Afternoon everyone! had a couple questions on some modifications I've seen on some skidders. I have seen them quite a bit and had my own ideas on what they were used for but was never 100%. Maybe some of you guys have your own interpretation of what the best use of them is. The first one that i was curious about is the chain hung between the top of the cab and the top of the arch. I was thinking maybe to protect the winch from a tree falling or something like that? Second modification I was wondering about is a piece of plate steel with some teeth cut in it and mounted pointing out on top of the arch. Have heard this called a "tree pusher" is it really that simple? :D how do you guys that have one exactly use it? hope you guys can help a newbie learn a thing or two or ten ;D :D
I have also seen a small box welded to the backside of the blade for bar and chain oil and a can of gas too.
I'm too old for a skidder but was curious about the chain as well.
Have never seen the rear cable from cab to arch but would guess that it serves the same purpose as the cable/chains from blade to top of front radiator guard, to deflect trees that can get caught between cab and arch. the two that I have has neither but have had to use a saw to cut logs that came over the blade.
Yes, the chain from the canopy to the arch is to keep trees and limbs from falling on the winch and any control cables, hydraulic lines or brake lines going to the winch.
The tree pusher is pretty much like it sounds. You back into a back leaner, make your cuts, hook your choker and get on the skidder and push it over. It should be wide enough to work on rough ground and long enough to give you room to work between the tree and the skidder.
Hope that helps.
With a pusher on there I suspect a tree snapped off a time or two and crashed down between the arch and the cab - thus the chain - which was a cheaper option than replacing hoses and such each time.
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my saws go behind the winch and the chain can save you from something smaller. Ive been sizing up both my grapples for blade boxes, keep the stuff out of the cab. Yrs ago when i was in the shipyard I paid a guy to cut me out a bunch of those chain holder plates, worth doing.
The wealth of information on this forum never ceases to impress me :o Thank you all for the great answers and even new ideas! ;D
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chains between blade and chassis to pop out a tree that goes over back of blade
I have heard horror stories of guys pinched between the skidder and the tree when using a pusher.
I park nearby with the skidder pointed the way i need it. Maybe 15-20ft away from the tree. After i make my notch I will either use wedges or a mismatched cut to keep the tree in place while i get the machine to back into the tree.
Maine372, good to hear from ya!!!
A small pusher maybe, I've seen some that are 3-5' above or behind the arch, seen some bent twisted arches on FB. My deere arch isn't bad factory but I don't make a habit out of it. I backed a LARGE hemlock over with that 405 I had, up hill, tree slid down and then made a lever on the stump and under the skidder 3-4', that's a special ride.
Had a 20" s/maple do that to me, we all slid down the hill 30' while the tree tried to tip me over. I installed a seat belt in the Taylor next day ;D :o.
No foto Eric? that had to be quite the scene to witness
My son purchased an older JD 640D that had a raised pusher on the arch. He used it some with good success pushing over trees. We did find evidence on the machine that it must have been used pretty harshly by previous owners as the frame of the machine had several crack repairs over the rear axle that had been bubble gum repaired. It also sped up the wear damage to the lower center pivot pin. During service to the rear axle, and repair to a leaking fuel tank (both removed for repair) I ground out the cracks and welded them in adding some supports in areas to repair the frame. Once put back together he continued to use the pusher successfully without damaging the machine. We also had the lower center pin area reinforced at a repair shop here in NH that specializes in JD skidder repairs. That machine worked great after the repairs. The moral of the story is "any one with anger issues should not put a push plate on the top of their arch." It will work great when common sense is used. GF
How tall do you have to be to ride the skidder catapault?
Only tall enough not to hit your helmet with the roof ;D :D.