So what's left

[thenorthman]

Skidders are made to pull wood on uneven ground, tractors are made to pull plows on flat ground.  Granted a tractor can be adapted but you will be better off and safer with a small old skidder then a new tractor.  Right tool for the job and all that.

[BargeMonkey]

 The occasional load of logs, firewood and cleaning the hedge row can be done with a tractor, but they just arent built for it. A good stick or rock, odd limb, lots of things to damage a tractor in a hurry.  We have about 3% flat land here, and I get good money to go roll over other guys equipment for them. You can buy a decent older jack for 10-25k, and its so much faster and safer than a farm tractor. I know of 4 killed skidding with a tractor around here.

[chester_tree _farmah]

Agree with all above and since you have two tractors already the skidder is the way to go. I started cutting with a tractor and the skidder is so much better and as said above safer. Not downing tractors but skidders are built for this. Nothing hanging out underneath like hoses or linkage to get snagged. You don't need to clear trails as u should for a tractor. etc etc.

As an added bonus u get another toy. Just tell the wife it's a safety issue.  :-)

[Reddog]

 :

[ehp]

I honestly in the beginning didnot like or want anything to do with the 230 TJ but at the time it was by far the best skidder I could find up here for the right price , I could not find a skidder that was not totally worn out and the 230 found me , its owner needed to sell it and I paid what he wanted as I felt the price was a good deal , Now I donot mind the 230 , it starts everyday no matter how cold it gets outside , breaks very little and if it does break the parts are pretty cheap compared to the other brands , I only have broken a couple U- joints at $30 a piece and a back rearend yoke , I replaced a couple hoses and I did the brakes in the transfer case as they were no good to start with but thats it , not bad considering I'm coming up on having the machine 2 years now

[redprospector]

I honestly in the beginning didnot like or want anything to do with the 230 TJ but at the time it was by far the best skidder I could find up here for the right price , I could not find a skidder that was not totally worn out and the 230 found me , its owner needed to sell it and I paid what he wanted as I felt the price was a good deal , Now I donot mind the 230 , it starts everyday no matter how cold it gets outside , breaks very little and if it does break the parts are pretty cheap compared to the other brands , I only have broken a couple U- joints at $30 a piece and a back rearend yoke , I replaced a couple hoses and I did the brakes in the transfer case as they were no good to start with but thats it , not bad considering I'm coming up on having the machine 2 years now

Ed,
It sounds like a pretty good skidder. Honestly, I'd just keep it. I'm kind of looking for a 230 with a grapple myself. I like my JD 440b, but a grapple and winch would be nice and JD parts are way high. I replaced a front U-joint in the 440 and it cost over $300.

[Bobus2003]

Check Black Hills Timber Equipment.  They have a Clark that looks good and a 380 TJ that looks exceptional.  I saw both machines in person.  Decent prices too.

SliverPicker, You from around the Hills?

[ehp]

Andy in my mind the 230 would be a step up from the 440B , the 230 will pull more trees that is forsure now I never drove a 230 with the 353 in it much but drove the 440B lots , At one time the old man had 7 - 440B skidders , I think my 230 pulls better than the 230 with 353 in it

[redprospector]

Yep, the 230 is a lot more skidder than the 440 for sure.
What I do like about the 440 is that it is the perfect size for the thinning that I do. I don't think the 230 would be enough bigger to effect me much as far a getting around. I do think that since I have the Hydro Ax that a grapple would be real nice, and I've only seen 1 440 with a grapple, and more power is never a bad thing.

[ehp]

my 230 is pretty wide with the 23.1 tires on it and its to have the heavier rearends in it but that could be BS as I donot know but that is what I was told , I never drove a 665 clark but to me that would be about the proper size for here as its real important to not touch any other the standing trees so width you have to watch .

[ehp]

So now we know that there is not going to be to many small skidders left or around to buy so does this mean the price of those small skidders is going to go up , I see a guy that has a 240 A for sale and it looks pretty good but not brandnew but he wants $45,000 for it , JD 440's around here are being big money to , alot more than what I would pay for one . I'm to the point of thinking that if a good used skidder came up for sale I would buy it and just sit it off to the side and use it when ever I had to