moving cars in a junkyard? with a skidder

semologger · January 02, 2008, 12:42:33 PM

a weird request but money is money ;D

its been to wet for me to get in the woods lately. had a guy at a junkyard ask if my skidder can move cars out so the loader can get ahold of them. they are just crushing them. there is about 250 cars. i have a 648E grapple you guys have any suggestions? can this be done. has anyone ever grabed a car with a grapple to move it. sounds like a fun job and get paid for it also.

thanks

Hi-Country Orange · January 02, 2008, 12:53:07 PM

i don't see why it wouldn't work 8)

Ed · January 02, 2008, 12:53:42 PM

That does sound like a fun job! 8) 8) 8)
My only concern would be tire damage. Auto Salvage yards aren't usually the cleanest places in the world.

Ed

semologger · January 02, 2008, 12:59:41 PM

this is the skidder i will be useing. it has good rubber

sawguy21 · January 02, 2008, 01:13:01 PM

Probably no harder on tires than small stumps in the bush. Sounds good if it pays enough to be worth your while.

isawlogs · January 02, 2008, 01:34:53 PM

That machine will not be working hard , so ya go for it . Easy work as far as the skidder is concerned . I have a friend with the same machine , I don't think there is a car out there it won't lift . ;)

Dave Shepard · January 02, 2008, 03:52:54 PM

I have wanted to grapple a junk car since I first saw a grapple skidder. I say go for it, just set a day rate for the machine, and try not to grin too much, don't let on how much fun you are having. ;) I will be using my TJ to drag all manner of junk out of the brush around here next summer, we are on a big cleanup spree.

Dave

Jeff · January 02, 2008, 04:03:55 PM

Sounds like fun. We had some junk cars on the back of the mill property where I worked that I got to reach out and load on to the log truck with the knuckleboom loader. Thats just one of those things that gets ya going, like monster trucks and firecrackers. ;D

Paul_H · January 02, 2008, 04:35:29 PM

I was doing that same thing a week before Christmas on a movie set only it was with a D8K moving old motorhomes,travel trailers,cranes etc.It was really easy on the machine but it was paid full rate.(I heard it is for an X Files movie,sshhhh :P )

rebocardo · January 02, 2008, 04:51:32 PM

I do not own one, but, being around junkyards and dealerships, I have seen them use just about everything to move and/or crush cars.

If this is a scrapyard or junkyard with a lot of stuff strewn around in a mud lot, I would chain up. Not for the traction, but, because the chain will prevent buried metal from slicing or putting a hole in the tire.

semologger · January 05, 2008, 03:22:10 PM

thanks guys

stonebroke · January 05, 2008, 03:41:31 PM

Remember the pictures, I would love to see you at work in the junkyard. A dream job, That is if you don't ruin your tires.

Stonebroke

isawlogs · January 05, 2008, 05:10:14 PM

Paul , had you forgotten the batteries for the camera .. ???

Paul_H · January 05, 2008, 11:32:35 PM

IMarcel,

i got the distinct impression that they didn't want me taking pictures on the job but maybe I'll go over there on my own time ;)

Jeff · January 05, 2008, 11:38:59 PM

If you see Mulder and Scully, get a picture of Scully. ;D

Cedarman · January 06, 2008, 08:14:19 AM

A month or so ago my son Ian got a job moving antique cars after an auction from a junk yard. Some had been there so long they had to use a chain saw to cut the big trees out that grew up threw the engine compartment. He used our Cat 277 rubbertracked skid steer with fork extensions to go underneath and pick the cars up and carry them out. He and his buddy made $1400 for an easy 10 hours of work.

They were paid by the car and had to be as careful as possible as the buyers were buying for parts not to crush them.

There just has to be some sense of satisfaction to grabbing and crushing an old car.
I would like to do it to some of my vehicles once in a while.

Are you being paid by the hour or by the car?

ErikC · January 07, 2008, 04:34:08 PM

I think your skidder will wonder how it got the day off. Most cars don't weigh more than 3 or 4,000 lbs. On flat ground at that. Most junkyards have metal all over, but they drive in and out a lot so there are roads that are pretty clean. Just keep your eyes open. Same pay, easy work=go for it!

Erik

semologger · January 09, 2008, 01:34:29 AM

bad news guys the junkyard backed put on us :-\. i was looking forward to this job like my kids did cristmas. you cant get it all. i found a new job to cut for a while its only 20 acres but its a clear cut.
its all pine the second pine clear cut i have ever had. its got some nice trees on it to. i will get some pitchures for u all.

i am thinking of moving out of the area heading south. the winters are hard around here.