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want to buy skidder for small firewood operation ?????

Started by phil-tinker, December 26, 2010, 05:02:38 AM

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phil-tinker

want to buy the smallest skidder easiest to work on and as to buy parts for it   what would you suggest

oldseabee

If you don't care about high production or creature comforts, it would be hard to beat an old 230 Timberjack with manual trans.
Hydraulics, driveline, and electrical are bone simple. drive line parts available through John Deere or there are a lot of salvage machines around. Detroit Diesel Engine not bad on fuel, but will slober some and make a lot of noise. Most of the Logging Equipment dealers around have mechanics that have worked on them if you don't do your own work.
Power shift machines are a little nicer to run but costly to repair.

H60 Hawk Pilot

I agree, for a small operation that's Not driven by Production and Employee's... the older manual stuff is simple to maintain and fix. The Detroit's are very basic 2 cycle diesels and have been in production since the early 40's.

I think the machine check out is the most important consideration. I try to buy equipment that is demo'd, I want to see it start up cold, then, under load, winching and all gear ranges used.. forward & reverse, hydraulics operating. I look for engine leaks and blow bye noted, radiator look see... look down the neck for signs of oil in water. Check for excessive pressure { and bubble's from blown head gasket or cracked head or block. Check the the oil pressure (no water in oil) the pressure in the detroit's is sort of low at idle 10 to 15 psi and 35 to 40 at higher RPM. They are leaking engines and leak around the valve cover and other places... looks (leaks) worst that it is. The water temp. should stop at 175 to 180 degrees. No unusual  eng. noises, you should see darken smoke from the stack when under full load but no puffing or white or blue smoke, Look for steady type exhaust the whole time the engine is idling or at RPM.   

I try to buy the machine with all the collected support items -- tire chains (expensive to buy), xtra cable for the winch, the books (if he had them) extra filters, misc. parts, whatever was bought for the machine by the owner.

Some of the older machines have been through hell and back and really more dead then alive. Shop around and take your time.. the right (best) deal will come along.

I know of a skidder that is older type (60's or 70's ?) one and works Ok.  It has had some work done to it (winch rebuilt, etc.)  and Not Dead.  It need's the right rear tire repaired, it has a slow leak.  I don't know the machine well enough to recommend it and would check it out (above info.) as I mentioned. The skidder location is about ten miles away from my home (Huntingdon, PA 16652). I see your from PA and I'm 35 miles from Altoona or State College for your reference for PA location.

The owner (Charlie Getz) is straight arrow and does car and truck repairs in the area and has a good name. I remember the price as $ 5,000 {I think) and that's with the tire fixed and good battery installed. The skidder was in father-in laws machine and fixed it up for him but he never used it and passed away two years ago. Charlie used it some on his farm but never had a real use for it. Charlie has a 350 or 450 dozer too, straight blade, it's in fair shape, nothing fancy and early model year, don't remember the price. 

If interested, I can call Charlie and see if if the skidder is still around. I was thinking about buying the skidder but don't really need it that much since I'm in FL and coming back to PA in the Summer.    

Avery
Case 1150B & IHC TD-340 Dozer's, IHC 4WD 3800 & CAT 436B Hoe's, Franklin 170, Semi's: (1) Freightliner, (2) KW's, Marmon, Mack w/ Prentice Ldr., F-700 Crane Trk., (6) Mid Size Trk's. - Dumps, Flats, 1 Ton w/ 40 ft. 5th Whl. & (4) Semi Tlr's., LM 2000 Mill, (2) XL 12's., Solo 681, EFCO 152, Old Iron.

lumberjack48

The C5d Tree Farmer with a 353 Detroit, model 19 gearimatic winch, stick shift is the most reliable skidder made, cheap to run,  cheap to fix, easy to work on.
If a person could find one like the one in my pic would be nice, that's a C4 with a 4 cylinder Ford Industrial gas engine with a model 9 gearimatic winch, a sweet little skidder, Timber Jack made one just like it, but you had to ride side saddle, i never cared for TJ, you cant see where your going, you look at the oil pressure gauge, to many shifts to get the winch to work, i felt away to exposed to the elements.
I logged by a guy that had a Mountain Logger  with a 253 Detroit, [ 2 cylinder], stick shift with a model 9 gearimatic , it was a nice little skidder, he bought it new in 1970 and he still has it.

Third generation logger, owner operator, 30 yrs felling experience with pole skidder. I got my neck broke back in 89, left me a quad. The wife kept the job going up to 96.

treefarmer87

i agree with lumberjack48 i have the same skidder, and have never had any problems
1994 Ford L9000
2004 Tigercat 718
1998 Barko 225
1999 John Deere 748G
FEC 1550 slasher
CTR 314 Delimber
Sthil 461
Sthil 250

oldseabee

I was service rep for Clark skidders for a number of years, but you would pay 2 to 3 times as much for a used Clark or John Deere as you would for a TJ or Tree Farmer or Franklin or Garret and not gain much. The whole point is to stick to the simple machine with a manual trans. Parts or rebuilds are available at reasonable cost and you can do the work yourself. Most of those machines are pretty well bullet proof as long as you operate them your self and keep them serviced. If you start hiring operators off the street, then you can look for trouble. Hydraulic pumps and valves are generally off the shelf common brands.

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