This is bananas, but I'm gonna do it

[Patrick62]

Break out the welder, and start creating! I needed a skidder/loader years ago. Now is the time to build one from a old pickup. I just happen to have a old POS 4x4 pickup that I am not exactly in love with. never mind it is only a 1/2 ton. I skidded a bunch of logs last year with a 1/4 ton jeep, a full size pickup would have been a radical upgrade!

Okay here is the plan. Grab the 1987 W150 and remove the bed and cab. All the sheet metal goes away. Build a boom to overhang the back of the truck which will be shortened to the spring perches. Install some sort of a relatively inexpensive winch with a decent line speed. Might use a separate battery with a isolator so that not killing the starting battery. Okay, skidder end is ready.

Next is more complicated, but within my capabilities (I think). build a front loader on the thing. I have the cylinders, and a valve and pump. Hoses are not a serious problem. Using some square tubing I think I can create a decent enough front loader. I will use the existing MF tractor for a pattern.

Not geared the greatest, but it should be capable of dragging a few logs around. Transfer case is about to "go out" so I might take it apart and LOCK it into low range. That should be enough for awhile. The V8 and auto tranny is in good enough shape. The front is a D44, but with the front clip missing I think lifting a log isn't gonna break things terribly quickly. Have to be careful tho.

I just got the bid on another cut to work on this winter. Need more equipment!!!

Thoughts??

 

[Steve NW WI]

Couple thoughts:

If you're gonna have a loader on there, lower the front bump stops so the axle's sitting solid with any sort of load on it. I wouldn't plan on lifting much, you'll pretzel the c channel frame with much weight that far out, it's just not built for it.

Swap for a manual trans and find a PTO winch if you want line speed. Hydraulic might be an option, but electric ain't gonna be fast enough for you, and probably won't hold up to continuous use.

I'd keep the cab, just ditch doors and such if you want to cut weight. Lots less work than fabbing new controls, guages, seat, etc.

Might as well Lincoln lock the rear, and buy a set of chains for it while you're at it.

 

[zogger]

Pics and vids man! Goferit! What the heck, many a vehicle got hooked and towed back with a road version "vehicle skidder" with a boom.

 

[Jim Timber]

Box the frame. Spooled rear end isn't much more than welded, and prevents taking out the gears and bearings if a weld chips loose. The open carriers also don't like being "locked" too much. Wrist pins break out of the carrier.

 

[513yj]

A buddy of mine did this out of a 1 ton chevy. He didn't have a front loader on it and after beefing the back half of the frame it works pretty dang good for his purposes. He put a crane cab or something like that on it so it has nice heat for the winters and some tin to cover the engine and radiator as not to poke holes or rip wires off.

 

[cantoo]

Cheaper to look for an old tractor loader frame and adapt it than to start with a pile of tubing. Got to be a tractor wrecking yard near you somewhere. If you build it from scratch you will be like me and overbuild it which usually just means more weight and more expense. How high you planning to lift?

 

[Patrick62]

I like a positive attitude. Allen and I will look at boxing the frame. Lowering the bumpstops is a excellent idea! As far as locking the rear... maybe... maybe not. dunno on that one. A PTO winch would be the greatest idea however... it isn't in the budget. Neither is ditching a 727 in good shape. There is a LOT of shifting involved in skidding and loading. I prefer a auto if at all possible.

How high? I am figuring that if it can lift to 8ft, that is good enough. I am basicly gonna duplicate the Massy Ferguson 50 tractor I got out here for dimensions. It lifts logs just fine for a little tractor but is so far past worn out.... and being a 2 wheel tractor it's offroad ability is somewhat limited.

Electric winch is the best compromise. I was lookin' around and there are some reasonable priced and faster winches out there. Warn makes one for short of $500 that claims 29fpm, Mile marker has one for $300 that is claiming 26fpm, and there is a smittybilt for about $300 that is claiming 37.2 fpm !!!! I was using (destroyed it) a cheapo winch that was capable of 15fpm on a good day. I think it is down to about 10 now. Faster is better, but I think I still want to stay in the 8000 range to get enough oomph.

 

[Richard@PM]

Break out the welder, and start creating! I needed a skidder/loader years ago. Now is the time to build one from a old pickup. I just happen to have a old POS 4x4 pickup that I am not exactly in love with. never mind it is only a 1/2 ton. I skidded a bunch of logs last year with a 1/4 ton jeep, a full size pickup would have been a radical upgrade!

Okay here is the plan. Grab the 1987 W150 and remove the bed and cab. All the sheet metal goes away. Build a boom to overhang the back of the truck which will be shortened to the spring perches. Install some sort of a relatively inexpensive winch with a decent line speed. Might use a separate battery with a isolator so that not killing the starting battery. Okay, skidder end is ready.

Next is more complicated, but within my capabilities (I think). build a front loader on the thing. I have the cylinders, and a valve and pump. Hoses are not a serious problem. Using some square tubing I think I can create a decent enough front loader. I will use the existing MF tractor for a pattern.

Not geared the greatest, but it should be capable of dragging a few logs around. Transfer case is about to "go out" so I might take it apart and LOCK it into low range. That should be enough for awhile. The V8 and auto tranny is in good enough shape. The front is a D44, but with the front clip missing I think lifting a log isn't gonna break things terribly quickly. Have to be careful tho.

I just got the bid on another cut to work on this winter. Need more equipment!!!

Thoughts??

Funny story, when we were kids in western Maine we built up a truck like you are talking about for firewood, our wood lot was about 2 miles from home and we needed wood for the house, lets just say dragging the red oak tree, about 2 feet at the but was easier than loading it one piece at a time into a pickup bed and hauling it home, it is not legal to drag a tree down a state road but what the heck we did it anyway, whom do you suppose came down the road in the opposite direction, thats right, the state police and he was not impressed! Moral of the story, stay off the paved road while dragging your trees, it is illegal.

 

[nathon918]

usually those line speed ratings on electric winches are at no load...
look for an old military truck yard, and look for a braden LU4 out of a M37 rated around 8K i have one and used it on a homemade pto skidding winch for a tractor, or look for something out of another truck, or ebay,
using an electric winch for skidding more than a few trees is just a waste of money, by the time you get all the heavy gauge wire, seperate battery, possible second altinator, you could have a pto winch for around the same money...

 

[lapeer20m]

I bought a pto winch from an old wrecker for $50 at a junk yard. I also found a couple hydraulic winches off the back of garbage trucks at the scrap yard for cheap.

I love creativity and crazy projects but I worry about cost and reliability. For $5k you can buy a functioning backhoe. I splurged and spent $7,500 for a diesel deere hoe with a heated cab and rops. It's an awesome asset to my firewood operation.

Plus if at any point I decide to get rid of it, the backhoe is still worth what I paid for it.