ATV log hauler?

[windthrown]

Wow...definately some cool tools/ideas out there. I love the Kubota stuff, but that Toolcat is pretty sweet. The main reason I wanted something smaller is to manuver around in crowded timber and navigate roads/trails that may not be accessable to full sized vehicles/equipment. My FIL has a new 50+ hp Kubota tractor w/ the Farmi wench, brush grapple, and other acc. It's definately very handy around the house, but taking it up into the woods isn't too practical. Thanks for all the thoughts and ideas on my quest to make my wood gathering more efficient.:greenchainsaw:

Well, one huge difference I see between the Bobcat and the Kubota is ground clearance. Having run over many many many many stumps and sworn many times after not seeing them all, I would recommend something with more than the Bobcat has. Small tires, low clearance... means trouble in the woods.

 

[IndyIan]

I agree with windthrown, the toolcat is neat but too much weight with not enough tire for woods adventures.
What do real skidders run for tire pressures? 10-8 psi? probably even less. I run like 3.5 psi or less on my atv. Sometimes the tires look pretty funny but they stay on the rim and I'm not going fast.
A kubota like the one shown with a logging winch is a pretty good substitute for a skidder for personal use. I'd get something like that with a wagon frame and then you can haul a few tons at a time.
Ian

 

[sawinredneck]

Well this has been interesting?:help:

It seems you are not afraid of spending money to get the "right equipment. So how about a completly differnet idea?
My scnario: I cut 100 miles from home, I have an F150 and a 16" trailer. I have worn out more help than you can imagine! I have 80 acres of heavily wooded Oak that we carried out by hand. I needed to be able to do this by myself and CAN NOT leave ANYTHING out there! If they can't steal it, they would destroy it!
My solution came increadibly easy!!

http://www.arboristsite.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=92620&stc=1&d=1236880305

And does what I need VERY well!
http://www.arboristsite.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=92621&stc=1&d=1236880434

This was a used machine, 1400 hrs (I can work on it) with the bucket and grapple $4250 delivered to my door.

There are track machines that would work better:
http://www.boxerequipment.com/

These are about the best on the market right now. Figure between $16-$18k new, used they are reasonable.
The grapple is around $2500, the web site is down now? and I will give you a link when it's back up.
Take the truck, park on the road, go in wih the mini, minimal impact, low ground presure easy to manuver, leave room on the back of he trailer, then use the machine to unload and cut them up.
It also opens up a multitude of other uses around the house.

 

[IndyIan]

Krusty,
No offence, but have you driven one on an ATV trail? They are 5500lbs...
I guess Idaho is pretty dry overall so I guess it may work for you.
I'd get one from a dealer and go for a trail ride with it, you might find it works well or not work well.
I still think that the psi in the tires is a quick way to guess how well a vehicle will do off road and especially off trail.
I'm sure its a useful machine around a well planned farm yard, for going ice fishing not so much... Sleds have from 0.27psi to 0.5psi ground pressure.
Ian

 

[IndyIan]

Well if it works for you, I won't say it doesn't!
That's a good system to be able to haul the MT55 and a trailer load at once. For my off site firewood collection I usually leave my atv there over night and haul the load of wood back, which is fine on private property with a good hiding spot, chain and lock.

 

[sneno77]

Redneck...those are neat little machines. I was just over on the classifieds looking at one. Thanks for another option.

 

[sawinredneck]

Redneck...those are neat little machines. I was just over on the classifieds looking at one. Thanks for another option.

You are welcome!

Krusty: Bobcat makes a great larger machine, worked for the dealership, easy to work on, nice design etc.
I do not like the Bobcat mini's. They are hard to work on, do not have a platform to ride on, have a propietery mount (about all the machines on the market are the same mount, EXCEPT Bobcat) and VERY expensive for what they are.
They have about the highest lift avalable for their size, the lift capacity is increadable and the deisel engine will run forever.
But for the money I think better options are out there.

Edit: here are the links I promised ealier, equipment he does have more used than he has listed:
http://www.topnotchequipment.com/

Attachments, the grapple is $2100:
http://branchmanager.us/

 

[nickblaze466]

not to hijack the thread, but i've been lookin for something like the MT55 myself for a while.

i've never bought equipment new from a dealership before, how much room do they have to wiggle on the price? what i mean to say is, if you don't mind me asking - what does one sticker for and what did you actually end up getting it for?

toolcat looks awesome. i'd like to see the setup you have for haulin' it in the bed of your truck, that would be impressive. how do you get it up there?

