need your experience : metavic 1150m14 with 43 HP tractor.

[roger 4400]

Hello everyone. I,m looking to buy a log loader and trailer. I own a Massey Ferguson 1643, 4x4, 43 hp. My lot is flat (60 acres) I never go out of my trails ( trails are wide and clean) and pull the logs with a Farmi winch.  The biggest logs should be 12 ft x 26 in. in diameter, I will pull them on the side of my trails with the winch and then take them home to my mill (Baker 18 HD) with the loader. I do not earn my life with the mill , it is my **hobby**. ( having fun before doing the trip no one comes back  :D)
So the question is ::: would the Métavic 1150m 14 ft of boom would be the ideal loader for my condition, I have no experience with those loader, before I was pulling with my winch ( but sometime it is hard on my trails and the wood is getting real dirty. I can have a fair price on a new loader and trailer, almost impossible to find a nice used one ( fair price is around $15,000 CAD out of the door). Thank you for sharing your experience. Roger

[DeerMeadowFarm]

Hello Roger,
If you're not in a super hurry, you could check out all the different models at the Forestry Expo in Bangor, ME on May 19th and 20th. Passes are free. They had a ton of these trailers at the last show I went to and there were a lot of Canadian dealers there as well.
http://www.nefpexpo.net/

[pékan]

Well i thing you gone have a perfect setup for your need , metavic product are good product.......am looking for one for myself....... 8) 8) 8) 8)

[roger 4400]

Well they say all is made overhere even the cylinders and their bushings are very good, not chinese stuff, but I would like experiences of the members users  if they had any issues. Thanks to both of you for your answers.

[78NHTFY]

roger 4400: Have been doing for the last 5 yrs what you are planning on doing.  Bought a used PATU forwarding trailer and 72 HP 695 Case Intl.  The forwarder runs by hooking up to the tractor rear hydraulics.  I got a large tractor because I am in a hilly location and need the weight when loaded and going downhill.  Now, instead of pulling the logs on my trails which tears them up and dirties the logs, I winch logs to the side of my trails with a smaller tractor (2250L  Kubota) and Farmi winch.  Then, I go out with the trailer and drag the logs with the grapple (16' extension) over to the trailer, buck it to length, pick up the individual logs with the grapple and load the trailer.  It usually takes around an hour or two to get a full load, drive back to my processing site and head back to the woods.  And I always seem to have a dumb smile  ;D on my face because it feels like cheating when compared to the laborious work I did beforehand.  The PATU forwarder is a product of Finland and works well although I did have early problems with the valve bank: occasional leaking O'rings would shut everything down. It's a $ 0.01 cent part!!! I had a hydraulic expert show me how to tear the valve down and replace the O ring: pretty easy once you know how.  I would recommend you go with your local supplier (Metavik) just for ease of repair if needed.  These forwarding trailers are also great for loading logs onto the mill (carefully!).  Here's a pic of mine.   Good luck with your purchase--make sure you show us a picture!  All the best, Rob.   

  

 

[roger 4400]

Rob, you are making dream ( and have that stupid smile  :D) those are very nice toys I mean tool :D will soon pull the trigger......I need to know if someone have a set up like mine, a 43 hp pulling a loader with a 14 ft boom. ???? do not want to be oversize but I need to lift some heavy logs. Thanks for your answer. Your equipment looks very nice.

[roger 4400]

Also have a question.......Métavic say to have 2500 pounds hydraulic force to operate, my Massey delivers 2300......I guess the only problem will be a little lost of lifting capacity........can any damage be done to the loader or will it operate fine with 10% less strength ?

[ahlkey]

I have to two Metavic trailers (see gallery). Intially I ran it with my small 4 X 4 Tractor rated at 42hp and it worked ok.  The issue is really one of hydraulic flow.  To get good performance I had to increase the rpm for the heavy logs. If I were you I wouldn't buy until I tested it with your tractor as I am afraid the difference will be more than 10%. You can't hurt the loader with lower flow.  Today I run that small forwarding trailer with an 87 hp tractor on idle when picking up logs but I work on a much higher capacity and is part of my overall expanding  business.  Around the sawmill you can set your logs on the mill with the touch of a feather. With my current setup has no problem picking logs over 30 inch dbh.  Hope this helps.

[roger 4400]

Sent you a PM.

[ahlkey]

Sent a more detailed email to you. If you are at 11gpm that will be great as my small tractor is only 7.6 gpm.  Also would not see a big issue with a lower psi. Would suggest you consider fluid in your tires which helps.

