iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Arch skidder vs 3 point skidder

Started by WMcGinn, May 28, 2009, 07:02:59 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

4genlgr

I have a JD 990 with a 351 Frami that i used  in the woods the last 4 years. when i got it i had the dealer set the tires to the widest setting front and rear for stability. also added valve stem protectors made out of pipe and caps with a big nut welded on for the rear and pipe with two 5/16th bolts welded to the sides and a plate over the top on front because of clearance needs    did not fill the tires   havn't had traction or tippy problems , used chaiins on the rear in the snow. which in and of itself presented its own problems  have also been on relitively flat ground. I tend to pull full lenght trees more than pre-bucked but the steeper the ground the more in woods bucking i do. long stuff can get hung up and get leverage on the machine easier

having a winch will let you pull those trees in the really steep places up to your roads to skid them out  knowing your machines capabilities will help in the safety of the operation and working hills with anything is dangerous but can be done with planning and careful thought

park ranger

The tractor that I moved the wheels out is a JD 4120.  They have beet juice in them but the tractor has a grapple on the front bucket(the optional larger one) and when moving logs one or the other tires always seemed to be airborn even with a heavy airrator on the back.  Wider has been a real improvement.  We also put rebar grill on it after someone ran it into the burn pile and messed up the screen. 

WMcGinn

Quote from: park ranger on May 30, 2009, 03:34:22 AM
the tractor has a grapple on the front bucket(the optional larger one)  

That is a sweet attachment.....  I'd love to have the Grapple....   would have made my life over these months since the ice storm much easier.
There's plenty of room for all God's creatures...... right next to the Mashed potatoes.

beenthere

I'd like a grapple too, but its extra weight and the reduced weight of what our size Deere would pick up, would make it almost useless.  A thumb over the forks would be of more interest to me than a grapple, and fit the 30+ hp size tractor.  :)  Keep the load closer in for more lifting power.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

WMcGinn

I've thought about this thumb over the forks idea....at least I'm thinking were talking bout the same thing... A stationary bar or claw that you could pinch stuff up against using the forks or bucket.  I've seen them on backhoes, but not on a front loader like mine.  Is it comething you have to fabricate? Or is there one available comercially?   Does anyone have a pic of a setup like that?  I'm not sure how it would hook up. 

Wm
There's plenty of room for all God's creatures...... right next to the Mashed potatoes.

beenthere

Probably something that needs to be fabricated, at least not available as a Deere option that I know of.

I re-fab'd my Deere forks so they could be picked up by the 3pt quickhitch. Use that for moving firewood on pallets. Some pics in my gallery. Added the hyd. cyl. top link to make the 3pt much more flexible too.

If I would fab something for a top thumb, I'd want it to stand straight up to be out of the way of moving pallets of firewood, but then come down far enough to hold a small log on the forks. Might take some calculating or some sketch-up to get that figured out.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

4genlgr

there are brush rakes or grapples manufactured that replace the bucket on front. hunt the web you'll find them. saw one at the Bangor show price was around 2000 + but it looked pretty rugged. think with a JD you have to get an adapter plate for mounting.

sjfarkas

We have a small deer and we had a quick attach put on the front so we can switch from bucket to a 60" wide grapple to forks.  It's the same quick attach as a skidsteer.  We also had an aftermarket hydraulic setup added to the front.  It's all in the gearmore catalog.  There are kits you can buy to add a grapple to a set of forks.  we moved quite a bit of material with the little deer and the grapple, but when we got a bobcat T300 we forgot all about the deer. 

