Forwarding trailer for cable skidder do they work good?

[logman81]

Think about building a forwarding trailer to tow behind my c5. Is it a good idea, does it work good? This would have a loader on it as well.

[2308500]

some operators tried it here in  southwest nova scotia
they used commercially available (nokka   patu and krono)  trailers
due to the greater pulling ability of the skidder, most of them tore the wheels right off or broke the frames on the trailer
in the end they went back to just skidding and piling with the blade (less equipment= less repair costs)

[logman81]

Wow sounds like they were bad operators. Not working within the design limits.

[thecfarm]

There is a member that is doing just that.

[logman81]

And who might that be?

[thecfarm]

logman,just came back in after supper. I have no idea now. But I do remember saying it looked like a good set up.

[thecfarm]

This is not the one that i was thinking of. He has a skidder.but using a tractor with a forwarder trailer.
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,64114.msg961940.html#msg961940

[logman81]

Thanks for the info. I would think it would work out well but not sure.

[David-L]

logman81, I have a skidder and a fwd trailer and have yet to set it up for my skidder as I have a 4wd tractor to pull it. These are handy for all kinds of applications. I can sort out timber and maximize what I can get for the product, also the truckers love coming to the job site and not have to ramble through the pile to load up. I have researched these trailers and have lots of info if you want to contact me by pm. I travel to Matunuck,RI occasionally and isn't Charlestown close by.

                                                       David-l



 

[logman81]

Thanks David-l sounds like you are the guy to talk to.

[saltydog]

Hello i had a jd 440b cable skidder with a barko loader attatched to the back of it.It was on a backhoe type mount two pins and kind of notched at the top. came off fairly easy.It pulled a wheel dray .It was ok at best on muddy ground or deep snow you could get stuck awful easy almost had to pre pack your trails in snow.I guess you just had to learn how to run it.

[logman81]

I'm going build a trailer and the loader and mount it on the trailer and run it off a power pack. This way it can be used with either tractor or skidder.

[logman81]

I do have a question though? How do transport such a trailer from job to job if they are not dot legal to tow over the road? I have a trailer that I haul my tractor with but can't figure out how to use that if their is no tractor on site to load or unload the log trailer. What do you do?

[bill m]

I move my tractor to the job site first then go back and get the trailer.

  

  
I have a 50 ft. remote for the winch so I can be at the rear to steer it onto the trailer. If the job has a slight downhill I can also use the winch to unload it.

[logman81]

That sound like the way to do it. I don't have a winch on my trailer but I could always put one on. How do steer it onto the trailer? By hand using that trailer dolly?

[bill m]

Yes, I steer by hand. Turns real easy. The trick is to have a long handle on the dolly for leverage.

[jd540b]

I used to tow mine right behind my 1-ton.  I cut off the draw bar hitch and turned it into a pintle hitch, made a light bar for it, safety chains, and registered it as "special equipment".  Was perfectly legal in the eyes of Maine DOT.  Power it with a self contained motor-that way you can operate it separately from the tractor or skidder.  Also, I made a bar and attached it to my log bumper on skidder-set it back farter so WHEN you jacknife it, it doesn't break.  Also, chains on back of skidder are a necessity or else it will spin you right around trying to go downhills in winter. These pics are from before I changed the hitch-this was the first "homemade attempt!)

  

    

[thecfarm]

Looks like a good set up jd540.

David L and jd540. Could you guys add your photos here.
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,13313.0.html
Would be a nice addition.

[logman81]

Wow thanks guys for the info! Bill m that is probably what I will do. Get a HF winch with the wireless remote and winch onto my trailer. I don't think I could tow FWD trailer on the road do to strict dot laws and with the low speed bearing that I will most likely use. I learning lots from you grate stuff. Now to figure out what types of material to use and what type of frame, mono beam or later type frame.

[logman81]

So I'm thinking I will build the trailer using the mono beam design for a couple of reasons. One being it should be more maneuverable and second cost a little less for the steel and be lighter. I will incorporate the walking beam suspension into it as well. Planning to use 14 ply implement tires. I'm going to use square tubing to construct the Maine frame, not sure on size or wall thickness yet, lots to figure out and try to plan ahead for.

