518 Cable

[Bobus2003]

Lookin at buyin a '82 518 Cable skidder, Chains on all 4 and has a spare tire.. Needs Some E-Brake work and possibly a fuel pump (Starts to lope at idle when parked on a hill) Guys askin $10K.. Good deal?

[loggah]

You want a chance to run it and check out the convertor!!! run it enough to get it hot. If it needs convertor and tranny work it could cost up to $20,000. The old 518's are tough but like all they wear out ! Don

[ClarkF66]

I agree with loggah, run it up to working temperature. They can get heat issues with the engine, and the transmission should feel firm. I would also check the big bearing in the middle that the front and rear halves turn around (oscillation). It is a bit of work to change.
They are great skidders. Easy to operate, good pullers and very reliable. I had a Cat 518 and a 528 for years.

1980 Cat 518


      

[CTL logger]

Wow clarkF66 that's the nicest looking 518 I've ever seen I've never seen one with a cab is that factory installed?

[ClarkF66]

I believe it was dealer installed when it was new, but I might be wrong. It was bought new by an Electric power/Utility company and it had a huge drum for power lines in the back. It also had a rear blade. Had a total of 500 hrs on it when I bought it in 2000. We mounted the winch and arch, new wheels/tires, brakes and paint and ran it about 5000 hrs before I sold it.


   

[loggah]

It is nice for sure, never saw the woods before you got it !!!

[coxy]

am i seeing things or does that have 2 winch rollers on back ? i wish mine was that clean but the price was right

[Bobus2003]

Went and Ran it today.. Needed Batteries, Needed to be primed of fuel, Otherwise it fired up great for sitting for 2 years  :D.  Found the supply and Return Fuel lines leak, and needs bushing in the rear turn cylinder pins. It was solid in the center and blade.. More power than anyother 518 i've ever delt with, and the Gearmatic Winch worked great.. Gonna buy it..



ClarkF66, That what this skidder is gonna be used for.. Powerline Installation, will join a Fleet of 3-JD 648's, JD 640D, FMC 210..

[ClarkF66]

That sounds good Bobus2003, I'm sure that is a great buy. From the picture it seems to have been well cared for.
I talked to a retired logging contractor a few years back who used to run John Deere skidders. He had a 1973 Cat 518 i addition to the newer John Deeres and said he put new operators on the Cat to get them 'housetrained'. His 518 was one of the earlier ones which had the weak planetaries. When the stronger planetaries came out around 1976 he got a call from Caterpillar that they had a skidder technician from USA stopping in Oslo for a couple of days on his way to hold some training courses in Russia, and if he wanted this guy would upgrade his planetaries while he was there! He sure did.

coxy, it has a dual drum Igland winch. It is a norwegian brand of winches that you would see on farm tractors in the US and Canada. They also make whinches for smaller skidders. My 518 was almost to large for the winch.

Igland 9000 dual drum winch


    
   

[coxy]

cool thought i was looseing it lol

[thecfarm]

Igland 3pt winches,I have one of them on the back of my tractor.

[Bobus2003]

So all works well with the machine when we gt it and too my surprise the Gearmatic winch worked flawlessly..for the first few times, now if the free spool position its winching in.. What do i need to do to fix this??

[PAFaller]

Theres not much too gearmatics, you have a set of clutch bands that wind in and a set of brake bands. My guess is that you may have rust of something thats causing the clutches to catch. The parts to rebuild one arent exactly cheap, but for 1000 bucks or so you could put all new clutch and brake bands in that thing and have a perfect winch thats super reliable. I redid mine last summer and its awesome, winch pulls and holds more than my 240 will skid.

[Mark K]

Same thing happened on my TF. Had to pull the side cover off, be careful not to break the swivel, reverse thread. Inside there my cam arm was gummed up. Took some penetrating oil, and worked it off the shaft. Cleaned the shaft and neversiezed it. Had to pull the bands out and clean everything up. Check the halfmoons that set the bands for flat spots and burrs.