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Anderson Log Loader

Started by ahlkey, March 23, 2009, 11:13:10 AM

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ahlkey

Has anyone any experience with the Anderson Log Loader that attaches to the tractors hydraulic system. They are made in Canada. I am looking at the M-140 which runs off the tractors hydraulics. It has a 1,300 lbs lifting capacity at maximun 14ft length and the trailer can take a load capacity of 20,000. It weighs 2,735 lbs with no load and would be pulled by my 45 HP Same 4 wheel drive tractor. Appreciate any thoughts?

beenthere

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south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

ahlkey

Thanks for the comment as I did not notice them as a sponsor.  I did call them this afternoon and for the low end model that mounts to the truck or a trailer it runs $19K?  Plus you have to supply the trailer and power unit.  It would be nice to be able to hook up to the hydraulics of the tractor.  I am considering a used model locally for much less that also comes with a 20K trailer which appears solid.   It seems to be similar to the Farmi Knucklebooms and Hudson log loaders but remain curious if anyone has used the Anderson Log Loaders successfully. 

Appreciate any thoughts. 

Ed_K

 I have a JMS from Bailey's that runs off of the hydrolic's on my 5860 Landini. The pump is rated for 14.6 gpm. most of the time it runs at idle till i need a little extra umph.
I like using the tractor hydro,but with such a small loader i have rebuilt a few weak spots  :o .
Ed K

Stephen Alford

Hey Ahlkey most loaders when you run em give up their secrets. The loader I use is not an anderson. There is one thing with the smaller used loader ,  look where the hoses go in the shaft between the boom and the grapple. If there is oil leaking out you can try tightening but if it still leaks take the hose off and have a good look. If the hole has an oval shape as opposed to round the shaft has been bent elongating the hole. It is expensive to repair the rotar.  Generally this damage comes from trying to tap wood.  This is not to say don't buy used  but rather if that shaft is bent the price should reflect repairs that have to be done. :)

logon

Brad_S.

I had the model M140 mounted on the R-flex 512 trailer with an on-board hydraulic pack back when they were known as Majaco. I believe the trailer mount version is the same as the tractor mount. It is a very good unit for the money but it certainly has it's limitations as far as what it will pick up. That 1300 lbs. @ 14' is a stretch. I ended up selling it to another FF member because it didn't have quite the picking power I needed and I also needed a road legal trailer which the Majaco/Anderson is not. All in all, I think it is a good loader for the price but you will get what you pay for, don't expect it to lift large logs with a straight pick. With a little finesse, you can load larger logs, like these poplars. The trailer, on the other hand, was not so good. Mine broke in half at the articulation point. I ended up doing away with it and using a solid, straight spine.


"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." J. Lennon

spencerhenry

i've got a jms 170 loader mounted on a 14' dump bed. like the previous post, the little loaders are just that, little. you can get a lot of work done, but sometimes its slow. mine has a 13 horse honda powering it, but it needs more. 

ahlkey

  What I am looking at is a 3 year old model that appears in good condition overall.  I will carefully check the hoses for leaks and other problems with the frame.  Possibly it could be reinforced somewhat? It is the M140 mounted on the 512 trailer with the hydraulic pack similar to what Brad-S showed in his picture.  New they run over 20K or so.  I would alternatively add a large motor that I would run from my log truck as well.  I want to use it primarily for Aspen pulp for roughly 60 acres that needs to be clear cut this year and for hardwoods where selective cuts would be done on 300 acres over the next a 2-5 years.  With the hardwoods I am worried that with many of the logs I will be cutting (over 22") this is not going to get the job done but I should be able to pick everything up trailside.  The problem right now of course is what I can afford and of course getting something that is good quality that will not breakdown right away.  I can pick this unit up for roughly 10K so I think I would get value from it if the quality is good as I can use it around my portable sawmill down the road, but it is not an easy call for me....

Brad_S.

I used mine to pick up freebies from tree service jobs and get half a dozen logs from a local logger when I didn't need a tri-axle load. On the few occasions I brought logs out of my woods, I loaded the trailer with the Bobcat as it was hugely faster than using the M140. The only use I found for it around the mill was as a slabwood hauler. As compared to a "real" loader, it is very slow and the yaw (rotation) was weak, often times I could grab a log but couldn't swing it around to get it on the bed. It's a good part timer, low volume machine but, IMO, if you are going to use it in any sort of production environment, you may be dissapointed. It's great for dealing with loaded tractor tires though!
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." J. Lennon

ahlkey

Not sure I understand what you mean "it is great when dealing with loaded tractor tires"?   My tires are weighted but not sure how that would help the Anderson loader perfom better?  It does sound like I may be dissappointed even if the price is within my range.  I guess it will be hard to find something used under 10K that has a solid grapple, good lifting capacity, and a solid trailer as well.  At three years iold it looks nearly new but as you said high production it is not.

beenthere

I took it that he was picking up loaded tires, like he picks up a log.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Brad_S.

 :D
exactly, Beenthere. Lift it off the studs, load it on the truck, reverse the process to put it back on.
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." J. Lennon

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