Skidder Tires

pigpen · August 29, 2012, 06:23:38 PM

Well, got to the sale yesterday am and seen one of the front tires on my C5 looked a little low! Pulled a couple skids and come to the realization that its not going to be long and I'm going to need tires... So, here is the question, do I seek out used ones if possible to get by for a while, or just get new ones? My answer to that is just bite the bullet... but then which brand do I get? The only ones I can find for 18.4-34 is the firestone forestry specials and they are $2000 each! That is for the heavier ply too. Any comments?

Autocar · August 29, 2012, 07:09:57 PM

Spend the money and get new ones every time your down your losing money, I believe your further ahead to buy new. I have alot of room giving you advice :D because I need new ones on the front but twenty five hundred a tire I guess Iam a tight wade.

bushmechanic · August 29, 2012, 08:24:40 PM

Get the new Firestone forestry specials and new tubes also and you won't be disappointed,as the old saying goes "you have to spend money to make money".

jd540b · August 29, 2012, 08:46:59 PM

Buy what you can afford without borrowing $$. There are usually some decent second hand tires around with lots of life left for far less $$. If you can swing new ones....more power to ya.....you must be in better wood than me!

PAFaller · August 29, 2012, 08:57:40 PM

Depending on what size machine you are running you probably dont need the 14 ply tires. Lot of guys here running 240 Timberjacks get by with 10 plys and they are cheaper. Primex also has tires in that size, but I have never run them. Others here may be able to shed some light on them. I would stay away from the real cheap brands though, they dont last nearly as long.

jd540b · August 29, 2012, 09:02:26 PM

I have Primex on my shear and they seem to hold up pretty well. They are a little cheaper than the Forestry Specials.

lumberjack48 · August 30, 2012, 05:08:43 PM

This hot weather and cool nights over time seam to cause tires to lose air. Put 30 lbs of air in them and start saving for new ones. If there not starting to tear or have broken belts, they'll run a long time yet.

I tried buying used ones, i ended up having more trouble with the used ones, then my old tires.

I used and ran C5D TF's over 30 yrs, i used 18:4 x 34's, 18:4 x 26's, 16:9 x 30's , in deep snow, mud and ect.
The C5D with 18:4 x 26's are twice as stable, skidder pulls better, climbs better, and rides smother, its a far more superior machine with them, just my experience.

When you do buy new tires buy the best, i'm sorry but to me a 10 ply is a tractor tire. If your going to be logging hard an steady you want 14 ply Forestry Specials with the heavy tubes.

The Primex tire might be a good tire for the money, i've never used them or seen them being used, usually you buy cheaper thats what you get.

jd540b · August 30, 2012, 08:28:44 PM

There is no arguing that new forestry specials are top notch, will last and give you years of service-but when you stop and consider spending over $10,000 for rubber on an old machine that nowadays may be worth $15,000-$20,000.......I'd sleep on that one. ??? I've been logging for over 20 yrs. now and the days that I've lost to flats/tire problems I could count on one hand and don't need all the fingers. And thats with lots of old worn out rubber!!! Just my experience and opinion......I may add that my ex-wife says birds fly around my head and go "cheap-cheap"...what does she know, anyway. :D

Autocar · August 30, 2012, 08:36:56 PM

Ya got to love that comment :D :D :D :D !

pigpen · August 30, 2012, 10:08:41 PM

Always a good time reading on this forum, especially when its a post of your own! lol Sounds like most of the replies are what I was telling myself... The tire I am suspecting to be losing air already has a boot in the sidewall and haven't aired it back up to make sure its leaking but rest assured I will, probably more than once, before I act! :D I think I'm going to stick with what is proven and go with forestry specials when the time comes. I had my Dad check it today and he told me it hasn't went down any more than when I left it. (as far as he can tell) ;D Well I better get back to reading other posts to see if I can help or comment on anything before I'm trying to do it through my eyelids!

John Woodworth · August 31, 2012, 12:43:32 PM

It's probly sitting on the calcium now you will know where the leak is when it gets parked in the right spot for the calcium to leak. if you buy new shift your best present tires to the rear on put new on the front, nothing wrong with good used cases, just make sure they have never been punchered and 50% or better.

lumberjack48 · August 31, 2012, 02:45:31 PM

I bought a couple nice used ones 50% tread, payed $300. apiece. I got-em from a skidder dealer up at Little Fork, MN. I thought i had got a heck of a deal, they were Forestry Specials to. I put-em on the skidder, logged the rest of the day, talking about the deal i made on tires.
The next morning we got out to the job they were both flat. I thought it had to be a joke, somebody let the air out. We aired-em up, stated pulling wood and you could see they were losing air. So we got the tools out pulled one off and broke it down an took it apart, aired the tube up, it was leaking air in many different places. I looked in side the tire you could see steel sticking out all over, they both must have been driven flat. I called the place where i'd bought the tires, i couldn't believe it they wouldn't do nothing for me, to bad so sad, the tires were junk.
So the moral of this story is if you buy used ones look-em over real good. You can buy good smooth tires, that could last yrs, the main thing is run 30 lbs of air in new or used.

