John Deere 490 Fabtek 4 Roller Head Operation/Maintenance

[c greenham]

Good Day fellow loggers,

I recently purchased a John Deere 490 4 roller Fabtek head.  I have never operated a harvester before.  Any advice/help greatly appreciated.

I will post pics when the snow stops .

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[c greenham]

Day one Jan 5, 2022. 

Bought machine it was roughly 5 degrees put the unit on the float trucked her 650 km.  The temp dropped to -12.  Everything was froze batteries were very low.  Got her to start, barely, but broke throttle cable managed to idle her of the float. 

The cable broke at the handle in the cab if any one got a quick fix for this it would be appreciated.  New cable is six weeks out. 

[c greenham]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Firewoodjoe]

As far as the cable goes I'd think that you could do a lot of different things for that until the new one shows. Even if you have to get out set your rpm and get back in. They run one rpm all day. On operating it, it's pretty self explanatory if you've ran equipment enough. No real learning curve I found. Except cutting trees off the stump. Put lift pressure on it. Either with main boom or feed wheels and I've found when the tree is cut off and it's to big to just lift it then slid/swing to the left. Keeps the bar safer and will retract before it hits the ground then you can dump the tree. If you dump a tree with these heads with the bar out you will bend one. Big trees like 24" plus I cut the back side first. Then when the tree gets cut off your bar is only 1/2-3/4 through the tree. It won't get bent then. You will bust stuff if you try holding bigger trees but if the tree is growing pretty straight there's not alot of lean force for a second or two until it's starts to fall by then your bar should be retracted. I have a larger carrier than you have so I don't worry about the machine boom. I only worry about the head cracking. 

[mike_belben]

A piece of high tensile electric fence wire [or corner brace wire if you cant find a high tensile scrap] inside a larger diameter of brakeline or soft copper tubing with throttle lever loop or dogleg on one end and a tee handle on the other will make you an expedient throttle.  Zip tie in place.

If there is any chance of moisture getting in cut some fishgill drains with a hacksaw at any low points.  Id also hose it in spray lube from each end.  Extra clearance space inside the tube is nice as long as wire is stiff enough. Put a string or bungee in the cab if required to overcome a return spring to keep set rpm.

[Southside]

My go to for cables is Bunker Hill Engine and Cables in Millerburg, OH.  I have purchased replacement cables for my JD ag tractors and Lull telehandlers from them.  Perfect fit, price is awesome, and fast shipping.  No need to wait 6 weeks for JD to get you an overpriced cable.  

[Gary_C]

As soon as you can, change the filters, especially the fuel filters.

Keep the engine and hydraulic compartments plus the hydraulic coolers super clean. Many of those JD 490's burned up because of poor hydraulic cooling.

[chevytaHOE5674]

Like Gary alluded to the cooling system is barely adequate when in perfect condition on those machines, 30 years later they haven't got any better. Watch things like a hawk and clean multiple times a day if needed.

[c greenham]

The delimb knife is very slow 
, any ideas on how to speed it up 

[Southside]

Have you checked hydraulic pressure on that circuit? Could be the valve isn't opening all the way or the relief is dumping back to the tank. 

[c greenham]

Hi All,

Any advice on operation of this unit, having trouble getting the tree of the stump.  It seems as if the saw is binding in the tree.  Once I have a tree cut no issue with delimbing or cutting to length.

Is there a secret?

Any help greatly appreciated.

[Firewoodjoe]

If it's cutting it clean off and then binding then you need to lift more on the tree. Your machine may not be tough enough to lift the tree, I don't know. So you will have to take a chance at either splitting the tree some or pinching/bending your bar. If it's not cutting all the way through then either the chain is not sharpened right(of which sounds like it's fine after tree is on ground) or mine will hit the but flare of the tree on the saw bar mount bracket so I need to hold the bottom of the head out a bit or cut it from a different side if it has a flat or not. 

[leeroyjd]

It's been 8 years since I sold my Fabtek, but pretty sure I'd give a slight tilt and a slight lift, then cut. As Joe said depends on tree size and hydraulics being on par.

[c greenham]

Another question what engine speed do you need to run these units. Wide open or is half throttle sufficient?