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Fabtek 153/ Caterpillar 501HD

Started by bkellyvtme, April 16, 2010, 11:54:07 AM

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bkellyvtme

Anyone have any experiance with either one of these units? I am looking at the fixed head processor on one of these. Since they are not a self leveler, how do they fair on steep inclines (I know levelers are better)?

Maine372

fabtek now belongs to cat so i hope you get along with your cat dealer!

as far as slopes, keep the tree uphill from you, and use the head to keep the tree vertical.

amberwood

I was at the CAT dealer yesterday and they have a new 511 sitting in the yard. Bigger brother to to the 501. I asked the same question. The asnwer, the engine/pumps will do 30deg slope without internal damage, but the machine operation is only really suited to about 25deg slope. My comfort factor runs out long before that.

DTR
MS460 Magnum
MS250
DAF CF85-430
ASV RC-85 track loader

bkellyvtme

I would love to have a 501HD. Around here there are some pretty steep inclines in places and a non tilter is questionable at best. If this machine was a tilter and weighed around 45k, I would buy one for sure.

amberwood

You have to go to a 522 to get the tilt base. Weighs in at 28t plus attachement.

DTR
MS460 Magnum
MS250
DAF CF85-430
ASV RC-85 track loader

bkellyvtme

I got a quote on the 522 with a processing head, but I was kind of looking at the smaller 501. If it was pretty good on the slopes I wouldn't be against getting the 501 with a fixed head. Lighter weight and less fuel consumption I would guess.

amberwood

Advice from my CAT guy was to dodge the 501 and go up a step or two. Fine  for a dedicated thinning machine on flatter ground but not enough machine to deal with larger trees and bigger head weights. The $ are very simliar until you get to the 522 and you get way more power and weight to help with stability. At the 511 you are into D6 track gear and 50klb drives. Depends on the application, and the budget. We have gone a slightly different route to give ourselves some flexibilty on flat v slope whilst producing a cut to length product.

DTR
MS460 Magnum
MS250
DAF CF85-430
ASV RC-85 track loader

bkellyvtme

I most likely will stay with the 522. I just got a wild hair across me and thought about the 501.

tuckermtn

I was at a workshop on Thursday- there was a contractor from Maine- first name Gary- think he was from Avon Me. - who has a 501 with a fabtek 4 roller- loves the head- didn't get much of a sense of his impression of the carrier.  yes hope you like your cat dealer- I know I don't...

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jkingsley

stay away from all fabtek/rebranded fabtek machines. they are not made for the woods.

Gary_C

Quote from: jkingsley on April 21, 2010, 08:30:34 PM
stay away from all fabtek/rebranded fabtek machines. they are not made for the woods.

It would be prefered for you to state your specific reasons. I know a lot of guys that think Fabtek machines are better than others. And I believe those Fabtek machines are made in the old Hydroaxe plant, now owned by Cat and right here in Minnesota. And those people have a lot of experience making those machines specifically for the woods.
Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.

jkingsley


It would be prefered for you to state your specific reasons. I know a lot of guys that think Fabtek machines are better than others. And I believe those Fabtek machines are made in the old Hydroaxe plant, now owned by Cat and right here in Minnesota. And those people have a lot of experience making those machines specifically for the woods.
[/quote]

where do you want me to start?
not stable on slopes(even when cutting small trees)
poor hose routing to head
no hose guards on head
not enough lift power
not enough swing power
poor visibility to tops of trees
poor fuel consumption
4 roller head had to be welded on regularly

I ran a 2003 fabtek 153 for a couple of years and could keep going on with this list.







amberwood

Interesting feedback from a user, but note that the current CAT re-engineered versions are a little different from the not yellow versions, they have the highest swing power of any carrier available, from memory it is the same drive used in their larger excavators. Head issues, well that is not a carrier problem, more related to the installation and brand of head used. Not sure about over there but in AUS the head is an external provider such as Waratah, Rosin, Southstar etc. Fuel, depends on application but I have fuel numbers in the high teens (L) per hour from local users. Not too bad I would have thought.

not stable on slopes(even when cutting small trees)
poor hose routing to head
no hose guards on head
not enough lift power
not enough swing power
poor visibility to tops of trees
poor fuel consumption
4 roller head had to be welded on regularly

Just my 10 cents.

