Rubber tire vs. Fixed head

[wannaergo]

Hi all, I'm looking for some advice. We run a 99 timbco with a keto 500 on it right now, but its getting old and tired, and its about time for an upgrade. I'd like a ponsse ergo, but the boss is more set on a cat 501HD with a fixed head.  I'm just wondering what kind of success people have had with either machine in bigger hardwood, which is what we tend to spend most time in.

[KBforester]

There is a logger local to me that uses an Ergo. Its [was] a nice machine. I'd go with the fixed head if your in a lot of bigger hardwood. The ergo can do it, but you need a lot of skill.

I've worked with fixed head processors too, in mixedwood stands, including some bigger maple. I've been impresses with what the fixed head can handle for hardwood, a bit slow, but it does ok.


Welcome!

[snowstorm]

finally another keto owner. i have a 150 on a rottne. if i was buying a new one it would have a keto 660 on it. the cat would not be my first choice or 2th. how has the keto stood up for you?

[CTL logger]

You couldn't give me a cat machine they have no resale value the hydraulics are good if ya just run the head but don't try moving the boom or tracking they fall on their face power wise from what I've been told. The 501 would be like a toy compared to the Timbco, I'm sure the price is right on the cat, after my recent cat forestry equipment experience the only cat equipment I'd own would be a dozer. Who sells keto  heads?

[snowstorm]

any quadco dealer can get keto heads. up here its anderson or milton cat. milton sold a 660 to the tv stars last winter. pelletier it is or was on a 320cat excavator. cutting hw up on the golden road. erriki is the keto guy at quadco he told me the 320 was a little short on hp and everyone was impressed with the head

[chevytaHOE5674]

I see your from the UP. Where abouts are you located UP here?

[1270d]

I'd go with a 1270  ;). You can come ride and see anytime

[barbender]

My experience in harvesters is pretty limited. I know that guys running Ponsse's don't like getting in big hardwood much. Our hardwood usually isn't that big, if I were in states that had the big stuff I'd think a tracked carrier with a fixed head would get the nod.

[Dom]

Really depends on the wood your logging.
Big heavy logs require a big heavy machine to counterweight. Ecolog, JD, Rottne,  and other manufacturers have big wheeled machines that may fit your demands. If you do decide on a track machine, have a good look at Tigercat.
I'd try to get a demo before buying.

[barbender]

Ponsse makes the Bear also, it is a beast. Many harvester producers had to rethink head designs etc. when they came from Scandinavia to North America, they weren't built for hardwood.

[Corley5]

There are several producers in my area cutting and bunching their big timber both pine and hardwood with hot saw rubber tired bunchers and then processing the bunches with their rubber tired dangle head machines both JDs and Ponsses.  They claim they get better service life that way    I've been happy with my 133 Fabtek now that I seem to have gotten the bugs worked out.  It's got a 4 roller fixed head.  I've cut some big ash and beech with it.

[wannaergo]

finally another keto owner. i have a 150 on a rottne. if i was buying a new one it would have a keto 660 on it. the cat would not be my first choice or 2th. how has the keto stood up for you?

The keto is a pretty decent head... when it's running. we've had some issues with track frames, but we finally added some T1 steel where the pins attach and it helped a lot. there's been a lot of welding done on it as well, probably because its a 1999. we've also had some wiring issues. on the other hand, when its going, that ol girl will cut some wood. not a ton, but a pretty good amount.

[wannaergo]

I see your from the UP. Where abouts are you located UP here?

I'm from Ishpeming, but we're cutting past Munising right now.

[Gary_C]

There are a lot of other factors that should be considered in your decision.

Do you cut mostly clearcuts or thinnings, big dense hardwoods, aspen and softwoods, distances from landings to woods where you are cutting, other equipment you have, etc.

You do not want to drive a tracked machine very far to work each day or it will beat you up on those woods roads. You need to leave the machine in the woods where you work and be able to drive something else to work and service (fuel) the machine everyday.

Using a feller buncher first and then either grapple skidding or processing bunches in place with a cut to length machine adds equipment and handling time. I've done both ways and hope to never do it again.

There is no doubt those large tracked machines have the power and large heads to process large dense hardwoods. But there are some rubber tired processors that can now match the tracked machines in big hardwoods. Specifically the Ponsse Bear and all the new generation heads from Ponsse.

I do cut with a Ponsse Ergo and lately have been cutting mostly Pine, both thinnings and clearcuts. And I do cut and process some big white pine and aspen that can be as difficult to process as the hardwoods if it is somewhat open grown with big limbs. Before I bought my present machine it spent most of its days cutting hard maple in the UP. So the Ponsse's can do the hardwoods too.

But if you are trying to cut any more open grown trees as opposed to deep woods trees, expect trouble with any machine. Those big limbs do not shear off easily.

[snowstorm]

finally another keto owner. i have a 150 on a rottne. if i was buying a new one it would have a keto 660 on it. the cat would not be my first choice or 2th. how has the keto stood up for you?

The keto is a pretty decent head... when it's running. we've had some issues with track frames, but we finally added some T1 steel where the pins attach and it helped a lot. there's been a lot of welding done on it as well, probably because its a 1999. we've also had some wiring issues. on the other hand, when its going, that ol girl will cut some wood. not a ton, but a pretty good amount.

what have you had for wiring problems? dose it have 6 wires to the head or 20 something?

[wannaergo]

there's a lot more than 6 for sure, but I dont think there's quite 20. It's actually a ponsse cord going to the head. We've been having trouble with broken wires and plugs, pinched wires, and the hakmet computer has been acting up. Some days are better than others though.

[snowstorm]

mine only uses 6 wires for the boom cable. havent had any trouble with that. the hakmet computer has shown the fault code shortcrt cable bk for 3 yrs. everything works ok. that computer was made by motomit