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building a log forwarding trailer

Started by logman81, February 22, 2011, 09:58:03 AM

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logman81

I've been kicking around the idea about building a off road log forwarding trailer with loader to tow behind my 40hp tractor. Much like the Hardy and Metavic ones. I'm pretty good with metal working skills and have most of the tools needed to do it. I've got some basic plans from sawmillplans.com so I do have something to go by. Any thoughts or advice on this would be very help full.
Precision Firewood & Logging

redlaker1

I was thinking of building one as well,   but never got around to it.

the one thing I wasnt sure about was the swing system,   not sure if there is something available that you can buy?     and would you need 359degree swing,  or just 90degrees each way?

logman81

The plans that I've got say to use a hydraulic orbit motor with roller chain and sprockets. This would make it a continues rotation swing system. The question I have is how to mount the main shaft to the loader mount. Maybe I could use some sort of tapered roller bearings or something like that. It would need to be built very strong because it would hold the weight of the boom plus log/logs.
Precision Firewood & Logging

Coon

I have been building just what you are talking about for quite some time now.  I have had it on the back burner for close to a year now but just dug it out of the snow a couple of days ago.  If you look in my gallery there are a few pics of it there.  I have a few more that I took yesterday but have not uploaded to the forum yet.  Will get on it shortly though and post them.  I have a couple of questions for the forum to ponder as well.  

Brad.

P.S.  I just brought up my old thread called Hydraulics Help Needed in the General Board.  You might wanna read.
Norwood Lumbermate 2000 w/Kohler,
Husqvarna, Stihl and, Jonsereds Saws

logman81

That's pretty neat Coon keep up the good work. I'm going to use a mono- beam design for mine and run it off of the tractor hydraulics. Got it pretty much all figured out just need to start getting the things I need to start on it. :)
Precision Firewood & Logging

Maine372

you wouldnt neccesarily need 360degree or continous rotation since the tractor will usually be in the way of going straight off the front. i would think 270 degrees would be sufficient. thats 45 degrees past perpendicular to the frame each way.

Ford_man

You may want to consider mounting a 3PT hitch backhoe on the front of the trailer you can pick up a used one real reasonable You can get a small grapple from Hudsons.
The Hyd. pump runs off the PTO

logman81

I have a small 3 pt backhoe but I want to build the loader myself from scratch. I plan on buying a grapple and rotator assembly from vallby. I'm going to run the loader off the tractor pump, it is already plumbed to the back of the tractor for the backhoe so I will run it off that.
Precision Firewood & Logging

Coon

logman, 

   I have decided that I will be setting my log trailer up to run off of tractor hydraulics and also have a hydraulic powerpack set up for when I have the trailer behind an atv/utv or pickup.   The rotator that I have for the  main boom requires an oil bath to keep the bearings lubed.  What I figure on doing is to build my hydraulic tank underneath it and mounting the rotator into the top, thus killing two birds with one stone.   If you look in these two pics you can see what I mean.









Brad.
Norwood Lumbermate 2000 w/Kohler,
Husqvarna, Stihl and, Jonsereds Saws

isawlogs


Nice pics, where are you putting the oil filter? if you have the rotator in the tank , and normaly the filter is on the return line, I would be afraid of shrapnal coming off the rotator and contaminatingthe iol in the tank .. then again might not be an issue .  :-\
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

snowstorm

rotator in the oil tank??????  no......no.........no no

isawlogs


I don't think that rotator will be rotating enough to warant an in tank install , grease the *&?% out of it and leave it alone. Not like it was on the business end of a loader unloading wood in a mill yard .  ;)
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

logman81

I would have to agree with isawlogs keep it simple and keep it lubed! I'm going to use a orbit motor with double roller chain and sprockets for boom rotation when I build mine.
Precision Firewood & Logging

Coon

I don't see why it would not work to have the rotator in the tank like I have shown. I have to keep the rotator system raised up a bit to provide room for the sprocket to turn freely.  Like I said the bearings inside need an oil bath.  I was planning on putting the oil filter in the return line just before the tank.  There should be no shrapnel  coming off of anything, unless the chain decides to break.  I have a large magnet that could be fixed to the bottom of the tank to cover this issue.

