Is a Barko 80 a pretty decent loader?

[redprospector]

I'm looking at a mid 90's Mack RD 690, 300 horse Mack engine, 15 speed, log bunks, and a Barko 80 loader.
Looking for any opinions/advice, but especially on the loader.

[Bill_G.]

I've had one on my old truck for years , very good dependable loader for the the most part . You do have to keep in mind they only swing to each side to a point where you can easily blow the ends off from the swing cylinders .

[redprospector]

Hmm. Do they swing past 90 degrees each side? If so how much?

[Firewood dealer]

It will go more than 90deg. I think they turn 270deg. 135 each way.

[tj240]

good loader, my hauler has one take care of it, and you are good to go. remember, its a small loader

[Bill_G.]

At least 135 each way sounds about right .

[redprospector]

It will go more than 90deg. I think they turn 270deg. 135 each way.

Thanks.
It would take a little getting used to, but I think I could do it.

good loader, my hauler has one take care of it, and you are good to go. remember, its a small loader

Everything I've got is small, so I know what you're saying. I'm trying to retire my 1 ton and trailer from being a log hauler.

At least 135 each way sounds about right .

Thanks, I think I can live with that.

Any weak spots to look for when I get to go see it?

[BargeMonkey]

Can't go wrong with a RD mack and 300 engine.  :D.  A local guy here has a newer Barko truck loader and swears by it, I've had no trouble with my 160 and the parts are out there for them.

[Grandpa]

Barko changed the 80 from swing barrels to a bearing and slewing ring around 1980. I would guess a mid 90's truck would have the newer version but you never know.
The one I have is from the 70's and still going strong.

The swing barrel version turned a little more than 1 turn, I think 370 degrees, not 270. I believe the newer ones turn about 540 degrees, or 1 1/2 turns.
Good luck with the bulldog. 

[ehp]

Nothing wrong with a Barko 80 loader Red, have had 4 or 5 of them and had good luck with them

[cutbank]

moved a lot of wood with mine , had it mounted on log trailer , only problem that I had was the swing gearbox would pop seal every few years.

[redprospector]

Can't go wrong with a RD mack and 300 engine.  :D.  A local guy here has a newer Barko truck loader and swears by it, I've had no trouble with my 160 and the parts are out there for them.

It's been almost 30 years since I fancied myself a truck driver, but I do remember that there was a reason they used to say "tough as a Mack truck" (old saying). It's good to know parts are out there.

Barko changed the 80 from swing barrels to a bearing and slewing ring around 1980. I would guess a mid 90's truck would have the newer version but you never know.
The one I have is from the 70's and still going strong.

The swing barrel version turned a little more than 1 turn, I think 370 degrees, not 270. I believe the newer ones turn about 540 degrees, or 1 1/2 turns.
Good luck with the bulldog. 

Is this the new style, or old?


 

Nothing wrong with a Barko 80 loader Red, have had 4 or 5 of them and had good luck with them

I think I'll go look at it sometime next week. It's about 8 hours away, so gotta get my ducks in a row. Sounds like it's about what I'm looking for though.

moved a lot of wood with mine , had it mounted on log trailer , only problem that I had was the swing gearbox would pop seal every few years.

How big of a pain is it to change those seals out?

[Grandpa]

that would be the old style with the swing barrels. The swing barrels, as they're called, are the cylinders under the catwalk. The pistons are on a rack gear that turn a pinion gear on the spindle.
The way that is mounted it should turn far enough to reach in front of the truck no matter if you swing left or right. Be careful trying that the first time because some guys timed the gears different for different applications, and I would not recommend slamming into end with any speed.

Should be a tough old loader, not real fast but it should run a long time.

Good luck. 

[redprospector]

Thanks, that's what I thought. It seems to be set up similar to my little Farma loader.

[mike_belben]

I've had no trouble with my 160 and the parts are out there for them.

Barge what generation/year was your 160?  Continuous rotation or swing limited?   Do they have a rotary manifold for hydraulics or just hoses in the center of the slew bearing?

