85' JD 548D?

[treefarmer87]

anybody have good luck with this model? the wife is buying me a new piece of equip. i didnt have any luck finding a forwarder :( i found a good looking 548d that runs, shifts good, and has a new clutch with a 6 cyl motor. i hear the trans is a nightmare to fix if it goes bad.

[Bobus2003]

You already have a good running C5, I'd keep lookin for a Forwarder.. May find one in a neighboring state and get it shipped

[Maine372]

the wife is buying me a new piece of equip.

please share your secret!

[treefarmer87]

maine372 i dont know, im just lucky i guess.(her bday was the other day- i got her a big diamond ring) i dont understand why i cant find one close by. i had to work on the c5 today-replaced all the 8 3/4 bolts that hold the axle on. i noticed back bolts were broke . 

[Decked]

I had a (new) '86 540D, ran it 9 yrs with never a powertrain issue. I did bust a head bolt once, got lucky, it backed right out. I put a new bolt in torqued it down & it did fine. The only troubles I had were the hyd. fitting inside the winch, and...dam porkypines liked to chew the fuel & hyd. hoses, seat, steering wheel, control knobs, then crap on the hood just to add insult to injury.

But then, I had it right out of the box, & took excellent care of it.

[AlexHart]

I think 548D or 440D skidders are about as good as you can get for a small operation.    It should have a 4 cyl engine though as I don't think there was any model with a 6cyl motor... I don't even think it would fit.   648's have a 6 cyl motor and while still fine everything is bigger and more expensive. 

And yes if the transmission goes its a nightmare but thats pretty much true with any powershift skidder transmission.   Another slight issue is that getting parts can be a problem since John Deere very helpfully has stopped making most parts for the D model skidders even though they have a lot of life left in them.   Things like driveshafts can be an adventure, we couldn't find a fuel tank earlier this year (had to fix the crushed one we had) or the yoke that connects the grapple to the arch for example.   There always seems to be some way to get out of the bind though be it a junkyard, aftermarket part, or sometimes the welder and a little fabrication.       

[treefarmer87]

i found a complete 548 d at the local junkyard for parts, the man said this one has a 6 cyl in it ???

[snowstorm]

i think youll find the ....E...was a 6cyl   the .....D ...was a 4

[Decked]

540 & 540A definetly 6cyl. Torque out the wazoo..could lug it & keep going. 540D 4cy...100 hp. Totally different critter..had to keep it 1500rpm or better.

[AlexHart]

Yes totally different animal for sure.   The 540A's had those big long noses.   If its 1985 though it should certainly be a D model and a 4cyl engine.   Absolutely excellent machine IMHO although my friend and I had a little bit too much fun with one today when the alternator for no apparent reason seized and blew up like a grenade (that was a new one for me) and part of the shrapnel cleaned out the engine belt which convienently requires the entire front pump/shaft to be disconnected to get a new belt on there. 

Fun times.  I had just had the alternator rebuilt last fall too which made it a little frustrating.     

[Ken 45lc]

Did you decide between the grapple and the pre-hauler yet? My question would be if you are using a mechanical feller to take full advantage of the grapple skidder? I've been watching your thread, cause i've been debating on a grapple as well. I was under the same impression as everyone, that the 548 D would be a 4 cylinder. I always wondered why Deere labeled it the 540D Turbo, when the 540B had a turbo, but they didn't feel the need to label it.

Good luck on your decision.

[treefarmer87]

im not sure yet.  ??? i cut by hand, but alot of logs i cut i dont know if a prehauler could pick them up ??? im hoping for a franklin 170 or a 548 or 648 deere.

[chevytaHOE5674]

You can pick up a mighty big log with most pre-haulers. If you can't get it onto the bunks all at once you can grab one end and flop it on the bunk and then drag it up on. I've seen old Iron Mules load 28" hard maple logs 16' long, also seen pre haulers load tree length red pine logs for log cabins, so long that you have to push them down with the loader to hold them from teeter-tottering off the back of the machine. Nice because the logs don't get dragged through the mud and junk. Also makes sorting on the landing easier.

[tjdub]

part of the shrapnel cleaned out the engine belt which convienently requires the entire front pump/shaft to be disconnected to get a new belt on there.

I put a PowerTwist "link" belt on my JD dozer.  It costs a bit more than a regular V-belt, but the time cost for not having to pull the hydraulic pump out more than makes up for it.

[Bobus2003]

part of the shrapnel cleaned out the engine belt which convienently requires the entire front pump/shaft to be disconnected to get a new belt on there.

I put a PowerTwist "link" belt on my JD dozer.  It costs a bit more than a regular V-belt, but the time cost for not having to pull the hydraulic pump out more than makes up for it.

Once ya do it a few times it gets pretty easy and can be done in no time at all

[tjdub]

part of the shrapnel cleaned out the engine belt which convienently requires the entire front pump/shaft to be disconnected to get a new belt on there.

I put a PowerTwist "link" belt on my JD dozer.  It costs a bit more than a regular V-belt, but the time cost for not having to pull the hydraulic pump out more than makes up for it.

Once ya do it a few times it gets pretty easy and can be done in no time at all

Depends on the temperature I suppose :D