Smaller Skidders

[hseII]

Hello,

We need some skidder advice.

We are in the market for a skidder.

Something Cable that weighs less than 19k.

Dependable.

Reasonable parts availability.

Nothing shinny.

John Deere or Timberjack is where we are leaning.

What’s your opinion?

Which models to shy away from?

Fair Pricing?

We found an old JD 440A that’s had a bunch of Work done to it for $12,500 in Vermont.

I just don’t know enough about them today.

Thank You

 

[Jhenderson]

I'd be looking at Timberjack. Lower center of gravity means more stability, easier in and out( although only one side) and off the shelf parts availability. 225-240 series are small enough to get around well, yet big enough to pull a good hitch. Woods ready your looking at about $20K and up but maint and parts are far more reasonable.

 

[northmanlogging]

The old Jacks where strong machines, most had Destroit engines...

Deere 440a is a helluva machine though, kinda tippy, but will run forever if its had any kind of maintenance. Parts are available through deere dealers, or you can cross reference part# with Napa, and save half the money. Wasn't sure i wanted a deere until I bought one, been very happy with it. The winch can and will tear the machine in half if yer not careful, and I've pulled some seriously stoopid big wood with it. (5' dia 36' long up hill)

Mt logger if they have em out your way, are good machines too,

Cat's I'm not sure they made one under 19k but the ole 518's never die, and have a hydraulic only allied winch

CanCar/Treefarmer/Garrett, C4/C5 or 15a/b or a 16 are all about the same machine, parts are getting hard to come by though.

Really though it comes down to the engine, Deere is about the only one that uses a special engine and the one in a 440/540 are used in compressors and generators all over the world, so parts is everywhere once you find a proper number, The rest run Destroit, Deutz, Cummins, except the Cat.... which should be a cat... Trans on many of them is going to be Clark, or some variant thereof,

Deere transmissions are a special beast of their own, but once again used on Deere tractors all over the world.

After that its just the winches, Allied, or Garrett/gearamatic Model 9 or 19, or a Deere winch.

 

[hseII]

The old Jacks where strong machines, most had Destroit engines...

Deere 440a is a helluva machine though, kinda tippy, but will run forever if its had any kind of maintenance. Parts are available through deere dealers, or you can cross reference part# with Napa, and save half the money. Wasn't sure i wanted a deere until I bought one, been very happy with it. The winch can and will tear the machine in half if yer not careful, and I've pulled some seriously stoopid big wood with it. (5' dia 36' long up hill)

Mt logger if they have em out your way, are good machines too,

Cat's I'm not sure they made one under 19k but the ole 518's never die, and have a hydraulic only allied winch

CanCar/Treefarmer/Garrett, C4/C5 or 15a/b or a 16 are all about the same machine, parts are getting hard to come by though.

Really though it comes down to the engine, Deere is about the only one that uses a special engine and the one in a 440/540 are used in compressors and generators all over the world, so parts is everywhere once you find a proper number, The rest run Destroit, Deutz, Cummins, except the Cat.... which should be a cat... Trans on many of them is going to be Clark, or some variant thereof,

Deere transmissions are a special beast of their own, but once again used on Deere tractors all over the world.

After that its just the winches, Allied, or Garrett/gearamatic Model 9 or 19, or a Deere winch.

Thank You.

@Skeans mentioned Cummins not having enough Crankcase Oil or something the other day.

Cummins is Synonymous with dependable around here for dirt applications & Over the Road.

@Skeans, can you please elaborate what you referenced...

For instance, our Kobelco 200 has a 6BT/ 5.9 & has been wonderful.

We’ve got Case Skid Steers & Telehandlers that are Cummins powered & have been wonderful as well.

I assumed a 240 or so would be nice with the 4BT: have you had any experiences with one?

 

[Skeans]

Thank You.

@Skeans mentioned Cummins not having enough Crankcase Oil or something the other day.

Cummins is Synonymous with dependable around here for dirt applications & Over the Road.

@Skeans, can you please elaborate what you referenced...

For instance, our Kobelco 200 has a 6BT/ 5.9 & has been wonderful.

We’ve got Case Skid Steers & Telehandlers that are Cummins powered & have been wonderful as well.

I assumed a 240 or so would be nice with the 4BT: have you had any experiences with one?

This is what we were told, Cummins oiling on their engines do not oil as well on steeper ground say 30 percent is what I remember hearing they'll start sucking air, where as a cat is 35 or 40, then Deere is steeper. If you remember the original bottom engine Timbco had a Deere for this reason and normally a Deere or cat is built heavier as well.

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[hseII]

This is what we were told, Cummins oiling on their engines do not oil as well on steeper ground say 30 percent is what I remember hearing they'll start sucking air, where as a cat is 35 or 40, then Deere is steeper. If you remember the original bottom engine Timbco had a Deere for this reason and normally a Deere or cat is built heavier as well.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

CAT, either on the dipstick or in the OM, had a statement that if ran on Steep Grades, overfill the crankcase, & drain it back down when on level ground again.

I want to say that was on the Dozers like the 3,4,5 G LGPs for slope work, & the same for the 6s & 7s.

It’s been a few years since I was submerged in the CAT culture however.

 

[ArtB]

We found an old JD 440A that’s had a bunch of Work done to it for $12,500 in Vermont.

LOTs of work if $12.5K

I have a gas 440IC dozer and a diesel JD440 track loader. $3000 for one, just $1700 for the other (about 30 years ago).

You do NOT want to leave them out in the rain unless good FOPs canopy. Any water into the DRY disk final drive clutches and they freeze up. Not a quick job to pull final drives to free up clutches.

Pouring 2 gal of diesel into the final drive and letting is sit for a month can help free a stuck final drive, but not always.

 

[hseII]

We found an old JD 440A that’s had a bunch of Work done to it for $12,500 in Vermont.

LOTs of work if $12.5K

I have a gas 440IC dozer and a diesel JD440 track loader. $3000 for one, just $1700 for the other (about 30 years ago).

You do NOT want to leave them out in the rain unless good FOPs canopy. Any water into the DRY disk final drive clutches and they freeze up. Not a quick job to pull final drives to free up clutches.

Pouring 2 gal of diesel into the final drive and letting is sit for a month can help free a stuck final drive, but not always.

The original machine referenced is JD 440A Cable Skidder.

 

[johnjj]

I have a can car garrett timberjack for sale if anyone is interested. Rebuit ford engine and new clutch. It just needs a reverse gear in the 4 speed transmission.

 

[Johnmn]

I have a 440a and would recommend them nice small but strong skidder. Oh and mine has a bunch of parts too and I can tell you I wouldn't sell it for $12500

 

[woodfarmer]

What is the Cat 508 like?

 

[Jhenderson]

Years ago, when I owned a 518 the service tech told me the tranny was the weak point on a 508.