Brad.
Norwood Lumbermate 2000 w/Kohler,
Husqvarna, Stihl and, Jonsereds Saws

barbender

There was a member on here not too long ago that built one from scratch, grapple and all, and it was well documented with photos. I'm sure a search would turn it up. ;)
Too many irons in the fire

logman81

Thanks barbender I thought there was some one building one awhile back. I going to use the mono beam design, The main beam will be 6x6x1/4 wall square tubing, the log poles will be made out of 2x4x1/4 rectangle tubing and 2x1/4 wall Dom tubing that will be bent into the shape I need. It will also have a boogie setup 8 ply tires, I got most of it worked out! :) I'm also going to purchase a 36'' vallby grapple and rotator with a half hanger. I also planning on using joy stick control valve just need to find where to get one. ??? 
Precision Firewood & Logging

John Mc

I am about as far from an expert on this as you can get, but...

I wouldn't be too nuts about running it off the tractor hydraulics. Working in the forest with this is a rough application. If you do break a line or develop other problems, how long before you pump all your tractor's hydraulic fluid overboard? If you are going to have a hydraulic power pack for ATV use anyway, why not just keep the systems isolated? It would also prevent cross-contamination if you had a problem in one system.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

redlaker1

as for having the chain drive and swing bearings in the hydraulic tank,  I would avoid that for sure,   even if you have to make a gear case to house the oil for those components.   with only a return filter,  if anything happens to that chain or bearing  your pump is going to eat that and die.

logman you seem to have a good plan,   joysticks are nice for sure,  after running hoe alot its hard to go back to the old sticks...   something like this would probably work https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?item=9-7677&catname=hydraulic

of course you will need a 5th circuit for the rotator,  or a selector valve with a button to switch between rotator and grapple.      and possibly a 6th circuit if you want stabilizers.

its also good to have load checks on anything that will be lifting or holding a load

I have been eyeing up those valby grapples/rotators for my mini excavator,  they sure look like they would be nice.   

logman81

Thanks redlaker1 I think I'm going to need 6 circuit valve bank. I'm going to contact a few of the the log trailer makers like metavic or maybe baileys and see if they will sell me one of theirs. I know that it wont be cheap but I got to have the joysticks. ;D Thanks for the tip on the load checks I will keep that in mind. The grapples do look like nice units there is a place on ebay that is selling them. 36'' with rotator and free shiping $1900 I think. Has anyone bought one from them before? I forgot them name of the place but seems like a decent price.
Precision Firewood & Logging

barbender

todd.crow is the member who built one, I found the thread but I am not smart enough to link to it.
Too many irons in the fire

Coon

For starters the reason why I was going to set it up so that it can be run from either a power pack or a tractor is due to the room available on the hitch system.  I still may mount the powerpack there yet...... lots of cogitating to do still.  :P  Again the available room for the gearbox/hydraulic tank setup is why I thought of using one tank.  I am still not exactly sure of how big of a hydraulic resevoir I am going to be using.  I do still have this tank which is just under 3 US gallons.  It has both in and out filters.













Would this tank be big enough? How many gpm of flow should I have for a pump for this set up? 

Brad.
Norwood Lumbermate 2000 w/Kohler,
Husqvarna, Stihl and, Jonsereds Saws

Ironwood

Good thread, want to follow along, Ironwood
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

isawlogs


If you are going to use the in tank gear , why not use the three gllon tank as an filter for the pump and use it with the other tank  ;)  That way you would have your in oil gear and a filter for you pump!
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

Hilltop366

I was wondering if a cut off axle tube and hub from a truck or school bus would work, not sure which way would be best bolt hub to frame and mount loader on tube or flip over and mount loader on hub, then I got to thinking that if it would work why not keep the centre on and use the crown and pinion gears for pivot of loader by installing the rear end vertically.

Remove one axle and cut most of tube off leaving enough for a lower mount, weld mount plate on the tube end and install drain plug. Shorten up top tube and axle to desired length, turn end of tube to line up the spring mount to trailer for a place to bolt top of rear end, add slow turning motor coupled to pinion shaft to power rotation. the differential would have to be locked and the hub bearing would require grease because it would no longer be in gear oil but it might work. What do you think?

pineywoods

Hilltop, methinks that you have the right idea. Back before the knuckleboom loaders and grapples, just about every pulpwood truck in the south had a rotating boom made out of a truck or school bus rear end, mounted vertical with the boom welded to the hub. No hydraulics, just a cable hooked to a homemade winch powered off a pto on the truck tranny. No cutting down the bud rear end, just mounted it vertical and braced it good.
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
100k bd ft club.Charter member of The Grumpy old Men

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