Can a Backhoe Pull Down Trees?

Risks

• Backhoes are strong enough to perform myriad tasks, but you should never use a backhoe to pull down a tree for safety reasons. If you attached a chain the backhoe and wrapped the chain around the tree, the tree could break off at a weak spot and land on the backhoe or another nearby vehicle or structure, causing significant damage and possible injury.

Tree Cutting

• If you want to use a backhoe to aid the removal of trees on your property, it's best to cut them down using standard means, such as cutting the trees with a chainsaw. Cut the tree through the trunk near the ground, but leave a foot or more of the stump as you'll be able to use the backhoe to remove it.

Dragging

• One of the most time-consuming aspects of removing a tree from your yard is cutting it into small pieces that you move by hand, either into a brush pile or to stack for firewood. Instead, attach a rope or chain to the uprooted trunk of the tree and tow it with the backhoe to your desired location. If you have a large lot and wish to pile the tree out of sight, the backhoe will make this process easy to do.

Stump Removal

• While a backhoe isn't ideal for pulling down a tree, it's a useful machine to uproot stumps. Extend the arm of the backhoe and open the bucket so its teeth are facing downward, Push the teeth into the far side of the stump and begin to retract the arm of the backhoe to pull the stump toward you. Depending on the size and health of the stump, you might need to position the backhoe in different locations to pull the stump from multiple angles. Stump grinder attachments are also available for backhoes.