TreeFarmer Skidder C8

Parttimewoodsman · January 28, 2006, 03:40:43 PM

I've inherited a Cancar C8 TreeFarmer skidder in my culdesac. Does anybody know what the engine in this thing is exactly? I think it's a Detroit Diesel 8V-71.... We're going to try and start it tomorrow and it would be nice to know what I'm dealing with.

Is there anything I need to know about the controls before I try it...I've never driven a skidder! I'm mainly a tractor/truck person.

Minnesota_boy · January 28, 2006, 04:55:19 PM

Raise the blade before you move forward. :D

thecfarm · January 29, 2006, 07:52:32 AM

I guess you gave him a taste of what we are like here. ;D Welcome to the forum.Sorry I can't help you,I'm mainly a tractor/truck guy too.Probaly change all the filters and fluids on it,once you know it runs good.Hang on to your wallet,probaly will cost 4 times what you think it should.

Minnesota_boy · January 29, 2006, 09:27:36 AM

I thought it was a pretty practical suggestion. :D

My neighbor had a skidder once that the packing on the blade cylinders would leak a bit. He was driving it down the gravel road in high gear and not watching the blade. When it hit the gravel, the skidder stopped rather suddenly.

Parttimewoodsman · January 30, 2006, 06:56:55 PM

Well, ....thanks for the advice. I got the skidder started and moved but did indeed have problems with the blade. It went up once and then stayed down for good. Eventually, I kept pushing the hydraulic lever and it jerkily lifted and off we went.

Boy its a big machine.

leweee · January 30, 2006, 11:05:21 PM

Partimewoodsman....Welcome to the forum 8)

What part of canada you all from?

How's dem brakes on that hungry C8? ;D

Parttimewoodsman · January 31, 2006, 05:41:35 PM

I'm in the Fraser Valley - a rainy 60 miles outside of Vancouver. Lots of alder, cedar and old big leaf maples.

The brakes didn't work too well. I'm assuming that it's because I dripped some hydraulic fluid on the drive plate. I'll clean it and see what happens.

Sawyerfortyish · February 01, 2006, 08:09:22 PM

Are you sure it's 8 cylinder Detroit? The 8v-71 has 318hp before turbocharging. Thats a lot of engine for a skidder. My guess would be a 453 or a 653 Usally the 53 series engines is what was put in equipment altho I have seen a Timberjack with 671.

Parttimewoodsman · February 03, 2006, 06:45:06 PM

I'm not sure what engine this thing has! I DO know that it's got 8 cylinders and is not turbo'd. Can't seem to find a way to figure out what exactly it is. I can't find anywhere on the web a way to identify whether it's a detroit diesel or not!

Sawyerfortyish · February 04, 2006, 08:26:37 AM

If it's a detroit it'll say so in big letters on the valve cover or on the air intake.

Parttimewoodsman · February 06, 2006, 12:23:28 PM

Thanks. You were right, it's not a Detroit. It's a Perkins.

ely · February 06, 2006, 04:39:38 PM

i was gonna say if it hurt your head when you revved her up then its probably a detroit. ;D

Coon · February 08, 2006, 06:44:52 PM

The Perkins engines are still nice too. Alot quieter than the Screamin Jimmies. :D The Perkins deisels were fairly fuel efficient along with the hp.
Brad.

Frickman · February 08, 2006, 09:54:36 PM

Perkins are great motors, you should like it. Is it a V-8? that's the only Perkins 8 cylinders that I've seen.

Parttimewoodsman · February 15, 2006, 02:29:28 PM

Yah, it's a V8 from about 1971. Upgraded the muffler system. Possible oil in the radiator. Seems to run fine, though. Winch is great. Nasty urban youths smashed the instrument gauges, though. Stole the knobs, too.

exLogger · November 10, 2010, 12:35:26 PM

I see this is an old thread but, I would LOVE a pic of your C8.

My gypo-logging father, Randy Welker, had a C8A that I used to operate in N. Calif, USA in the 70s/80s. We were always too busy working to take any pics and now its gone and so is he :(

It was quite the beast... uncommon for this area. And, of course, no brakes really. Too much hydralic fluid leaking down on em :-))

Mark K · November 10, 2010, 05:35:47 PM

They used them engines in the Massey Furgason. I've been around them a little, neighbor use to chop with his. Seemed to have decent power. Good luck

Buck · November 10, 2010, 06:13:46 PM

Welcome, PICTURES! please ;)

exLogger · December 14, 2010, 07:47:53 AM

Quote from: Buck on November 10, 2010, 06:13:46 PM
Welcome, PICTURES! please ;)

++

Reddog · December 14, 2010, 08:24:59 AM

Quote from: exLogger on November 10, 2010, 12:35:26 PM
I see this is an old thread but, I would LOVE a pic of your C8.

Pretty unlikely
Last time they where online: Last Active: March 07, 2006, 06:05:35 pm

Buck · December 14, 2010, 09:58:14 AM

Yeah, wasnt too observant on my part. Oh well. lol

tjdub · December 15, 2010, 02:35:58 PM

I got curious and managed to find a photo of one using google.

Looks like quite a beast.

barbender · December 16, 2010, 02:20:14 AM

It looks like delimbing arms on the blade of that monster, or something hydrualic actuated anyways. What a beast

lumberjack48 · December 16, 2010, 12:57:13 PM

Dam that's one Helluva horse, i rented a C6 one winter, it had a 6 cylinder Perkins , 140 hp with a 6 speed Allison automatic. It was fun to operate compared to my C5D stick shift with 353 Detroit, but this way i rented it i didn't want to pay for a break down, just needed a little help to finish a job up, we ran her hard, and she liked the taste of diesel fuel.