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Getting a Clark 666d grapple skidder. Any experiences to share good or bad...

Started by RayMO, July 25, 2016, 07:44:43 PM

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RayMO

Taking deliver this week and have never been around the Clark machines so any advice appreciated.  Always ran John Deere and TimberJack in the past.
Father & Son Logging and sawing operation .

treeslayer2003


mad murdock

be prepared to have logs  "flying" to the landing  ;D  Those clarkes can flat out move wood.  Strong winch, and low CG on the machine, plus the screaming Detroit, lots of power.  I ran a 664C for a while back in the day, and was moving 30 cd a day in hardwood, hooking and unhooking my own sets, and getting off to limb and buck from time to time.  Very productive machine, and with reasonable care, very easy on the pocketbook to maintain!
Turbosawmill M6 (now M8) Warrior Ultra liteweight, Granberg Alaskan III, lots of saws-gas powered and human powered :D

ehp

I think if its a D it should have the 5.9 cummins in it . I had a short frame D 666 and to me it was the best skidder I ever drove

mad murdock

certainly with Cummins power, it will be much more pleasant on the ears, but still the ame great machine! only bigger than the 664C I ran. 
Turbosawmill M6 (now M8) Warrior Ultra liteweight, Granberg Alaskan III, lots of saws-gas powered and human powered :D

RayMO

Thanks for the input guys. It has Cummins power and should be here Monday. Big step up from my little JD 440B . Any idea of weight of this machine with grapple and 23.1 x 26 rubber?
Father & Son Logging and sawing operation .

ehp

If I said anything it would be a guess at best, my was a short frame where I'm sure yours is going to be a long frame and yours has a grapple where mine was just cable , mine had 24.5 by 32 on it . That skidder never broke anything , all hdy lines are hide away from getting hit , super quiet and I really wished clark was still building skidders , they may not have been the nicest cause of not having all the fancy stuff but you went to work everyday

treeslayer2003

Quote from: RayMO on July 31, 2016, 01:04:49 PM
Thanks for the input guys. It has Cummins power and should be here Monday. Big step up from my little JD 440B . Any idea of weight of this machine with grapple and 23.1 x 26 rubber?
without looking it up, i will say around 12 tons. or twice the machine of a 440.
i will require pics sir. i want a dual arch in the worst way.

oldseabee

666D came with 453 or 5.9 Cummins  also upgraded to 28000 3 speed trans same as 667, converter C273 with Cummins C272 with 453. weight around 23,000 for grapple, 24,000 for dual arch.

oldseabee

Also service brake is multi-disc on the back of the transmission, master cylinder takes transmission oil not brake fluid, brake fluid will eat up the seals. Also could have optional mid mount brake in the rear frame that also uses transmission oil.

RayMO

Well thanks for all the input. I got the 666d delivered and was lied to about woods ready with working winch as no winch drive line. Finally found a drive line and after installing discovered no free spool. Will test pressure at end of free spool hose but believe it is quite low as with engine running it does not have enough pressure to spray fluid when cracking the fitting.
With my luck it will be the charge pump is weak. Just how hard is it to change the charge pump out ? Also how do I check/ clean pickup screen in bottom of transmission.

I have done a forum search and learned a lot so far on this machine. It is a work horse but I sure do need a working winch on most of my jobs.

Thanks in advance  and a special heart felt thanks to oldseabee the "Clark Master"
Father & Son Logging and sawing operation .

ehp

Man I feel real sorry for ya , I know who ever sells me a skidder and its not what its to be better hide fast .

oldseabee

winch uses transmission clutch pressure to operate the free spool, should be 240/280 PSI at idle with hot oil. Pressure is regulated by a regulator valve mounted on the convertor housing. If all the clutches are low could be a broken spring in the regulator valve or the valve has been replaced by one off a loader or Clark with a gearmatic winch, those pressures would read 180/220 PSI., not enough to overcome the springs in the fee spool clutch. Charge pump could be bad, but a gear pump that still can't make 240 PSI. is pretty rare, bad suction hose or low oil level more likely cause. The regulator valve for 240/280 PSI. has two springs 180/220 has one spring or one of the two is broken.

oldseabee

After checking all the above, could be bad seal in the free spool clutch, but that would the last resort. One last question, has the winch not been used for a long time the clutch plates could be seased up. with no cable on the winch is a little bit strange. If pressure is good try to get a couple of wraps with a choker on the drum and give it a couple of tugs in free spool, not hard just more then you can get by hand. If you already have a cable on the drum, give it a couple of tugs.

treeslayer2003

just to add, be sure to check trans fluid hot idling. i know it seems silly but i have seen more than a few do it cold shut off.

RayMO

Thanks for all the help gentlemen.  Will check pressure today. Has cable on spool and will drag a 1 ton pickup in free spool. Will update this evening.
Father & Son Logging and sawing operation .

RayMO

Tested free spool line and had about 50lbs at idle and maxed out at 140lbs at full throttle.
Father & Son Logging and sawing operation .

oldseabee

Did you check transmission clutch pressures? They are controlled by the same valve that the winch uses.

treeslayer2003

not enough pressure......but if it pulls well? seabee could it be in the control valve? i never had this happen.

RayMO

Will try and figure out how to test clutch pressure . Clark is all new to me with having run mostly old John Deere and TJ machines . Transmission works ok except it takes a few seconds to engage when cold or low idle. I noticed under an extra hard pull like a big tree with top hung up it will stall out before spinning tires but will spin them with blade against a hard push.
I notice when the transmission/torque  does lock up it is a sudden and hard/positive engagement .

all I know is I am stuck with a $20,000 skidder so will make the best of it.
Words of advise for the day, never ever buy from a broker without testing a machine first hand ....
Father & Son Logging and sawing operation .

David-L

Once it sorted out it will be real nice though. lots of help on here for sure. You will get it.
In two days from now, tomorrow will be yesterday.

RayMO

Yes the Clark and its big cab is growing on me and once I get it in shape I will love it .
Father & Son Logging and sawing operation .

David-L

Really have never bought a used machine that didn't need something, Just the nature of the beast I guess.
In two days from now, tomorrow will be yesterday.

danbuendgen

Quote from: David-L on September 28, 2016, 09:59:34 PM
Really have never bought a used machine that didn't need something, Just the nature of the beast I guess.

Every used logging equipment I have bought needed a few weeks to work the bugs out. Lets face it, someone probably sold it because it needed some work. Give it some time, and it's going to work out just fine. I like the 666 size too, not too big not too small.
Husqvarna ~ TimberJack ~ Dodge Cummins

ehp

Clark are a very good machine . I wish I could find a brandnew 66 or 666 with cummins in it

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