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Truckin'

Started by Puffergas, January 01, 2017, 09:14:13 PM

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Puffergas

The new old 225 made me decide that it was time to get back into the private trucking scene again. So I decided to bid on a 10 plus ton trailer at the fall auction. Got it plus some other goodies!  Only got this tiny road tractor to pull it home with but I rigged up a brake controller to help on those big down hill times. Started out kind of later for my 15 mile trip and the Utility was missing bad on the first big hill, pooh. Plus it looked like rain. Onward I go anyhow. About half way there it started to run fair! Lucky break, I could stay in road gear for the most part of the last part of the trip there.

When I got there I topped off the gas tank and filled up the transaxle with gear oil. Well, so much for the brake controller when the trailer doesn't have a drop of brakes!!!!!!!!!! Time is running out and a bit of light rain is falling. Dang it, I'll drive slow and if need be I'll lower the hitch and the jack will drag on the road. Took a few miles to learn how to drive this rig but after that only the big hills made me sweat and the cross roads!!!!!!!!!!!!

There is more to the return trip story but in the end I made it home safe and sound.



More to this story, coming soon.
Jeff
Somewhere 20 miles south of Lake Erie.

GEHL 5624 skid steer, Trojan 114, Timberjack 225D, D&L SB1020 mill, Steiger Bearcat II

sawguy21

 :o You trying to kill yourself?
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

square1

There's no "Like" button when reading the forum on my phone, so here's a "like" for your not so modern ingenuity and "an all is well that ends well" escapade.

Puffergas

About a week later Dad wanted some skid steer work done so we talked it over and decided to try moving the Gehl with the Utility. It is just a few miles and mainly dirt roads. We did know that it was too much for it so we were planning on baling out on any sign of trouble.



On the ground the Gehl looks kind of small like a toy and light weight but it seems to double in size on the trailer! Got it chained down and it was time to test drive it a bit in the drive way. After trying to make the first test turn the Utility jack knifed on me. Oh well, time to stop...!

The next challenge is finding the right machine, for me that is. Thought about all kinds of machines but it would take too much tapping on this tablet to explain all the options and the why and why nots. Even thought about getting a road grader.

More to follow.
Jeff
Somewhere 20 miles south of Lake Erie.

GEHL 5624 skid steer, Trojan 114, Timberjack 225D, D&L SB1020 mill, Steiger Bearcat II

lopet

Just put some front weights on your little tractor and hook your trailer to the three point hitch arms and use the trailer jack as a brake.  ;D ;D ;D

Now we want to hear your story, what you want a road grader for, other than for grading roads. :)
Make sure you know how to fall properly when you fall and as to not hurt anyone around you.
Also remember, it's not the fall what hurts, its the sudden stop. !!

4x4American

X2, whatcha got in mind for the grader??
Boy, back in my day..

Puffergas

Well now, I crossed the road grader off the list for a few reasons one being maneuvering might be a problem.

I ended up with a nice old 4wd farm tractor. She's a Steiger. Dang, I gota go..!! So hard to tell a story sometimes....



I'll be back.
Jeff
Somewhere 20 miles south of Lake Erie.

GEHL 5624 skid steer, Trojan 114, Timberjack 225D, D&L SB1020 mill, Steiger Bearcat II

Gearbox

That will pull it And big HP are cheap . DOT will leave you alone . Just make sure you are insured .
A bunch of chainsaws a BT6870 processer , TC 5 International track skidder and not near enough time

Puffergas

218HP should do it. Way cheaper than a small tractor but the man I bought it from said "it'll make someone a nice small tractor". They grow them big west of me. Frame is solid, no welds to be found. Nice Roadranger 10 speed tranny. A/C but I'm sure it will need repair. They sure made a simple tractor to work on. Two farmers started to make them in their barn. Think they made a few skidders, model 850 I think.



In the spring I'll work on the trailer brakes. Think I have a few flat tires but at the auction I found a set of tires and rims. About half of these tires are 50%, not sure if the rims will fit. I'll turn the trailer upside down and scrape and power wash the rust off and paint it. Have to make a pinto hitch for the tractor and install the brake controller. The disc brake on the tractor works good.
Jeff
Somewhere 20 miles south of Lake Erie.

GEHL 5624 skid steer, Trojan 114, Timberjack 225D, D&L SB1020 mill, Steiger Bearcat II

Gearbox

They  were built in Fargo ND still are . Now called Case IH . What engine? They liked Cummins and used 555 V 8 in some 903 V8 in others .
A bunch of chainsaws a BT6870 processer , TC 5 International track skidder and not near enough time

Puffergas

Yah, the only downer is the Cummins engine. I'll find something to repower it with for when it does die. But the triple nickel starts good and sounds nice.  Cat would be the easy choice but a Detroit would be nice.
Jeff
Somewhere 20 miles south of Lake Erie.

