Pull Tree With Silverado

NoProblem · March 25, 2016

Speaking only of dead weight, your truck weighs somewhere around 5500 lbs, that makes you about 7 times heavier than the tree, that's the equivalent of a 200 lb man up against a 25 bag of dog food, if you account for the power of the truck, that bag of dog food weighs less than 5 lbs.

There is no need whatsoever to concern yourself with worrying about fwd vs rear gearing or tow bar vs tow hooks. Go in there and yank that tree out!

txab · March 25, 2016

I am usually pretty good at judging situations, and I honestly cannot see this one going south. However, I am certain plenty of people have thought that before me.

Said no one ever as their famous last words.......

Daryl LBZ · March 25, 2016

Cut it down, let it fall into the river, let the river do the rest. Done. Lol!

Hexa Fox · March 25, 2016

Cut it down, let it fall into the river, let the river do the rest. Done. Lol!

I really honestly thought about this.However, people around here know my services as very professional. I have seen people cut trees down here and them fall into the water, dig into the mud, and sit there forever. I can see that happening with this one too.

Hexa Fox · March 25, 2016

Speaking only of dead weight, your truck weighs somewhere around 5500 lbs, that makes you about 7 times heavier than the tree, that's the equivalent of a 200 lb man up against a 25 bag of dog food, if you account for the power of the truck, that bag of dog food weighs less than 5 lbs.

There is no need whatsoever to concern yourself with worrying about fwd vs rear gearing or tow bar vs tow hooks. Go in there and yank that tree out!

This is exactly how I thought about it. However, I remember going figuring out what my truck weighs and I think it is less than 5000 lbs even with my aftermarket rims, and fiberglass bed cover. Plus right now the spare is dropped as well. So that is another 40 lbs of weight missing right where I need it to be.

Anyway, I can see what these guys are saying. Because that 200 pound man against that bag of dog food is different when the current is violently pulling against it. Plus I guarantee the tree will immediately absorb a small amount of water upon impact making it heavier too.

Hexa Fox · March 25, 2016

Said no one ever as their famous last words.......

lol

That is why I put that last sentence in there. However, the water where the tree is at is calm. The goal of this is to really not even let the tree hit the water.

P.S. I loved this Chevrolet Girl when I first joined, but now it is getting a little annoying. I think it is time for my truck to take the place it deserves beside my screen name. I guess I better wait though to see whether or not it gets pulled down the river.

GsBowtie · March 26, 2016

Good luck. I think you will be fine. I would NOT use the front tow hooks, I would use the rear hitch, but with a draw bar in it. Instead of a hitch ball, I like the D-ring idea you can tie the chain or rope to.

If you are pulling a tree that heavy up a bank, use the chain if at all possible. Your not just dragging it across flat land, you trying to pull it up a bank. The load against the chain/rope will be greater. Yes, only 800lbs or so, but that's dead weight, no wheels to reduce resistance. Did you consider traction of your tires? When you try to drag the tree up the bank, you might just spin, even in 4WD.

I would like to see some photos as well, that might clear up a lot of concerns myself and others have here. If this is a small tree, it probably won't be an issue at all. How tall is this tree? What kind of tree it is? What is the diameter of the trunk at the base?

Hexa Fox · March 27, 2016

Good luck. I think you will be fine. I would NOT use the front tow hooks, I would use the rear hitch, but with a draw bar in it. Instead of a hitch ball, I like the D-ring idea you can tie the chain or rope to.

If you are pulling a tree that heavy up a bank, use the chain if at all possible. Your not just dragging it across flat land, you trying to pull it up a bank. The load against the chain/rope will be greater. Yes, only 800lbs or so, but that's dead weight, no wheels to reduce resistance. Did you consider traction of your tires? When you try to drag the tree up the bank, you might just spin, even in 4WD.

