Daily carnage thread

[Walnut Beast]

Same weather here, no snow just sleet and lots of it.  

Well that is an impressive set of equipment.  How far are you from Bristol?  I had never heard of a Menzi so I had to look that one up.  Neat, wonder if it could run a dangle head harvester?  

Anyway, really appreciate your post.  Clear that you've got some interesting stories and good experience in the mulching world.  Wish you were a bit closer.

Ever do any subsoiling work?

 My friend also had this subsoil FAE unit and loved it. Said it worked great to turn land into tillable ground but the farmers in Alabama in his area didn’t want to spend the money to do it. So he sent it down the road

[Walnut Beast]

Here you are treemuncher.

FAE Group has unveiled a new technology which it says is capable of improving the performance of some mulchers by 30 per cent.
The Sonic system operates the hydraulic transmission, allowing the mulcher to automatically and consistently work at maximum capacity, in any working conditions.
Sonic is also a smart system which can quickly and automatically set the mulcher’s hydraulic parameters, making it easy to use, ensuring superior performance and featuring flexible installation.
FAE says super-fast calibration and improved mulcher performance are two advantages of Sonic, which makes it easy to automatically calibrate a mulcher’s hydraulic parameters with a control box managed from the operator’s cabin or thanks to an ergonomic control panel positioned within the mulcher. The especially quick calibration ensures optimum pairing between the operating machine and the FAE mulcher. 

[Walnut Beast]

@treemuncher So that is an impressive workout on that machine.  I notice you also have an excavator and a bit wheel machine.  Is that your whole fleet?  Do you like that lamtrac?  I had only considered the CMI machines but am holding off for 2 more years now, every $ accounted for and I don't regret selling our single machine.  I like the FAE head that we owned but it needed a much larger carrier.  It was ...interesting to see the internal damage not just to wear parts but to the frame of the head.  Well done! on that repair job.  Looks very professional, better than service from a third party.

We'd like something like a CMI 250 and an excavator with high hydraulic flow with a small head.

Nativewolf,

I'm still working on getting everything ready (and learning) the Menzi A91F excavator (seen behind the Lamtrac). There are 31 possible functions on each joystick so there is a learning curve when you throw extreme slopes and gravity into the mix. It will work almost anywhere. I've recently purchased a tree shear for that as well as a Seppi cutterhead, buckets and more. That machine has a dedicated pump that allows me to adjust flow 0-45 gpm and pressure 0-5100 psi for any attachment that I want to put on it. I also have 4 other accessory circuits that can be plumbed in. And it has a Rototilt coupler as well for more impossible angles of attack.

My big excavator you mentioned is a PC200LC-6 with a 300 hp cummins 8.3 to run the cutterhead hydraulics. It will clobber out the big stuff pretty fast but it can't cover the daily acreage that the track or tire machines can. The Barko 937 is the rubber tired machine - super fast in easy terrain conditions but with a heavy ground pressure, it's applications are limited. 10-20 acres a day is not uncommon for that machine if the detailing does not have to be perfect and it drinks about 20 gallons of diesel per hour. I still have a Fecon FTX140FM that I want to sell off - not using it any more because I've transitioned out of those smaller jobs. Great machine that will outperform any skid steer that I've ever run and it's built for the punishment of daily forestry work.

I've looked at CMI, Bron, Primetech, Fecon, Risley and many others. I took the advice of another owner/operator when I purchased the Lamtrac from him - he owned numerous units of many makes. Are there problems with it? Yes, many small issues but the major stuff, like cooling, has never been a problem. Well, except for the factory issues with radiant heat from the exhaust overheating the engine bay and melting components - I got that fixed with my own design. I have a tendency to fix/alter anything that I am not satisfied with. I also changed the head mount to a floating design. I would like to bitch-slap the programmer of the track hydraulics - no tracked machine should EVER turn by speeding up the outside track velocity - that is just STUPID - but that is what you get from a desk engineer that has never been an operating engineer. But for the most part, the hydraulic pressures run high for extreme torque and I've had few major issues with the machine. I love the Cummins 8.3 engines and this one is a beast. I'm not sure exactly what has been done to it but fuel rate tables make me believe that it has been tuned to over 350 hp. 24"-36" diameter hardwoods are just daily snacks for this thing and the FAE is a great head.

Still waiting for our rare snow to melt off so that I can get my track frames back on with the forklift. The ground should be hard for a day or two as we've seen temps as low as 1 degree and below freezing for 5+ days but those slick tires won't stand for these conditions. I work alone so I depend on that lift to allow me to get things done. Just a holding pattern for now so tax work at the desk it is while I tend the fire and wait for warmth.

