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researching a suitable tractor for logging...suggestions?

Started by dr gonzo, July 30, 2012, 02:45:28 PM

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repmma

Thanks but i'm kinda liking that JD above mine!  But a cab like that would have the same affect as a nice warm house in winter... i wouldnt want to get out of it!!
Thomas 8020, Timberjack 225C, Ford 5030 with Norse 450 winch, stihl saws and 142 acres to manage.

Ironwood

That Ford 5030 is EXACTLY what I am talking about. That is a Shaburu (sic) diesel, I looked at several of those vintage Fords in the 30/40 HP'ish range. NICE unit.

Ironwood
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

lumberjack48

I skidded with a Minneapolis Moline U when i was 16. This was back when we were strip cutting, i pulled a one cord dray with it. The one we had, had a 6 cylinder Hercules gas motor, loaded tires, she would pull. I took the seat off so i could stand up and drive, this made it easy to get off an on. Heres a picture of one close to what we had, this ones smaller.

http://www.tractorhouse.com/email.asp?emid=547215
Third generation logger, owner operator, 30 yrs felling experience with pole skidder. I got my neck broke back in 89, left me a quad. The wife kept the job going up to 96.

dr gonzo

i was up at the slash area i had mentioned...i'll have to post some pics of what i have to work with...will update tomorrow nite.
The one beer in the fridge is just that. One beer.

dr gonzo

i found a pretty decent ford 5030...i believe it was in ohio? if i pursue it,i'll have to deal with the import fees or whatever...plus shipping via truck.
The one beer in the fridge is just that. One beer.

Peter Drouin



Peter,that is one nice tractor. But the way I operate,I would have the glass all broke out of that.
[/quote]Good one :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

Mark K

I skidded with a Belarus 825 (around 85HP) with a Farmi JL601 winch before I bought my first skidder. It was a very crude built tractor but only thing I did to it in the six years I skidded with it was fix tires. It had a full cab which was very nice during the winter. I never knocked a window out luckily. It would always start during the winter with the fire plug.
Husky 372's-385's,576, 2100
Treefarmer C7D
Franklin 405
Belsaw m-14 sawmill

Kodiakmac

Neighbour of mine has a 3220 (maybe 3230?) Case IH 4WD he's rigged up for logging.  He's got a wallenstein winch and he's built his own canopy/cage. He's happy with it.  It's compact and tough and it has a small turning radius and fair clearance.  I think it's pretty well the same tractor as the older IH 484s.  Built in Doncaster England - good engines but a bugger to start in the cold.  You need an in-line heater.

Robin Hood had it just about right:  as long as a man has family, friends, deer and beer...he needs very little government!
Kioti rx7320, Wallenstein fx110 winch, Echo CS510, Stihl MS362cm, Stihl 051AV, Wallenstein wx980  Mark 8:36

dr gonzo

i was looking at case farmall 55a's...nice looking machine...anyone know of how they are to operate?
The one beer in the fridge is just that. One beer.

Kodiakmac

dr gonzo.  The 55As are made in India.  I can't speak for the CaseIH tractors, but I know that the JD tractors that are made in India and the far east are nowhere near as reliable as the North American and western European models.

My cousin, a JD mechanic has this standard answer if someone asks him if the Asian tractors are any good: "Hell yes, they should make twice as many of them...and ship them half as far!"
Robin Hood had it just about right:  as long as a man has family, friends, deer and beer...he needs very little government!
Kioti rx7320, Wallenstein fx110 winch, Echo CS510, Stihl MS362cm, Stihl 051AV, Wallenstein wx980  Mark 8:36

lumberjack48

I knew a guy about 30 yrs ago that had a Farmall half track with log forks on it. I couldn't believe the wood that he pulled with it. He was logging Norway pine logs when i seen it at work, logs were piled 6' high. I was always trying to buy stumpage from him, he told me he thought that a skidder would be to hard on the ground. Heres a pic of a Ford with a half track system on it.

http://www.tractorhouse.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=6180653&;
Third generation logger, owner operator, 30 yrs felling experience with pole skidder. I got my neck broke back in 89, left me a quad. The wife kept the job going up to 96.