[thecfarm]

Hyd flow? Never would've thought of that. I look at them hard every 2 years at the expo. I have a big hill to go down,but I have hauled about a cord of wood down that hill on a homemade trailer and my 40hp tractor did it well. I do have a standard,and loaded tires.

[tmbrcruiser]

I had Metavic add 2' to their 16' trailer, so my trailer and boom are 18'. Great forwarder, pull mine with a 1256 International tractor. Won't pick up a very heavy load when the boom is extended but will reach and pull like crazy. Once I get it in close I am able to pick up more than I should. I have unloaded and loaded tractor trailers with my Metavic.

Loading a truck with this type of loader is not the best idea. Lifting over your head and not being able to see down on the load makes loading dangerous. So I built a pit with a bulk head wall to place the trailer in while loading. Works great! Thinning pine pulp in my tree farm I cut the wood to 21', loader handles this easily. Trailer handles 8 tons with no problem. Four loads on my Metavic and I am able to load a tractor trailer. There are several pics in my gallery.

As far as unloading, this works well with cut up logs if you watch the log weight. I will get the logger to load the largest logs on the back of his trailer and low in the load.

Great loader and trailer, Metavic as always be good to deal with.

[WoodstockVT]

I pull an M95 with a light weight 33hp tractor.  Power isn't the issue, it's weight.  I anticipated that, so had Metavic add electric brakes, then wired a brake controller onto the tractor.  I swapped out the implement tires for tires with tread.  Now with the slide of the controller, I can stop the entire package, loaded trailer and tractor, dead on a hill with the trailer brakes.  I feel I have complete control on steep hills now, and tractor weighs 2000lbs, which normally would be far from ideal.  Brakes were something like $1800, the tire swap to ones with tread were an even swap, I think brakes are worth the weight in gold.  Don't know if I'd spend the money if I were towing with an 80 hp heavy, full frame tractor, but for me, seems mandatory, and for you, I think would be a big help. 

I also added a winch to the trailer, and a remote control.  If you already have a 3 pt hitch winch, don't know if I would spend the money on a winch on the trailer.  For me, I felt it would be effective to have it all in one package.  The remote control is very nice, winch is strong, on the slow side, you'll have to decide on that one.  I found with careful felling, I could get part of the trunk of most trees within reach of the loader, and you get pretty good at snaking the entire trunk to the trailer with the loader, bucking logs as you pull it toward yourself.

For a big commercial level trailer I'd consider Kesla as well, but for the size you're talking about, I found Metavic extremely good to work with, I would give them a perfect 10 rating on customer service and follow through.  I bought from their Vermont dealer, Pete's, and same goes for them, they were a pleasure to do business with, which seems to be increasingly rare these days.

[roger 4400]

Thank you all for your answers and good advise, I take all those advise like precious experience.
Techfarm, another thing you must check is if your hydraulic is a close or open centre........Most of low hp tractors are open centre hydraulics while bigger tractor and most John Deere are close centre, your log loader hydraulic has to be open or close like the tractor ( well it is what I found on the net.......wish I'm right  :D). But check this before making an error.
Luckily my lot is flat, no hill and I will go on my wide trails only. I'll pull the logs with the Farmi winch.
I have another lot 145 acres 100 miles up north but will never go there with my tractor I'm afraid it will flip backward going up and any load going down would throw me in a ditch 80 ft high, when I pull my heating wood, my ATV Foreman 400 cannot slow the 700 pounds trailer and down the hill I'm in 4 th or 5th gear......too scary for me on my tractor.

[chubby]

We'll be at the forestry expo in Bangor with the entire line of FARMA loaders (who's a site sponsor btw) if you want to have a look at them in person. In the meantime you can find details on our site: www.picken.ca and Farma's site www.forsmw.com

Let me know if have any questions about the new Generation 2 product line or if I can help in any way.

Thanks
Brad

[thecfarm]

So when I go to Bangor and ask for chubby you will be there?  ;D
I won't waste much of your time. No money to buy,but I sure do look alot. I looked at the sawmill I bought for 15 years I bet.

[roger 4400]

Brad, thank you for the invitation.......The problem I do not have a passport so I'm sure Donald will not let me in  :D :D
I've looked a lot on the net and used the experience of members here to make my decision, and if anything brake on the loader , Metallic have a good reputation.
I already made a deposit on a new Metallic 1150 m14 loader, should be here in 3 weeks.
Many members here have the same loader and only have good words concerning service and reliability.
Thank you all sharing your experience. Roger