Can I use my X to do this? Not too big a stump, about 24" in diameter.

 

Heavy Heavy Chain, 15 Feet Of Slack, Dig Up Around The Stump, Cut The Roots Around As Much As You Can, Hook It Very Securely To The Hitch Only, And Nail The Throttle, And Dont Look Back. In Other Words, You Can Try, But 24" Stump Is Pretty Big And The Roots Go Far Down. Naaaaaaa, Dont Do It. Why Risk Damaging The Truck..

 

Drop it in 4LO and DON'T nail it. Gradually get on the gas. Nailing it is what could cause some damage.

Put a blanket or something over the chain to prevent it from flying if it breaks or comes loose.

Will your tires be on a high traction surface?

 

For a 24" stump, and this is from experience, DONT try it with your truck those roots are so deep in that all you'll accomplish, is burning a good bit of fuel, and probably some undue wear on the tires. hire someone to grind the stump down, or rent a backhoe, and dig it out yourself. believe me, 24" may not sound like a big stump, but the roots are DEEP, and FAR on that thing, no sense in risking damage to your nice SUV by trying to pull it out.

 

a 24 " stump requires 2 cases of beer and 4 sticks of dinamite to remove properly.

 

I've done many with my X. I've done most of them on grass (try not to spin and fill your tires with sod (no traction). Dig and cut the main roots around the stump with an "ax-mattock" and shovel. Cut all of the roots that you can see, you can pull out the main roots after using the chain to wrap tightly around them. Use a heavy chain to wrap around the stump or around a main part of the stump and the roots and only to your hitch ball. Just a loop is fine on the hitch and a blanket or jacket will save your truck from damage if the chain breaks. Just like Mosta said, it is amazing how it keeps the chain from flying. Slowly take up the slack, and apply 1500-2000 RPM (in 4 low) and hold it there. If it is not moving, look for tap/main root that you missed and try to cut/damage it to weaken it and try again. It will come out, but it may take a bit of work, but you'll get it out. I have also taken out a large stump by wrapping a main root and splitting it away from the trunk and just remove it in pieces. The ax-mattock is the best hand stumping tool out there and for some reason they are hard to find, at least in my parts. My other method is to dig to expose most of the stump and build a fire over it. Move the fire aside to dig under the roots, they need to be exposed to burn. Shovel the coals under the exposed roots. The earth gets cooked and dries out so it is easy to dig as you go. This is my method of choice when the Hank Hill Gang is coming over to "help me work". Yup. Every one loves a fire, and it is amazing how late they stay and help you.

 

As said above, never do the " leave some slack & nail it" trick. I did this to get a big dodge out of the mud & screwed up my rear end in an f150. I know, smaller rearend, but it's just not worth it. He just laughed when my rear end started howling. Oh well, next time I'll remember to take care of my rig first. Good luck with the stump. I pulled one last week with my EX & like Downsized2x said, had to do alot of digging & cutting. After lots of soaking of coarse.

 

dont end up like me, that cost me some lunch money.

 

What happened?

 

I pulled some Ficas stumps this weekend. As far as depth and spread of roots, it depends on the tree. Pine tree roots go straight down for 3 or 6 feet, but the Ficas had 3" roots spidering out. The 14" diameter stumps were only 2 or 3 feet under ground total , but were a pain because of the radiating roots.
Get a chain and wrap it as tight as you can around the root, then hook your towrope or whatever to the chain, then 4LO and pull with a little punch, but flooring it and hoping for the best is only gonna hurt your truck I think.

 

well it wasnt from a tree stump, but it could happened from pulling a tree stump. That right there I ripped out the front bumper off a chevy trying to pull him out from some deep mud.

 

Steady even pressure will win and keep it safe. Did you see the Myth Busters version of American Graffiti? A snap or jerk would break any chain or cable quite easily. If it doesn't move with pressure, then you need to dig more or pull it out in pieces.

 

Thank you all for the replies. I have several months till the ground thaws if I want to do this. The wife has given me a very firm NO, since she wants to go RVing next spring/summer/fall and thinks I may damage the truck. She wont drive it but protects it like one of the kids.

 

It must nice that she cares about your truck, mine wants to bury me in it.