Ironwood

Another very common track like that was called Arp's.

Ironwood
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

chevytaHOE5674

ARP half tracks are difficult/almost impossible to get parts for. Neighbor has a set on an 8n and has been having to fabricate new cleats and rubber pieces as they haven't been made in many years.

dr gonzo

The one beer in the fridge is just that. One beer.

davch00

 This is what I use.

 
It's been in the family since it was new. It may not be suitable for you but it works great for me. Those old IH's are some tough tractors.

lumberjack48

davch00 good set up, but very dangerous in the wrong hands.

Thats what i'd buy, except with a wide front end, and put a headache rack on it just in case it decided to go over backwards. I'd all so want a log fork with grapple on the front end to pile logs and move brush with. [ fluid and chains ]
[ FARMI Winch ] A person can buy a good tractor with front end loader for $2 to 4 K then set it up the way you want it. I personally would not buy one of these new little 4x4 tractors, [$30. K] to light, to much to break to easily, i like old iron so you can use it, not play with it, just me, old school logger.

The farmers around here skidded a lot of wood with a Ford N in the winter. The farmers in the 60's, 70's always logged a little in the winter, they sold a load or two a week to one of the local Timber Brokers. This was a pretty hot topic with the loggers, you didn't see use farming in the summer.

Third generation logger, owner operator, 30 yrs felling experience with pole skidder. I got my neck broke back in 89, left me a quad. The wife kept the job going up to 96.

davch00

Yes it can get dangerous it you don't watch it but I'm lucky that overpasses, levees, and ditch dumps are the only kind of hills we have around here. I can change the front to a wide front end but since this tractor has been in the family since new (my grandpa bought it brand new) I'm going to eventually do a full restoration. I've been waiting for the right deal to come along on a 706 or a 656 hydro. They are a little heavier, a little faster, and got more power but are not much bigger physically than the 560. 

drobertson

I have seen allot of different models, the fords are nice that they sit a bit lower than most and can be picked up cheaper than the green ones. front end loaders with fork attachments a plus, this means 4 X 4. Winches a plus too. Might think about a forester wagon. Use the loader and take out a bigger load. Good luck, Nice looking farm by the way, looks allot more flat than we have here.
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

davch00

It's very flat here. The only hills we have of any kind are man made. I have seen a few people that where amazed at how flat it actually is here.

Droberston What part of Missouri are you from?

Sorry I'm trying to hijack the thread.

lumberjack48

I know a guy that used a 1010 JD cat with a front end log loader with grapple. He pulled a dray with it, he sawed all the trees up in the woods. He'd unhook the dray and load it with the cat, when loaded hook up and take it to the landing. Then unhook and unload the dray, he had clean wood doing this way.
He had 3 to 4 guys cutting and piling pulpwood, he'd skid 15 to 20 cords a day doing it like this, with the 1010.
The local saw mill liked his clean saw bolts, they bought his wood when they didn't need wood, because of that.
Third generation logger, owner operator, 30 yrs felling experience with pole skidder. I got my neck broke back in 89, left me a quad. The wife kept the job going up to 96.

davch00

QuoteSorry I'm trying to hijack the thread.
That's suppose to say not trying. I guess my proofreading skills ain't to good.

Bogue Chitto

Quote from: davch00 on August 07, 2012, 02:43:08 AM
This is what I use.

 
Those old IH's are some tough tractors.
They are good tractors.  I have a 674 IH.  Had it since the 70s.

dr gonzo

The old man just scored a free tractor (!) ...She needs quite a bit of love,tho...might invest some time in to that puppy...i have no idea what machine it actually is offhand...Needs rubber, might be able to find a loader for it...good project to get my skills to work!
The one beer in the fridge is just that. One beer.

beenthere

Well we are waiting to hear more about it.  ;)

Free might be good....but then, might not   ;D

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

dr gonzo

if it's only a few bucks to get her up and running, so be it. if she can work the logs and such,i'm winning
not like cracked out chuck sheen winning,i must add
The one beer in the fridge is just that. One beer.

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