GEHL 5624 skid steer, Trojan 114, Timberjack 225D, D&L SB1020 mill, Steiger Bearcat II

Gearbox

You better get busy if you are going to wear out that 555 them thing's run forever.
A bunch of chainsaws a BT6870 processer , TC 5 International track skidder and not near enough time

Puffergas

Gearbox, if that's true I'll be a happy camper. Everybody else say it's not even a good boat anchor.

I found a few pictures on the net of the Steiger skidder. It was called something like the 850 Logger. They must have sold like hot cakes. 😉
Jeff
Somewhere 20 miles south of Lake Erie.

GEHL 5624 skid steer, Trojan 114, Timberjack 225D, D&L SB1020 mill, Steiger Bearcat II

sawguy21

There a lot of otr truckers that will disagree with you. That Cummins will last a long time given reasonable care and realistically, how many hours would you put on it?
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

Puffergas

Sawguy21, I'm thinking low low hours. Hope your right, it does sound sweet.

Lopet, I could have shorten the hitch a lot on the utility but when a machine starts to talk I try to listen. I did try dropping the hitch and let the jack drag but it worked better to use speed and gearing.

The grader idea got scrapped.
Jeff
Somewhere 20 miles south of Lake Erie.

GEHL 5624 skid steer, Trojan 114, Timberjack 225D, D&L SB1020 mill, Steiger Bearcat II

s grinder

The 555 was Cummins version of a 1160/3208 Cat, was called a [triple nickel],was advertised as a deminishing load engine,used in small 6 wheel oil/dump trucks.The big brother 903 was used in otr tractors in the late 60's/early 70's,some had camshaft issues,later they found there in way stationary power plants like gensets,tub grinders and whole tree chippers

Puffergas

Did somebody make a Jake brake for the triple nickel? If so, hard to find?

Thanks.
Jeff
Somewhere 20 miles south of Lake Erie.

GEHL 5624 skid steer, Trojan 114, Timberjack 225D, D&L SB1020 mill, Steiger Bearcat II

Logger RK

Anyone know if those are Franklin Axles on that?

Gearbox

They made a Jake but I would hold onto your wallet for a while till you load it up . Just take it easy till you see how it handles in the hills . I think the biggest issue may be bouncing from front to back axel at high speed . Keep adjusting tire pressure .
A bunch of chainsaws a BT6870 processer , TC 5 International track skidder and not near enough time

Puffergas

Before winter I was test driving it some. Had a lot of vibration but getting the hood bolted down helped a ton. Got some sheet metal in the cab to bolt down next but that will be in the spring. Doesn't like the paved roads as much as the dirt roads or the side of the road. I get the tire bounce on paved road going extra slow in reverse. The tires have a noticeable amount of road wear. Can't drive as fast as I would have first wanted but can drive at an enjoyable speed. The biggest concern is working it enough to keep the wet stacking down to a minimum.

It's more of an ox than a race horse.
Jeff
Somewhere 20 miles south of Lake Erie.

GEHL 5624 skid steer, Trojan 114, Timberjack 225D, D&L SB1020 mill, Steiger Bearcat II

Gearbox

Is that 555 a natural or turbo . The turbo was just a smoke turbo with almost no boost . They were prone to smoke at an idle but cleaned up when throttled up . Do not slow idle them if you are going to idle for more than 5 min run it up to 1000 it will stay cleaner .
A bunch of chainsaws a BT6870 processer , TC 5 International track skidder and not near enough time

Puffergas

It's a natural. I call it Old Smokey. 😀 It gets a lot better if it's moving around. Some boat people use the engine and have a two stage warm up procedure. They say it has a lot of iron in the block that needs to come up to working temp. After its first oil change I installed a block heater but don't plan on using it this winter.
Jeff
Somewhere 20 miles south of Lake Erie.

GEHL 5624 skid steer, Trojan 114, Timberjack 225D, D&L SB1020 mill, Steiger Bearcat II

s grinder

Those engines of that era were very dirty,lots of cold smoke just like the 1160/3208 Cats.Injectors bleed out when they sit over night on top of pistons,so when you start them up cold smoke like you can't believe.Good for killing mosquitos!!.Used to work for a trucking co.many yrs.ago with a fleet of LN8000's with Cats and exhaust down spouts,this time of the year i would go in early to start them all up.The smoke was brutal,could of used a Scott Air Pack!!.Like Gear Box says ,kick the idle up to 1000/1200 rpms to warm up, get rid of the wet stack.

Gearbox

Lets see if that was sitting at my house First it would have the chains off my 9600 Ford on it then limb lifters . Then start looking for a winch and a forestry package . Fairlead and a blade . See where this is going . I am going to have to quit looking at this thread or I will wake up one morning in the Red River valley looking for one .
A bunch of chainsaws a BT6870 processer , TC 5 International track skidder and not near enough time

Puffergas

Thanks guys..!

Search for Steiger logger 850. It had the exclusive swinging box! Some were open station like the Timberjack 225 and some had cabs.
Jeff
Somewhere 20 miles south of Lake Erie.

GEHL 5624 skid steer, Trojan 114, Timberjack 225D, D&L SB1020 mill, Steiger Bearcat II

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