pulling a tree stump
FTE Legend
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 31,930
Likes: 1,499
From: Ottawa, Ontario
This is one of those situations where you really do need to use 4wd low, use a heavy chain or tow strap and don't go all caveman on it, cut all the major roots and tug it from several different directions to break all the other roots off and you should be able to pull it out without totally destroying the lawn or the truck.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,726
Likes: 3
I would do 4L if I had that option but my truck is 2wd and I'm relying on concrete to give me the traction I need.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,101
Likes: 2
From: Poway, CA
DEFINITELY use a chain or some other type of tow material that does NOT hold inertia!
My dad used to pull stumps with his Suburban when we were young. He used a big ol' chain he had, and it worked fine. As you mentioned, you want to dig around it, cut as many roots as possible, then tug. Automatics make it nice because you can have the vehicle basically hold the stump while someone trims the more stubborn roots underneath.
Anywho, one day we decide to do this job again, but the chain is nowhere to be found. So Dad gets this great idea to use some very thick nylon rope. To make matters worse, he couldn't get the thing around the whole stump but could get it around a very thick root. He gets the thing to the point where the rope is taught, and the piece of root he was tied to snapped off. It SLAMMED into the back of the Suburban, shattering the glass and leaving a HUGE dent. A foot higher and it would have gone through the cabin and possibly smacked him in the back of the head.
Mike
My dad used to pull stumps with his Suburban when we were young. He used a big ol' chain he had, and it worked fine. As you mentioned, you want to dig around it, cut as many roots as possible, then tug. Automatics make it nice because you can have the vehicle basically hold the stump while someone trims the more stubborn roots underneath.
Anywho, one day we decide to do this job again, but the chain is nowhere to be found. So Dad gets this great idea to use some very thick nylon rope. To make matters worse, he couldn't get the thing around the whole stump but could get it around a very thick root. He gets the thing to the point where the rope is taught, and the piece of root he was tied to snapped off. It SLAMMED into the back of the Suburban, shattering the glass and leaving a HUGE dent. A foot higher and it would have gone through the cabin and possibly smacked him in the back of the head.
Mike
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3,342
Likes: 294
From: Laramie, WY
As Danr1 said, leave some height to the tree so you can use leverage. I've pulled many a stumps, some big some small. Surprises to be had either way: I've pulled some way bigger than I thought I'd be able to pop right out and had other little 6" diameter ones fight tooth and nail. An axe you're okay with swinging into the dirt is a nice tool. It's OK to tug pretty good but don't let anyone "watch". They're just liable to get hurt and are in no way needed. I would be careful not having 4Low...easier to hurt the trans. Good times, haha. Makes me almost miss old summer jobs.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 20,789
Likes: 1,753
From: Kentucky
It's probably going to be cheaper in the long run to rent a stump grinder. You would be amazed how much effort it is going to take to remove a stump from a 20 foot tree with a truck.
By the time you hack up all the roots then make a few attempts to budge that stump with your truck you might as well get the right tool for the job.
FWIW I used to pull up small trees with my Bobcat 632b. One of the smaller ones turned out to be tougher than the piston inside the hydraulic cylinder for the bucket. I somehow managed to pull the piston completely in two. $525 later I was back in the earth moving business. I leave trees to Mr. chainsaw and some help from the fire gods.
By the time you hack up all the roots then make a few attempts to budge that stump with your truck you might as well get the right tool for the job.
FWIW I used to pull up small trees with my Bobcat 632b. One of the smaller ones turned out to be tougher than the piston inside the hydraulic cylinder for the bucket. I somehow managed to pull the piston completely in two. $525 later I was back in the earth moving business. I leave trees to Mr. chainsaw and some help from the fire gods.
Tuned
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 471
Likes: 1
From: Mount Vernon, KY
We had one tree that was probably 20-30 foot tall, 1 foot in diameter. It was cut down probably 2 years back. We dug around it about 2 to 3 feet with our three point backhoe on the back of our 45 hp tractor. It had all the visible roots cut and it still took a crazy amount of tugging with the tractors front loader. It lifted the whole back of the tractor and that 3 point backhoe is crazy heavy. Each outrigger is about 200 pounds alone. When it did break lose it bounced the whole machine like crazy. That was pulling upwards. It would have been unpleasant pulling horizontally. Just be careful with it and don't drive through your neighbors house.
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Junior User
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
From: SW Oklahoma
If you decide to go ahead with some length of chain, cable or whatever hooked to your truck, please find a heavy blanket and drape it over the chain halfway between the truck and the stump. A moving blanket works great.
If something does turn loose on either end, this greatly reduces the potential for an "oh crap" moment...or worse.
Few tasks are more exasperating than pulling a well-entrenched stump. Think about it...you're fighting nature's proven design to resist exactly what you're trying to do.
If something does turn loose on either end, this greatly reduces the potential for an "oh crap" moment...or worse.
Few tasks are more exasperating than pulling a well-entrenched stump. Think about it...you're fighting nature's proven design to resist exactly what you're trying to do.
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 259
Likes: 0
From: Southwestern, Ontario
This is a technique we've used on a couple of trees and had very good success: chop the majority of the tree down, but leave about 6-7ft of the main trunk sticking up out of the ground. Dig around the tree a little and try to remove some of the roots with an axe. Set the garden hose in the trench and let some water soak into the ground - feel free to leave the water over night to loosen the soil up. Rent or buy a chain come-along. Secure one end near the top of your main trunk. Then secure the other end to something else that's less likely to move than the tree - this could be your truck, a sturdy tree, a barn, etc. Then slowly crank the tree trunk with the chain come-along. By going slowly you can use your axe to remove anything else holding you up. In the end it should pull out the whole root ball.
Using this method will allow you to remove a very good amount of the root matter. In the long run this will pull off because your grass won't sink when the root matter from the other methods begins to decompose and take up less space below ground.
Good luck and let us know how things go.
Using this method will allow you to remove a very good amount of the root matter. In the long run this will pull off because your grass won't sink when the root matter from the other methods begins to decompose and take up less space below ground.
Good luck and let us know how things go.
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3,342
Likes: 294
From: Laramie, WY
I'd give it a tug. You'll find out pretty quickly if it's a really stubborn one or not. Takes all of 20 minutes. There's a huge spread of different stump strengths. Some are worth renting a grinder while others will pop right out..
Tuned
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 471
Likes: 1
From: Mount Vernon, KY
I like the tannerite method! No, but seriously I would go with this:
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,555
Likes: 1
jarryd, if you have this big tree to pull out and what did you say 20? burning bushes? i would advise you to get a small tractor and possibly a loader, borrow one or rent one, and use that. you will have a heavier platform that is better suited for pulling, and you will have superior traction and better tires (even better if you get a 4wd or front wheel assist). if you do go this route all you have to do is tighten up the strap or chain, put it in the lowest gear possible and gradually give it a pull, will either pop right out, spin, or the engine will lug out. for the bushes if the tractor has a loader you can pull the bushes up out of the ground rather than pull them from the side on the ground, however more than likely the hydraulics in the tractor will not be big enough for the tree so no loader there. if you do rent one try to find one that has ag tires and not industrial ones they have less traction
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Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2013
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This is ky. I got friends with tractors if I end up needing one. I just want to find out what my truck is capable of.
I think I'm just going to do the potassium nitrate stump method though and just use the truck for the burning bushes. They're all small and I think they'll come up easy, it will just be time consuming because there's close to 100 of them.
I think I'm just going to do the potassium nitrate stump method though and just use the truck for the burning bushes. They're all small and I think they'll come up easy, it will just be time consuming because there's close to 100 of them.