skidder shopping advice

lynde37avery · August 02, 2015, 09:08:42 PM

well, its come time i level up to a size bigger logging skidder for my small operation based out of wester MA.
i been running the old Franklin 130 for about 4 years now. and the old girls ready for replacement.
so i been looking around and found a 440D john deere. i heard lots of good things about the deere 440d.
i also found a Timberjack 230d. i run one for a family member a lot and i know/learned a lot of good things about the timberjack. i know these are 2 completly different animals in the woods. i dont know a bunch of the deere logging as ive only test drove some before. but i liked what i seen.
so if there is any insight or advice on what i should lean towards itd be great help. one thing is that the deere is about 10k $ more than the TimJack i came across. but i want to make a good decision with my $. i really want a machine ill be happy with for the next 10/20 or whatever years to come. im a one man show trying to hand cut and skid like grandpa use too.
Hope all is well with everyone these days. i been working like a monster in this heat.

treeslayer2003 · August 02, 2015, 09:16:21 PM

go bigger, a 440 is smaller than what you have now.

mad murdock · August 02, 2015, 09:34:02 PM

X2. The 440D thogh a nice machine, is a bit smaller than the Franklin. If you are looking for a deere a 540 or 548 would be the next step up from a 440

Maine logger88 · August 02, 2015, 10:41:20 PM

I'd go with a 540b/d or a 230 or 240 if it were me the 440d are a good machine but some of the Trans parts are getting hard to find from what I hear. I bet a 440d would pull close to the same as a 230 tho there quite abit bigger than the 440b and a little bigger than the 440c. I've never ran a 440d tho but the guy that was cutting a lot next to me had one it had 23.1 tires and was close to the size of my 540

timberlinetree · August 03, 2015, 05:27:34 AM

How's it going? Maybe a timberjack with the Cummins but older like a 240 a would do the trick. I have family down south plus I travel down there often if you want us to keep our eyes open just let me know plus I know one that is sitting in w mass that I came across. This week is looking good for getting the wood out.

vatkins · August 03, 2015, 06:02:59 AM

I'd go with that 230 TJ . There's a lot of em out there. Parts all avalailible. A geared tranny is what I like as the hydro's are slow n costly to fix. Good luck

HiTech · August 03, 2015, 06:21:01 AM

If you don't want fancy...Treefarmers are a good machine. I have seen some C6's really pull. The ones with the 18.4 x 34 tires were so so, the ones with bigger tires, I am thinking they were 24.5 x 32 would get down and pull. Even the smaller C5's pull good, especially with the Deutz diesel in them. Timberjacks are good machines...never owned one but have heard people say good things about them.

Autocar · August 03, 2015, 05:13:38 PM

Ive only owned treefarmers but if it was between a deer or a timberjack I would lean towards a timberjack. Easy to fix , Napa carrys alot of parts just my opinion good luck.

Maine logger88 · August 03, 2015, 06:06:57 PM

It all boils down to for me a tj is a nice machine easy to work on get parts for and get on and off. A Deere is really comfortable to run and very fast. For me if I'm going to be working by myself and the skids not to far then I don't see any production difference between my 225 and 540 it just takes more hitches with the 225. On a long skid the 540 wins or when I have someone chopping it pulls a few more cord at the end of the day. Tree farmer I have very limited experience but they seem good to. Another one to consider is a 664 or 666 B or C they are nice machines.

lynde37avery · August 03, 2015, 07:17:21 PM

hey things are well timberlinetree. a down south machine huh? we should talk about that sometime. ill PM you.
i have been on the hunt for the upgrade for some time now. anything is an upgrade from my Franklin 130. its pretty weak pulling. old and tired but still gets out what i need it to. i got a couple calls to make and see if i can come up with a few more skidders to look at. i know a nice 230E but the fellow is pretty hard pressed to let me take it from him haha.

Corley5 · August 03, 2015, 07:38:37 PM

I'd go with a 230 TJ because of over the counter parts.
And they're much easier to get on and off of than other machines ;) ;D If you're going to keep it 10-20 years this will be much more important later

;D

Farmboy 96 · August 05, 2015, 08:56:26 AM

Both the 440D and 230 timberjack are nice machines. Ive ran both the 440 in school and my father just bought a 230 this spring.
The 440D is a nice machine easy to get around with in the woods not to hard on fuel and the cab/controls are laid out nice. Downside is parts aren't cheap. Everyone says there real tippy but from my experience they really aren't that bad. Just plain out your roads and keep one hand on the winch control.
The 230 is nice all around machine easy on fuel, cheaper parts and easier to get to. Simpler machine to work on almost impossible to roll over. The one thing is it takes time to get use to of sitting off to the side of the machine rather then sitting centered. If you get one definitely make sure you put atleast a half door on it because so much slash gets caught in the chains and always comes in the cab.