One more thing, we have water in the tires with wheel weights too.
Always try it twice, the first time could've been a fluke.

shinnlinger

HI,

I would experiment with a few different ratios of water and windshield washer fluid in the freezer and see how far you can dilute and still not freeze to make your fluid go farther.  I think you can do better than $3 a gallon also.  With the  PVC fill thingie, make the air chuck hose long enough so you can use it like a funnel for the first half of the tire

Westendorf makes a grapple that replaces the bucket and uses the bucket curl cylinders to open and close.  NOt as ideal as an independent system, but cheaper (under $1000) and easier to plumb (you don't )  and since it is lighter than the bucket, you gain some lift capacity,

I will say though every time I consider putting a loader grapple on my 34 horse tractor I come to the conclusion that It wont be that much better than my forks for the money/time spent.  If I was making $$$ with my rig that would be one thing, but for what I use it for now the forks get it done.  Maybe not as fast and sure I wish I had a grapple from time to time, but I cant justify one for the size machine I have.
Shinnlinger
Woodshop teacher, pasture raised chicken farmer
34 horse kubota L-2850, Turner Band Mill, '84 F-600,
living in self-built/milled timberframe home

John Woodworth

Your best bet on your tires is to spend the money and have the tire store people put calcium in your tires, if they are tubeless have them put tubes in the tires. You don't have to fill them full, discuss with the tire people your wants and needs and how your going to use the machine and let them judge how much to use.

Remember the more weight in the tires the slower the machine, one of my skidders only has 1/3 full and the other same machine are full and there is no comparison to which is quicker and more agile.
Two Garret 21 skidders, Garret 10 skidder, 580 Case Backhoe, Mobile Dimension sawmill, 066, 046 mag, 044, 036mag, 034, 056 mag, 075, 026, lewis winch

beenthere

John
Don't understand why calcium chloride would be his best bet.  ::) ::)

Seems there are trade-offs to consider, being weight per volume, corrosiveness of the fluids, cost of the fluids, and DIY variations.

Had a tractor with calcium chloride and the resulting rusting rims. Won't go that way again. I figured going with windshield washer fluid for starters, then planned to add wheel weights if more weight needed. I have only added the ballast box (which isn't on for logging). No wheel weights needed yet.

I used 30 gal of windshield washer fluid in each tire. It was rated to -25°F. Added water to bring the total fluid up to the valve stem when it was a 12 oclock high. At that time, WWF was a buck a gallon.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

thecfarm

You talk like the rims will rust right off the tractor while working it.  ::)  I have a 1954 Ford NAA that was bought new by my Father and calcium has  been used since 1954 and the rims are still the original ones. Yes, they are rusted some but nothing bad. Most times it will rot out around the valve stem first. When we bought the '92 we put calcium into the tires .I feel it's the only way to go. But this is a working tractor too. This has been worked from day one. Probably with what you do the WW works fine. Some of us just need more weight to get the job done.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

beenthere

Quote from: thecfarm on June 04, 2009, 07:34:24 AM
You talk like the rims will rust right off the tractor while working it.  ::)  ................

Didn't mean to suggest that scenario.  :)  It is just a possibility and not worth the risk (to me) when max possible weight of fluid in the tires is not necessary.  Meant just something to consider.   ;D
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

sparky

I am into antique tractors and one of the most common issues with older tractors is that the rims are rusted out due to the corrosive nature of calcium based fluids. The guys I associate with get used anti-freeze from auto salvage yards for use for ballast in their tires. Most of the time the salvage yards will donate the fluid rather than face the cost of getting rid of it thru proper channels. The farmers with radial tractor tires are limited to about a 55% fill with fluid, so they use anti-freeze as they need to stay below the theoretical maximum.

Sparky
I'tnl 2050 with Prentrice 110, Custom built 48" left-hand circular and 52" Bellsaw right-hand circular mills, Jonsered 2171, Stihl 084, and too many other chainsaws. John Deere 3020 and Oliver 1800 with FELs. 20" 4-sided planer and misc.

WMcGinn

Thanks for all the info guys.    I did locate a fellow who has a Tractor one size smaller than mine, a 4210 I think,   an he needs to add ballast to his tires as well.     We're either going to fabricate the loading device as was described above...or he did mention he knew of someone who had one made already.    Planning to use the WWfluid... May not give me the weight of calcium,   but at least I won't have the rust or potential rust issues to worry about...  Plus I think this eliminates the need to add tubes... which I can't do myself.   

Putting the valve stem at 12oclock and filling up to the stem sounds like a lot of fluid,  and alot of weight.... but It's plenty easy enough to take out I guess.   This tractor does double duty to mow my lawn,  so I don't want to tear up the ground too bad... or cause marks if the ground isn't bone dry.

