Stump Pulling

[jp-]

Today I used my 88” to pull out a stump; or rather I attempted to pull out a stump. I haven’t had the opportunity to pull out a stump before, so I am therefore lacking in the correct method. That is the question.

What happened:

The stump was that of a Holley bush. It wasn’t that large, perhaps a foot across (with many small shoots coming out of the center of the stump.

I put a choker chain around the base of the stump (a chain which my father had bought new only two weeks prior); the chain being 3/8” thick and about 3-4’ in length. To this chain, I attached a short (3’) section of nylon rope. I backed right up and hooked up the rope to the Rover. I gave it a good jerk in 1st gear, 4-low. It didn’t like it. The Rover shuddered to a stop. I gave it about 4-5 more good pulls, and stopped when the Super Traxion’s dug several nice 6” deep holes in the yard. I decided that I needed more rope length, as the short piece wasn’t giving me a very good pull length. So I hooked up my 20’ nylon pull strap to the chain. I gave it 4-5 more good pulls. The strap seemed to work nicely as the Rover wasn’t coming to such an abrupt stop as it had with the short rope. After a few more pulls, “BOOM”. I kill the motor and hop out. The chain has broken clean in two, the pull strap is all the way under the Rover out past the front bumper. I consider myself lucky, and investigate the stump. It is very loose and comes out with a few sledgehammer hits.

So was the chain just not big enough? Or should I have used a tree strap (or similar) around the stump?

[a109]

It's never a good idea to use a chain for a snap pull like that. Also chain comes in a number of grades in the same link size and its very hard to tell what the grade is when the chain has been used.
John

[Jim-ME]

I have always used a 30' nylon jerk strap to pull out stumps. You need the elastic (rubber band) effect so that it is the shock which works not brute strength. I gave up on using any sort of chain for pulling anything years ago.

[jp-]

The chain fit very snug around the base, and I figured my strap would come loose.

Next time I'll use the strap.

[Dav1550]

Might suggest to go about the holly with a mattocks, before getting too rambunchas with the equipment snatching on it..... It's no telling about stumps....some with conditions will tumble right out, while others appear to have a grasp on the whole northern hemisphere.
The fresh aroma of a clutch plate has too often reminded me its time to get out the truck or off the tractor and give a bit more personal time to my cellulose advisari.

Dave
74 109 SIIIsw
00 SII

[Jeff Aronson]

There's a reason that stumps, even those of holly bushes, cling to the ground so effectively in hurricane force winds. Those roots really grow a substantial distance under the soil. You can think you've cut them all but you can also be surprised. Keep searching for roots and cut them all.

A chain is really just a dead pull, and the force is often perpendicular to the direction of the stump and root ball. You want to get the pull on an angle, by pullng underneath a side of the stump rather than just around its base. Also, anything - a strap or kinetic rope - that will give you extra energy through expansion and contraction will help you. That means you'll also need some distance between the Rover and the stump.

Good luck - it's a nasty job.

Jeff