Home made hydraulic winch ?

Big timber little dozer · December 11, 2013, 07:45:27 PM

Any one made one if so would like input I know i how to make one but would like to free spool out not power :-\

pineywoods · December 11, 2013, 08:11:20 PM

OK, you said hydraulic so I assume you have a hydraulic outlet.
Here's how. both power out and free spool. Ten ton pto type winch off a garbage truck. Two sprockets and some roller chain, a modest size hydraulic motor, and a few pieces of scrap iron.

This one's mounted on the 3 pt hitch of a 50 hp kubota. I have snapped 3/8 cable, never stalled the hydraulic motor. Draggs 36 inch 16 ft oak logs like they were matchsticks.

Migal · December 11, 2013, 08:56:26 PM

Im thinking you would have to put a set of dogs on the drive shaft between the driver and the drum. Like a winch truck.

pineywoods · December 11, 2013, 09:24:12 PM

Quote from: Migal on December 11, 2013, 08:56:26 PM
Im thinking you would have to put a set of dogs on the drive shaft between the driver and the drum. Like a winch truck.

Look closely. On the right hand side of the drum there is a dog type clutch. dis-engage that and free spool out. Engage and reverse the flow to the hydraulic motor to power out. The power out has saved my bacon on more than one occasion. There is no way to disengage the dog clutch under load.

thenorthman · December 11, 2013, 09:49:40 PM

Search Craigs for a braden or tulsa pto winch, either one was/is standard on military trucks, All you need to make em hydraulic is a hydraulic motor, a couple of sprockets any farm supply store should have in stock and some chain to connect the dots, with a bit of heavy angle iron and some imagination...

They pop up for sale around here fairly often and are usually under 400 (generally less)

The newer Bradens are all hydraulic, also mile marker and ramsey make hydraulic winches.

That being said, the free spool can be as simple as a pin through the spool into a drive shaft of some sort, or as fancy as machined dogs. The trick is to have a drive shaft stout enough to support all the weight and still turn freely with the spool fitting snugly around it, but not to snug, and having a spool that can withstand the pressure.

The sides of the spool can have tremendous amount of side force put on them so be careful. Remember all the weight you put on it has to be distributed somewhere, up, down, sideways or out...

pineywoods · December 12, 2013, 12:24:51 PM

This one is a tulsa. is actually my second one. $100 The first was a ramsey. I tied on to something that wouldn't move, just drug the tractor backwards. Dummy backed the tractor up against a tree. Stripped the brass gear in the winch and busted the case. Be carefull, these big ole winches are capable of breaking your tractor in half...

thenorthman · December 12, 2013, 08:25:19 PM

I have two tulsa's that are part of my gypo yarder, they have a sort of slip clutch on em, no idea if they will actually slip if overloaded, I'm guessing they won't. The first frame I built for them taco'ed in about 5 minutes, They will pull stumps with a 20hp tractor hooked to em. And I've used em to pick up a 32" by 30' maple...

The gypo yarder is more or less retired now that I have the skidder, I figure I can always use it for really steep ground or to put the missus back on her feet... if ever needed

Banjo picker · December 14, 2013, 11:47:51 PM

Here is the one I built... its all here on the forum somewhere...plenty of picts. in my gallery... Had plenty of help from the forum to get it right... Piney helped me make some of the major decisions... listen to him..

Reason for second pic... that's the reason for the height.. to pull across a creek. Banjo

Komatsu_Mech1 · December 16, 2013, 09:54:14 PM

Okay heres what I am thinking if take your remotes that would run the winch you can tie the two lines into the motor together with a simple shut off valve and use that to be your free spool. By looping the flow of the oil when the motor acts as a pump back to itself that will eliminate the resistance to free spool the cable out and still have power in and out. As for the size of the motor to use i would spec it towards what your remotes put out for flow and pressure, wich can be hard to determine because alot of numbers are the high side of both. Wich means at relief (max PSI) you get 0 flow, and at max flow you might get 500psi. But with some simple formulas online this can be easily figured out.
Enough for the hydraulics, In order to use it to tow with you would need to hold the hydraulic pressure to the motor on, and then drive, which on most tractors signifcantly kills your power, so this means you should hold it mechanicaly. I would take a look at the bite and size of the dogs on a similar sized three point PTO winch to hold the load. My guess is that trying use the teeth on your reduction gears to be the lock it might not hold up too well, but a larger wheel with heavy teeth would provide far better sternght and durability.

But that is just my two cents worth, hope it helps.

bill m · December 16, 2013, 10:27:37 PM

Are you planning on direct coupling the hydraulic motor to a drum? If so then a couple of things. #1 unless your motor is HUGE you will not have enough power to pull much and if the motor is big enough to give a fair amount of pulling power the line speed will be painfully sloooow. #2 With the motor direct coupled to the drum you will not be able to pull the cable out by hand. To much resistance in the motor.

pineywoods · December 16, 2013, 10:45:18 PM

You guys are overlooking a couple of things. There is a massive worm gear reduction box between the hydraulic motor and the winch drum. The gear ratio is probably at least 60:1 maybe more. Pulling hard enough on the cable to spool out is just about impossible. Therefore no need for clutches and brakes and fancy hydraulic controls. Free spool is a positive dog clutch between the shaft out of the gearbox and the end of the winch drum. Find somebody with a roll-back wrecker and look at the winch.

bill m · December 18, 2013, 07:57:06 PM

pineywoods, I think you misunderstood ( or maybe I did ) what he is attempting to do. It sounds like he wants to build a winch from scratch, not modify something.

dail_h · December 18, 2013, 09:59:53 PM

Boy,, this is timely,,just pm'ed piney bout a winch build , lol

GDinMaine · December 21, 2013, 08:30:04 PM

This is a Holmes wrecker winch from the 60s or 70s. Power in-out controlled by a lever and freespool if dog-clutch is disengaged. You can find them relatively easy. I used PTO drive but I'm sure a hydraulic motor can be added relatively easy and most importantly cheap.

I must say however. If you want to pull out wood fast, get a logging winch. My contraption is sloooowww but it is STRONG.

plasticweld · December 28, 2013, 08:58:52 PM

I have pictures of my whole set up on Photo bucket user name plasticweld

I have a 20 ton which I built that I will sell you, I used it with my 180 LS New Holland skid steer, mounts right to the forks and runs off the front of the machine, take it on and off in seconds, hold 300 feet of cable. I made enough with this to pay for my first skidder

Big timber little dozer · January 19, 2014, 06:09:32 PM

thanks for all of your input was going to build with reduction chain bur was wondering if i could use a a snow mobile drive belt with a with a lever and pulley tightening system

Gadrock · January 30, 2014, 07:24:19 PM

Hey Plasticweld...is that winch still available?
cost? feet per minute? hydraulic requirement ...gpm / pressure?

Thanks

David Gaddis
gadrockinc@bellsouth.net

Carry on

plasticweld · January 30, 2014, 07:45:41 PM

I still have it, not sure what is needed as far as pressure, my LS 180 New Holland Skid Steer ran it with no problem. you would have to look up what they put out for their accessory drive. it was not real fast but not slow, it does have free spool, forward and reverse. I will try sending you a email ..Bob