[jd540b]

Logman, I used old wide steering tires from the dump/log trucks.  Ones that aren't street legal but perfect for woods and ........FREE.  Anyone would be more than happy to give them away to avoid disposal fees.  Worked great for me and held up really well.  Woods proved to be rough on the implement tires I had-kept ripping sidewalls.  Just my experience. 
Also, the hitch I had on the skidders cam on and off with 2 pins.  I found it the most productive by taking the trailer into the woods, unhooking it, skidding to it, loading it and once full-hook it back up and goto the yard.  As I said before too.  Build the hitch as a pintle ring-WAY stronger because you WILL jackknife it in the woods and get in bad spots.  The pintle ring has way more give.  Again, just my experience.

[bill m]

Logman81, I spent a couple of years looking at trailers before deciding what I wanted. I almost bought a mono beam trailer but settled on one with a full frame instead. I have been using it now for over 5 years and don't think I would ever buy a mono beam trailer. I don't think a mono beam would hold up to the size of wood I cut on a daily basis. As for maneuverability there is no difference with either frame design.

[logman81]

Jd540b I'm really thinking that the implement tires will work fine that is what all the manufacturers are using on there trailers. Yes I will have to make some type of pintle hitch to tow it with that can easily come off when not needed.

[MEloggah]

I cant see how it would be faster then cutting and yarding w/ just the skidder. an average hitch for me is 5-8 trees from 20-40" dia. tree length. there is no way you could get the same volume of wood on a trailer that you can have on the landing each hitch. the saw work will always take the same amount of time. the idea is to get the wood to the landing. it would take two trips to get it all out on a forwarder which means more fuel. I don't buy the cleaner piles deal either cuz it just aint so. if more guys piled their wood before bucking it their piles would be much neater then pushing up pre bucked misc. length logs/pulp. ide skip the trailer. my 2 cents

[Ed_K]

 Down here the forester's and landowner are pushing forwarder's.When I get bid prospects they often say forwarder skidding only.

[snowstorm]

I cant see how it would be faster then cutting and yarding w/ just the skidder. an average hitch for me is 5-8 trees from 20-40" dia. tree length. there is no way you could get the same volume of wood on a trailer that you can have on the landing each hitch. the saw work will always take the same amount of time. the idea is to get the wood to the landing. it would take two trips to get it all out on a forwarder which means more fuel. I don't buy the cleaner piles deal either cuz it just aint so. if more guys piled their wood before bucking it their piles would be much neater then pushing up pre bucked misc. length logs/pulp. ide skip the trailer. my 2 cents

big difference between a trailer and a fowarder. most 6wheel fowarders will be rated around 12 ton. so with 8' wood you can get over 4 cd on.bigger  machine larger load. i was talking to someone that ran a big machine. they cut there wood 20'. 2 loads would load a trailer. 7+cd per trip.

[David-L]

Hi Logman 81,
Away from the computer over the weekend. I will take some pics of the mono-beam which in my opinion is excellent.I will take some pic's and shoot them off today as I will be using the trailer. I can hold 1.75 cords of 12 foot wood on my trailer and that seems to be a good load for my tractor which with loaded tires in the rear weighs 11k. the mono beam allows me to move the bogie type axle back and forth to get the weight of the wood pretty much on the axle not the drawbar. some weight is needed there but not all of it. Thats why I went for the mono beam. It will hold 2cords if I add to the side stakes. I have farm plates here in mass and run mine over the road as a vehicle of husbandry when attached to my tractor or farm plate 1ton truck. I am cutting mostly cordwood and it is great at the landing to to sort with and has many other uses than forestry. I cut a 275 gal oil tank in half and place it in the trailer to pick up rocks ,dirt, debris from storm clean-up, etc. My trailer is rated at 20k, the grapple weighs2,500lbs, the trailer 2000lbs. heavy sidewall tires is where I would not cheap out, they see some abuse. You might consider some auxilary steering as mine has if I add a piston kit to the front draw beam as it is set up to articulate and steer even better tracking the same as the iplement pulling it.
                                                                          David l




 
                                      David l

[MEloggah]

I cant see how it would be faster then cutting and yarding w/ just the skidder. an average hitch for me is 5-8 trees from 20-40" dia. tree length. there is no way you could get the same volume of wood on a trailer that you can have on the landing each hitch. the saw work will always take the same amount of time. the idea is to get the wood to the landing. it would take two trips to get it all out on a forwarder which means more fuel. I don't buy the cleaner piles deal either cuz it just aint so. if more guys piled their wood before bucking it their piles would be much neater then pushing up pre bucked misc. length logs/pulp. ide skip the trailer. my 2 cents

big difference between a trailer and a fowarder. most 6wheel fowarders will be rated around 12 ton. so with 8' wood you can get over 4 cd on.bigger  machine larger load. i was talking to someone that ran a big machine. they cut there wood 20'. 2 loads would load a trailer. 7+cd per trip.

