonus at the end of the job!

I'm not sure that I could get the neighbors to approve of that method.

 

[sublime68charger]

Nice idea I may have to use that in tandem with the winch on my logging arch if I have to due a lot of small brush removal!

I have a loop on the end of a chain that works most of the time for stuff like this but every now and the the loop dosnt pull tight and just pulls up over the top of the bush.

My logging arch build is here
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=294895

This would work great park the atv and just let the winch due all the pulling would not have to get on/off for each bush you pull out!

How about a pic of the jd 212?
I have a 214 for mowing and tilling, great workhorse garden tractors

 

[theoldwizard1]

Kind of like this:

Yes, the big hook does not have to be THAT big and that little S-hook on the other end will open up if you put any load on it.

If it slips, go around twice, making sure the chain cross it self.

 

[rslaback]

For those of you suggesting a simple chain wrap, check this out. Keep in mind that pipe is about 1.75" in diameter.

 

[pennsylvaniaboy]

i like the pipe idea way better than bare chain....

 

[Lightman]

http://www.jharlen.com/ups385-pole-chain-sling.html