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Whacha Haul Your Mill With?

Started by FarmingSawyer, January 12, 2015, 06:12:18 AM

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FarmingSawyer

Ok mobile sawyers..... this could get contentious.....

My trusty ole 1/2 ton 98 Chev Suburban 4x4 blew its transmission yesterday pulling a heavy chipper up a steep snowy road. The tranny was on its way out, but the lack of traction and tire spinning, engine revving pushed it over the top. I've got to get it fixed, but I'm thinking the Burb is on it's last legs....door latches are failing, the rear barn doors are held shut at the moment by a ratchet strap until I can get the ice out of the catches and repair them......

Now that I'm hauling the mill around and trailers full of logs, etc I'm thinkin I need more snoose in the goose and getting a used 3/4ton 4x4. The Burbin has pulled a lot, sometimes too much, and done it well. But I'm thinking it's time to own a pickup again. Any faves out there? And recommendations? Any steer-clear-and-avoids? I had a used 2001 Dodge Ram diesel 4x4 for a very short while. It was a lemon. Kept putting $$ into it and it never ran great. Transmission and fuel issues haunted me until I could unload it. It was also a tad far off the ground.....I've got a bad back and hiking in and out of that think made it worse.

Ok....Go! popcorn_smiley
Thomas 8020, Stihl 039, Stihl 036, Homelite Super EZ, Case 385, Team of Drafts

AnthonyW

I have a WM LT25 that weighs in at 3k lbs. I pull it with a Silverado 1500 with a cap. To the best of my knowledge, the Suburban and Tahoe use many of the same parts. The 1500 with the 5.3L and automatic transmission is rated to pull 3300 lbs without electric brakes and 7700 lbs with brakes. So I'm not sure I'm much help in steering you away from something the same size, a full body 1/2 ton pick-up. Based on the amount of sawdust in the truck cab, I am glad it is a pick-up truck and not a SUV. I can't imagine how much saw dust would be in there if it was a SUV.
'97 Wood-Mizer LT25 All Manual with 15HP Kohler

Chuck White

My mill mover is my 2003 1500 Chevy Silverado ext cab, 4WD.

The truck has 159,000 miles on it and still going strong.

Does the job pretty well, but when going into the woods, I sometimes use the customers tractor!
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

kelLOGg

I use a Ram 1500 4x4 but rarely take the mill on the road anymore. Instead, I haul on my trailer with the same truck.
Bob
Cook's MP-32, 20HP, 20' (modified w/ power feed, up/down, loader/turner)
DH kiln, CatClaw setter and sharpener, tandem trailer, log arch, tractor, thumb tacks

terrifictimbersllc

2001 F-350 4x4 7.3L PSD, crew cab long bed, 133K.  It's in charge of the mill. 

Unless the tire treads get filled with mud.  Once had customer pull me out of his yard with a Chevy.  ::) ::) ::)
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

coalsmok


LeeB

I have three Dodge rams, a 98 4x4 3/4t, 2 2006 4x4 1t srw, and a 2005 4x4 dually. I guess you could say I'm partial to the 5.9 Cummins powered Rams.
'98 LT40HDD/Lombardini, Case 580L, Cat D4C, JD 3032 tractor, JD 5410 tractor, Husky 346, 372 and 562XP's. Stihl MS180 and MS361, 1998 and 2006 3/4 Ton 5.9 Cummins 4x4's, 1989 Dodge D100 w/ 318, and a 1966 Chevy C60 w/ dump bed.

yarnammurt

I am a Cummins guy myself. I have a 08 3500HD 6.7, long wheel base with a 10' flatbed, 4door 4x4, 6speed manual, and 124k miles.
ATS 10" Peterson, 09 New Holland 4x4 TL90 with loader, 125hp White,2 2009 Kawasaki 610 mules,

