New SKidder purchase

[CX3]

Well I am going to buy another skidder.  I like small machines that I can pull with a pickup.  I have found a JD 440 powershift.  Tight machine, fair enough rubber, shifts good, no leaks, no blowby.  It needs cleaned up and I would say its as old as a 440 can get.  It does have later model engine and rebuilt tranny.  11500 for this one. 

Tree farmer c5d.  Good matching tires, cable, 1986 model, looks good in pics, standard shift, 353 detroit, I have not personally looked yet, supposed to be nice tight machine.  12500. 

These are the only two I can find that I can afford to go get.  The JD is much older skidder and I know the ol boy who owns it now.  They use it for smaller gigs.  I know nothing of tree farmer, and no experience with them .  I want your opinion on which skidder I should have more interest in, with your answer being derived from price, parts accessibility, age of machine, etc?  When it comes to these skidders I am still a rook.  Thanks alot.

[wi woodcutter]

I like the John Deere's they seems to be a good all around machine. It seems to be what everyone has around here. My dad had several of them. You should be able to get parts fairly easily for the Deere.

I don't know much about Tree Farmers, but I have heard that people like them a lot.

If it was my money I would look at the Deere.    

[ford62783]

i would say both can be good machines if it was my money i would look at the tree farmer they r popular and decently easy to find parts my uncle has a 79 tree farmer and hasnt had many problems typical breakdowns but all in all a tugh and rugged machine also ive heard from guys who owned deere 440 and 540 that they dnt take steep hills as well as a tree farmer and that isnt a bad price for the machine

[barbender]

Tree farmers tend to be more basic, from what I hear easier to work on and way cheaper for parts. I think the John deere machines are laid out better, nicer to run, but you pay for it when something breaks.

[Stephen Alford]

Hey cx3, just wanted to say welcome. They are both good machines.  If you were to put a pressure washer to em tells alot about their history. The tree farmer will accept alot of chev parts. Should keep a set of filters ahead .  You will notice a difference between the two when push comes to shove. 

[Frickman]

I have one of each, a John Deere 440B skidder and a Tree Farmer C5D forwarder. The Deere is the best machine ever put in the woods. The Tree Farmer is by far the worst. Yes, parts are cheap and easy to get for a Tree Farmer. I should know, I've  bought plenty of them. So has everyone else I know who has had one. The Deere parts are expensive, and you usually have to get them from Deere. You don't have to buy as many of them though.

I have owned and/or operated all the major brands of logging equipment over the years. There is a reason why John Deere's are so popular. They're the best of the best.

[wi woodcutter]

I have owned and/or operated all the major brands of logging equipment over the years. There is a reason why John Deere's are so popular. They're the best of the best.

Yup.

The same could be said about Deere's farm and construction equipment.

[tughill]

An early 440 would have to be about brand new, or at least kept by a little old lady and only driven on sunday, to be worth more than 10k$ around here, especially in the current economy.

I say buy the deere if you can get it for 5-6k$...that is what it's worth in decent running condition.

[Twig farmer]

Hi, first post here...

First, if you are pulling a C5D Tree Farmer with a pick-up, you're a madman. Mine weighs in around 16,000 pounds with the chains on. Figure the trailer is another 5K pounds...you're pulling 21K off the bumper...nuts.

Second, Deere is the caddy of skidders, for sure.

Third, saying a tree farmer is always breaking and the worst machine in the woods is silly. I've owned mine since 1996, and it's been 100% stone reliable. The poster above has a forwarder, and those are a LOT more complicated than a skidder. Maybe that's why he has a bad opinion of them.

I know I dearly LOVE my twig farmer, but mine has a Deutz 5 cyl, not the noisemaker Detroit. It's as simple and rugged as an anvil. And it will pull the 440 Deere AND a twitch if you want it to.

If you are going to pull it with a pickup, and you aren't going to try hauling 4 thousand feet of oak at a twitch, the Deere is a fine machine. Fast, nimble as a go-cart.

The tree farmer is a crab walker, the axles don't lock in and out like the deere...it takes a 3 point turn where the Deere will just spin around like a 2 dollar hooker in a donkey show south of the border. But the Tree farmer is far cheaper to own long term....and will out pull the deere hands down....and on hills there's no comparing them...the deere will scare you while the farmer will love it.

