My Newest Invention

[syrupkid]

After skidding a couple of cords of wood out of the woods and losing most of it at least once due to my chokers slippingIi decided to come up with a way to get and keep the chokers tight. After tightening the chain as tight as I can by hand I will retract the hydraulic cylinger as far as it will go thus further tightening the choker and keeping it tight.The chain will have been pulled around the woodand then through a small section of pipe to guide the chain. The frame will be constructed of 2 inch square tube steel. The whole thing will be then mounted on the 3 point of one of our tractors. The hydraulic cylinder I already have so if it doesnt work at all it will have cost me very little. Feel free to leave any comments or suggestions on the design.

[maple flats]

Joel, Oh to be 15 again! (that was almost 50 years ago) I've been pulling wood for over 40 years and rarely have any slip. A few points. Use a good alloy choker, the links are smaller and slip very easily to tighten. Have a slip hook on the chain, ones designed for logging have a C shape with a rather small opening to hook over the standing end of the chain. Don't bundle more than the chain can actually have each touched by the chain unless there are limb stubs or forks that will catch other logs/branches being pulled.
You show a 3 point hitch arch. Just back up over the pile, lower the arms and hook the chain as tight as it will easily go. Hook to the arch last lifting the chain to remove any slack. (The arch should have a grab hook to connect to). Raise the arms and drive. Sometimes if the starting load was spread you will raise to bunch,lower arms and re-tighten chain slack, raise again and drive. You must remember that with this type of arch you are pulling from above the drawbar so a rollover is very possibility. A few points to think of. Pulling this way you must have your seatbelt on. You should also have your clutch foot rested on something just above it so if a flip starts you can instantly push the clutch. Also, add lots of weight to the front of the tractor.
I have an arch exactly like you show and have sucessfully pulled big loads with 20 and a 25 horse compact tractors. I have pulled any load the arms will lift. Only on very heavy loads I add a check chain which links the choker to the drawbar using a short chain I had made up to attach to the drawbar, reach back 2' and grab hook onto the bottom of the choker loop. This is a saftey to prevent flipping from pulling too high on the tractor. Try these methods and you should do fine.
But, don't stop thinking outside the box as a general habit. That is how many new ideas and concepts are born.

[markct]

your overthinking this! just get a "loggerhook" type slip hook, they rarely come unhooked unlike the usual slip hooks do. i also have a set of skidding tongs that work pretty good for most stuff too and are nice cause when you get to where your going you rarely need to get off to unhook it, just back up and they fall off and you head back to the woods.