ATV?

[mbolin]

Has anyone here used a 4x4 ATV around a log home building site? Is an ATV substantial enough to help with any moving or lifting? Just curious.

[JeffandSara]

Hey, Mark--

We used a garden tractor (old Sears from the 70's--2WD) to haul our lifting poles from the logyard to the house site with a two-piece trailer set-up my father-in-law made for us. I think that the butt ends of those logs were 14-15 inches (I can find out) and they must have been close to 30 feet long.

For our house logs, however, we ended up using my Toyota 4Runner with the trailers, because we needed additional pulling power and traction... especially because we had a little incline to get up, and because we lifted logs through fall and winter, so conditions were sometimes muddy/snowy.

I'm not sure with a 4x ATV which of our vehicles it would be "closer" to, haulling-wise. But seems like if we moved the logs we moved with our garden tractor, you ought to be able to move logs at least somewhat bigger/longer if you had anything with 4WD. Not much help, but I'm sure that others here will be more informative specific to the ATV's pulling power.

Oh, and if Jeff was around, I'm sure he'd have me say to you that it's GOOOOOOOD to have something little to drive around in and put a trailer on, because he got really TIRED of walking back and forth for tools and things. :wink:

Sara :D

[mbolin]

Thanks Sara, we have an opportunity to do some trading for a atv and just wanted to see if any of you guys have any experience.

[JSanfilippo]

We have one, with a plow and the trailer we built... they are very handy.. even got a haul behind finish mower for ours.. Wouldn't be without it. although I think a truck or tractor may be needed for the logs...
http://www.thesanfilippos.com/~jtoys/wheeler%2001.JPG

[kyle]

Mark,

I have a Honda Rubicon 500 which when I bought it 3 years ago was the largest honda made. Its very convenient around the farm and obviously great fun for the mountain rides. We pull our hay wagon (empty) and some other equipment around but I don't think I would try and pull a 40ft log with it.

[restless]

Hey! thought you might be interested in (baileys-online.com) they are a good source for dreaming, and some fairly inexpensive log handling tools. They also have a skidder designed to skid logs with an atv. I would not pay that much but, the photo is pretty clear and the design would be easy to doplicate. you could use one behind almost anything. I have also seen other styles in ebay. you go to ebay motors then to other vehicles then to forestry agricultural. the ones there are also fairly easy to duplicate. I believe baileys was one of the cheapest when it came to cant hooks.etc. A welder will go a long way in the dreaming process! DREAM ON !!! PS I see there is a member Mark in fairview oregon. No email address would love to talk we are close nieghbors. "TODAYS DREAMS ARE TOMORROWS REALITY" g. jackson

[Stagger Lee]

I use a Polaris MV700 with 4 wheel drive and tractor tread tires. It does it all. I use the winches on it to lift logs and since I'm building in the mountains, there isn't much room to maneuver a pickup truck. It pulls 20 foot logs, average diameter of 12 inches with out problems. My buddy is building cabin also and he has a 350 2 wheel drive and it just sits and spins.