Good luck.

[Mark K]

Welcome to the forum. How does that Deutz run in hot weather. We have 3 SAME tractors on our farm, not a bit of trouble. I looked at a C5D a few years back but my log buyer says they can't take hot humid days. I own a 225 Timberjack with a 353, probably about the same size. I know mine weighs 7 tons without chains. I haul mine with a 3/4 ton Dodge with a 20k gooseneck trailer. Just got to be careful what your doing and dont set any speed records .

[hollywoodmfg]

440 is a great skidder but i dont like the powershift. they are nice till they quit.as far as hills dont really have any probluems with mine. but i think the simpleness of the tree farmer would be the way to go.

[bill m]

I know mine weighs 7 tons without chains. I haul mine with a 3/4 ton Dodge with a 20k gooseneck trailer. Just got to be careful what your doing and dont set any speed records .

So your hauling about 9 ton with a truck that weighs about 3 ton?

[Twig farmer]

Welcome to the forum. How does that Deutz run in hot weather.

Thanks.
I never had any issues. I give up LONG before it ever complains. You can't kill them, the log buyer is blowing smoke.
You gotta LOVE not having a cooling system to fail and warp the head...and repair...

[Mark K]

You use your head and plan routes accordingly. I have hauled my skidder with this setup for the past 10 years. Been through many road blocks, they look at my DOT numbers and my license. Haven't been questioned yet, just use your head and dont do anything stupid.

Twig farmer- I thought so but I dont see many of them around here with the deutz, most have the Detriot. I've never had a problem with our SAME's even on the hotest days. More of a problem during the winter because they don't run hot enough and start blowing fuel.

[Bobus2003]

I have a '69 JD440 with a  mid '90's 4045T Powertech Engine and I love it.. Have ran a few other skidders (Clark, Massy Ferguson, TJ, CanCar, International, CAT) and I wouldn't take any of them over my 440.. She's old but reliable.. Does every thing i ask of her.. She'll winch herself rightover if i'll let it (Not uncommon on hard pulls to be lifting the front axle off the ground).. And thats with Loaded Tires and Chains on all four. She can be a little tippy on some of the steeper hills (If you side hill) but What skidder isn't gonna be and the loaded tires help out alot with stability

I tow the 440 around the Black Hills on a 32' 20K lbs GN trailer behind my '06 F350 4x4 CC.. Used to Haul it behind my '99 F250.. Just don't be stupid

[Twig farmer]

Boy, the New Hampshire DOT would SLOW ROAST me over an open flame if they saw me pulling my Twiggy with a pick-up, even with a good gooseneck...They bust us here for hauling a cord of green wood on a ton dump....over-weight...it's why I have an F550 4x4....I'm legal 9 times out of 10...and I still wouldn't dare haul my skidder....they are re-incarnated Gestapo here..

[Bobus2003]

I'm Lookin at buying a '06 F550 Right now.. It combined with my GN trailer my GCWR would be way over sufficiant to haul my skidder..

[Twig farmer]

I agree, the 440A/B is fine...and I know my F550 can haul my C5D around fine...it's the DOT that thinks it's a bad idea..

[thumper]

bobus,, is your f350 a single wheel and trailer a dual wheel set up?  i have the same skidder (11000)lbs without chains, and a 06 gmc 3500 4x4 single wheel.  i have seen alot of guys haul this same scene but with a dual wheel truck.. did you try this on snow/ice?  i know,,, talk about pushing it..  thanks

[Bobus2003]

bobus,, is your f350 a single wheel and trailer a dual wheel set up?  i have the same skidder (11000)lbs without chains, and a 06 gmc 3500 4x4 single wheel.  i have seen alot of guys haul this same scene but with a dual wheel truck.. did you try this on snow/ice?  i know,,, talk about pushing it..  thanks

Yeah My F350 is a Single Rear Wheel, and my Trailer is Tandam Axle with Duals.. Yeah I haul it whenever/Where Ever Year round. I also Haul my JD 550 Dozer same way (Hauled it Over to Gillette Wyoming Last Fall through 2 Ports of Entry and Nothing was ever Said too me)