Pettibone Master 12D Skidder

[VTPettibone]

Hello All

I have owned my Pettibone Master 12D skidder for 3 years now and have been unable to find much information about it. Actually I have not even found a person that has seen one. I can only find info on the master 12C, Mine id a 12D. It is a straight frame skidder with a steering axle in the front rather than articulation. It has a 453 Detroit and a Carco winch. I am estimation it is probably from the early 60's. Any information or where I could get a parts manual would be of great help.

[logman81]

Give Tiffinparts a call that's where I got my manual for the my pettibone that I had.

[thecfarm]

VTPettibone,welcome to the forum. You use that just on your own land? How about a few more bigger pictures. This thread and the thread below would be a great place to add them too.

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,13313.0.html

[treechopper40]

that's a cool old skidder reminds me of the blue ox my uncle had I had a c5 tree farmer that had a carco winch on it looked like a big egg it worked good

[VTPettibone]

 

  

  

  

  

 

[VTPettibone]

These pictures are from when I first got it. I have refurbished the blade, rewired the entire electrical, redone the fuel system and tank and added a new seat. I have around 400 acres of sugar woods that I bought the machine for. It took some getting used to and it can be a little cumbersome but it is a beast and does everything I ask of it. Plus the price was right. I am mainly looking to see if anyone knows anything about this machine, It seems to be mystery to everyone I have talked to so far.

[thecfarm]

A mystery to me too. Does the front axle move,like a tractor? Does it have individual brakes? Looks like a silo there,you farm too?

[VTPettibone]

The front axle moves to give you articulation on uneven terrain. the steering is also done on the front axle just like a tractor. No individual brakes just one disk mounted on the main drive next to the transfer case. There is also what I am assuming is a parking brake drum on the other side of the transfer case. I am still investigating all that as I go. Yes I am a dairy farmer as well as grass fed beef, pumpkins, sweet corn, maple syrup, and custom sawing and lumber.

[mad murdock]

Welcome to the forestry forum VTpettibone! That is a unique skidder among skidders, IMO.  Looks about the size of a Garrett model 10.

[David-L]

Welcome, 12 bolt rims and good size planetaries. Looks very nice. Love the older skidders. Back when men were men and sheep put there backs to the water. If you had a close up of the planetaries that be great.

                                                          David l

[coxy]

ha my dad had one and his friend still has one its got the dodge 6cyl gas in it they where a beast they would pull a lot of wood    ill try to find some pic of it   on your axles there  is no brakes his had them but did not work    the rims will not fit any thing but a bone the lug pattern is just a little off  tried to put one on a tj ill ask my dad if he still has a book on it      and good luck with it  like to see the old iron of the past still going long past some of the new  :D :D :D :D :D

[coxy]

ok  the c stands for( continatinal  ???)gas motor   d is diesel motor

[barbender]

That is a unique machine, I've never seen one like it (which doesn't help you at all, VTPettibone). You can order parts and service manuals from Tiffin parts (a division of Pettibone). Are you sure your engine is a 453 and not a 353? Not that it matters much (same noise :D) I'm just curious, usually the 453 was put in a little larger machine. I am a proud Pettibone owner myself ('79 501) they are well built machines, there seems to be a few more of them back east than around my area.

[celliott]

I think I might have seen one of those before! But, pretty sure it was yours  :D
Think I saw it next to the road driving through the Cambridge area...

[coxy]

That is a unique machine, I've never seen one like it (which doesn't help you at all, VTPettibone). You can order parts and service manuals from Tiffin parts (a division of Pettibone). Are you sure your engine is a 453 and not a 353? Not that it matters much (same noise :D) I'm just curious, usually the 453 was put in a little larger machine. I am a proud Pettibone owner myself ('79 501) they are well built machines, there seems to be a few more of them back east than around my area.

want another 501 I have 2 they are well built but its like pulling your teeth to get parts for them cant find anything on the trancfercase  of who makes it so there for cant find parts and tiffin told me they cant get them  :(

[treechopper40]

thers an old retired logger here that has the same skidder in his junk yard its pretty stripped but ive checked it out before he said it was his first skidder I think he said it was a 1958 or 59 and said it came with a 471 Detroit not a 453 if its something your interested in I can get you his number thers still some parts left on it he said it was wicked hard to get parts for in the 70s I cant imagine trying to get parts now

[barbender]

I'm not saying you can actually get the parts, I just know that Tiffin has parts and service manuals. That way you will know which part they don't have :. I have heard plenty that parts for Pettibones are at best very expensive and at worst impossible to get. I haven't run mine enough to break anything yet thankfully.

[VTPettibone]

treechopper I may be interested in any parts that i can get. I had no idea that it was potentially that old, I figured somewhere around 65.

coxy I was wondering if that is what the C and D stood for. Still can't find much info on ether

I am hoping to contact Tiffin this week and see if anything is available. It is most definitely a 453 I have run the numbers on it.

[coxy]

there is a guy here that wants to sell his pretty cheap it needs a motor  let me know ill give you his #