What You Need To Know Before Pulling A Tree Stump With Your Truck

Tree removal can be a pain, especially if you're dealing with a pretty sizeable one. You have to trim branches and remove them from the area, cut the tree trunk down to size — tasks that can be helped by the best chainsaws of 2025 — and finally, remove the leftover stump from the ground. On a small tree, some strategic digging and root cutting can get the job done with little hassle. However, a larger trunk means a larger stump with deeper roots that are going to be a lot more difficult to pull out of the ground. In a pinch, one might think that using a chain or rope with their reliable pick-up truck to pull the stump out is a good idea, though this isn't recommended.

While there's a possibility it could succeed in pulling the stump out, overall, the truck method is not a wise solution. For one, it might not work at all, with the stump being too deeply-rooted into the ground for it to go anywhere when pulled. Ideally, your truck will make it out of this unscathed, but there's a chance a stubborn stump could cause the chain to rip out whatever it's attached to on the truck. The chain or strap could also snap somewhere in the middle, or slip off the stump itself, sending it flying into property or, worse yet, bystanders, resulting in all kinds of damage. The risks are simply not worth it.

As convenient and doable as pulling a stump with a truck might seem, it shouldn't be on your radar. Instead, you should consider more effective and safer alternatives to get it pulled up.

If there's a stump you want out of the ground and can't remove it by hand, there are some viable options that don't come with an elevated risk of automotive or bodily injury. The most obvious is to get a hold of a stump grinder, which is specifically designed to chop up and remove stumps with minimal mess. These tools utilize a rapidly-spinning blade to cut through the stump layer by layer, eventually grinding it down to the point that soil can be laid over it. They can get a bit pricey, but there are places like Home Depot that rent out stump grinders for one-off jobs. Just know the pros and cons of Home Depot's rental program before doing so.

Alternatively, you can try Epsom salt. It's time-consuming but gets the job done. To start, drill several holes about two inches deep into the top of the stump, which you will then fill with Epsom salt. From here, pour just enough water over the stump to get the salt wet but not soaked. Then cover the stump with a weighed down tarp and let it sit undisturbed. Typically, this process takes about a month to dissolve the stump, though you may need to add more salt here and there.

Of course, if all else fails, calling in a professional to remove the stump will work, too. Just don't risk the safety of yourself or your loved ones by using your truck.