Cat 525 series skidders.

[BargeMonkey]

 Can anyone give me the good and bad on 525's, I'm planning on looking at an A and this C, both are over 10k hrs and 30.5  how bad are they to work on ? Do the cabs tip ? My knowledge of cat in the small stuff is limited below a 3500 series. Im not a 30.5 fan but anymore that's all your finding, my 460C went down on me last time home, wasn't major stuff but I see the handwriting on the wall. I'm moving to a decent sized 5 lot clearing job, if I'm broke down for any period of time I'm getting thrown out. I lost 3 big woodlots in the last month because I can't move fast enough, trying to ride the boat as little as possible just to keep my medical and it's still not working.
How bad is a transmission to do on one of these ? Known for any crazy issues ? My mechanic worked at Milton Cat so the engine side I'm not worried about. I've got a larger chip contractor from central NY willing to come chip for me, I pile and he comes and chips, getting into more clearing work and unfortunately a big girl is the answer, CTL is way out of my reach right now. Shopping for a "cheaper" spare and I'm leery of another Jack, 3 other guys I know have went Cat and swear by them, so I wanted to ask here because I know a few of you run them. This one's in NH, they say it's clean but I know she has been run hard. 

 
Another guy I know has an 525A he is trying to sell, there was a B in NH that was with that one, all about 10k apart in price. Just getting to the point I can breath again and downtime is going to kill me, so knocking around which color paint. 😂

[kiko]

No the cab does not tilt on any of them except the D series.   To me not a big deal, the way the sheet metal comes off all is accessible.   The A s were not so great, the b s better , and the c is a fine machine.    Transmission builds around here usually come 12k to 15k hours.  Got to watch the bushings on the dual arch they seem to wear prematurely .   Some aftermarket parts are available for the transmission.   

this is what one looks like when in for trans rebuild (525B)

 

Easy Peasy
IMO  any of the other brands are inferior.   Just ask away i have had hands on ever bolt on the cat skidders, own two of them and have parted about 10 of the B and C series machines

[coxy]

just make shur before you buy to get the tranny up to temp most of them wont slip when they are cold at least on a 518 anyway  let me know if you get one ill come down for a day and run it for FREE  :D :D

[ehp]

with the money your making , Hell I would just buy a new 620 or 630 TC and be done with it , they are making ten skidders a day at the plant so you might as well have your name on one or two

[ehp]

there is a 525 here for sale , not sure what it is as far as a a b or c  but its got tranny problems

[quilbilly]

I have a friend who had a tranny done and it cost him 25k. From what I hear most are solid machines, especially if you can afford to pay for the cat specific stuff.

[aussie380]

I was told to always check the front driveshaft as they seem to have a habit of going then they fly around and usually put a hole in the motor. there is a contractor here that has a 525b and the things they do to it shouldn't be done to anything but it seems to keep going the main problem he has had is the bolts that hold the front diff housing in keep breaking then drops the front axle

[Riwaka]

I would suggest you go and have a look at a Tigercat skidders that are a similar size and spec to the Cat 525's . Find a stripped tigercat so you get a better idea of what is under the covers.

[xalexjx]

all the "big" guys up here are pretty much running tigercats. One of my friends has a new 620e and can avg 120 ton an 8hour day on a half mile skid following a buncher.

[kiko]

The tcats have a good thing going with SCT Fiat engine which does not need a particulate filter.  They have some sort of rights to this engine. Parts are just as expensive as the cats and much harder to get, at least way down here.   

[snowstorm]

tiger cat motor= fpt =fiat power train. that includes case new holland. dodge and a whole lot more. here on the east coast fpt was pushing there marine engines pretty hard. then then there field rep quit. i met him once. i had questions about an iveco i own. iveco = fpt.   a ford farm tractor built in the mid 90's on the motor  ford iveco. the fpt rep told me fpt worked with cummins on designing the 5.9 and 6.7

[BargeMonkey]

 I appreciate the information and feedback guys, Cat iron is rare around here. My problem is the forestry equipment comes dead last on the repair list. I'm doing my homework because im basically done on the boat but will be in the store full time come june so my time is limited, when I have time I've got to go like a savage cutting wood, I'm almost looking more 535-545 size. I see ALOT of Cats around with tranny issues or fresh work done, must be the weak link. I have a job to bid this week that will determine alot, walk 3 lots tomorrow, I'm going to hunt until I find a deal, I'm watching 440Cs-440Ds go for 7-12k, alot of iron isn't bringing much right now, same thing with those big skidders. I go to the bank / backer looking for a new tigercat I would be the next Jimmy Hoffa 😂😂😂  I got talking with the guy who has the 525A the other night, he started talking about a buncher, chipper, slasher, I told him once you start it's like a junkie chasing the needle, it never ends.

[xalexjx]

I bet it would be easier to get money from a bank for a new tigercat then a used one  :D

[celliott]

I'm watching 440Cs-440Ds go for 7-12k, alot of iron isn't bringing much right now

I'd take a 440C for 7k! with a ton of repairs needed too, I'm sure.....

We did a 9000 tap tubing job for a guy this summer, he had just bought a brand new cat grapple. It was either a 545 or 555, can't remember. Said it would do the work of two of his older 525's. That skidder was a monster, just looking at his wheel tracks in places, holy cow. They flopped it over on a hill pulling the slasher about a month after they bought it 

[ehp]

Barge, Im kind of in the same place you are , I want a new bigger grapple/winch machine but when I put the numbers to paper they just donot work out so Im kind of thinking I might just stay with what I got . A brandnew tc would be nice but in the end is it going to make you any more money , just tell the tc dealer you want to try a demo for 6 months to see if it would work for you , whats wrong with the 460 that cannot be fixed

[BargeMonkey]

 That 460C is a great machine, BUT 😂 it's got 15k hrs, that's the original transmission, original pump, I know at somepoint she is going down for a while, downtime is what kills me honestly. I just took on 3 more decent sized ones this morning, there's 250 next door I may get and this guy has 125 down the road, my time is limited. I can't justify new because if it sits for a whIle its not going to be good. I made an offer on a low hr 450J with a woods package yesterday, I need my own dozer more than another skidder right now so waiting to hear on that one.

[BargeMonkey]

 Because of my boat job I've got piles of time to watch iron, almost my major hobby. Seen a 440D without major issues with 2 new tires for 13k in WV, very negotiable and a clean 440C in MO for 7k bucks and I don't think it needed alot, the iron is out there. Had a guy offer me a complete 460C with a bad tranny for 10k the other day and I laughed at him, it's knowing what your looking for.

[xalexjx]

the 450c and 460 machines are hard to beat. If it were me wanting high production following a buncher id either have one near new machine or two twin older machines. easier to stock parts, have a spare ect. You should try getting a 620-630 demo. A newer 620 will pull 50% more per hitch. Guy up by me just got a new 632 few months back and I'd guarantee it will pull twice what my 450 will

[Gearbox]

The one the nephew has seems light in the front end . I have saw the front axel off the ground many times . He is a CTL so it only gets used to drag oversized .