stoneeaglefarm · September 01, 2012, 05:00:37 PM

I have just bought 4 new tires for my secound 440c, They are forestry specials, But 10 ply, I have on my other 440c 2 14 ply tires and 2 10 ply, They have been on there for 4 years, Both types are wearing about the same, Funny, Last winter i ran no chains on the 2 ten ply and they held fine, I am in a 100 acre [I have typed a profane word that is automatically changed by the forum censored words program I should know better] hole full of lots of rocks and ledge, The 10 ply seem fine, Have chains on them now, No chains at all on the 4 new 10 ply steel reinforeced firestone 10 ply, I got them thru pb&h equipment in Antrim N.H. They found them for me I believe in Michigan, I payed $950.00 a piece for them with rims. Also check on buying a tire made by general, I ran them from new to almost bald on one of my other machines, Be careful of a group out of N.C and another up Maine way, I would replace them with new if your going to stay in it. Good luck.

lumberjack48 · September 01, 2012, 06:56:05 PM

I just ran in to a really nice TJ 353, rebuilt winch, new forestry specials, 7 k, this is the way to buy tires, and have a extra skidder.

I had Gererals on a skidder, they were good tires.

stoneeaglefarm · September 01, 2012, 08:40:50 PM

Hey Lumberjack, Know you had a bad accident years ago and left you somewhat laid up, But, I find on these post that you are still dabbling in the buisness, Are you still able to get out or are you just into buying and selling or just, Its sounds like willing to help all those out there that need some good advice.

James Arsenault · September 01, 2012, 08:56:50 PM

Here's a quick skidder tire story. Back in the late 80's I was chopping for a guy who's JD 440 C he rented, had some real severe gashes between the treads of one tire. Firestone forestry kings. The tire started losing air, so we got the mobile tire truck to the job. When we got the tire apart, there was what looked like a solid jacketed .30 caliber spitzer sticking inside the tire through one of the gashes that had worn a hole through the tube.

When we worked the "bullet" out, it turned out to be the tip of a deer antler tine! Must have been a shed that the tire ran over somewhere just perfect, to catch the gash in the tire, but it sure was a head scratcher.

The gash didn't go all the way through the tire, the antler tip appeared to have worked through to the inside.

Rather off-topic, no tire advice, just thought it interesting to share.

lumberjack48 · September 01, 2012, 09:07:16 PM

I can't do any of it anymore, i can set in my wheelchair an type with one finger and darn happy i can do that. It will be 24 yrs this Feb, 8 that i've been in the chair.

I had a few flats from running over deer antlers.

pigpen · September 02, 2012, 01:59:26 PM

stoneeaglefarm, when did you buy the 4 new tires? I'm getting quotes of $2000 each with no rim or installation... would be REAL interested to talk with whoever you did, michigan isn't that far from me not to travel to save $2000! and get rims to boot...

barbender · September 02, 2012, 02:37:08 PM

LJ48 gives advice garnered from years of making a living in the woods, I know if I was trying to make a living with my skidder I'd have him on the phone about once a week ;)

lumberjack48 · September 02, 2012, 04:59:22 PM

Will thanks barbender, i far from no it all, i try to give good advice working with a pole skidder.

When i first started i did it the hard way many years. Rod Oja and me tried different methods of logging with a pole skidder on till we came up with one we couldn't beat, ;D this is back in 1970.

One man operation, two men, and with three men using one skidder. It all so all depends on what kind of wood your pulling, i tried to make fun out of it not a job.

stoneeaglefarm · September 02, 2012, 06:41:15 PM

Give the guys a call at PB&H equpiment In Antrim N.H. 1-603-588-3005, Ask for Brian, They are the guys who hooked me up with my skidder tires and rims, They were new 18-4-26 10 ply firestone tires, with steel applied, Back home here in N.H. 18-4- 26s or 18-4-34 do not go for any where $2000.00, Give them a call and see what they have to say, They are honest, Hard working and have contact all over the USA. Peter.

stoneeaglefarm · September 02, 2012, 06:42:54 PM

Sorry I did not say when I got tires, I got them 2 months ago. Peter.

stoneeaglefarm · September 02, 2012, 07:03:58 PM

So, I keep hearing about pole skidders, Is that what you all call cable skidders, Just curious, Been at this with a cable skidder for 27 plus years, Love the phrase pole skidder, They be the same. LbJ48, All the power to you for your time, advice and strength, Being 54 this year, Cut, runover by a skidder operator, plowed into the ground by several widow makers, broke, broken, patched, chewed up, Spit out, and slapped by a hundrend wippers, I am thankful to still go to work and love it, My admiration to you. Peter.

barbender · September 02, 2012, 10:00:32 PM

Yep, cable and pole skidder are the same thing. We call tree length "pole length" up here, some mills take wood that way, the trailers they haul it with are called "pole trailers". 60-70' long wood with the tops dragging an the highway, with an orange flag on the longest stick. It's a fast way to handle wood.

pigpen · September 03, 2012, 01:16:20 PM

Thanks much for the info stoneeaglefarm! I have stored the number in my phone and will call them tomorrow when everything is open for business again. lj48, I agree with stoneeaglefarm, your one strong, knowledgeable, and kind man! Thanks for all your time and devotion to this forum. We all need it at one time or another.