Have any of you taken one of those 3pt trailer receivers like shown here 3 Point 2 Receiver Trailer Hitch Category One Tractor Tow Hitch Drawbar Adapter 602668009359 | eBay and put one of these on the back of it? Skidding Tongs with Ring Red 25 Inch Steel Log Lifting Dragging Log Tongs 193420009422 | eBay I was going to put a 2" short hitch with a D ring, or something that I can hang the tong on, and back up to the log and lift/skid the log out with the 3 pt on the tractor. 33hp Massey, I have no plans on lifting anything more than 3-400lbs (even though it could handle plenty more). Open to ideas!
I borrowed a Harbor Freight 3pt quick hitch gizmo from my brother because I had bought log tongs similar to what you linked to, maybe they are Titan brand, don't recall. It worked ok but was not perfect. I had to get out of my seat some to affix the log tongs to whatever I was dragging. Some people report that they finally figure out how to rig log tongs and how to maneuver such that they can get it on the log from their seat. I seem to recall that I was wishing mine was not so tight to the quick attach, that maybe I needed a short length of chain. Because some of the logs were buried in others and also dirt and there was no way to back the tractor in to get right over the log perfectly and even a few inches of leeway would have made it better.
I think I would be ok with that. Im ok getting out of the seat, I just liked the idea of getting them off the ground a little bit and maybe keeping the log a little cleaner coming back across the field.
I use this 3pt attachment with a chain choker. It works excellent "3 Point Hitch Log Skidder | DR Power Equipment "
You should look into a 3pt boom pole with tongs. Most times you can back right up to a log and get the tongs on without getting off the machine. Also you can get the log off the ground a lot more. A draw bar and chain is about as bad as it gets for grinding dirt into a log. Makes for a frustrating bucking and filing experience.
It works for me. Made in USA and strong as heck. The only thing I would improve is to add a bunch of weight so it would counterbalance the FEL. As Wolley says, you do have to get off the tractor and choke the log.
A trick I learned that I wish I knew years ago... if you have a tractor... buck the clean wood of the dirty log laying on the ground. Then push it with the FEL to roll it so that you can snip the remaining holding wood in the kerf on the dirty side. I dunno about the boom pole... I have looked into this over the past year or so and I seem to recall negatives for the boom pole... one thing being maybe that the boom pushes the tie on point away from the tractor; if you use something like the 3pt hitch gizmo, you have more leverage or it balances better so you can skid more weight. The boom pole seemed like a good idea, so, correct me if I am wrong. Or maybe it's good for smaller logs but not bigger.
Your correct, I have used the boom pole to skid and move. I have a small 24hp tractor and the boom pole sticks so far off the back a decent log doesn't lift well if you use the end of the pile. I will chain to the middle of it sometimes if it's big but hook to a big log on the eng and I will just lift the front of the tractor off the ground. But if you have a bigger 50-75hp tractor you don't have to worry about it unless you use a massive log .
My truck based skidding solution. I should have made it a bit shorter but it's held up for 20 years of farm use. And my tractor 3 point solution in my cat 2 quick hitch. Started out as a truck receiver hitch at the bottom. It accepts the truck version above also. I've used it to skid 20 foot i beams off a trailer I have a variety of chain and cable chokers that work with the banjo holes in the 3 point or in the red keyhole chokers hanging from anchor shackles.