DTR
MS460 Magnum
MS250
DAF CF85-430
ASV RC-85 track loader

RLLOGVT

ran across this old post tonight. curious what you ended up doing?

bkellyvtme


JLeBouton

I find the negative comments about the FABTEK machines to be a little disconcerting. I'm sorry you had a poor experience with your machine. The numbers prove that the machines are not sub-par. If it is any value, the machine you speak of was made when the company was owned by Blount. This was not the highlight in the history of the FABTEK line. The sheer number of machines still out in the field, stand as a true testament to the durability and usefulness of the line. Not much was changed to the design of the machines once CAT started producing them. If you can find a head with over 15,000 hours on it, that hasn't been welded on a few time, please share with the rest of us. To generalize an entire line of machines, based on one machine that you had issues with, is a bit uninformed. Blount was not up to the task of building the same quality machines that were originally produce at our facility. I think the amount of time they lasted is a testament to that. 

snowstorm

Quote from: FABTEK on August 29, 2012, 07:15:01 PM
I find the negative comments about the FABTEK machines to be a little disconcerting. I'm sorry you had a poor experience with your machine. The numbers prove that the machines are not sub-par. If it is any value, the machine you speak of was made when the company was owned by Blount. This was not the highlight in the history of the FABTEK line. The sheer number of machines still out in the field, stand as a true testament to the durability and usefulness of the line. Not much was changed to the design of the machines once CAT started producing them. If you can find a head with over 15,000 hours on it, that hasn't been welded on a few time, please share with the rest of us. To generalize an entire line of machines, based on one machine that you had issues with, is a bit uninformed. Blount was not up to the task of building the same quality machines that were originally produce at our facility. I think the amount of time they lasted is a testament to that. CAT is once again producing quality machines. Keep an eye towards DEERE in the near future. I think some good things are coming on the horizon.
ok spill it. whats coming from deere??? what do you think of a dangle head veris a fixed? wasnt the 4 rool head rated a 18" head how big will it really cut? limbing power? is cat in it for the long haul this time? not like the cat eco log deal

JLeBouton

Cat has discontinued production of the 663 wheeled harvester. (Cat 550) It was not profitable to maintain the tooling for the 1-2 machines they sold per year. Ponsse has that market wrapped up. The 153s, (Cat 501HD) are going strong, and will for some time. They are also scaling back the 133s, (Cat 501) which is a shame. That was a really great small machine.

As far as dangle vs fixed heads, they both have their limitations, and strong points. Depends on what you spend the most time in I suppose. Cat has dropped the dangle heads that we produced. They are sticking with the forwarders, the track harvesters, and the four roller heads.

The FABTEK four roller heads were rated for an 18" tree, but can be squeezed on to a considerably larger tree. Guys are grabbing the trunk 8-10 feet up from the ground, and sliding the head down as far at it will go.

Looking towards the future, I think you will see similar heads coming out, that take what was learned about the heads that are out there now, and fixing the issues they had. Bigger and better. And greener?

snowstorm

is the former fabtek dangle head being built again under a new name? as far as 2 speed feed motors hasnt logmax had that for years? i would like to know why a fixed mount would have more limbing power.

1270d

John deere also utilizes two speed feed motors on its h290 head.  The fixed heads usually do have bigger motors, maybe that's what you mean?  I don't think it necessarily translates into limbing ability.  I liken limbing with a harvester to using an axe.  Do you think a very strong man can push an axe through wood faster than a small man swinging quickly?  Speed and power have to be together.

snowstorm

there are a couple of vids on you tube of the new fabtek arrr northwoods dangle head. looks impressive. so the cat prentice fabtek 6 wheel machine is no longer being built?? local cat dealer had one last time i was there

JLeBouton


snowstorm

so fill us in what is changed from the old 4 roll head??? are you behind the new dangle head also???? we can keep a secret

CTL logger

It's painted John Deere yellow??? I'd never own another fabtek type head.

1270d

The story I got is one of the old fabtek engineers tweeked the old fabby head some to make this one.  Name starts with S that what I remember.  Is this you Fabtek?

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