Receiver Hitch Rope Brake

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Sohner at the Buzz posted this, it looks very interesting! He said it was made by Arborists Designs, the same people that make the Hobbs lowering device. Do any of ya'll have one of these?
 
Looks simple enough. I'm a bit skeptical of hitch-anchored rope brakes. I'm waiting for the picture of a log suspended in mid air, dude holding the rope, and the back tires 2' off the ground!

Convenient idea, though.

love
nick
 
That one looks like it has a lot of dust and scratches on it from riding behind the seat of the chip truck, and no wear marks from rope. :/:
 
A redirect pulley low on a stump between upper pulley and truck would help there, then chock truck, then turn wheels so that if truck got dragged; it would tend to lock down tighter. Also, load weight in back of truck.

With a truck rope brake we are able to lift and or pretension line. i've done this with Porty or Fig.8 on truck; lock off to tighten etc. If no good reciever, we've run chain off the frame or krab to frame + 4" web; another good reason for having low redirect then; so we don't get a pull up on bumper etc. as chain/web curls around it and gives 1+ loading.
 
I thought exactly the same thing, Skwerl.

Doesn't mean that it couldn't be useful...might just belong to a guy with no imagination. :lol:

I think you'd have to be careful, like with those electric winches that mount to a receiver hitch. The receiver is designed for straight, level pulling loads...keep to that and all will likely be well...hard to do with winches...and bollards too, I bet.
 
It is actually a good idea. Having a portable friction point is really helpful.

I have never used this, but over at the Buzz, I am waiting for Robert's reply to my question: How much does this cost?

Seems like it would cost less than the truck mount option Greg Good (GRCS) provides.

Right off the bat, I am leery of all those little spikes sticking out of the drum.
Maybe they help to avoid overlapping of the rope on the drum?
 
I wonder if you could use the pins to take a wrap, then go around a pin and wrap the other way, so as to prevent rope twist while lowering?

love
nick
 
Nick, you would then increase friction to the point where nothing would move
 
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I wonder if you could use the pins to take a wrap, then go around a pin and wrap the other way, so as to prevent rope twist while lowering?

Right off the bat, I am leery of all those little spikes sticking out of the drum.
Maybe they help to avoid overlapping of the rope on the drum?

I sure would like to see how the ropes supposed to wrap on it. I can figure out most of it, but there are some parts I'm not sure of.
 
I was thinking something like this...

I think both configurations would work. I'm not sure how I would rig it for those medium heavy loads....the ones that you lower the most!

I'd like to see an owner's manual for this thing.

love
nick
 
I wouldn't like to put such a tight radius bend in the rope as Nick's drawing show. I know most of the load would be on the wraps, but it still doesn't look right to me.
 
one of the biggest problems with the products produced through Don Blair, is the product back up.

The Bry dan saddle, hobbs, hobbs rope brake, etc all have very little back up included.

I think you are just supposed to understand it.
 
Looks simple enough. I'm a bit skeptical of hitch-anchored rope brakes. I'm waiting for the picture of a log suspended in mid air, dude holding the rope, and the back tires 2' off the ground!

Convenient idea, though.

love
nick

Your concern could be relieved Nick by using a tail hold block for a redirect, then your worst case would be the truck spinning its tires, or maybe sliding towards the tail hold. Cause I'm sure you wouldn't want to create a bad line angle by pulling out on the upper block. Also, I trust you wouldn't have the truck directly under the load.:)
 
I would say its to lock the rope off. This would be done by going round drum then green hook to yellow hook to ears with a clove hitch. But that is just a gess.
 
Looks like someone went a little overboard with the welder to me. Big time overkill. Not to take away from the person who made it but I'll stick with the GRCS truck mount with the winch.
 
Looks like someone went a little overboard with the welder to me. Big time overkill. Not to take away from the person who made it.

That's what I was thinking. I don't know about you guys but my pickup weighs 5,000 lbs empty. If you start dragging that around or lifting it in the air you are cutting a really really big piece. One that should be anchored to something more solid. That being said I would like to make something to fit on the front of my bucket truck. Better get to workin' on it.
 
Once again,I'm not a pro treeman.I am an old time sailor and rigger though so rope usage is rope usage no matter if you are mooring a ship or lifting an I-beam.

All a friction device does is increase the area in contact of the rope to provide a stopping or retarding of load forces on the rope.Kind of giving a mechanical advantage to a person trying to stop say a thousand pounds of force,more or less.

I don't think it would be a good idea to circle the pins on that drum with the rope because it would weaken the rope and chafe the dickens out of it.Better to circle the drum,providing more friction contact area.The pins are there to prevent overlapping of the rope,causing a rats nest mess.

Ha,I too have visions of a pick-em -up jerked half ways up a tree from a big giant limb.:lol:
 
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