[BargeMonkey]

Mike it's between an 89-93, the data plate gets cut off when they change the boom pins, going off the #'s I got when I changed a couple cylinders and that's what they told me. 
 Mine has a rotary manifold, saw hook ups are plumbed into it also. Continous rotation. Honestly that's been a GOOD loader, cut alot of wood with not alot of down time, changed the bearings in the stick 2x now. She's going to live out the rest of her life in my yard unloading trailers. 

[mike_belben]

is that a 160A, 160B ..?  

does the rotary manifold take up the entire center opening or is there room for a guy like me to pass a few hoses and wires through there?  contemplating some horse trading for my 8x8 parts collection and trying to decide if a stationary cab and separate crane is the way to go, vs the timberpro style of basically a buncher/KB parked ontop an 8x8 carriage.

what engine in yours, detroit?

[BargeMonkey]

Changing a hose to the manifold isn't a pleasurable experience 😆 I'm sure you could make a spot to pass something thru, I haven't been up under mine in almost 2 yrs. Mine is a 160A, 4239T Deere engine with a PTO. It was originally a 5 lever, someone modified it to mechanical joystick with snowplow cables and some heim joints. About as bulletproof as a loader as they come, this one was well worn when I bought it, sat on the back row at Milton in Hopkinton. There isn't much you can't get for them at Napa. 
 

 


 
 Built alot of wood piles and spent alot of long nights in that loader. 

[mike_belben]

Nice.  Valve in the cab or under the floor?   What size of WO would max out the crane?

[treemuncher]

I can't give an opinion on the loader as I've never had one of those but the Mack should do you well. 

From 1968-1998 (IIRC) all Macks had the same cab components, same glass and many other shared parts with the RD, DM and other models. It made finding parts so much easier than any other vehicles that I've owned. Mack is Mack is Mack for the longest time. Treat it well and they will run forever. If it's an older 300 without the emissions stuff on it, it will be really easy to work on.

Bulldogs don't get up to speed very fast but they hold momentum well. Lots of info used to be on BigMackTrucks.com.

[mike_belben]

Ive never drove a mack but hear theyre like riding a lathe. 

How bad are the big climbs?  Do you have to keep dropping gears or do you just pick hill gear and chug all the way up at one speed?

I got a call from my buddy other day.  He is the full time mechanic where i drove truck most recently.  Owner finally said okay.. Buddy tore down the 550 e model cat i was in, over the continual coolant loss it always had. The truck was parked broke the day it was assigned to me and i had to fix all the burnt wiring to go on my first load. 

 Turns out It had a cracked head the entire time i ran it, and a bad wiring harness.  Said itll go 100mph loaded now and doesnt drop a gear up black mountain. Its got a hot 6NZ tune in it but i never really felt much because the wiring harness was dropping voltage i guess. Idk.

pretty proud of how much money i made that guy in a truck that was always falling apart, without ever a service truck or tow coming out even when it broke.  I always got it fixed or got it back.  I ran 120k miles of mostly mountains and mostly 80k on a bad head.  It could boil itself on any hill if you pushed it but if you backed off and stayed patient itd get up any richie summit to drop their fancy rocks. 


A few of the other guys could sling a driveline empty, take out the pole or prius or whatever was in the way.  Its been a pleasant vindication that i did a job well even for a pittance. 

[2308500]

my barko 80 with swing cylinders would go about 200 degrees each way from center but as someone said, the gear may have been reset for a specific application.

[BargeMonkey]

Nice.  Valve in the cab or under the floor?   What size of WO would max out the crane?

Main valve bank is under your feet. I haven't found much she wouldn't drag to the saw, you can grab a 3' x 16' log and load it all day just want to be smooth about it. 
 Unfortunately the "older macks" are getting rarer out here.. The R model we had was 3 trucks put together, the 237 engine went out to Connecticut to be put in a show truck. My CL600 went to Nigeria 🤦‍♂️ good place for it. This CH I've got now is a good truck, heavy spec but it's no 6NZ.