Gasawyer

79 Chevy K-30 dually,84 Suburban diesel k-15,and 92 dodge w300 diesel. All do a fine job unless in a very difficult off road then the one tons work very well compared to the Suburban. The mil they are pulling is a 97 LT40-HDD that supposedly weighs in at 6500lbs according to the sticker on mill, never put it on a scale. Long ago had to move mill a few times with a 60 cj 5 it was ok but a little light for the job. But 4x4 in almost a requirement if you are getting off hardtop.
Woodmizer LT-40hdd super hyd.,Lucas 618,Lucas 823dsm,Alaskian chainsaw mill 6',many chainsaws large and small,NH L555 skidsteer, Int. TD-9,JD500 backhoe, and International grapple truck.

Magicman

I use my F250 FX4, but only because the ¾ ton is needed for my truck camper.

Any ½ ton class 4X4 preferably with limited slip is plenty enough truck.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

isawlogs

 I pull my mill and every other trailer with a '99 F250 S\D with a 7.3 turbo deisel. It's 4x4 and extend a cab with the eight foot box. For some reason those boxes are getting hard to find with the four door trucks. I had having a sheet of plywood sticking out of the box  ::)

  The 3\4 ton trucks are just built stronger and can pull and haul a bigger load safer and easier.
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

BBTom

When my 96 2500 Chevy got to be a bit too ragged, I stepped up to a GMC 2500 duramax.  I don't think I can ever go back to a gasser.  It also handles the 32' fifth wheel and the 24' gooseneck.  I can pull the loaded gooseneck with the same fuel the gasser used when empty.
2001 LT40HDD42RA with lubemizer, debarker, laser, accuset. Retired, but building a new shop and home in Missouri.

ladylake

 I used to use a 2004 Chev 2500HD for the mill which worked fine, then bought a 98 Cummins diesel last spring with a contractors box on it, doors on the sides. I really like that box for going on the road and I don't have to unload anything when as I use the Chev for other stuff.  Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

hunz

Those early 24v cummins that you speak of are a poor representation of a Cummins engine. It really hurt that diesel's name for a couple of years. The lift pumps were prone to fail, causing the injection pump to do all the pumping... well, we all know what happens after that, bam a whole new IP. Anyhow, the 12v Cummins were great, and so were the 4th generation trucks.

I have owned a 12v, loved it, but my 2000 7.3psd is my new mill puller. A chip on them makes a world of differnece in power not to mention economy. Mine gets 24mpg on the open  highway unloaded, my brothers 03' 7.3 gets 24.5mpg. These numbers are with performance tunes.... well worth the investment!
Dream as if you'll saw forever; saw as if you'll die today.



2006 Woodmizer LT40D51RA, Husqvarna 372xp, Takeuchi TL140

blade69001

96' Bronco it pulls the mill and both my little trailer and the heavy one I put logs on.
Sean P.
Just being me, But it is ok you do not have to like me.

backwoods sawyer

98 chevy, v6, 1/2 ton, ex cab, short bed, 4x4, manual trany, 300,007 miles.

The mill is a load for the truck and a 3/4 ton in the same configuration is on the wish list ;) but would not pass up a 3/4 ton 4x4 van.

The shorter wheel base helps when setting the mill in tight places, 4x4 is a must, just not a fan of auto trany's when headed down a steep hill with a good load pushing :o

Backwoods Custom Milling Inc.
100% portable. . Oregons largest portable sawmill service, serving all of Oregon, from our Backwoods to yours..sawing since 1991

highleadtimber16

1992 12 valve Cummins. It can pull anything. It isn't a speed machine, when stock. A few little add ons and you can get them keeping up with the other trucks.

 

That was the first week I had the truck, I think.
2011 Wood-Mizer LT 40 hyd w/ 12' Extension,
EG 200 Wood-Mizer
Cutting Old Growth Cedar from Queen Charlotte Islands.

dboyt

'87 Chevy flatbed.  4WD & chains.  Manual transmission, elect brakes.  Beat up, but it does the job.  One look at it and the customer knows I'm not overcharging!  I also use it to haul logs & tractor.  Downside (other than aesthetics) is lousy mileage.

