Anyone have any experience pulling out dead trees with a F150? I have a few trees on my property that need to go and was thinking of using my truck and a high tensile strength chain. Loking for any thoughts/insight/experiences.

 

Burn 'em out or hire a stump grinder, that's what I'd do. I tried pulling a stump with my '97 F250 back when I first bought it. The chain slipped and put a pretty dent in my tailgate.

 

You can buy a chemical to sprinkle on the stump to speed the decomposition process. After the chemical does it's magic the stump will burn more readily.

 

Do you mean doing something like this?



If so, I'd recommend using a solid link steel anchor chain, and wrap that around the pulled object. Then get a heavy duty tow strap, that is considerably long, and attach that to the trailer hitch and then to the chain.

3 things...

1. Make sure no one is around the chain/strap; someone can get injured and possibly killed.
2. Bring your tailgate down, it will offer protection if something goes wrong.
3. Do not pull a tree down too high. One of two things can happen:
a. The strap can break and go flying a considerable distance like a slingshot.
b. The tree might fall on your truck, possibly damaging your truck, yourself, or even killing you.

If you don't have trailer hitch, I don't recommend doing any type of tree or stump pulling... you are just asking for other problems.

 

thanks for the input !

 

'Course if you'd have watched "King of the Hill" last week you'd know all 'bout stumpin'!

 

Just go rent yourself a Vermeer stump grinder, or pay someone to come do it for you. I know a guy that does it for about $30-$35 a stump. That is the best way to go anyway.

 

x2

If it's a huge stump... don't wreck the truck... it ain't worth it.

Those shrubs that I pulled had to be pulled because we couldn't throw chemicals over there, and the stump wasn't large enough to be ground out. So pulling was the only option.

Those shrubs were rooted about 3 ft down... but the truck pulled 90% of them out. But they were in there pretty good.

 

Yup, unless you reckon to make guitar bodies, gunstocks, etc., out of that stump, then rent a grinder.. grind that sucker as deep into the ground as you dare..

Lucky won't dig it.. "How I'm s'possed to get a settlement outta that?.."

Then sprinkle dried molasses on top of what's left.. it'll accelerate decomposition of the stump..

 

Be sure to put something heavy on the chain... Just incase it snaps, it won't go through your rear glass and injure you or others.

 

Exactly. I think most lay heavy blankets over the chain, and I believe the middle of the chain is the key place. Personally I would put something over it near the tree, and in the middle.

Also, tie as low as possible to the tree, and take it nice and slow. If it looks like it isn't working and major problems are soon to follow, do yourself a favor and follow your gut

 

Exactly right!!

If you aren't gonna grind it, just pull the thang, then spare no effort to stop the chain should it snap!.. keep everyone well away, heavy blankets atop the chain is a very good idea.. wet 'em down, make 'em as heavy as possible...

Pulling stumps is no joke, no matter what anyone says... Back in the day I rode a Massey-Ferguson to pull some and we always laid wet blankets over the chain.. Decapitation is no fun, so I've heard!!.. LOL

 

Dont pull that stump. I put a chain through the windshield a few years back. It went right by me, and into the back seat.

Stump grinders are well worth it

 

If you're worried about wrecking your truck, rent a $19.95 Uhaul and do it with that. Or rent the Home Depot F350 that they rent for $12 for the first 75 minutes.

Just don't tell them what your doing with it.

Disclaimer: I have never done this, just throwing out something I thought of one day while cursing and chopping out roots on a stump of my own.

 

dig down around the roots, cut the bigger ones with a sawzall if you can't get it at first. Don't use a chainsaw, the second a chain hits dirt you've killed it.

Use a tow strap (no chains!), if your stump is tall enough, loop the strap around a back root and bring the strap up over the stump. This will give you some leverage to roll it out

use 4WL if you have it, slowly pull into it and throttle up. Don't tear your lawn up.

i personally like pulling from a front tow hook so i can see what is going on.

-ii