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Clark 664C or JD440b - any advice?

Started by lshobie, April 27, 2016, 08:35:49 PM

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lshobie

Hey guys, looks like i have a couple of options for a skidder to work my property. 

78 664c clark cable skidder, from a recommended seller no idea the hours, ran steady for the last 3 years in a blow down by one fella with a saw.   No brakes, runs like a top, lots of power.  he said he put a tranny filter in it last fall and it had a cloth cover over it - he didnt like it but the shop told him to use it, the tranny makes a bit of noise until it warms up in the winter then the noise is gone - no loss of power. He says the noise should go away with a proper filter.  comes with chains, some new injectors in the box.  There is a little play in the pins (swivel pins?), everything else seems solid.  fluids changed yearly. 11,000 cdn

John Deere 440b not sure the year, 0 time on the rebuilt motor, well maintained, i know the owner/operator and he is a maintenance freak.  the engine was rebuilt 3 years ago and went 2 years later - not sure why.15K cdn.

I'm aiming towards the Clark, seems more stable and has lots of power....and price.

Any advice?
Thanks!

louie
John Deere 440 Skidder, C5 Treefarmer,  Metavic Forwarder, Massey 2500 Forklift, Hyundai HL730 Wheel Loader, Woodmizer LT40, Valley Edger,  Alaskan Mill, Huskys, Stihls, and echos.

grassfed

Personally I would pick the Deere over a Detroit powered machine. I like driving the Deere it has much low end torque and it snakes through the woods like a sports car. I might like a Cummins or a Deutz powered machine but after awhile I get tired of driving the old 2 stroke Detroits.  Also that transmission filter story sounds a bit sketchy. You did not mention tires and that is a big consideration as far as price; the difference between tire life could be worth -+5K by itself.
Mike

lshobie

The clark tires are near new on the front and very good on the back, the JD has good tires.
John Deere 440 Skidder, C5 Treefarmer,  Metavic Forwarder, Massey 2500 Forklift, Hyundai HL730 Wheel Loader, Woodmizer LT40, Valley Edger,  Alaskan Mill, Huskys, Stihls, and echos.

treeslayer2003

the clark is a bigger machine than the 440, so you have to figure out which size will suit you better.
that filter story makes no sense, it should have either a spin on or cartridge type filter.

killamplanes

I bleed green when it comes to skidder but... it really depends what ur tryin to do +24 in tree length skids all day and are are ur timbers thick were the smaller the better or can a bigger more powerfull skidder be utilized.  I personally use a 440 love it 75% of time. The other 25% I have room to work clearing creeks of large cottonwood sycamore +32in trees 40ft.  Thats when I want a big grapple skidder to keep production up.  And im lookin at a 640 now. But will not park my 440.  Basically get the skidder ur work requires most the time
jd440 skidder, western star w/grapple,tk B-20 hyd, electric, stihl660,and 2X661. and other support Equipment, pallet manufacturing line

killamplanes

And I agree the filter story i :embarassed:
jd440 skidder, western star w/grapple,tk B-20 hyd, electric, stihl660,and 2X661. and other support Equipment, pallet manufacturing line

Plankton

I run a Clark 664 and I would buy one again if I was shopping for a skidder.

Solidly built easy to access places to work on it. Easy to run, go pedal stop pedal, forward reverse shifter on your left and a steer blade lever on your right that's it. Quick decking on the landing and it can pull wood but still small enough to sneak between trees etc.

Clark transmission, winch and planetaries are unbeatable in my opinion. Mine has a gearmatic and that's the only weak point on the machine as far as I can tell.

Parts are cheap and easy to get and it's built heavy and with a low center of gravity. Just last week I had 5 80ft spruce trees behind me on a steep sidehill and found a stump with my up hill tire. It was an exiting turn but I didn't even come close to going over.

Personally the scream of the detroit Is music to my ears but that is something to consider. John deere are quite and have better low end torque.

I've never driven a deere but have heard from guys that run them that they are tippy. I could never go for a steering wheel in a Skidder either but that's just me. Most guys around me run deere 440s or 540s and they move plenty of wood. I think you couldn't go wrong with the 664 or 440 there both good small skidders.

Plankton

Not sure about that filter either, mine makes noise when it gets a little low from my various small fitting leaks but goes away when filled. Mine has no filter on it at all

rockwall

I have a '77 664B and really like it. I thought I wanted a 440 but this machine came along and I knew it's history. One owner I talked with when I asked how he started it in the winter on below zero days. He said, " I just give it a little bit of ether and if it doesn't start right off, it's too cold to work."
   I agree with everything Plankton says. They are one rugged machine. I would say the things to consider are the noise of the 353, one man's music is another man's blat! And they aren't easy to get on and off.
   I don't get the filter thing either, it sounds really fishy. When mine is low on ATF, there is no noise it just won't go.

lshobie

Thanks guys, the Clark has an eaton 30 ton winch I believe.  I'll be mainly taking out firewood and pulpwood, I'll have a pretty good distance to travel  as well to get to the yard.  not very hilly for the most part but the odd one here and there.

I like the idea of the clark being an auto, I believe the JD is a standard?  Im hearing that the JD is a tippy machine without weight in the rear tires.
John Deere 440 Skidder, C5 Treefarmer,  Metavic Forwarder, Massey 2500 Forklift, Hyundai HL730 Wheel Loader, Woodmizer LT40, Valley Edger,  Alaskan Mill, Huskys, Stihls, and echos.

treeslayer2003

Quote from: lshobie on May 02, 2016, 06:56:52 AM
Thanks guys, the Clark has an eaton 30 ton winch I believe.  I'll be mainly taking out firewood and pulpwood, I'll have a pretty good distance to travel  as well to get to the yard.  not very hilly for the most part but the odd one here and there.

I like the idea of the clark being an auto, I believe the JD is a standard?  Im hearing that the JD is a tippy machine without weight in the rear tires.
no eaton unless some one done some thing funny there. should have a clark or gear matic winch.

grassfed

QuoteI like the idea of the clark being an auto, I believe the JD is a standard?  I'm hearing that the JD is a tippy machine without weight in the rear tires.

Auto helps if a machine has a Detroit because detroits only make good power in about a 500 rpm (+-2000-2500) range. The Deer is probably a standard but it is possible that it is a powershift. Deer makes good power in a 1500 rpm range (+-1000-2500) so it does ok without an auto.

As far as being tippy I have heard that too and you can get a back tire up in the right circumstances but I have never flipped  one and they do seem to tip more than flip. I have loaded fronts but I would never load the rears since all of the weight goes to the rear when pulling
Mike

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