Thanks again for all the info....   And thanks for all the info I'm getting reading Forestry forum. 


Wm     
There's plenty of room for all God's creatures...... right next to the Mashed potatoes.

shinnlinger

Hi,

PLease DON'T put used anti freeze in your tires.  Yes it will work fine, but if you rip a valve stem off or somehow puncture a tire you will leave the hazardous stuff all over your yard or wherever.

If you are looking for cheap, I  am considering putting used fryer grease in a garden tractor.  I was thinking it wouldn't weigh as much, but it has been pointed out here you can have too much weight so I might leave some in the sun to liquify it and give it a go.
Shinnlinger
Woodshop teacher, pasture raised chicken farmer
34 horse kubota L-2850, Turner Band Mill, '84 F-600,
living in self-built/milled timberframe home

beenthere

What will the fryer grease be like in your tire when it is a solid blob from cooler weather or downright cold?
Garden tractor is moving slow most of the time, but on a side hill the flop you get might flip the tractor easier, seems to me.

On a tractor at road speeds, one wouldn't want any flop of blob going over the top. That used to happen with fluid loaded tires at high speeds (coasting downhill or gearing a tractor to speeds over say 20 mph).
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

mike_van

I'd re-think the fryer grease unless I was somewhere it never got cold.
I was the smartest 16 year old I ever knew.

WMcGinn

Fryer grease?   I can see coons and dogs attracted to my French fry scented tractor. :o).

I'm sure there is some environmental impact if you dumped 30-40 gallons of WWfluid on the ground...   But as for leaks, essentially every car on the road is squirting this stuff little bits everywhere and I'm sure the epa wouldn't allow it if it was overly toxic.       
Wm
There's plenty of room for all God's creatures...... right next to the Mashed potatoes.

shinnlinger

Here is my thoughts on the grease.  I run bio diesel and have lots of used grease laying around.  The raw stuff is still pretty liquid at even 0 degrees and I bet if I left it in the sun, strained it and added som anti gel it would be just fine.  The coons and bears have never gone after the white grease totes beside the barn so I dont think they will attack a tractor tire.  I think it is a calculated risk and the garden tractor doesn't see much action in the winter either

And to be clear, Windshield washer fluid is a fine alternative, I was trying to steer anyone away from automotove anti freeze. 

ANother alternative might be the rv anti freeze they use in baseboard heating systems that have any chance of contmainating drinking water, but I dont think that would be any cheaper than wwfluid.  But now that I think of it, I have a 30 gallon barrel in my basement left from a flush some years ago.  Perhaps plumbers could furnish you with used product for cheap.
Shinnlinger
Woodshop teacher, pasture raised chicken farmer
34 horse kubota L-2850, Turner Band Mill, '84 F-600,
living in self-built/milled timberframe home

stonebroke

Calcium chloride is pretty toxic too.

Stonebroke

mike_van

Quote from: stonebroke on June 07, 2009, 01:01:36 PM
Calcium chloride is pretty toxic too.

Stonebroke
How is saltwater toxic? 
I was the smartest 16 year old I ever knew.

stonebroke

Salt by itself is toxic. You can use it to kill weeds. Calcium Chloride is not sodium chloride anyway.

Stonebroke

shinnlinger

 a few years ago I was clearing some trees when I ripped a valve stem off.  NOt wanting to change a tractor tire in the woods I B-lined it for the barn, cutting across a field and the lawn.  I made it in time, but you could see my dead path all summer where the chloride hit the ground.

Still, I would take that  over automotive anti-freeze.  If an animal drinks it it can kill.  I might be off my fryer greese kick now and focused on used RV antifreeze.  If the price is right I am on it.
Shinnlinger
Woodshop teacher, pasture raised chicken farmer
34 horse kubota L-2850, Turner Band Mill, '84 F-600,
living in self-built/milled timberframe home

Chico

My Daughter My sailor MY HERO God Bless all the men and Women fighting for us today If you see one stop and thank them

Thank You Sponsors!