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BEST FORWARDER?

Started by treefarmer87, May 22, 2011, 12:22:02 PM

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treefarmer87

who do you think makes the best forwarder? post pics. im thinking about getting one so i can do high grade select hardwood cuts. i found a 4510 iron mule in SC but i have a feeling its $$$. it has all new stuff on it. all the good affordable ones are in MI and WI, it would be expensive to get one shipped here though :(
1994 Ford L9000
2004 Tigercat 718
1998 Barko 225
1999 John Deere 748G
FEC 1550 slasher
CTR 314 Delimber
Sthil 461
Sthil 250

chevytaHOE5674

You would be surprised what you can get one shipped for if your not in a hurry to get it. Try Uship.

But why the need for a forward to do grade hardwood cuts? Around here many of the highest grade hardwood stands are cut with a power saw and a smaller cable skidder.

treefarmer87

there are alot of big farms with huge hardwood on them. most people dont like the idea of a skidder running through the woods making drag trails. i could leave my truck parked on the road and take the forwarder through the woods and get the logs and not mess up the woods. i know the operator has a lot to do with it also.
1994 Ford L9000
2004 Tigercat 718
1998 Barko 225
1999 John Deere 748G
FEC 1550 slasher
CTR 314 Delimber
Sthil 461
Sthil 250

Maine372

i dont know much about forwarders but heres my thought.

get somthing youre familiar with. youve worked on your TF and know what it will do and what it wont. where its weak points are, parts sources, etc. so why not get a C4 or C5 chassis machine?

besides how cool would it be to have a matched set?

tapper2

Not sure of the "BEST" forwarder, as that would be an opinion. While taking a back road up to the property, saw a logger at the header so got a couple pics.
Belsaw m14, 1992 Ford 1720, Homebuilt  bandmill, Franklin 120b & a bunch of worn out, banged up stuff........gotta love it.

tapper2

 





Talked to the owner and he loves it. He just put a couple new tires on it and He's thinning hardwood, but using the forwarder rather than the cable skidder due to the distance he's got to go to get the decent wood. Had quite a pile on the header.
Belsaw m14, 1992 Ford 1720, Homebuilt  bandmill, Franklin 120b & a bunch of worn out, banged up stuff........gotta love it.

mad murdock

C4 treefarmer with deutz power.  Easy on fuel, excellent engine, a lot of the ones the guys ran in N. Wisc had barko loaders on them, but they can come with whatever a guy fancies, hood, prentice, hawk, etc.  IF size and maneuverability are primary concerns, an Iron Mule, 4500 series is the  best snake through the woods forwarder I have operated, though they can haul only about about 500-750 bd ft per load (1 1/4-1 1/2 cords), or you will be burning through planetaries often.  The C4 tree farmer is a good 1000 bd ft per load machine, but is a little bigger than the 'Mule.
It does a good job getting around the woods as well, just not quite as agile (due to size).  I ran a Franklin 132 quite a lot, they are built tough, and can haul a lot, but are BIG, and harder to get around without damaging things.  The Mule and the C4 forwarders are definately much less intimidating to a land owner.  I don't know aobut TJ equivalents, never ran one, though from what I gather they are good machines.
Turbosawmill M6 (now M8) Warrior Ultra liteweight, Granberg Alaskan III, lots of saws-gas powered and human powered :D

snowstorm

valmet........546 cheaper........646 a little nicer 6 wheel machine. cummins...clark powershift jd front axle naf rears. parts no problem. heat.....AC radio joy stick cranab crane. and no computers in it

1270d

tough to beat a 4 wheel 1010 tj/johndeere wiggling through the woods.   a bit more pricey than an old iron mule or tree farmer.

quietrangr

It's hard to say what is best. Iron Mule isn't, but they are cheap, simple to work on, and can be fixed with parts from a farm tractor junkyard. I've done it many times. (They are made from tractors.) I just replaced all the wiring in my Iron Mule; it took me three hours. One thing I will say is I can't get the brakes to work very well. They are wet brakes, run in oil inside the axle housing. I replaced them when I got the machine, but they still don't work very well, so wonder if they're just made that way. The other, nicer machines such as TJ and TF are usually higher priced, but I think they are better.

Ken

I'm only slightly over 100 hours on my first forwarder, a 97 610 TJ.  After running cable skidders for years being in a closed in cab with ac and heat is a real treat.  If all we were using this spring was cable skidders and chainsaws we would only be working a couple of days/week due to the weather. 

So far I am amazed with the amount of work that I can do with this TJ machine.  Although I'm sure that the newer hydrostatic drive machines are even more operator friendly I can push a clutch and shift the gears manually many times for the difference in price.   In addition, after working on old TJ skidders since I was a wee lad keeping this unit going will be much easier than if it was something completely new to me.
Lots of toys for working in the bush

snowstorm

Quote from: Ken on May 23, 2011, 09:39:12 PM
I'm only slightly over 100 hours on my first forwarder, a 97 610 TJ.  After running cable skidders for years being in a closed in cab with ac and heat is a real treat.  If all we were using this spring was cable skidders and chainsaws we would only be working a couple of days/week due to the weather. 

So far I am amazed with the amount of work that I can do with this TJ machine.  Although I'm sure that the newer hydrostatic drive machines are even more operator friendly I can push a clutch and shift the gears manually many times for the difference in price.   In addition, after working on old TJ skidders since I was a wee lad keeping this unit going will be much easier than if it was something completely new to me.

i told you that after you ran it a while it would seem to good to be true. we have had so much rain   thinking about putting a outboard motor on my fowarder

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