i have a john deere 335 log loader mounted on a fairly nice tandem truck.I need more room to pile logs on the landing so the truck is in the way and i really dont want to subject it to the damage that usually occurs to landing trucks.I would like drive the truck out from under the loader and use the loader without being hooked to the truck. Has anyone ever tried it and how did it work?
Welcome to the forum. I can't envision how a truck mount loader could be economically made into a self propelled unit. Any decent used machines at local auctions?
Welcome to the forum. I think what your saying is to take it off the truck and let it sit without the truck chassis under it. If that's what ya mean I've never tried it but I would think it wouldn't lift much not attached to something like a trailer frame or truck or what would stop it from sinking the outriggers. I've wondered if it would work or maybe you could put a short frame with a set of tandems under it??
There's a guy that has a welding shop and he has some sort of loader in the ground. No out riggers just the round column part and a chain on the end of the boom to unload the trucks that come in. This is a small shop,but has been there for years. The only thing is with logs,you only have the reach of the boom.
thanks i was thinking about sticking something under it while i was using it
mount it on an old wore out skidder orr on a trailer frame that can be moved around
Do you still want to move it with the truck? I see what you're saying about having the truck in the way and not wanting to bust it up, but to take it off and put it back on would be a pain IMO. Although not common where I am in PA I always thought the loaders on a self propelled carrier were pretty slick, especially the hood setup. Then you could keep working and move the loader when necessary to keep windrowing wood. I know crews in New England that run them, it enables them to pile tops and have a chipping contractor come in later and process the biomass out. Seems to be a decent setup, if you have a big enough landing to do it. Not sure there is an easy solution to your problem, but that may be something to consider.
The loader will be very unstable without the truck under it. I had a truck under my loader(Hood 24000) break in two between the front of the loader and behind the cab of the truck and we tried pulling the loader around, while sitting on only the tandems, with the grapple skidder and it didn't work well at all. It's a wonder we didn't tip it over. I would never take the truck out from under the loader. If possible it would be much easier to make the landing a little larger. When you pile up all you can reach with the loader you're back to the problem of moving the loader again. I think it would be too much work to hook the loader back onto the truck each time it needed to be moved, in my opinion.
Look up Pierce Pacific Manufacturing.They have self contained carriers. One of our local sawmill uses them as their yard is paved.