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Cheap and Dirty Tree Grubber

Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 3:25 pm
by ricky racer
I have a couple of fence rows that I maintain and have spent many hours cutting back the trees to my property line. It never amazes me how fast new trees grow and if you don't keep up with them, well, you know what happens. Pulling out the small trees is the usual option. That typically requires a larger tractor (one of my green ones) some chain and many trips on and off the tractor to hook the chain, pull the tree and unhook the chain, then do it all over again. If you do it all by yourself it's a real pain.

I have been contemplating making a tree grubber for some time but was concerned that the Cub hydraulics were to anemic to pull even a small tree. Looking back to how the pioneers pulled stumps after the areas were timbered I noticed they used a block and tackle to pull the stumps upward. It seems that pulling a tree up is the easiest way to pull a tree. Easier that pulling at a right angle like we typically do with a tractor.
I decided to give it a try after coming up with a design that would be easy to make, wouldn't cost much and if it didn't work, I'd try to use the metal for something else. I have seen tree grubbers on other sites so this is not a new idea, I just adapted it to my Cub.

Here is what I came up with:

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I used the anchor from my Cheap and Dirty Boom Lift (which is why I wanted to make that modular) so I just had to make the grubber attachment.

Using it requires me to back up to a tree and lower the grubber:

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Back firmly into the tree as low as possible:

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This is where the Cub hydraulics are a bit too weak. The lift alone will not pull most trees, but by backing up while pulling up with the grubber, every tree that I've tried it on has popped right out of the ground and I didn't have to get on and off the tractor to hook and unhook a chain. :{_}: To dislodge the tree just drop the grubber back down and drive forward. Most of the time I've had to grab the tree and push it as I drive forward to completely dislodge it.

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The grubber is made from 4" channel. I cut it 10" long and cut the "V" in it with my bandsaw.

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I cut an angle on the "V" to give it more bite when engaging the tree. To cut the angle in the "V" I supported the channel on a 2x4 on one side while cutting out the "V":

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I welded the grubber to an upright of 4" channel, added the pivot bar and attached a lift chain.

Re: Cheap and Dirty Tree Grubber

Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 3:39 pm
by Bill Hudson
Ricky,

Thanks for the pics. As always, very well done. Boy, do you have my gears turning, thinking about adapting something for a FH.

Bill

Re: Cheap and Dirty Tree Grubber

Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 4:03 pm
by Rudi
Rick:

I like that. ... very nice idea. I have tons of small trees along my eastern lot line that needs exactly that type of extraction. I guess I might have a new project as soon as it warms up :!: :D

Re: Cheap and Dirty Tree Grubber

Posted: Sat May 26, 2012 8:20 am
by Anonymous_h
Great use of the mind again Rick!

Re: Cheap and Dirty Tree Grubber

Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2015 3:50 am
by Ida Red
Thanks for the excellent pics of the Grubber.