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Your Lamtrac must be the 8300. That is the same unit that my friend had that went to the two PrimeTech machines. He was running a Denis Cimaf 250 and loved it but he really likes the new FAE sonic head on the PrimeTechs. Thanks for sharing a lot of your experiences and interesting information

He actually still has the 8300 in addition to the two PrimeTechs

[treemuncher]

Your Lamtrac must be the 8300. That is the same unit that my friend had that went to the two PrimeTech machines. He was running a Denis Cimaf 250 and loved it but he really likes the new FAE sonic head on the PrimeTechs. Thanks for sharing a lot of your experiences and interesting information

You must be talking about Tyler. He and his wife stopped at my shop last summer to get pics of the hose routing on my machine and the 4 of us had a nice visit. I did not know that he got rid of the soil mill. I was keeping him in mind for work if I came across any.

Yes, the Menzi will run a dangle head. I have never seen any here in the states but they do run a Konrad Woody 50 with a special mount. I had inquired about a used one but when I heard how much extra plumbing and electrical is involved to make one work, let alone the price, I could not see any justification for such an attachment. 95%+ of my work is mulching and I know I will never make money cutting timber so that thought is out of my head.

The Menzi I purchased came from Germany, used. It took me well over 10 years to find the right used machine with the options that I wanted. I used to own a 6000 series as a test unit years ago and I could see the possibilities of a better machine so I searched for many years. Seller spoke no English and I spoke no German but Google translate helped me put together a deal. There was no way that I could justify over $600k for a new machine without having a clientele and education of operation put together ahead of time. I'm slowly getting everything rebuilt as I see fit in order to tighten up the machine. It's in excellent shape for 7200 hrs at the time of purchase. It was well loved by the former operator(s) from what is evident on the machine. 

Here is the Seppi BMS-F that I purchased for the machine last year.


 

[Walnut Beast]

Your correct that was Tyler. That’s definitely a really neat and interesting machine. Thanks for sharing the story and pictures. Hope to see more of it later when you get things squared away 👍

[Walnut Beast]

Your Lamtrac must be the 8300. That is the same unit that my friend had that went to the two PrimeTech machines. He was running a Denis Cimaf 250 and loved it but he really likes the new FAE sonic head on the PrimeTechs. Thanks for sharing a lot of your experiences and interesting information

You must be talking about Tyler. He and his wife stopped at my shop last summer to get pics of the hose routing on my machine and the 4 of us had a nice visit. I did not know that he got rid of the soil mill. I was keeping him in mind for work if I came across any.

Yes, the Menzi will run a dangle head. I have never seen any here in the states but they do run a Konrad Woody 50 with a special mount. I had inquired about a used one but when I heard how much extra plumbing and electrical is involved to make one work, let alone the price, I could not see any justification for such an attachment. 95%+ of my work is mulching and I know I will never make money cutting timber so that thought is out of my head.

The Menzi I purchased came from Germany, used. It took me well over 10 years to find the right used machine with the options that I wanted. I used to own a 6000 series as a test unit years ago and I could see the possibilities of a better machine so I searched for many years. Seller spoke no English and I spoke no German but Google translate helped me put together a deal. There was no way that I could justify over $600k for a new machine without having a clientele and education of operation put together ahead of time. I'm slowly getting everything rebuilt as I see fit in order to tighten up the machine. It's in excellent shape for 7200 hrs at the time of purchase. It was well loved by the former operator(s) from what is evident on the machine.

Here is the Seppi BMS-F that I purchased for the machine last year.

(Image hidden from quote, click to view.)

You have got a gem. I didn’t realize how much that Menzi could do. Absolutely amazing what they can do

[nativewolf]

Any issues with the engine clearing EPA labeling on importation.  

[treemuncher]

I don't want to hijack the "Carnage" thread. Maybe I should start a separate post for Menzi, Kaiser, Euromach and other spider excavators used in the forestry industry to answer questions about it?

No problems on EPA importation - had US emissions label on French built JD4045T engine.

Carnage pics from last winter's bushing replacement on a steering knuckle.


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Hydraulic nightmare in the belly of the beast....


 

[mike_belben]

As bad as that swivel housing is, its easier to put the fluid back into that then the smoke backcinto a proprietary obsolete circuit board.  Hydraulics is messy but its simple.

[kiko]

Lucky there was no carnage. This is how you change a starter on a Valmet when the boom is extended.

 

[Walnut Beast]

I don't want to hijack the "Carnage" thread. Maybe I should start a separate post for Menzi, Kaiser, Euromach and other spider excavators used in the forestry industry to answer questions about it?

No problems on EPA importation - had US emissions label on French built JD4045T engine.

Carnage pics from last winter's bushing replacement on a steering knuckle.


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(Image hidden from quote, click to view.)

Hydraulic nightmare in the belly of the beast....

(Image hidden from quote, click to view.)

That’s fine with me 😂. Love hearing above the projects. 31 functions on one joystick WOW. The options you have in about every situation is amazing. How hard or long does it take to change the head out to a bucket. Nice work. Definitely make sure everything looks good with the hydraulic hoses for sure. 