 

[Cowboy Billy]

Windthrown A+ on the kubota and a grapple bucket. My dad is buying a M9000 kubota 90hp 4x4 cab heat and air for 27,000 hope to have it in a week or two.

This is what I used last fall

B21 kubota w/backhoe my dad bought four years ago for 16,000 and we have used it a lot!! Picked up a old running gear for a $100 and pull it with a farmall 130. The only problem with the kubota is that its hydro drive and I do not want to burn up the trans trying to pull the log trailer with it.

I did not get a price on this but its another log trailer http://embmfg.com/Forestry/Trailers/ They also have some three point log grapples.

Billy

 

[mysawmyrules]

This is the unit I just built and just started collecting parts to put a hydraulic boom lift on it.

<a href="http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff56/jonw_04/?action=view&current=IMG_0309.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff56/jonw_04/IMG_0309.jpg" border="0" alt="log wagon"></a>

I pull it with a 660 rhino and it so far seems to handle it fine.

 

[nickblaze466]

I just bought one of those cab-overs last week, i'm goin to pick it up tonight after i get out of work. from what i've heard, they are very impressive trucks. when i test drove mine, i was very impressed with how it handled for such a big truck, had plenty of power and seemed very comfortable. hopefully it'll be a good truck.

 

[windthrown]

Windthrown A+ on the kubota and a grapple bucket. My dad is buying a M9000 kubota 90hp 4x4 cab heat and air for 27,000 hope to have it in a week or two.

That should be sweet. I never had an enclosed cab tractor. Nice photos of your logging with the B series. I would LOVE to have had a backhoe. I never got photos as I never had a good digital camera when I was doing that stuff. That is about what I used, minus the trailer. The ex has the 4WD hydrodrives. I liked them. We used chains and fork-lift bar bucket set-up. Never screwed up the tranny dragging logs with chains. Only problem that we ever had was she blew the head once on the L series brush hogging the pastures and she let the radiator fill with dust, and it overheated. Looking at the temp gauge was too much to ask.

I did not get a price on this but its another log trailer http://embmfg.com/Forestry/Trailers/ They also have some three point log grapples.

Billy

Wow, that 3-point grapple looks sweet. I have seen some of their chippers, but compared to my Bandit 90 or 95, they are rinkey dink. The hoist/trailer looks interesting. I cannot find a price on them either. Its call and get a quote stuff. Not that I need one. But you look like you are doing well there with Kubota tractor logging.

 

[Cowboy Billy]

Thanks Windthrown

I wanted to get a 50-60hp tractor with out a cab. But my brother wanted a bigger tractor that we can farm with too. I am worried about breaking a window in the woods. I'll just have to be carefull with it. The only tractor I had with a hydro trans other than the B21 was a bolans. And once those trans are worn out they are Very Very expensive to repair! Also my B21 is only 21hp so trying to pull logs with it is very hard on it even on the trailer. The old farmall 130 gets the wood out a lot faster!

I like using the trailer as it keeps the dirt and mud off of the wood. And after I get log racks built on it I can really haul a lot of wood at one time. And makes a big difference when I get to hauling over a 1/2 mile one way.

Here's the 2156 with the wood I have been hauling. I would really like to get a set of 6' forks for the loader!

I am going to build my own bucket grapple and rear grapple for the M9000. I am lucky my younger brother runs a lazer patter cutter that can cut up to 1/2 steel plate all I have to do is draw out the parts. I haven't found a front grapple I really like. But I do have one pretty much built in my head. I want to be able to grab logs or brush. But I also want to be able to grab logs from the but end with the grapple and load it on the trailer for working in tight spots and I think I have it figured out. On the rear grapple I have seen one that has another cylinder that moves the boom from side to side so you don't have to worry about backing directly over the log. I also want to make something on the log trailer that I can grab the tongue with the rear grapple and pull the trailer with is so I do not have to get out of the tractor and try to hook and unhook the trailer.

Billy