Hey has any one herd of John Deere testing a six wheel skidder? I heard they were but would like to know if anyone else had any knowledge about it, I wanna get a six wheeled next year but not fussed on tiger cats.
I don't know, but my rule is not to be the extended field testing arm of any company.
Why not just find a forwarder/clambunk?
You cannot beat Tigercat. I own both.
John Deere have the 748L ll (L 2 series) that has a number of changes over the first series L. Wiring routing, steering stops etc. https://www.woodbusiness.ca/harvest...k-at-john-deeres-new-l-ii-series-skidder-5164 https://www.heavyequipmentguide.ca/...re-offer-simplified-design-for-reliable-power If you wish to have a 6 wheeler other than a Tigercat. Ask goughs to survey their forestry customers (especially the ones with fleets of cat forestry machinery) If there is enough put in a request to weilers for a 6 wheel skidder http://www.weilerforestry.com/
I was hoping cat and John Deere realised how many 6 wheeled skidders tiger cat were moving.
I really don't have an idea , the video tho
Might look into a Morgan they make a 6 wheel drive swinging grapple skidder.
You could not give me a caterpillar skidder that is newer than a 518 or 528.
Morgan appears to have stopped making new machines 12 years ago. The german 6 wheel clambunks with rotating cranes Welte W210 245hp deutz engine 6 wheels https://www.welte.de/en/serienmaschinen/detailansicht/?tx_serienmaschinen_pi1[serienmaschine]=7&tx_serienmaschinen_pi1[action]=show&tx_serienmaschinen_pi1[controller]=Serienmaschine&cHash=40ca3a5cda4ad5b2ff63cf7ae3171d3c HSM germany https://www.hsm-forest.net/hsm-904z-6wd_.html (Volvo 286hp) (wonder if the local volvo forestry would take on a german skidder with volvo power, probably make a tigercat look cheap) Camox France 275hp cummins CAMOX G 275 plateau de beille - sounds whiney in the transmission. https://www.camox.fr/camox-g275-tier5-6wd TimberPro TF840C Clambunk (8x8 on band tracks)- The Ultimate Skidder Tanguay TG88E Grapple Skidder Biofo Chile November 2013 (8x8) Tigercat 635D on band tracks John Deere 948L on rear dual tires with chains up slope haul. Using the dual arch to move loaded.
You can get a HSM in Canada they have a few dealers, Tanguay builds a 8 wheel drive swinging grapple skidder. Here’s a big question are you doing tree length or long logs?
Tree length, to a processor on a skid site. Doe any one have any experience with the timberpro clam bunk? They look like the goods on YouTube but what are they like in the steeper conditions.?
The Timberpro 8x8 forwarder is fairly similar to the Timberpro 8x8 clambunk. Up north use both the timberpro (8x8 forwarder) and the tigercat (6 wheel skidder in big wheel configuration) Cable Haulers for the steep terrain, tracked machines, then wheeled machines on less steep. https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/new-zealand-logger/20180326/282016147872561 (Douglas Logging Timberpro TF840C) https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/new-zealand-logger/20170726/281917363203178 (Douglas Logging Tigercat 635G 6 wheel skidder - big wheel) dual grapple arch to push loaded with They had the clambunk unit to put on the TF 840B forwarder. But probably did mostly processing at the stump and other log transfer to load out skid in forwarder mode so did not use the clambunk unit so much.
The 8x8 forwarders with the separate crane might have a lower center of gravity than a Timberpro clambunk for the hills. Probably fairly expensive to run a timberpro with a widedual setup of 16 tires. Might need to put a winch on a 8x8 forwarder/ clambunk to pull wood on the hills. A fast travel speed of the multiwheel skidders is the tigercat 625E (230hp) There have been Komatsu 895 and John Deere 1910 forwarders down south. Possible to convert these to clambunk configuration https://www.komatsuforest.com/forest-machines/our-forwarders/895-2017 (no twist cab) Komatsu 865 8x8 Clambunk (no complexity of the twist cab on the JD) JD1910g 8x8 forwarder 268 hp (complexity of the twist cab) John Deere Forwarder/ clambunk mounting plate pictures https://www.utilajeforestiere.eu/produse-forwardere-forwardere-clambunk_en.html https://www.hsm-forest.net/hsm-208f-14-to-steep-slope.html , Looks solid in the crane, 238hp HSM 208FC20 steep slope clambunk forwarder - trees a bit match sticky. - BC, Canada Also the tigercat 8x8 1075C (308hp) forwarder could convert to clambunk, 1075C faster travel speed transmission than a 1085C (308hp) (used in the steep southland gum blocks) . 1075C low 0-3.5 mph and high 0-11mph
well now i know what a clambunk is
Who needs a clambunk, we’re running 33’s on a 1210 forwarder in Douglas fir thinning, there’s guys running extensions doing 40’s out here.
