Gas powered skidder???

CCC4 · February 14, 2013, 06:27:45 PM

I heard of one of my buddies purchasing an older skidder. He says it has a gas motor. I was wondering if any were ever produced or if this is something somebody "Jerry rigged"? Thanks in advance.

nhlogga · February 14, 2013, 07:00:46 PM

Early Timberjack and Tree Farmer skidders were available with gas engines. Not sure about any others.

Brian_Rhoad · February 14, 2013, 07:03:39 PM

JD 440 was available with gas engines.

julio · February 14, 2013, 07:04:29 PM

i have a bobcat with a old ford pinto motor

thecfarm · February 14, 2013, 07:38:15 PM

Garrets??

CCC4 · February 14, 2013, 07:44:01 PM

Thanks guys! I wonder what kind of power it will have compared to a diesel motor?

mad murdock · February 14, 2013, 09:06:09 PM

Garrett model 10 and model 15 had gas engines, ford 172 cu in rated at 52 hp IIRC, the diesel option on the later 15's was the same engine (ford 172D) rated at 59hp. The same engine in the ford 800 and 900 tractors was rated at 47hp(diesel version) the lower hp in that application was due to the lower operatin rpm in the tractor. Garrett speced the engine at 2900 rpm if I remember

CCC4 · February 14, 2013, 09:28:56 PM

Thanks for the info! I just wrote it all down for the guy. I'm pretty sure the skidder in question is a JD 440.

Those hp ratings are rather close! I guess the diesel would gain in torque? Anyway thanks for the info!

thenorthman · February 14, 2013, 11:22:26 PM

Is it weird that I have a really good skidder now but I still want a garrett 15... even though I'm trying to get away from gasohol, and go all diesel... and you really cant get forestry tires for em, parts can be difficult, they're old, slow, under powered...

coxy · February 15, 2013, 05:30:41 AM

the old pettibone master 12 had mopar 6cylinder in them

mad murdock · February 15, 2013, 11:09:46 AM

Well, you are not too far from Enumclaw thenorthman, maybe you can find a used one there. There was a guy in Cannon Beach Oregon a couple years ago who had one, a model 15 Gasser, that had a factory built extra articulation joint in the middle, and you could almost turn it into itself. He said you had to really be carful on a side hill, as you could get doubled up real easy and it woud want to tip over, had to keep it straight up and down on slopes. or very slight turning. Every now and again you see them pop up on Craigslist. There is bound to be one out there somewhere!

lumberjack48 · February 15, 2013, 03:19:55 PM

In 1968 i bought a new C4 Treefarmer, Garrett, CanCar, it had all three names on it.
It had the Ford Gas motor, 16.9-30 tires, very efficient skidder, 5 to 10 gal a day all depending on the ground and the timber.
In a good Aspen stand i could pull 30 cds a day, with a feller and landing man.

I got $11. a cd for pulpwood loaded on Railroad car, $18. a cd for saw bolts deliver at the mill.
I was the third person around to buy a rubber tire skidder. The older loggers said they won't work in the woods, a number of reasons. I was up at the pub and a friend of mine a trucker asked me, how was it going. I told him in the Aspen i'm in right now i'm grossing $1500. a week. He about fell off his stool, he said absolutely impossible nobody makes that kind of money. I wasn't going to argue with him i knew what i was doing. I had worked for a guy that had a Timberjack with a gas motor in 1964. He was pulling 1000 cds a month with a 3 man crew. I had his father falling for me and his uncle bucking up, so we weren't green to pole skidding. In fact i was a little ahead of times for the area.
Heres a picture of the C4 and me

Rob-IL · February 15, 2013, 04:03:56 PM

Just curious how much the new C4 cost in 1968?? Nice looking machine!!

coxy · February 15, 2013, 05:10:43 PM

the pettibone only had front wheel stear had to lay logs on sharp turns to get around i was only about 10 or 11 years old it took all i had to turn it wish i had it to day i will take pic of one just like it if i can figer out how to put them on here im a d-- on this thing :D :D :D :D

beenthere · February 15, 2013, 05:57:17 PM

A tough lookin lumberjack there. ;D Nice skidder too. I see it brought back some good memories.

thenorthman · February 15, 2013, 08:49:20 PM

Quote from: mad murdock on February 15, 2013, 11:09:46 AM
Well, you are not too far from Enumclaw thenorthman, maybe you can find a used one there. There was a guy in Cannon Beach Oregon a couple years ago who had one, a model 15 Gasser, that had a factory built extra articulation joint in the middle, and you could almost turn it into itself. He said you had to really be carful on a side hill, as you could get doubled up real easy and it woud want to tip over, had to keep it straight up and down on slopes. or very slight turning. Every now and again you see them pop up on Craigslist. There is bound to be one out there somewhere!

Priorities Sir... gotta make a go of logging with the Deere first, then get an excavator, a kitty cat, and then I can start seriously thinking about a garret, but I should maybe get my own log truck by then...

Down in Buckley they got the very first 15 in the logging museum there... all restored and ready to work (for those that don't know buckley is about 10 miles form Enumclaw, where garrets where originally made, and licensed to can car, treefarmer, and a bunch of overseas companys...). They take the garret out once a year or so for the Buckley log show parade...

lumberjack48 · February 16, 2013, 02:19:07 PM

Quote from: Rob-IL on February 15, 2013, 04:03:56 PM
Just curious how much the new C4 cost in 1968?? Nice looking machine!!

That machine was $9500., i knew a guy that bought a new C4 with a Perkins, it was $11500.
I could out skid him, had nothing to do with the skidder, all about method.