Clark Cable Log Skidder

[Big Stan]

Gooday.
I am looking at buying a skidder, have been offered a 1981 clark 664.
Australian $17,500.00  ?, maybe negoitable.
It has a 3 cyl GM with only 50 hours since engine re build.
I am not familiar with these machines..
It is 2 ,500 kilometres away.
Before I go I want as much info as possible...
Can any body help me with any info on these machines ?

[Coon]

Those Clarks are good machines.  I have never ran one but I know a guy that has one and he has had very little to no trouble with it at all.  He has skidded out some 60 or so cords of firewood this winter alone in just a few odd days that he had off from his regular job.  Sounds like a fair price for the machine because of the rebuilt engine. Go look at the machine if at all possible and decide from there.  There are always a few little things that you otherwise wouldn't see that could cost you some major money in the end.  Get a heads up.........

[Stephen Alford]

Hey Stan did you get a chance to check out that 666 you were looking at a couple of weeks ago. Just curious ? If your still panning on hauling 6 ton logs ?  Those machines are good  but to me the question is more to do with what you hope to accomplish with the machine. How much do you have to cut and on what type of terrain?

[Big Stan]

We had the money , told the fella when he got back from a wood chopping weekend, ring me 'an we'll come over & do the deal,he rang 3 days after he promised & said he sold it to someone else!
[I have typed a profane word that is automatically changed by the forum censored words program I should know better] happens!
The  666 at 10 ton  seemed a little over the top anyway.

We harvest "Camphor Laurel", a VERY Beautiful asian hardwood, that has found it likes it here where we live on the far north coast of NSW.
Due to some fella's cutting & selling the logs to asia for past 30 or so years,  the older trees now  seem to be found in hilly terrain, over banks & in the hardest to get places.
Some of the trees I'm hunting might have about 20 < 30 ton's of very colourful wood in 'em.
At prestent we use a 1942 "Canadian" Ford ex army blitz  with a "York" winch & powered by a Red International ..292 cubic inch..
It'll winch about 20 tons....BUT it dosn't have brakes, lost em 15 years ago & never found them,there's no blade at the front...so the crown of the tree is strewn for about an acre..The turning circle is 2 acres...
It has had it's day...(sort of)..we won't sell it , it's handy to have.
If you look at our web site you will get an idea of what we do.
With the cost of fuel today,enviromental factors,MONEY...a smaller machine to me seems smarter...around 6 < 7 tons..
We can then also carry it on our Isuzu FTR 800 crane truck.
Were gunna be able to do some real serious work with one of these !!!!!!
our web adress is.....

www.mullumbimbywoodworks.com.au

I gotta go, were finishing off a thin kerf bandsaw mill..mobile one that we been building on & off for 3 years now...all we gotta do is paint a few things & it's finished!
We tried it out the other day, cut a slab 2 mtrs long, 500 mm wide and 2 mm thick..100% accurate in about 15 seconds.
see ya

[Stephen Alford]

Hey Stan thats pretty impressive to have had a responce this quick. man this internet still blows me away. Iguess your an islander as well The clarks have a goorep but in this area not many dealers but afew of them have showed up now and the. As criag said when talking about check the center pins. If you can get someone to start it and drop the blade quick and stp it quick watch the center and you can see the movement.  Most of the stuff can be fixed but you should take a scraper and flashlightand crawl under. check the frame for cracks espesially just back of the motor.  the planeterys all have magnetic plugs  so tke the plug out Plug hole with rag an check the plugs. If there is shapnal on the plugs that tells a story . the amount of speckles in the oil will indicate ware. The winch has to be tried It should free spool easy an not slack off when you hook her to something  solid. Ask for the operators name might provide some history. Should talk to the guy who did the motor job see how complete the surgery was or if they closed early. The oilpressure guage should jump to 40 or so and hold when you first fire her up. It would be great if you could rent her for a day and try it thtas really one of the best ways to get to know her. Ask about her chains sometimes the chains are just in the shed and need to be asked for . Here ice work better than clet. Should also check the secondary kill swithch on the air intake side . Brakes sound like they might be handy on your hills. have seen vertical teeth added to the blade as backup for brakes. 353good motor easy on fuel. Great website you have this is a  big topic for one responce hope this helps a bit. later.....

[230c]

Howdy Stan, shame about the Skidder seemed like a fair deal. You said in your initial post that it had to be floated 2,500 kms, where was it Perth or Tassie ? The other week I received a phone call from a friend of the bloke I purchased my 230c Timberjack from down in Gippsland, offering me a 240A Timberjack for a very fair price. She has a 454 screamer in her, 2 new forestry tyres & a fair few new things that have been fitted, would be rated @ around 130 HP & with water in the tyres would weigh in at about 12-13 tons so you would require a tandem tilt tray to cart her. I couldn't justify the purchase due to aquiring a Cat. 528 Duel Arch Grapple, one serious mother & a third skidder would get me a divorce I reckon ! In my opinion the early Jacks are the best option around, due to being generic components. T/J looked around & made their machines up out of the best available components where as for my Cat; I've goto get Cat. This poor bugger's marriage has ended & his ex is getting into him, so wants a quick sale for about $11,000 which is a good buy. My mate who I bought my Jack from used it the other month & gave it a nod of approval. Let me know if you are interested & I will make a phone call to see if it is still for sale.

[Big Stan]

Gooday Member 230c.
The machine is in Tassie.
I'm very interested in your contact's ..Timberjack 240A.
We are ready to purchase a machine at any moment...just want a good'n.

Thanks for the help.
Stan