Southland, NZ some seasons/ years can be like a mud wrestling pool without the wahines. Probably some of the furthest south logging on the planet. Cameras tend to flatten the terrain. Southland , NZ - dry summer (2018) Madill 122, Cat 552 leveller, cat grapple/ winch skidder, 2 x Sumi SH240 and Cat 336DL2 with waratah 625C, D85dozer Southland Komatsu 895 forwarder (2015) Southland Tigercat 1085C slow going on hill gum block CTL (2018) https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/new-zealand-logger/20180424/282114932185585 Blue Mountains, NZ Tigercat 625e (2018) in Douglas Fir and Radiata pine block
Tigercat 8x8 Clambunk (made from the TC forwarder) for Quebec on Tigercat's facebook
This from instagram today
Logset 12H GTE hybrid 8 wheel harvester in Sweden with 510 horsepower. Will the forestryequipment get more hybrid powertrains in the future, to meet the silly emission regs?
Yes John Deere is Developing a 6 wheel skidder. I was one of the few operators that got to test one of their mules for the month of February. It's a beast on roids. Here's what i know and think of it. Their in the testing stages, one of the engineer said their hoping to have it ready for end of 2020. Their planning on calling them and releasing 3 models 768L 868L 968L from what they told me. I got to test their 768L. Floation and Steering. It's got the floation of the 6wheel tiger cat but got the steering radius of a four-wheel, u can turn on a dime, and it got a pile of steering power. Engine and Transmission. Its got more then enough power they just need to fix the CVT transmission in my opinion. Cuz when Id fill the grapple all the way it just slip and sit their sometimes. Ride Quatily and Hydrualic Power. Its the nicest and smothest skidder I've ran to date (6 seasons). This thing got enough hydraulic power to lift the front end of the ground without moving and wheelis super easy, also the way the rear tracks are gears and set up it glides over everything you throw at it. Climbs. Yes this thing climbs better then a tigercat, theybuild it with a slightly lower center of gravity which makes world of a difference in hills. I was running circles around the tiger cat. (Also have a bit more experience then he did but I was pulling at times twice as much as he was, three to four when we was texting every drag) All and All I hope John Deere Fixs the cvt transmission (love the old 848h with the locking trouque converter) and keep everything else pretty much the same. Cuz then they got a very serious contentder in the 6wheel world. Once I get confirmation that I'm allowed and won't get sued, I'll post some pictures of it. If you got any questions feel free to ask.
I ran a timbco clambunk about 12-13 years ago for a couple days, it was pretty impressive but a lot of moving parts. Too much to go wrong, it was very high maintenance. I was around it for a while and it was replaced by a Morgan which was a great machine while I was around it. I couldn't tell you how long it lasted as I came home from the island a few months later
Tigercat 1085 clambunk. Might have a lower center of gravity than some other clambunks. Might not be as agile compared to the timberpro clambunk with 360 degree rotate. https://images.app.goo.gl/wrBNAJHw826Ez8wu8 ----------------------------- Look up DC Equipment on facebook it shows with the skidder on a winch cable. If the terrain allows it, grapple skidder on a wire is probably quicker? than a clambunk. Skidder is grapple and go.
Must be getting close to a release date
JD 6 wheel skidder gets on screen & dirty in this JD commercial.
In Chile
A clambunk is a fair bit faster than a grapple skidder in hand felled timber but much slower in well bunched timber. A clam bunk does move more weight forward and keep more tree off the dirt than a grapple. Its true that every different piece of equipment has its places to shine and flounder.
John Deere 768 L-2 with a Brazilian promo blurb and sign languagette.
Any updates on this?
I can get you one in 1/50 scale by the end of the month. Can't find any news newer than November for the fullsize version.
I will be interested in one when they arrive. I am in a lovers quarrel with Triad right now.
Any one got any news or opinions on the 768 yet.
I have one coming next month.
It's taking longer as I ordered it with a winch & tethering lugs.
Did you demo one? What did you think? How does it compare to the tigercat?
I did not. The way our local tigercat dealer has treated us has pushed me away from them. I think Tigercat is an excellent brand but I really like the 5000 hour warranty and 5000 hour preventative maintenance services provided by JD. Manufacturer financing at 2.15% is Very attractive also. The iron itself is only part of the decision on purchase these days.
Is tethered skidding as cost effective as just grapple yarding it? I know when we set up a road line with the grapple yarder we have anywhere between 3-6 tree lengths in about 3 to 5 seconds.(well that's what it feels like on the receiving end anyway). I couldn't imagine a skidder bombing a landing like that,but I've only seen a video or two of a few turns at a time.
That is a difficult one to answer. Grapple yarding takes a crew to rig, usually only beings in a log or two at once and is very expensive (true grapple yarder is still $1m for 20 years old) very maintenance intensive (splicing, road changes, ect. The plus side is that you have a nearly indestructible grapple and can skid over rock, ect. Tethered skidding takes a larger landing, you can't drop over rock faces and the high initial cost (1.1M) The plusses are, usually a full grapple per turn (8-12 tons) and the wood has been mechanically cut. No crew needed to rig or haywire to pull. Wyss was getting 900-1000 tons of 12-14" dbh treefarm garbage with their tethered 635 in 8 skidding hours.
That's a pretty decent day for a skidder, even if it's hanging like a yoyo. We're using a couple 855s to deck road lines so road changes are minimal just a hook tender and a helper that get freed up to do other things after road changes.But we usually don't get much of a landing, pretty much just anywhere along the road. But definitely maintenance intensive
I have sold my 855 & Falcon winch machine. I have had enough of $25k per month for them to sit.
Some one must have a 768 by now, or seen one at least. I know they are on there way to nz.
That isn't mine, another contractor from town here.