Hydraulics/Cold Weather Sawing

[Back40x2]

I don't post a whole lot of questions, but I do enjoy this site very much.  A WEALTH of knowledge in here.  I have truely enjoyed this forum.  

My question is; I live in Maine, and have just aquired about 30K bf of old growth Sugar Maples from a tree removal service.  A lot of it has had some BEAUTIFUL and PROFITABLE spalt in it ;D ;D ;D    However, it's getting cold up here now and the hydraulics on my TK1600 are slow to warm up. :(   I have had a couple of Old-Timers tell me to mix in equal parts hydraulic fluid and hydraulic transmission fluid.  Now I am not mechanically inclined at all. :-/ :-/ :-/  Is this a good idea, or does anyone have any recommendations.  I have called TimberKing and they told me that if anything was to happen, that it would void the warranty.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks ;)

[Percy]

Heya M.C.
It can get cold up here too. The LT70's hydraulics can slow up a bit as well. What I do is lift the loader up and down several times while the motor is warming up. Probably not good for the battery but it seems to work. If I have a log already on the loader, Ill lift that. Course, if it gets too cold, I go home ;D ;D ;D

[chet]

Maine Cherry,
What weight hydro are you using now. You may be able to just switch to a lighter weight. Many hydro systems actually use ATF. Did you ask your dealer if it was ok to use straight ATF in winter.

[Back40x2]

Chet and Percy, thanks for the info.   Percy, I have tried that but it really does not seem to work all that well. ???

Chet,  I do believe it is 46.  I asked TimberKing about ATF and they told me that some people do use it, but if anything happens that it will void the warranty. :-/ :-/  

Thank you both for your input. ;)

[chet]

Strange that they are worried about ATF. In our line trucks at work, the ones that have a closed center hydro system, we have used ATF for many years. The only problem I could see with ATF, is if the system was susceptible to heating up. This is obviously not a problem in your case , otherwise you would not be having your current problems.

[Percy]

Im not up on my hydralic oil numbers but all the loaders and such around here use 32. Issat lighter?? If so, mebey giver a try. ;D

[chet]

Yup, 32 is lighter.

[Percy]

Just a thought MC. Have you changed the hydraulic oil filter??  I had one plug up on my LT40 and it was very miserable when it was cold out.Or maybe your battery could be wimpy  and needs to be charged up before the hydraulics start workin up to speed... :D

[Percy]

Yup, 32 is lighter.

;DThanks chet ;D

[submarinesailor]

M.C.

Have you thought about changing your hydraulic fluid over to synthetic?  Something like the AMSOIL AHW or AHO.  Both of them are ISO 32 and rated for lower environment operating temperatures.  Both of these products meet the Vickers M-2950-S and I-286-S standards.  Check with Timberking and see if they would void your warranty if you go to these products.  If they tell you to stay with the 46 weight, AMSOIL has a synthetic AWI product that still works better in the cold than the mineral-based fluid.   We changed a John Deere HydroStat 4400 tractor, with front and backhoe, over to the AWI (ISO 46) and everything works great, even on our 0-degree days.

Mobil has a full line of synthetic hydraulic fluids, but they are a little harder to get if you are a small company.

[chevymetal]

Use straight ATF.  I have used this in every mill I have owned with no problems.  I am a little suprised that Timberking would void your warranty.  My Cook's Accutrac came with straight ATF.  ;D

[FeltzE]

I talked with WM on this issue previousely, they recommend ATF as an all purpose hydraulic fluid good for warm and cold climates. You may notice that ATF is red, most commercial hydraulic applications are also red,,.... why, so you know there is a hydraulic leak not an engine oil leak....

Use ATF for all purpose hydraulics is fine, I'm not sure of the viscosity (sp) though, I'd recommend calling the manufacturer on that one, if you are in cold weather lower v is better

Eric

[Jeff]

Never seen red hydraulic oil in anything I have ever run. All the case loaders and the sawmills here run 52 tractor transmission oil, but its a light honey color. The debarkers run 46 Hydraulic, and a cheaper grade.

Have you considered some sort of a Hydraulic tank heater? Our mills and debarkers all have them, but we have electricity available all the time. They are on thermostats. Machines are ready to run in the morning after a short warmup period to warm up the oil in the lines, pumps, motors and cylinders.

[Back40x2]

Thanks Everyone for your replies ;) ;)!!!   I really do appreciate it.  I am going to go with the majority on this one.  Locals around here and you guys here all mostly say ATF.  
Again, Thanks
MC

[woodmills1]

speaking of cold weather it is time for the anual reminder to lift the loader off the ground after you are done sawing for the day.  Especially if the temp goes above freezing.  Mine froze to the ground the first winter I owned it and broke a velocity fuse the next time I used it.

[Al_Smith]

One of the contractors,I worked for,had the fliud changed,from type a[tranny fluid] to straight 10 weight after blowing a main line[Pitman pole cat 2],because of cost.He soon had it changed back,when he found out it took about 1/2 hr,to warm up in the winter[Ohio gets cold too] On the nuke boats I was on[submarines,to the lay man],it was called 2110 tep,and was used for all systems exposed to the cold,because of the fluididity.

[redpowerd]

how slow is slow for warming up?, is there any hydro operated system on the rig that you can turn on as you warm up the engine? on my tractors i use the pto, or a motor that may be hooked to it. theres probably not a spot on a skidder to run a cycle of warm hytran in.

the steiger has no pto, so theres an electric heater in the hydraulic tank for the tranny. i added a cheap mag mount to the one for the steering and the rest of the hydro.
takes a wile to warm them up, when it gets real cold its nice to have warm fuel too. ;D