[Roundhouse]

I've been pretty lucky with hydraulics until now so hopefully I can find the problem once I'm able to work outside for more than 5 minutes without loosing feeling in my hands. I'm hoping to figure out the repair before refilling the reservoir but if I can't find the leak I may have to put some fluid back in and see where it comes out.


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It's Saturday and we're finally out of the deep freeze. I already had the seat and base and front panel and bucket removed so I could see and get at the guts of the machine. With a little hydraulic oil added and firing up the engine for a couple seconds I hear the leak & see the approximate source as soon as I looked underneath. It was the line between the pump and the left side drive motor. I've got the line pulled now and next week I'll see about getting a replacement put together. I'm a hydraulic noob, I assume I'll need to find connections of this same size to replace these, the crimped connections can't be reused once they've been applied the first time can they?
The end with the 90 degree turn is the one that attaches to the pump.



A closer look at the split that let out all the fluid.

[ljohnsaw]

I'm a hydraulic noob, I assume I'll need to find connections of this same size to replace these, the crimped connections can't be reused once they've been applied the first time can they?

Go to a hydraulic shop (worst case, NAPA) and have them make up a hose.  Will take about 5 minutes and you will be out $40 to $100 depending on the diameter of the hose/fitting size.

[mike_belben]

Yeah you dont need to know much if you arent making your own hoses and you need to be making a lot of hose to justify that expense. 


I cant tell for sure what style without seeing the insides but those are female swivel ends, hopefully just plain old JIC or flat face Oring.  Hose sizes are called in a fractional increment like lumber and its in 16ths of an inch.  So a -16 ("dash sixteen") or "A/N 16"  is 1 inch hose and -4 is 1/4 inch etc.  Make sure if youve got a 4 wire hoses thats what goes back in. Not a 2 wire to save $

[teakwood]

Your Lamtrac must be the 8300. That is the same unit that my friend had that went to the two PrimeTech machines. He was running a Denis Cimaf 250 and loved it but he really likes the new FAE sonic head on the PrimeTechs. Thanks for sharing a lot of your experiences and interesting information

You must be talking about Tyler. He and his wife stopped at my shop last summer to get pics of the hose routing on my machine and the 4 of us had a nice visit. I did not know that he got rid of the soil mill. I was keeping him in mind for work if I came across any.

Yes, the Menzi will run a dangle head. I have never seen any here in the states but they do run a Konrad Woody 50 with a special mount. I had inquired about a used one but when I heard how much extra plumbing and electrical is involved to make one work, let alone the price, I could not see any justification for such an attachment. 95%+ of my work is mulching and I know I will never make money cutting timber so that thought is out of my head.

The Menzi I purchased came from Germany, used. It took me well over 10 years to find the right used machine with the options that I wanted. I used to own a 6000 series as a test unit years ago and I could see the possibilities of a better machine so I searched for many years. Seller spoke no English and I spoke no German but Google translate helped me put together a deal. There was no way that I could justify over $600k for a new machine without having a clientele and education of operation put together ahead of time. I'm slowly getting everything rebuilt as I see fit in order to tighten up the machine. It's in excellent shape for 7200 hrs at the time of purchase. It was well loved by the former operator(s) from what is evident on the machine.

Here is the Seppi BMS-F that I purchased for the machine last year.

(Image hidden from quote, click to view.)

Nice, swiss power!!
the guy with the big vacation home here in Costa Rica, which i do the big teak timber contract for is the main actionist of the menzi group. a cool feeler!
did you already learn to drive the machine? they need lots of hours of practice  

[wannaergo]

I’m not very good at uploading pictures I’m here, but was browsing my camera roll and found a great pictures that seem to fit in here.  

We had a broken delimbing knife on the harvester head, and the pin was bent just enough to be very stuck. We held pressure with the buncher while beating it with a hammer to get it out. Turns out a moose is not a good thing to find with a pickup truck...


Just for fun, we put 50lb of tannerite underneath a dead car, and this was the result..
Turns out that my timberpro was losing oil in the pump drive gear box 🤦
Also, we had to put a boom on it, because we discovered that it was cracked after we bought it
Lowboy didn’t make the hill, and soon as we unchained the machine it slid off the side



My dad figured out why there was no harvester tracks right there.. 

The eventual end of our timberpro 
 

[mike_belben]

Oh man.  You win the thread!

[GRANITEstateMP]

did the Timberpro light itself, or did you help it along 

I concur with Mike, you have won this thread (I am golf clapping for ya right now)

[kiko]

It ain't over yet boys..


 

 

[GRANITEstateMP]

kiko that's not broken, that's just a special feature for getting real close to the carrier with the crane and checking that your tires from the seat!

Not sure why they left all them marbles sitting  on the deck? That's gotta be a no-no