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Anybody run a Valmet 911.1?

Started by chevytaHOE5674, January 14, 2015, 09:10:56 PM

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chevytaHOE5674

My boss is looking at adding a second processor to the operation and found a Valmet 911.1 with a 965 head on it to look at. What can you guys tell me about it? Good? Bad?

Also anybody have a run down of the controls of the head? I can run the machine and boom no problem but getting the head to operate as I wanted just wasn't happening for me.

1270d

Those heads are supposed to be easy to find for parts, if that's any indicator.  Does it have the wood handle joystick controls?   If so those are actually pretty nice to use.

Gary_C

I did run a 546H with a 960 head which is a very similar but earlier version of the 965 head. I think the controls are the same and I could probably figure them out again but I have switched over to the Ponsse machines now.

I cut a lot of red oak, maple and aspen with my 546H but my machine was the predecessor to the 911 and had less power. The head takes a bit of maintenance to keep it running with the most problems being hoses and sensors, especially sensor wires. It has more tilt and clamp power than my Ponsse head but that is also hard on tilt and clamp cylinder seals and cylinder rods. I liked the tilt/clamp power of the 960/965 heads over the Ponsse heads but far preferred the Ponsse head (H73E) for less maintenance. The rubber rolls with chains on the feed rolls were a pain but most have been replaced with steel feed rolls.

The 965 head will cut as good as the best heads but keep some spare hoses handy, especially feed roll hoses. And don't even think of using anything less than 4 wire hoses on the feed roll motors. That quick reversing puts a big shock pressure in those hoses. And keep the bolts on the feed roll motors tight.

Operators manuals are a must have for setting and running that machine.
Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.

snowstorm

i looked at a 911c a few yrs back. it had 36000hrs on it. you wouldnt know it by looking at it. it was in very good shape except for the head. that was pretty well used up. there must have been 50 lbs of welding rod in it. it had the tele crane at full boom it would not lift the head with out a tree in it

Gary_C

Quote from: snowstorm on January 15, 2015, 08:24:41 AM
it had the tele crane at full boom it would not lift the head with out a tree in it

The relief valves on the boom lift circuit were always set that way so it would be difficult to tip the machine over if you extended the boom all the way out to the side of the machine. Just about the time you reach full extension of the boom, the relief valve will open and the head will drop. So if you wanted to grab a tree at full extension of the boom, you had to start with the head higher and grab quick plus once the head is on the ground, you had to pull it back to lift.
Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.

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