self loading log truck

[treefarmer87]

i am thinking of getting a G or 110 prentice to mount on my c 70. the truck has a 427, double frame, 5x2 rear. i am thinking of getting a dead axle out of a local scrap yard also to mount in front of the rear axle ??? does any body have any info or suggestions? what is the better loader to put on it? how much does a 110 weigh compared to a G? i figured having just a truck and skidder, i will have 1 less piece of equip to worry about.

[lumberjack48]

If wheelbase is long enough it should all right. The main thing is make sure it lifts high enough or you'll be stuck all the time. I'm not sure on the loader weight.

[treefarmer87]

its got hydr brakes. It has a gvwr of 26500. I might want to leave the axle off then

[sawguy21]

With a single rear axle, your remaining load capacity will be very limited. You could add an axle but your maximum gvwr will remain the same for licensing purposes.

[treefarmer87]

i think i would get another truck and use this one for small jobs and firewood. That way i could get another diesel. I could unload myself on the weekends at the mills too

[Jim_Rogers]

My first log truck was a ford 750 six wheel truck. It had a long bed frame and the old timer who set this truck up put another axle behind the drive axle.
He had it set up so that you could move a pin up or down to allow the axle to hold some weight or none at all.

I don't think I ever moved the pins but it worked for him, and me.

As mentioned you have to be careful when loaded and coming in and out of a landing because you could get into a spot where the back "dolly axle" could lift the drive axle off the ground.

He used to tell a story about getting stopped by a couple of truck cops and getting weight up on a set of portable scales.

There was an old cop and an young cop.
The old cop was teaching the young cop how to do it.

The young cop told him to drive up on the scales, one axle at a time.
When he was about to drive it up onto the scales for the dolly axle he told the young cop that he better not do that at all.

The young cop told him to do it or else he'd be in real trouble with them.

He did it and it lifted the drive axles up enough so that he could drive off.
He told them both: "I told you so".....

The old cop looked it over and finally asked him, "you know how to get this down off our scales don't you?"

The old timer said yes, he got out of the truck and got his axe. He split off a chuck of the side of a log on the load and used it like a big wedge and pounded it under the drive wheels enough so that they would grab the slab and drive off the scale.

He always liked to tell that story while we were sitting around the wood stove. He really liked putting it to the young cop and watching his reaction to the problem.

I can't say I ever got caught with this type of problem, that is lifting the drive wheels off the ground, because I was aware of it and usually kept the truck moving as I was entering or leaving a landing. On the street there usually wasn't a problem.

Jim Rogers

[treefarmer87]

Thats a good story. Would it matter if the dead axle was in front or behind the drive axle

[snowstorm]

its got hydr brakes. It has a gvwr of 26500. I might want to leave the axle off then

dont even think about it with hydr brakes. air yes. where would you find a tag with hydr brakes ? a lot of them were used up here in the 60's they were ok at best. dont think the dot would aprove now

[Autocar]

Ive never seen a lift axle that has hydr. brakes but they may have made them. I had a R model Mack with a non lift axle  you had to be real careful or it would hang you up. Once backing over a combined bean feild just the row was enough to make the drive axle spin. By the way your new skidder looks real good. 

[lumberjack48]

Back in the 70's i had 2 skidders, Feller-buncher, tandem loader truck, semi, 6 to 9 saws all running the same time. I thought it was going to be fun, will pretty soon it got to be a job just to keep the job going.

A long story short, i wasn't enjoying what i loved to do anymore.

The best times i've had logging was when i worked with the wife. Just the 2 of us and the skidder, sorted wood with the skidder, trucker was a ph call away. We'd go to work at 5 am, be back home about 2 pm, then go to the lake the rest of the day, fish, water ski, ect. these were fun yrs.

[treefarmer87]

There is a c65 like the orange one in my gallery at a scrap yard. It was used till about 10 yrs ago. I dont think it has air brakes. I dont think i am going to do it. I might just add the loader and save the money instead of buying the axle .   

[grassfed]

My truck has a Prentice 110 and a 38K tandem axle and is 24600 empty.  My max gvwr is 51k and it is only economical to truck short distances.  Your truck with a loader would be near 18k+(maybe your truck is lighter than I think since it is gas) that would only give you 4 tons or less capacity. Might work as a carrier for the loader but unless you are hauling Balsa wood or just a couple of veneer logs you are not going to make any money hauling wood. Maybe you should trade your truck and get a 10 wheeler with a loader and at least 60K + gvwr. Seems like you could spend a lot of time and money trying to mess with with putting a loader on your truck and not get much for your trouble. My truck does work good to sell to a guy that has a mill in my town. He likes to buy 2mbf at a time and he is only 6 miles away on dirt roads so my ag plates work ok. But I can haul 16'x8'x5 foot 10tons loads with no problems.

[treefarmer87]

I think it might be a good idea to get a deisel, maybe at least the size of a gmc 7500 or 8500 or a f 800 ford already set up. I know where there is a newer f 800 with a 120 prentice. The truck has low miles. It is a csx railroad truck.   

[MJD]

This what I used.

  

 

[MJD]

I started with this one, f800 gas, just did not have the power I was lookin for.

  

 

[Maine372]

http://equipment.treetrader.com/index.php?a=2&b=12649

heres just what you need!

[snowstorm]

if thats got a 8.2 detriot he really dosent need it or a 453

[Okrafarmer]

Nice whack of "Bluewood" there, MJD. I like your fifth wheel trailer, too.

[Woodhauler]

if thats got a 8.2 detriot he really dosent need it or a 453

Come on now! She looks like a money maker...........I mean money taker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[snowstorm]

some of you guys are going about buying equipment all wrong. dont buy what you can afford. spend a little more for something newer better shape with less problems. you will be further ahead in the long run. dont drive a $50,000 pickup to work and work with a $5000 machine

[Okrafarmer]

Ha! Believe me, we don't drive $50,000 pickups. The one I drive probably wouldn't book for more than $1,000. It does go down the road though. The one my boss drives is even worse. He has a third one, too. Among the three of them, there are nearly-- very nearly-- a million miles. My personal vehicle is old enough to vote-- old enough to know better-- and it has around 270,000 miles. I paid $800 for it over two years ago.

[snowstorm]

you dont??? i do

[Okrafarmer]

I've had a fair number of vehicles in my life, but I never paid more than $2,000 for one, and I never made payments on any either.

[woodmills1]

this is where you should look at a setup like mine

I have put a max of 2900 bd ft on my truck and trailer combo

and it leaves me with my dirt hauling and firewood delivery truck

and  check this............... insurance truck, trailer, processor , edger and mill

$2000................  what wood a log truck be?

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

I dont think I could drive a $50k pickup to work  id leave it sitting in the driveway  n take it out on weekends ;) :D :D We just picked up a 96 International 4700 with the Dt466 five speed and 20' tray gone 425000mi but its an old Fleet Guard truck and they did the motor up and its tight n pulls like a train just needs a tidy up on the paint n in the cab paid $5k for My LIL UTE its rated for 30k lbs but we can tag it for under 26k lbs as it has Hyd brakes here in Alabama ;) ;D  ;D 8)

First big test is next friday as we are running upto Kentucky to Pick Up a Meadows Portable I found a goodun  ;) ;D ;D ;D ;D 8) 8)

Regards Chris