How much mast to unload a Log Truck?

Gilman · January 13, 2006, 06:40:25 PM

Anyone know how much lift you need on a forklift to be able unload a log truck?

Thanks in advance

isawlogs · January 13, 2006, 06:43:21 PM

I think you got about 12 feet to the top of the pickits ..

james · January 13, 2006, 06:45:45 PM

the bunks cant be any higher than 14 ft (legal height west of the mississippi river )so I would go with 15 foot
james

Frank_Pender · January 13, 2006, 07:46:55 PM

I am with James on this. You want to make sure you have ample clearance of the stakes, for sure. ;D

boboak · January 13, 2006, 10:31:12 PM

What kind of wood? Green or dry? I've seen guys unload 40' fir with a forklift but its tricky. How bout rigging a crotch line and a couple of tongs ? Hard to say without knowing the truck, the wood etc. A lot of the trucks out here have stakes that trip...lay a log down along the tires, drop the stake against the log like a ramp,and skid 'em off.

mike_van · January 14, 2006, 07:06:57 AM

Legal height in Ct. is 13' 6" - A long ways up for a log to just lay on flat forks - Wet, slippery, ice covered, unbalanced, i'd go to plan B

sawguy21 · January 14, 2006, 08:38:35 AM

Quote from: mike_van on January 14, 2006, 07:06:57 AM
Legal height in Ct. is 13' 6" - A long ways up for a log to just lay on flat forks - Wet, slippery, ice covered, unbalanced, i'd go to plan B

Plan B being wide forks and a grapple?

thedeeredude · January 14, 2006, 08:56:24 AM

You could always buy yourown tri axle with self loader.

dewwood · January 14, 2006, 09:11:29 AM

Isawlogs is right about the height of log bunks on most trucks. They are about 12 feet but you need to be able to go a little higher than that. I use my forklift occasionally to unload with but like it was mentioned above it is not the best thing to use for the reasons indicated. The only reason I use it is if I have my loader at the landing and have to use the forklift to unload at the log yard. If the loader is here I use it and not the forklift.

Engineer · January 14, 2006, 10:04:13 AM

I think you need a LeTourneau 6594. :P :D

Ironwood · January 15, 2006, 12:05:00 AM

Gil,

Is the question based upon you unloading someone elses truck or for your design of your rig? Here in Pa. I thought it was 2' over the highest log in the stack. Every log on the top layer needss to contact the straps (three minimum). The standards can be removeable but must be secured in place by some means. I don't do that much but it is my understanding, perhaps some pros will chime in. Reid

VA-Sawyer · January 15, 2006, 12:51:20 AM

Fireman Ed has a raised platform/ramp in his logyard. The log truck pulls alongside. The platform helps get the loader high enough to make it a little safer. I thought it was a pretty good idea.
VA-Sawyer

Gilman · January 15, 2006, 11:20:43 PM

Thanks everyone for the input.

I got ahold of a logger friend and he said 12' would work. The adjustable bunks go up to 11 1/2' but are only that high on pulp loads of fir. Saw logs he said would probably be closer to 10 1/2' bunks.

It's surprising the differences from state to state.

I'm asking because I'm looking at two different forklifts. I'd prefer to use a loader with grapples but due to $ reasons, I'm looking for a more versitile vehicle, a forklift.

I thought about that ramp idea. I like not have a three ton log 12' in the are balance on two forks 6' apart.

I'd like to get a Hyster H200 (20k capacity) but haven't found one in my price range yet.

Faron · January 15, 2006, 11:29:38 PM

Gilman, we use a Taylor forklift with a little over 11" lift to handle logs. Balancing logs has never been a problem, and we just tilt and jostle it a little to slide them off. Then it works real well for handling large stacks of lumber. Ours originally had about 15 ' of lift, but we had to shorten the mast so we could get into our saw building. The building we are now building would accomodate that height, but, too late... ;)

truckwrench · January 16, 2006, 11:39:19 PM

the top of my stakes are about 11 1/2 feet, but if it is green wood I can only load the bottom ,so without stakes is only about 8feet

Engineer · January 17, 2006, 11:22:03 AM

IF (and only if) I had to unload logs on a regular basis, and also have capability to use around a mill, I would be looking at a large 4WD all-terrain boom lift with a grapple and forks. You can do 10K, sometimes 12k pounds with the big ones. Height would be no issue. Often can get a used one from a rental yard for pretty reasonable cost.

Murf · January 17, 2006, 01:31:59 PM

Along the lines of what Jon said, a guy with a WM near my summer place bought an old crane truck, not roadworthy, for buttons.

When the log trucks come in he just puts the boom up and lifts the log out with a couple of nylon slings, one around each end, hooked to a cable off the boom winch.

In close it will lift something like 15 tons, but he can reach out about 25' with a pretty god sized log if he keeps the load straight out back so the truck itself acts like a really long stabilizer.

It's also pretty handy for totin' stuff around the yard.

UNCLEBUCK · January 18, 2006, 02:05:25 AM

I have always wanted a huge old Clark forklift and on ebay they come through now and then and sell very cheap but they are always too far away and need to go on a lowboy and the trucking would be much more than the lift . Someday :

My old Bay City crane will lift 25 tons but I dont think I trust the cable to maybe half of that . I paid 1000$ for the whole truck crane and it is a hoot for hanging deer on !

Sawyerfortyish · January 18, 2006, 12:52:44 PM

My bunks on my log truck are 12'6". If I had to unload with a forklift I would want it to lift at least 14'. When unloading with forklifts do it on solid level ground. But the best and fastest way is with a grapple loader,

Gilman · January 18, 2006, 01:20:31 PM

It's really looking like I need to save up a little more dough. The lifts in the capacity range I want are $10,000 - 15,000.

The Clark forklift I was looking at would have worked well except for the 115" lift. The mast had 2 lift cylinders on the sides of the mast. Visiblility of the forks is excellent. :(

The 4 x 4 off road would obviously be nice, but for the $25,000 price. :

???

Sawyerfortyish · January 18, 2006, 10:24:33 PM

If it were me I'de look for a front end loader. Forklifts flounder around like a fish out of water on uneven ground or mud-snow and ice.

Faron · January 19, 2006, 07:25:20 AM

Keep looking, Gilman. I bet you can find an older one for less than that. Our Taylor had a blown engine when we bought it. I think we had less than 8k in it after putting in a rebuilt Jasper engine. I think it is rated at 12,000 pounds capacity. One thing to remember- the rough terrain types that kind of resemble a farm tractor running in reverse are a little prone to turning over sideways. Lifts like ours that have smaller air or foam filled tires are more stable, but you need a solid rocked yard. Ours is not a mudder by any means. Before we got the forklift we used a farm tractor and loader. It was ok for unloading logs, but couldn't handle enough lumber to load out trucks. If you have a solid yard, and need to handle stacks of lumber as well as logs, an old big forklift is hard to beat.