iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Cat525 VS Timberjack460 vs Prentice490

Started by logloper, October 27, 2012, 08:27:53 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

logloper

Kind of an interesting review. I have been useing Cat518 skidders for 5 or 6 years now. Decided to invest in a bigger skidder. I agreed to purchase a 525 from a local dealer, with a lease for the first month. I wanted to make sure it was going to hold up ok. The 525 is amazeing. It pulls like crazy, and very stable. Uses about 50 gallons of fuel a day. (9 hours)Very stable, very user friendly, starts great. It was 9 degrees yesterday morning. Started right up.(to load on the lowboy and go to the shop) After 2 weeks of use, the tranny quit pulling.It engages, but wont pull the machine. Mabe a torque converter issue? The dealer sent me a 460 and took the 525 to the shop to fix. The 460 pulls good, very hard to start, and wont hug the ground as good as the Cat. Same size of drag and the 460 becomes very light in the front. At times it lifts the front tires off the ground.It has better visibility than the 525, and is much more user friendly. After 1 week, they brought the Cat back. It lasted an hour. Same issues. Back to useing the 460 .Another week later, they brought the Cat back again. This time they took the 460 back for another customer. The Cat lasted 1.5 hours. This was Thursday. On Friday they brought us a Prentice490, and took the Cat back to the shop.( iI am not makeing this up)We ran the Prentice all day yesterday, it is almost identical to the 460. It doesnt have quite as many creature comforts, like no fuel gauge. It has a low fuel light. Hard to start also, according to the dealer guy. Hopeing they get the Cat525 fixed this week. Dealer decided they will warranty the 525,entire machine, for 60 days. They all burn close to the same fuel, although we only ran the Prentice for one day. The Cat starts easier by far. The Cat is much more stable, and pulls better.The 460 is more user friendly, and has better visibility.The 525 is a 2003, the 460 is a 1999, the Prentice is a 2006. All three skidders are pulling in 8 loads a day easily, a load being 30 tons of payload or around 6000BDFT. The skidders could pull more, my buncher cant keep up. Main point, the Cat is broken.  Any of you have similar experiences? I feel lucky to try all three brands, but wish they could fix the Cat.

Okrafarmer

I can't help you, but I am curious to follow the thread and see what people say.  :)
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1

Operating a 2020 Woodmizer LT35 hydraulic for Upcountry Sawmill, Dacusville, SC

Now selling Logrite tools!

Writing fiction and nonfiction! Check my website.

1270d


Ken

Sounds like you like the Cat but I would be very leary of buying it considering the trouble you have had with it in the short time it was working.

Although there are some Cats working around here the Deere skidders seem to be more popular.

Cheers
Ken
Lots of toys for working in the bush

treefarmer87

get the cat or prentice, i would pefer the prentice, but cat owns prentice now so they are pretty much the same :)
1994 Ford L9000
2004 Tigercat 718
1998 Barko 225
1999 John Deere 748G
FEC 1550 slasher
CTR 314 Delimber
Sthil 461
Sthil 250

IMOWOOD

Depending on the price of these three machines i would RUN AWAY! from that cat as fast as i could.  Take the Tjack, they are super easy to work on and you can get parts easy.  The only scarry thing about them is the electronics but they dont fail often and when they do its usually somthing dumb and easy.  the prentice is just a reboxed timberjack 460. 

bill m

After they fix the Cat and you still want it I would negotiate a different warranty then the one they are offering.
NH tc55da Metavic 4x4 trailer Stihl and Husky saws

kiko

The Cat has a trans fluid strainer that I would remove to see if there is anything that might indicate an internal trans failure. Also romove the Trans filter and pour it out or better yet replace it and cut the old one open. The ctr/prentice skidders I have dealt with are junk ( only my opinion). The 460 being a 1999 is a good choice, However transmission failyre on either is expensive. TJ has a cummins engine and easy to work on and relativly inexpensive. The 3126 in the Cat is a good engine, but takes an experienced mechanic to tune the injectors and set the rack.

logloper

I dont think the 460 is a 648. They took pressure tests on the tranny, and they look good. Also cut the filter in half, no metal. Nothing in the strainer either. Pretty sure its in the valveing thats putting pressure to the tranny. When it works is when the pressures are good. Almost like a sticking relief valve.  The 460 sold to someone else, thats why they brought us the Prentice.I guess well see what they find on the Cat. The prentice had trouble pulling uphill today. Constantly wanting to bring the front tires off the ground.I need to make the turns smaller.

Thank You Sponsors!