Why so many 8 wheelers

Firewoodjoe · August 30, 2022, 08:33:01 PM

I see. How does it steer with a load like that? 5 cord? What age is it?

Skeans1 · August 30, 2022, 09:42:21 PM

Quote from: Firewoodjoe on August 30, 2022, 08:00:57 PM
Quote from: Skeans1 on August 30, 2022, 07:17:34 PM
@Firewoodjoe
What is this machine going to be used for mostly thinning or clear cutting?

What are the requirements for compaction or disturbance of the soils?
I want it able to do hardwood thinnings. With that being said the jobs I cut the mill has had everything on them. Small to big. We can work most thinnings except row pine. Which I don't really care about. The mill dont but much of that. And boring anyways. Rut restrictions yes but I've never had a problem even with 4 wheelers. Laying brush matt and moving around seems to keep most foresters happy. I want it under 10 foot. And close to 200hp and hold two bunks of tens. That's it. I feel like I want a 6 wheeler. Lots of guys swear by them here. (Deere's) and it's one less boggie in the future. Most jobs I can get away with just chains on the front. No tracks. Guys here do it. But not possible with an 8 wheeler. Tracks are a must. But as usual money and condition is the biggest problem. I want one with low hours but not new price and that's not looking good. So maybe one with some engine and bogie paper work🤷‍♂️ I have time. I'm not rushing it. I bought this valmet in some what of a rush and it's a good machine. But it's what I expected. I don't feel like I got the improvement I wanted going from a single bunk. It's is dont get me wrong but not enough.

We use to run a single set of chains on the front of the 1210's then two sets later before going to full tracks. As far as 6 vs 8 there's a lot of places a 6 won't come out here because of the single wheel up front, we have bogie lifts and use them a decent amount. As far as the lengths ours you couldn't do the dual 10's it's the old 16' bed unless you built an extension like I have. Tracks have some big advantages they're easier to take care of they're less likely to find a casing and they're quick on and off. As far as how big of a difference it is for a large vs medium vs small forwarder well if you don't have the bunks widened out you aren't really taking in a whole lot more wood vs a medium machine other then faster with the tire size making the difference. One thing I would worry about packing a lot of weight on the back is what kind of center bearing is being used as well how wear is on it from that.

barbender · August 30, 2022, 11:31:43 PM

It steers fine, yeah I'm guessing 4.5-5 cords. I'm not sure what year it is, around 08 or 09 I'd say?

The frame length on even a Buffalo is not conducive to what you are after (2 rows of 10's). The BuffaloKing I was in could haul 2 ranks of 10's, but honestly we don't move that much 10'. If you have the sliding rear bunk, you could stretch it out and adjust the other bunks for the 10' but it may not be very balanced. 10 footers are actually kind of a challenge🤷‍♂️

nativewolf · August 31, 2022, 12:29:34 AM

Our elephant does 2 10' but is more machine than you seem to want. Like @skeans1 I would be worried about causing damage to the center.

You have an 646? Did you look at the 846?

Firewoodjoe · August 31, 2022, 05:43:21 AM

Quote from: barbender on August 30, 2022, 11:31:43 PM
It steers fine, yeah I'm guessing 4.5-5 cords. I'm not sure what year it is, around 08 or 09 I'd say?

The frame length on even a Buffalo is not conducive to what you are after (2 rows of 10's). The BuffaloKing I was in could haul 2 ranks of 10's, but honestly we don't move that much 10'. If you have the sliding rear bunk, you could stretch it out and adjust the other bunks for the 10' but it may not be very balanced. 10 footers are actually kind of a challenge🤷‍♂️

Right. I knew the Buffalo it don't work well. They do have a sliding rear bunk but not really work well. Prolly like the wisent. Well it's a Deere then. They make three frame sizes. 1010 and bigger can all hold two 10s. Guys here put 6-7 cord on them. (Flat ground)

Firewoodjoe · August 31, 2022, 05:45:09 AM

Quote from: nativewolf on August 31, 2022, 12:29:34 AM
Our elephant does 2 10' but is more machine than you seem to want. Like @skeans1 I would be worried about causing damage to the center.

You have an 646? Did you look at the 846?

Never heard of a 846. I wouldn't mind an elephant but I do think it's to wide. Although. Guys run the king here. And I believe that what's that is. Buffalo front and elephant back.

Firewoodjoe · August 31, 2022, 06:52:48 AM

Quote from: Firewoodjoe on August 31, 2022, 05:43:21 AM
Quote from: barbender on August 30, 2022, 11:31:43 PM
It steers fine, yeah I'm guessing 4.5-5 cords. I'm not sure what year it is, around 08 or 09 I'd say?

The frame length on even a Buffalo is not conducive to what you are after (2 rows of 10's). The BuffaloKing I was in could haul 2 ranks of 10's, but honestly we don't move that much 10'. If you have the sliding rear bunk, you could stretch it out and adjust the other bunks for the 10' but it may not be very balanced. 10 footers are actually kind of a challenge🤷‍♂️
Right. I knew the Buffalo it don't work well. They do have a sliding rear bunk but not really work well. Prolly like the wisent. Well it's a Deere then. They make three frame sizes. 1010 and bigger can all hold two 10s. Guys here put 6-7 cord on them. (Flat ground)

E's and newer that is.

nativewolf · August 31, 2022, 09:44:22 AM

Nothing wrong with the JD forwarders. Cabs are a bit tighter, our elephant lets me carry 2 passengers in the cab which is nice if giving tours. Our valmet was a nice cab, basic but nice enough.

The elephant can carry the wood out but man...shipping it sucks. At least here in VA. Very wide and over height. The overheight and length and width makes it hard to get a lowboy as we don't have many with deep long wells here. It's why we road them if possible.

Firewoodjoe · August 31, 2022, 10:57:39 AM

I stopped at the dealer this morning. It would have to be an E. All the ones there I measured and they hold tens on front bunk. The D they had wouldn't. But a good shape E is a lot of money 😳

chevytaHOE5674 · August 31, 2022, 11:37:28 AM

Carrying a full double bunk of 10s in hardwood you are running on the edge of weight capacity of a Buffalo size machine really.

Packing every stick of wood on machine humanly possible sounds good but it does the center section no favors.

Firewoodjoe · August 31, 2022, 11:55:05 AM

I can only put on 2.5 cord of tens. 12 ton forwarder can haul 4-4.5 cord per manufacture spec. I wouldn't say two bunks of tens is over loading it. I guess if a guy put 6 foot tall stakes on one bunk you could reach that.

chevytaHOE5674 · August 31, 2022, 01:39:16 PM

We used to run full double bunk loads of 10s, 12s, 14s, and 16s spliced in there. Heap them up over top of the stakes and hold them down with the loader. My boss also tore the center section out of 2 Buffalos and they needed major weld surgery to keep them going.

Firewoodjoe · August 31, 2022, 01:53:58 PM

That sounds like more than 4-5 cord. And yeah. I'm not buying a Buffalo. There very popular but frames break on them to.

chevytaHOE5674 · August 31, 2022, 02:35:52 PM

Frames break on all of them with enough use and abuse. I've watched a JD 1210 break, and seen a broke Valmet, and a broke Rottne all around the center section. All guys cutting hardwood and routinely piling the lots of logs on the machine and running up and down hills and valleys where the machine sees the most stress.

We could get 6 cord on a heaped load. Filled many a michigan double with 3~3.5 forwarder loads....