I would like to see some photos as well, that might clear up a lot of concerns myself and others have here. If this is a small tree, it probably won't be an issue at all. How tall is this tree? What kind of tree it is? What is the diameter of the trunk at the base?

Thank you for the response. Unfortunately, disaster has struck our neighbors, their home all but burned to the ground. Just in time for the Easter Holiday as well... It was difficult to watch to say the least. The great people that called me in for the estimate are actually neighbors as well and offered to let the family of the house fire stay in their home.

Therefore, taking any pictures soon like I would have liked will have to be postponed for awhile. Additionally, I really will not be pulling this tree up anything if my plan goes well. When you get to the bottom of the slope where the tree is there is plenty of flat surface area for the truck to be level with the tree. I will only be pulling it up the bank if it falls while cutting it.

I believe I already mentioned my goal. Anyway, my goal is to cut a notch on one side of the tree, cut in a little from the opposite side of the notch, tree to get the chain in the middle of the tree, then use the truck to pull it right around onto the ground away from the position of hanging over the river.

Even if this does not go as planned and the tree starts to fall directly downwards before it gets pulled all the way around it will still be manageable. Because hopefully it will fall just about in line with the bank where it will hit only dirt or very shallow water. An easily accessible location for my person equipped with chainsaw.

GsBowtie · March 27, 2016

Wow, that's terrible news. I will pray for that family.

Sounds good on your plan. Good to see your thinking this through well.

502ci · March 27, 2016

One last note...figuring the weight of your truck is kinda pointless...I assume you will be on grass? The truck will slide with less resistance compared if you were on rough surface like concrete.

Hexa Fox · March 27, 2016

Wow, that's terrible news. I will pray for that family.

Sounds good on your plan. Good to see your thinking this through well.

It was absolute disaster. However, I guess this situation could be much worse. The entire family of four is completely okay, at least physically anyway. They have one dog and three cats, I believe that one cat has died as a result of the fire. Given that the fire was thirty feet tall (no exaggeration) within seconds of it starting I guess they are all, including the animals, very lucky. I have never seen a fire become that big or that powerful as quickly as it did.

http://m.heraldmailmedia.com/news/family-escapes-west-virginia-house-fire-uninjured/article_3d9e0e4a-f43b-11e5-86ba-5f6e7fda5c03.html?mode=jqm

This family is literally right beside me. There was an initial scare that the flying embers would spread the fire to our house as well. Their house is at least 200 ft apart from our house if not 250-300 ft.

Hexa Fox · March 27, 2016

One last note...figuring the weight of your truck is kinda pointless...I assume you will be on grass? The truck will slide with less resistance compared if you were on rough surface like concrete.

If they would still like to talk about the job after things settle down I will take some pictures for your guys. I appreciate all the feedback. Additionally, I am going to look around for a place to connect my front tow hooks as an anchor for my truck as well. I do not remember really seeing anything I could use though. However, I was not really looking for something like that when I was down there last.

Hexa Fox · March 28, 2016

This website has a terrible system for uploading photos. Right now I can only get this one to upload, and it took a lot of work to get it on here. The more I look at this job the less I want to do it. I guess it is easier to see the $$ when you are not looking at the job at hand. I was thinking that maybe I could take a come along a secure it to one of the larger trees down there and crank it over. There would be a lot less risk involved.

Hexa Fox · March 28, 2016

Here is one of the entire tree hanging over the river.

SouthernSilveradoGuy85 · March 28, 2016

I would do it in 2 sections. Hook up a chain from your hitch to the base of where you cut it. I would cut right where it starts to bend towards the river. Then cut it and drive the top part of the tree up to the yard. Then do it again with the bottom half. The bottom half being a lot heavier I would also run a chain from your tow hooks to one of the big trees in the yard to anchor the truck just in case. Then cut and drag the rest of the tree up in the yard. You don't need to cut the whole tree at once. Do it in 2 sections and personally I would cut it right where it starts to bend to the river. That way you're not dealing with all of the weight and mass all at once.