So both are good machines but I personally would go with a C5D tree farmer its a little bigger then your franklin but pulls like bear. If you can get your chokers around it, it will pull it. What ever you do stay with a small machine.

loggah · August 05, 2015, 06:23:34 PM

Lynde,Timberjack or tree farmer, the old John deere are just to expensive to repair and not simple enough for the average logger to get into the transmissions or differentials. the john deere engines are great engines ,but their skidders are not anywhere as stable as a timberjack or tree farmer on steep ground. If you want to pull a lot of wood on a easy to repair skidder go with a late 80's C6D tree farmer, get one with a Deutz engine great pullers and nice and quiet !Don

lynde37avery · August 05, 2015, 11:27:15 PM

Loggah good advice. Actually good advice from everyone. So far the polls are saying timberjack or treefarmer. And I do like the off the shelf parts as well. I've had a lot of luck at Napa with parts for my franklin. Basically the biggest hurdle for me is what the thing weep do for me in the long run. How many years will I get out of the skidder etc. I need a good find. Something tight and dry not too many hours.
And I've heard nothing but good words of the duet diesel motors too.

larry1 · August 05, 2015, 11:49:20 PM

If you are planning to pull big or a lot of wood per / hitch , go with a 230 E cummins , they are built by Eaton and have heavier diffs. and trans . as opposed to the 230 D like mine with the lighter PR275 Rockwells and T98 trans . J.D . 540 B are good machines but they are costly and mind boggling to repair . My buddy retired his 540 A because of too many costly repairs and is using his 664B . Or find yourself an older 518 with low hours, they will pull tons of wood , but a tad hard on fuel .

Larry --ont.

David-L · August 06, 2015, 06:57:42 AM

I'd be looking for a 230A or a 240A or B with a cummins 4BT. 2 cords or a 1000 plus feet no issues and parts are still reasonable. Just make sure the brakes are working in the transfer. 23.1 tires, still easy on and off and 9ft width. Still a fuel sipper also. I might have a lead on one.

ehp · August 06, 2015, 07:28:26 AM

I got a 230A and have owned most other types and size's , I honested hated to buy this machine as I wanted a Clark 66 or 67 , next would of been a TJ 450 and maybe a 380 but the 230A was the only machine that didnot look beat up and the price was a good deal so I bought it , After running it for 3 years I like the machine , I break very little , parts are just a phone call away or it stuff like U-joints you can buy them everywhere and cheap, easy to get in and out of which is huge for a old busted up guy like me. Cummins will start in cold enough weather you hope it does not ;D and it pulls a good size hitch behind me . I got 23.1 by 26's on it and got the tire width down to 102 or maybe 103 inches wide . Its not the biggest skidder thats for sure but I can put just as much timber on the landing as most bigger cable skidder can as its pretty good and quick going threw the bush . Maybe not a smart thing to say but if you guys need skidders look at what is in Canada , With our dollar at .75 to yours you can buy used machines quite abit cheaper I find than what there selling for in the USA

lopet · August 09, 2015, 10:48:57 AM

Tree Farmers are pretty hard to get on and off . Also poor design of the cage and all the controls, but like others said, easy to get parts.

BargeMonkey · August 13, 2015, 09:23:47 PM

Almost 12k hrs on my 440D. Knock on wood I've never been in the engine, no clutch, rebuilt winch 2x so far. Original radiator, hasn't had center pins that we know of. Got it with 4600ish hrs. Guys make it out like your wrenching on them all the time, mine gets 250hr oil changes and greased almost daily. Winch band is the worst problem on an older deere. Why not that 360C in the Want ad ? I've seen a lot of nice skidder for around 30k lately. I wouldn't jump on anything unless it's a good deal, then jump quick. I missed a low hr 540G3 @ sharps I'm kicking myself about. Wood prices are down in our area, a lot of guys are going to go out soon and just try and find something well taken care off, color doesn't matter as much as history and maintenance.

lynde37avery · August 13, 2015, 10:03:14 PM

The history of the machine is a big +. Also how straight it is and price. I'm trying to be efficient. But aren't we all? I hear deere winches can be a pain. The one on my crawler is pretty good. I wish it frees pooled a little better tho.

BargeMonkey · August 13, 2015, 10:12:26 PM

I went and looked at a 460 dual arch the other night, can't make it with a 440D if your trying for 2-3-4lds a day. I've spent a lot of time working on my 440D winch, but you will get used to swearing at it and have a set of fancy custom wrenches. Maine logger hooked me up with his parts guy in ME, the band has been flawless with about 50lds on it so far. 440D burns almost no fuel, and I run mine hard. A 405 Franklin is a nice machine, would eat a 440 for lunch. I would bite the bullet and buy something with a deere 4k winch, I see more wood pulled with one than anything else around here.

ga jones · August 14, 2015, 03:41:32 PM

You know the 460s are nothing but a headache barge monkey.

BargeMonkey · August 14, 2015, 04:07:26 PM

Quote from: ga jones on August 14, 2015, 03:41:32 PM
You know the 460s are nothing but a headache barge monkey.

I keep telling myself that. :D but sometimes I just don't know any better.

treeslayer2003 · August 14, 2015, 04:09:14 PM

why? i been playing with the idea of a 450 or 380.........

BargeMonkey · August 14, 2015, 09:35:34 PM

The deals are out there right now on equipment. Only reason I would buy that 460 is because it's 100% straight, 1 owner and cleaner than most 2-3yr old machines. Other than a harness I don't see much trouble. Biggest problem is an operator, especially if I throw a stroke delimber into the mix.
Is that your skidder in the Want-ad ?