 

How heavy is your mill & how much to you move it?  What else do you pull?
Norwood MX34 Pro portable sawmill, 8N Ford, Lewis Winch

uler3161

Another Cummins Dodge owner here. '06 3/4 ton 4x4 Big Horn. Only real problem in 140k miles has been a u-joint in the driveshaft. A few other minor annoyances, but overall I'm very happy. Hardly can tell I have a sawmill behind me. Also have a '96 1 ton dually Cummins, but haven't had it on the road yet, so I don't know if there will be any weak spots. Both trucks are standard transmissions.

I do recall there were some issues with certain Cummins blocks having a problem when being cast. Also supposedly the older automatic transmissions were weak.
1989 LT40HD, WoodMaster 718

Dan

logboy

08 Chevy 2500 HD Crew Cab. I have the 6.0 liter.  It easily pulls the trailer with my mill on it down the interstate at 70 mph and will haul any load of logs I can put on my trailer. You dont want to use it as your everyday driver though unless you own your own gas station. Best I ever achieved was 15.0 mpg at 55 mph with a 25 mph tail wind. The 6.0 liters like gas. My father's slightly older Chevy Duramax diesel will out pull mine and get better mileage, but I have heavier stock springs for hauling, and he's had to spend a bunch of $ to have the injectors replaced. Apparently theyre prone.
I like Lucas Mills and big wood.  www.logboy.com

ohwc

1997 Quad cab F superduty (that years F450) with an 11ft. utility box.

Lonely Sawer

Another Ram Guy. 2013 2500 crew 4x4 Cummins.
Norwood LM29
Sthil 020 16" bar
Sthil 039  24" bar
Kubota L3130 HST W/Backhoe
78 Ford F-800 Boom truck
2017 Ram Laramie Longhorn 3500 Cummins 4x4 crew
Yamaha Viking SXS

vt k-9

I mainly use a 02 3500 Dodge with Cummins and/or 97 2500 Dodge Cummins

FarmingSawyer

Good read so far! Thanks for the replies. I'm kinda partial to Rams myself which is why I was so let down by my 01. Being in New England frames are gone in a few years except on rare trucks. The 01 must have been a plow truck because the front end was very corroded--even the valve covers.

My current manual mill only weighs 2000lb....I can get it in almost anywhere. But someday...when I upgrade...I'd like an AC-36 and they weigh in at 7K stock. I also haul a lot of hay during the summer....the Burban is barely up to hauling 6ton on a 5ton trailer..... I'd also like to haul a trailer with a grapple loader some day. So Thinking 5th wheel.. The horses would like a bigger trailer too.....

Got the bad news this AM before heading off to harvest applewood from an abandoned orchard...... $2K to fix the Burbs tranny....but it could be done in 2 days. I'd better get some saw jobs fast! I did a quick check on-line and in Maine older suburbans in worse shape are selling for more than I paid for mine 10 years ago on the west coast. So the 2K is worth it, for now....I guess......
Thomas 8020, Stihl 039, Stihl 036, Homelite Super EZ, Case 385, Team of Drafts

dgdrls

"Got the bad news this AM before heading off to harvest applewood from an abandoned orchard...... $2K to fix the Burbs tranny....but it could be done in 2 days. I'd better get some saw jobs fast! I did a quick check on-line and in Maine older suburbans in worse shape are selling for more than I paid for mine 10 years ago on the west coast. So the 2K is worth it, for now....I guess......"

Have you looked at a Jasper reman??  I had  700R4 chevy box rebuilt, Shop did a good Job, but a Jasper box would have been less expensive and just as good.

For transport I use a 1/2 ton Ram 2WD with a 6.  1 Lucas 827 loaded, Im building an aluminum deck trailer to haul the saw carriage in the future.


 

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