[muddy]

Will a decent front mounted winch pull out the overgrown shrubs around a customers' foundation. 90% of my work is renovations in high dollar homes.The lawn is in great shape but need to grub out 15-20 old Junipers, etc, Will rent out a Dingo from time to time or pull them out with chain and truck.

[Will Pacala]

Yes, but it depends on what type of shrubs you have. Shrubs and trees with less thicker/heavier "trunks" or branches will not be pulled out. They'll just snap off and break. Heavier shrubs will be stronger and can be pulled out. See what your up against first and then get the winch. Also try a chain hooked up to the hitch of a truck, it always works!

[Stonehenge]

Never tried it, but if it's rated high enough, it oughta. Depends a bit on the plants you're taking out - you might need to give it a little help, cutting out some of the existing root structure.

And this seems like a better alternative to hooking up a chain and yanking.

[jwholden]

Muddy,

I think it depends what kind of a truck you end up getting.

4 LO and some good chain does wonders...

[muddy]

I've done the chain and yank routine...tough on the rear end...grubbing them out is tough on MINE!!!!...I've e-mailed Warn and Ramsey......Was hoping the winch would be easier and look a bit more professional...........

[muddy]

jw....you're right....My F-150 doesn't have 4x4.....just have to be sure everything is off the dasboard b4 you hit the end of your chain,,,,having my Krispy Kreme fly by me at 50mph and out the rear window......

[Dale Wiley]

I have a 10,000 warn on my F 250 4X4. It pulls out junipers, arbs, just about anything in reason. It is sprung to F 350 specs, and has 33 inch tires and factory lift, so its a bit heavier than stock. We use the winch about 2 times a month on average, for this type of work, unsticking mowers in spring,.

I have done the yank and pull routine, but it is very hard on the drive train.

If the stump or whatever hesitates, then it's a different way. I can tell when estimating what its going to take and if my rigs can't do it, then I rent full size backhoe with 4 in one bucket.

[HRLand]

Be very careful when yanking a chain with your truck. There was a picture hanging in a local off-road shop, of a jeep that someone tried to pull a stuck truck with. The tow hook broke off the truck and went through the back window and the passenger seat. If your gonna yank use a recovery stap. They don't have the weight to do much damage and are easier on the truck also. I used a 20k lb. strap all the time begore I got a mini-x and still keep it around for when it's not worth dragging equipment for a shrub or two.

[Dale Wiley]

Better watch the size of shrub as well.

[Bill Schwab]

I think using a winch would depend highly on the soil and moisture situation you have. Up by Dale, it rains quite a bit...Moist soils right? A winch would work well for the application. In the midwest, I think unless you had a pretty stout winch, you may be asking for troubles.

With the rich compositions the midwest soils have, this is where a Hawk Bucket would work best. Point the nose into the base of the shrub, push it into the soil, then rock the bucket back and they will pop right out.

Where we are at, it rarely rains, even though we are rained out today....Even had thunderbangers, it was awesome!

Here we have to use the jack hammer with a spade bit to remove soil. Or, just cut the branches off at the ground, and bring in a stump grinder......
Imagine the roots being concreted in to the dirt...That is what we have! Using a chain with the 935 is one thing, so long as we could get it in to use it...On a truck, you would jerk the heck out of it...A winch, you would stall it and unless it was a pto winch, you would fry the batteries.

So, I would consider soil types, and moisture before making this decision....

[muddy]

B ill....that is a concern regarding stalling the winch....I would be the only one using it and like the truck..you tend to be a bit more responsible.....the big picture is to be as independent/less dependent on renting/hiring...having to go get this or that...as we all know poor planning on material and equipment needs and windshield time kills production. If the winch would work then it would always be with me, save alot of labor time....cost vs. return.....just thought I would float the idea to ya'll...........

[muddy]

hrland.....I use a Dingo a lot also...I owned one for several yrs....before anybody would rent them ...then last year everyone had them to rent so I sold it. The winch I think might be able to atleast loosen the shrubs and with a remote cable be able to standoff and inch it out ??...........

[dan deutekom]

I think a winch would be quite useful if used right. If you figure on hooking up the cable and yanking out the shrub I don't think you will be happy. But if you use it in conjunction with a little digging and axe work on the roots, it will work well. Pull until you meet resistance and then use a spade or axe to cut the holding root. Pull some more and cut the roots whenever you meet too much resistance.

Yanking stuff out with a truck is just asking for trouble. You break the truck, or things fly out of control and ruin the landscape or worse injure people nearby or not so nearby

[muddy]

Dan.....I agree......doesn't seem though that those among us have used this b4??? actual exp. would be great input.........

[PSUscaper]

If being a professional is a concern, then to me at least, a winch is very unprofessional

I hope I don't piss anyone off........but............pulling up to someone's million dollar home in a lifted monster truck with big tires, light bar, smily light covers, naked girl mudflaps, and a big winch on the front is not my idea of being a professional.

I never owned a winch, nor have I ever pulled shrubs out with a truck and chain. To me, it just looks so DIY'er like.

I own a dingo, and have found it very adequate pulling smaller shrubs out. If they get bigger, then i use the skidsteer or the mini-x. If they are bigger than that......then they are either stumped ground or I get a bigger excavator to the job.

Plus, I have to say that in many cases, being able to get a full size truck anywhere near the position it needs to be in is often not possible.......plus, I really don't like driving full size trucks all over peoples lawns. I hate the tracks that the dingo leaves on a yard..........never the less a full size truck.

In my own opinion, winches and trucks just seem very unprofessional as a standard way to remove shrubs. I would think that if you are working on upscale houses, you should be able to budget a better, more professional piece of equipment for the job. I understand that their may be budgetary restraints, but its just a matter of keeping a professional image, like having a clean, lettered truck, having uniforms, and having the right tools for the job.



steve