ATV Log Arch

[Mooseherder]

Thanks to the education received on the forestry forum.   
I saw the biggest Logging arch ever yesterday being pulled behind a pick-up.
It had to have been 12 foot long.
Said to the guy with me. You know what that is?  He said no.
I proudly proceeded to tell him.

[HARLEYRIDER]

I used my arch to lift and try to ove a red oak log 22"D  16'log (2700lb). I doubled the (2K) winch with a snatch block, and it lifted it . but it was just too heavy to move with a 900 lb ATV  (with 4wd not working). I think I have to move the pulley foward to put more log weight on the hitch. right now, it lifts up on the hitch when lifting a log.
But it lifted the log enough to put the bunks under it....and mill with the ATS

[getoverit]

Do any of y'all actually go down the road with a log arch? I'm wondering if the DOT will flag ya for not having a bottom in the trailer, or if it is ok to transport a log this way???

[solodan]

Probably depends on where you are at. I wouldn't get on the highway, but the less traveled county roads might be ok.Just last week I saw a guy skidding 16 footers 20" Ponderosas down the road and around the corner to his house. Then he would lower the plow and roll them up hill into his yard. Then after all this he bucked them into 16" rounds.

Like I mentioned before, Mark from Future Forestry can be seen in his video towing a huge 50" log down the road behind his Volvo.

[highpockets]

Getoverit, I always wondered the same thing.

[walleye45]

I live in Northern Michigan and wonder if anybody has an Arch in Northern Michigan Eastern Upper Peninsula that they would like to rent out for a week? I would love to own one but one more thing in the garage and the wife will string me up!!!!!

[Mooseherder]

getoverit
I saw one on Lantana Blvd. last week. Lantana Blvd. has 3 lanes of traffic east and 3 lanes going west.  The pickup pulling it was going at least 50 miles an hour. (no tree on it)
It was big and blue.

[HARLEYRIDER]

 I built my arch at a friends shop in northern maine. then drove home to CT with it. The way I see it, it falls onder the same rules as a wood splitter.

[solodan]

I really don't think you would have problems transporting an empty arch this way, but a loaded one may be a different story. I can actually transport a good sized log fully suspended with my arch.

[sawguy21]

Probably have a severe flat spot on the log and questions from the local gendarmes.

[getoverit]

not if the log is completely suspended off of the ground with the arch. There is a differnece between a skidder and an arch.

It would take some pretty big tires on an arch to haul the logs that I bring home. My trailer has tandems on it, and both tires on both sides sag sometimes. I guess I could build an arch and put some 10 ply semi tires on it, but if it isnt legal to drive down the road with a suspended log, then it isnt worth building.

[solodan]

Yeah, I would just assume to load the logs on the trailer. The only reason I have the arches is to get my logs to the trailer. I can pick up a 25" log of any length. It would not make sense to move the mill for one log that size. very rarely can you drive right up to a log in my neck of the woods. I will move the mill for a 40" or 50+ log".