Hydro Ax 311

[redprospector]

Ok, a little update.
I took time to put a couple of hours on the 311. It's gonna take a little getting used to.
I will have to say I only crapped my pants twice durring that 2 hour period. I think it'll be ok on some slope as long as it's kept straight up and down. I guess we'll have to see if I feel the same when it's on it's side.
It runs good, but I'll admit that it's the first rubber tired machine I've owned that didn't have brakes. I've owned lots of em that the brakes didn't work, but this one doesn't have any brake pedal. Thats gonna take some getting used to, I almost stomped a hole in the floor looking for them.
Maybe my next job will have some flat ground.

Andy

 

[Gologit]

Ok, a little update.
I took time to put a couple of hours on the 311. It's gonna take a little getting used to.
I will have to say I only crapped my pants twice durring that 2 hour period. I think it'll be ok on some slope as long as it's kept straight up and down. I guess we'll have to see if I feel the same when it's on it's side.
It runs good, but I'll admit that it's the first rubber tired machine I've owned that didn't have brakes. I've owned lots of em that the brakes didn't work, but this one doesn't have any brake pedal. Thats gonna take some getting used to, I almost stomped a hole in the floor looking for them.
Maybe my next job will have some flat ground.

Andy

No brakes at all? Or just no brake pedal? Parking brake? The "no brakes" thing brings back visions of loading rubber tired machinery on low-beds and having to do it right the first time. I didn't always.

If you're walking it can you stick the shear in the ground to hold you without doing a windshield face-plant? I've seen guys on 966s who, after season without brakes, got to be really good at applying just the right force with the forks to slow them down. LOL...the learning curve for that particular maneuver is kinda unforgiving, though.

 

[Joe46]

I'm really surprised we haven't heard from the "Worlds Most Interesting Logger" yet. I'm sure he's had some seat time in one. He's sure to know how to stop one:biggrinbounce2:

 

[Gologit]

I'm really surprised we haven't heard from the "Worlds Most Interesting Logger" yet. I'm sure he's had some seat time in one. He's sure to know how to stop one:biggrinbounce2:

I'll bet he'd be willing to demonstrate the classic "down-hill in fourth gear going waaaay too fast so you jam the log forks into the dirt at a steep angle and go end over end" trick.

We'd want video of course.

 

[redprospector]

No brakes at all? Or just no brake pedal? Parking brake? The "no brakes" thing brings back visions of loading rubber tired machinery on low-beds and having to do it right the first time. I didn't always.

If you're walking it can you stick the shear in the ground to hold you without doing a windshield face-plant? I've seen guys on 966s who, after season without brakes, got to be really good at applying just the right force with the forks to slow them down. LOL...the learning curve for that particular maneuver is kinda unforgiving, though.

Haha. It's got brakes, just no brake pedal. It has a forward pedal and a reverse pedal on the right side of the floor, when either is released it (somewhat) applies the brakes. On the left side of the floor is two pedals, one to open the shear and one to close it. I was mashing the hell out of those trying to get a little more stop, didn't seem to do any good though. It has a parking brake handle, but trust me, you don't want to pull it while it's moving.
Like I said, it's going to take some getting used too. My skidder driver wants to run it, but I'm afraid it'll screw him up on the skidder.

Andy

 

[redprospector]

I'm really surprised we haven't heard from the "Worlds Most Interesting Logger" yet. I'm sure he's had some seat time in one. He's sure to know how to stop one:biggrinbounce2:

Ok, who's the "Worlds Most Interesting Logger"? Judging from what Bob said he's able to pole vault a 966. I had a guy working for me that made me think of the worlds most interesting man, but he wasn't anything like the comercials.

Andy

 

[redprospector]

Never mind. I just did a little reading and figured this one out all by myself.

Andy

 

[380LGR]

Thats the baby buncher.... Had a 411 you have to put a solid sheet of steel on the back roll bar it will keep tons of stuff of the machine. Put a set of tight ring chains on the rear will make a huge differance.

 

[380LGR]

Its normal for the rear tires to be a couple feet of the ground. Its when the front ones come off that its time to get nervous!

 

[garyischofield]

nice machine

I 've owned 4- 411's for landclearing purposes. With a little operator savvy those machines will hammer a lot of wood in short order.We worked on Eastern Mass. clearing jobs,a mix of small hills and predominantly flat ground.You need to work straight up and down hilly terrain.Chains really help on the back.As a counter weight and also to steer the machine with a head full of wood.We tried to keep it out of 16" hardwood (Oak,hickory)with a maximum of 14".We sheared softwood very productively up to 18-19".Those machines with the right operator are hard to beat in small wood.Gary

 

[axeman73]

Hey thanks, I knew that somebody somewhere would know something about these things.
I'm glad to know that it's a 16" shear instead of a 12". I'm not as glad to know that it is a "flat grounder". I was hoping it would handle a little bit of a slope. Oh well, maybe I can get a job with a little flat ground on it....................................Will trees grow on flat ground?

Andy

Yeah it looks like it's a16 incher I know the 721e can handle a 30% grade I believe with the mower head but I can't remember the grade when handling trees sorry to respond so late haven't been on here in a while

 

[redprospector]

I haven't ran this machine much, but it is a 16" shear.
I've cut a couple of 16" Ponderosa Pines with it, and it sure makes me pucker up. I'm not used to picking up trees while they are still standing.

We finished the project we were working on on time, so State Forestry is giving us some more acerage on the same ground. I'm catching up on maintenance while waiting on them to "find the funding". After that I've got a job lined up that actually has some "flat" ground, so I'll give the little 311 a workout then and see if I'm going to keep her.

Andy