Winch replacement

Brokermike · March 04, 2015, 03:11:59 PM

I thought it best to start a new topic following my "Thoughts on a small skidder" thread.

I've found and am headed to look at an old C4. It's had a motor swap, now running a 4bt cummins. It'll need front tires or good ring chains, otherwise seems legit with one notable exception. The winch.

The skidder has had the orginal winch removed (I'm guessing a Gearmatic 9?) and replaced with a winch from a rollback truck. Obviously the winch speed is a concern and the current retrofit needs some work, it no longer freespools.

Does anyone have any thoughts on a reasonable replacement idea. I've called lots of salvage yards today, nobody has a #9 that I can find. Found a few #9's and 119's, not sure if they are bolt on ready or not, and they're anywhere from 3-5k. I'm open to all options but I don't want more in a winch than I'd have in the skidder

North River Energy · March 04, 2015, 04:17:48 PM

That machine looks nifty, particularly if it checks out Ok. Would be interested in what you find.

As to the winch:
I can't imagine the time wasted running a wrecker if one couldn't pull the line to the work without running the winch controls at the same time.
Built a 3pt tractor winch this summer past using an old Ramsey worm drive, much like you might find on a wrecker. Was told the winch had no free spool. The linkage was jammed up, and it works fine now.
It's slow, however.

The limiting factor on line speed is the rating for the worm and ring, which seems to be somewhere around 1000 rpm. Find the data tag or at least get the manufacturer and outside dimensions, and you should be able to figure out what's what.
Another consideration is shock loading to the gear drive while heading 'back to the barn' with a full hitch.
On the wrecker, the line tension holds the work to the ramp deck, and that's about it. On a skidder, the shocks to the line should be held in part by the brake assembly?
If you're running light, it might not make much difference, but it's something to think about.

If time is on your side, you might find an older Farmi for cheap off CList, and then mount the guts to the back of the skidder.

treetech · March 05, 2015, 06:51:53 AM

Hi Brokermike

I'm really interested in this thread as well. I have an old Garrett 10 that I would like to have available for my own use. I stopped working on it when I realized how much it was going to cost to fix the winch. It has an old Gearmatic 8 that needs a lot of work and, as I understand it, They are an ok winch if used on a regular basis. This unit will spend most of the time sitting around. I just need something that I know will work when I need it to. Decent line speed would be nice but I can work with slow. Cheap is a really nice option as well! Basically the same problem. Anybody have any ideas?

Treetech

Stephen Alford · March 05, 2015, 08:42:59 AM

A hydraulic winch might might work for you. At the time it was a little more money, but it has been working great now for 25 years. Had it on a Td7 dozer for a couple years and no grief. Speed will be determined by the hydraulic motor size. So you have options. Plumbing it in should not be to difficult. Treetech ,you are not that far away if you ever want to have a look.
Brokermike on the skidder choice, machine history is huge. I opted for the C5D . Wanted one that was heavier duty and by dropping the arch, it still has the visual of a "small skidder".
oh.... treetech if you come bring a shovel , tractor is by the light pole. :-)

Brokermike · March 05, 2015, 09:18:28 AM

Any thoughts on a hydraulic winch replacement. I've seen lots of hydraulic winches made by Ramsey, etc. If I provide them with enough flow would that be a better option than the chain driven rig on it now?

I just don't want something slower than my current Norse 3pt winch on the tractor

treetech · March 05, 2015, 09:27:58 AM

Thanks Stephen I think I'll take you up on the offer and come for a visit. I think I'll wait till Spring though. Let "Mother Nature" do the shoveling! At the rate we're going it may be June before the snow is gone!

barbender · March 05, 2015, 10:03:36 PM

IMO, if you are going through the trouble of getting a real skidder, don't hamstring yourself by not having a real forestry winch on it. Your winch is half the machine ;)

Stephen Alford · March 06, 2015, 07:46:12 AM

Guess we are kind of talking tractors and skidders mixed together again. As far as "snork" and ground clearance they are in different leagues. The garret 10 sounds like it might be in the middle. The hydraulic winch is on a 4x4 ... 65 hp non articulate farm tractor.
Perhaps a bit of the history of that winch to keep my response in perspective.

Twenty five years ago an initative of federal ,provincial and industry was to help landowners and small (one/two man) contractors perform silviculture prescriptions. A retired timberjack engineer wanted to build and market hydraulic winches. Through mutual friends working for FERRIC out of Montreal we all got together in the LaRose forest to test it . Also tried out some harvest techniques.

These are are some of the numbers for the winch pull in lbs over speed in f/m.

Bought it and mounted it on a td7 dozer with quick couplers on the tilt function.

Not sure what road the development of the winch took. So I do not have a brand name for you. Simply put it is chain drive from the hydraulic motor to winch drum. What it does need is a nice hourglass fairlead like Bill M (FFmember) fabricated. The key feature fof the winch is it spools in ,spools out and freespools. Example... I have lowered the tractor down a hill using the winch. pulled the wood to the bottom of the hill, pulled the tractor up the hill then pulled up the wood. I use 1/2 inch skidder cable ,modified how it attaches and retooled one cog over the years.
As a side note , had 18 chokes on the skidder and 10 on the farm tractor years ago. Every year I seem to have to remove another choker, down to 10 on the skidder and 4 on the tractor. :D