Frickman's Skidder

[Ironwood]

Well, the TREE GODS have left a skidder here at my place. Since Frickman doesn't post pictures here 's his pride and joy (his PRIDE, my JOY,he left the key in it!!!).




  Tee Hee Hee , happier than giggling gull. 50 years of fence row scrub growth bites the dust!!!

  Boy, the articulation is interesting to get used to. I only got in trouble once with a slick off angle and had to use the winch before things could get ugly. Great machine, newer engine , new tranny, clutch and tires. The seat however is a HEMORRIOD HELPER, hlps you get them!! There ain't much left of the seat but the steel butt pan, OUCH

                                 Thanks Frick

               Reid

[Frickman]

That's her, a new coat of paint and a new seat and it's like a new one. I needed a place to park it while I make some hay and Reid's place was as good as any.

[Gary_C]

Who needs a good seat when you have an air ride suspension? Or good springs? Oh well, just get one of those doughnuts to sit on!   :D :D

Could be worse, the ground could be frozen!

[Frickman]

A little background on this machine. As John Deere quit building the best logging machine ever made twenty years ago, I had to go used. This skidder was a one-owner machine and very well cared for. He had his local Deere dealer completely rebuild everything, engine, transmission, etc., everything except a coat of paint. He ran it a couple hundred hours on one seventy acre tract and retired. The fuel gauge doesn't work, but that's it, everything else is like new.

The side covers aren't on the engine because they're real hard to get on and off. If you're careful in the brush it's not a problem.

I tried to get a seat from Deere, using the part number in the parts manual they sold me for $180.00. The part number is no longer available, so I have to make something else work. I just haven't had time to yet. I'm about half the size of Reid and it's never really bothered me yet. I know it needs fixed sometime though.

[Brian_Rhoad]

I got a seat for my 440 from a farm supply store. Some of the JD farm tractors used the same seat. Just make sure the seat frame is all metal. Some of the after market seats have plywood frames. They don't last very long.

[Woodwalker]

Frickman, I can't read the #'s on the skidder, but I use this LINK for parts for my old backhoe and tractors.

[urbanlumberinc]

How much do those baby's go for used in your neck of the woods???
I see em for sale quite a bit out here, and can count on one hand the number of times I've seen anyone using one (or for that matter any piece of logging equipment).  I seem to remember seeing one for sale awhile back for 6000.  Seemed to be in pretty good shape

[Ironwood]

I have considered much used equipment over the years, the stuff that always scares me is repair costs. These heavy machines can really dent the wallet. Example, a friend has two fairly new (he bought them new) JD skidsteers. Well, the one keeps blowing the pumps, and at 700 in parts at each shake it get expensive (he is doing all the work, I couldn't so add LABOR) Example, Case dealer has fairly new unit in the shop, pump went and took out all the other drive pumps for the wheels and ect,... $6000  to fix it all. I can fathom a very used unit. I Frickman has the right idea, find one with known history, repair records and just pay what it's worth.

  I have gone out on limb for several nice questionable forklifts and they have paid off.  I just use them so much it is my primary use item. I am one HELL of a woodworker but not such a great mechanic. I need to pick my battles, especially since I have only so many hours in a day.

  $6000 is cheap, but what lurks beneath may cost twice that much.  :-\

           Reid

[Frickman]

This skidder is a 440B. The 440's are still a popular machine for small tracts of timber around here.

Seat pad itself isn't too bad, it's the armrests and backrests that are destroyed. I'll make something work sometime. In the meantime, Reid can go back to using a pick and shovel.  ;D ;D

I'm not at liberty to say what I paid for this unit, but a decent used 440 will bring $10,000 to $12,000. Parts can add up quick, so you're usually better off buying a nicer machine.

I was the tenth or twelth fellow to look at this skidder, and I couldn't figure out why it never sold. It took me a few months to figure it out. The previous owner wanted it to go to a good home. Just like a dog or a horse. He interviewed me for an hour before he let me buy it. I still stop and visit him when I'm in his area, he and his wife are real nice people.

[Ed_K]

Go to the junk yard and get a high backed bucket seat  ;), mines out of a firebird  8).

[adirondack harvester]

What size of timber can the 440 handle?  I have been looking at a few of the 1970's JDs, but was wondering if they could handle some 30" white pine trees?  If so, how many per hitch?

[Dale Hatfield]

Id say about 1,200 board feet per  hitch. Based on conditions and quality of machine and winch.
The most important thing here is to consider the operator. What can he handle without wrecking remaining stand and machine


Dale

[Brian_Rhoad]

Our JD 440 skidded a Poplar tree that was scaled at 1800 BF. It was 40" in diameter 12' from the stump. My dad ran the skidder for the previous owner. He said it was a slight uphill grade and he was in 1st gear the whole way. I think it will handle 30" White Pine OK. 2 30" logs will fill the area between the rear bumper and tires.