I agree! there is a huge diff between a forwarder and a trailer behind a skidder. I should have been more specific with which my opinion was aimed for.

[ahlkey]

No questions you can bring so much more wood out to the landing by skidding.  However, I also use the forwarding trailer just as much in tight locations and when ground conditions are soft or muddy. It has articulating wheels so it can snake along in the woods in narrow places and it works well with a tractor.   I also have a custom log trailer I use at the landing that I put together that serves well for deliveries as well at times.  It's primary use though is for use around my sawmill and for picking up selective sawlogs.   

  

 

[logman81]

All good points! I'm thinking about building the trailer for not so much as production but to be able to keep the wood cleaner and have neater sorted out piles. And to do nicer cleaner jobs and to have less ground disturbance on softer ground. I also have a lot of other uses for it besides log handling.

[jd540b]

Guess I'll chime in again, too.  I cut production logging with my skidder/forwarder set up for quite a few years.  Don't think for a seconds it is going to reduce ground disturbance on soft ground.  Wood comes out cleaner, yes-but dragging that trailer behind the skidder in soft ground does two things 1) skidder WILL spin and chew pulling that 5000+lbs of dead weight, and 2) those trailer tires WILL make ruts fast.  What skidding does in wet conditions is smoothe out the trail behind the twitch-you don't get that with a forwaring trailer-each pass goes deeper and deeper.  And it won't be like a cut to length set up where the forwarder spends most of it's time on slash from the processor.  If you spend alot of time on slash with the trailer you WILL take out hoses, etc...trust me!!  In the end, honestly, all I used mine for was a yard loader to sort and pile wood.  You can do great work in the woods with them, no question BUT unless you are being paid to do it-production suffers when you are stump cutting (picking up every tree where it falls).  Again, the only way to get good production I found was to skid to the trailer-either in the woods or on the landing.  All for now...

[logman81]

You are probably right, maybe it's not such a good idea after all. To build the forwarding trailer. Maybe I'll just build a loader instead and mount it on a road trailer to sort logs on the landing. Plus I could use it to pick up logs from tree jobs maybe that would be a better fit. I have wanting one for some time now.

[MEloggah]

JD540 hit the nail on the head. I saved a very exact response at th4e cost of sounding argumentative

[Stephen Alford]

    Generally speaking the trailer stops where the stumps start. Priced up a power pack about 2500 for new 13hp honda with an 8 gal/min pump.  I guess you will have to give consideration to the size of loader and decide about rear or front mount. For me at least , I like to be able to load a tractor trailer if the need arises and work off the back. Trailer works great in urban applications. It has its place for sure. As an example ,right now it gets the wood from the landing to the road. Every day have to make a new path in the receding snow so not to mess up the farmers field.


 

Were it really shines for me is when I can get to the landing with the truck and load as I haul out, makes for a neat landing only about 40' by 80'.


 

[logman81]

I already have a 13hp engine siting waiting to power something, I need to put it to use. I would prefer to have the loader mounted to the front of the trailer we don't have any log trailers in my area. I would like to have around a 17' reach and have a lift capacity around 1200 at full extension.

[logman81]

Ok quick question about pump size, would I be better to get a pump that is a little over what I actually need for gpm and run the engine at a lower rpm or do I get a pump that has the gmp required at full throttle of the engine? I personally think over size would be better it would most likely make the pump and engine last longer. Also I could always speed up the engine if I needed more speed or pressure.

[240b]

just find the running gear off an old forage box, the bigger ones have bogies in the rear. than you'll have everything, wheels, hubs, bogie already built. just build center bracket for beam to slide into. 

[logman81]

Where is the fun in building it then!

[Kodiakmac]

When I had my JD440 I mounted a removable pintle hitch right on to the apron so I could tow my friend's forwarding trailer.  It worked like a charm.  Like anything else, you just have to use your head.