Machine to haul 8k chipper in woods?

[Serf Life]

Island job coming up in a month or so will need the 15xp (~8k lb) barged out. Very steep utv access trail then relatively flat and rocky. What size tractor would pull it uphill without breaking a sweat? Full size skidsteer pushing it uphill? What size dozer? Barge will hold 9tons max.

 

[Reach]

Full size skidloader (10k+ weight) on tracks won’t have any trouble dragging that around. A similar rubber tire machine should also work, add tire chains and you’ll do much better yet. We do that once a year and it works for us. We bolt a hitch receiver into the front of a brush grapple, slide in a pintle, and away we go.

Even a small dozer will work, like a D3, but it’s going to be pushing on 9 tons by itself, and steel tracks don’t like rocks. You and the machine will both get beat up.

 

[flushcut]

On flat ish ground a larger mini will do it.
I had towed my bc1500 (7000lbs) thru a tree farm with an s800tx easily enough. A full sized track machine no problem.

 

[Serf Life]

Local rental spot has a tracked Case TR270 (8200lbs), $1100/wk. Comes with a bucket or forks, what would be a secure means of attaching a pintel hitch? Don’t really trust those screw on ones…

 

[Reach]

Local rental spot has a tracked Case TR270 (8200lbs), $1100/wk. Comes with a bucket or forks, what would be a secure means of attaching a pintel hitch? Don’t really trust those screw on ones…

Check on the forks, some fork plates have a 2” receiver in the middle; you just drop off the forks and slide in a hitch just like you would in your pickup. They may also have a hitch plate/adapter they could rent you, might be worth asking.

 

[evo]

For a few years I’d rent a mini and purchased my own receiver plate. I even had a bollard fabbed to Mount in the plate to sling brush and logs. The rental company gave me a big flat out ‘hell no’ when I asked about buying a BMG to use on their machine. It came with a stern lecture about how the machine is not to be used with any attachment besides one they rent. This included strong words about where and how the machine could be used. Since I put about half of the 300 hours that were on the meter, I just bought it..

It shouldn’t be more than a few hundred to buy a full size hitch mount.

 

[Serf Life]

It shouldn’t be more than a few hundred to buy a full size hitch mount.

Think that may be the ticket if they don’t have a setup.

 

[oceans]

I use a Bobcat E26 Mini Excavator to move around my Woodsman 750. I welded the hitch onto the top edge of the blade, it I’m sure there’s a temporary way of doing that. With the live thumb, feeding the chipper is nice too.

 

[flushcut]

I use this. I have welded a 2" ball when I rented a tow behind but have since torched that off. It's a generic Toro mounting plate with a 2 5/16" pintle hitch. I had to use wheel studs to bolt it to the plate because the bolt heads were to big and didn't allow it to seat in the mini, and I didn't want to weld it on for some reason long forgotten.

 

[Serf Life]

View attachment 77694I use this. I have welded a 2" ball when I rented a tow behind but have since torched that off. It's a generic Toro mounting plate with a 2 5/16" pintle hitch. I had to use wheel studs to bolt it to the plate because the bolt heads were to big and didn't allow it to seat in the mini, and I didn't want to weld it on for some reason long forgotten.

Buying a full sized plate to have a pintle welded on, is 1/2” plate 3/8 frame overkill? 125lbs just the plate. Here is a ebay seller with thickness options etc

 

[flushcut]

I would think 3/8" plate would be fine.

 

[Reach]

Buying a full sized plate to have a pintle welded on, is 1/2” plate 3/8 frame overkill? 125lbs just the plate. Here is a ebay seller with thickness options etc

I too think that 3/8” should be fine. 1/4” would probably be fine too, if you added a piece or two of C-channel horizontally to reinforce the plate. Or you could have a 2” receiver welded on, and install any hitch you wanted, or even slide in a winch in the future.

 

[flushcut]

A 2" receiver needs to be gusseted well or it will bend pretty easily. Iv'e seen it happen.

 

[Serf Life]

Thinking to use a weld on pintle vs a receiver, save on some slop.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

save on some slop.

If you're that concerned consider one of the many anti-rattle devices for receiver hitches.

I've never see a weld on pintle hitch. That doesn't mean they aren't around. If there are holes they should be bolted on.

If you're near Minneapolis I've got a pintle hitch on a receiver for sale.

 

[Serf Life]

Fresh from the welder ready for some grinding and painting. Decided to have a receiver installed for more options/re-sale later.

 

[southsoundtree]

Why not buy one pre-fabbed?

Looks stout.

 

[Serf Life]

Cheaper and a bit lighter. I have $300 in it, was quoted $500 by a local spot. Did buy This mini skid plate with hitch for $120 shipped. Bmg receiver is way to soft steel, tons of slop and have to beat the elbow in now.

 

[southsoundtree]

I have a similar receiver plate. I could use d-rings.




This looks like a weld-on replacement for the BMG towing receiver round pipe (with a re-drill for the hole). Fits nice.

I need to get one. They're cheap. Maybe $12.
It's the adapter for the new f350 with a heavier duty tow package. It's from my friend's truck. He'll weld mine up when i get around to buying it.

 

[oceans]

I have a similar receiver plate. I could use d-rings.




This looks like a weld-on replacement for the BMG towing receiver round pipe (with a re-drill for the hole). Fits nice.

I need to get one. They're cheap. Maybe $12.
It's the adapter for the new f350 with a heavier duty tow package. It's from my friend's truck. He'll weld mine up when i get around to buying it.

That’s pretty much what I welded onto my E26 blade for bringing my chipper “out back” and moving trailers around on site. I never expected how utilitarian and handy the latter would be, whether on a job site or at the yard. Such a nice thing to have, and I can’t figure why I waited as long as I did.