Best legal vehicle combination

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

Will have to hide that from my boss as he would be all over that, just like a fracked jcb backhoe loaded which is another pointless niche bit of kit.

 

 

 

So what alternatives are there for hi cap chip trucks? Something that can carry 6ton? And tow 10ton.

 

 

 

As much as I hate Unimogs they seem to work for us but I spend a lot of time trying to keep them running. Constantly looking for viable alternatives.

 

 

Alternatives? Many have been provided - and it seems what works for 1 is an anathema to others!

 

I have 1 that I use and which hasn't been thrashed out already in the thread.

 

It works for me, in the right circumstances and within the rural environs of my usual operating area.

 

It involves turning the problem around and looking at it differently.

 

The "problem" is removal / legal transport of Arb arisings within vehicle capacity.

 

Solution - don't remove the timber, get someone else to do it for you.

 

I have a small network of BSL qualifying wood burning stove owners. Im a BSL accredited supplier of logs.

 

In the right circumstances, this has proved highly beneficial to all parties.

 

It doesn't work for every job, some might not see it as viable to their set-up but it has proved advantageous on a number of occasions over the period since BSL has been in operation. That's log of course. Chip, not so easy but it is, in the rural workplace, rarish to have to remove chip.

[Marc]

Kevin I have not seen another viable set-up for us, believe me I am always looking to get away from Unimogs I hate them, in fact 2 of our Unimogs will be going on the next few months to be replaced by a Tractor which we will buy a rolo trailer for, it's a compact tractor to tow 18ton.

 

I keep going round in circles wanting to get away from Unimogs but always coming back to them particularly the square cabs as good examples can be found if you know where to look at modest prices, we also know them very well now so can carry out any major repair in house.

 

We looked at new U500 on operators license, they have great capacity the problem is finding the right spec second hand and to buy new I could buy 4/5 good clean square cabs that I know, so it comes back to comfort zone.

 

Buying the Tractor is a big leap as I have no idea about tractors. Same when it come to trucks.

[Matthew Storrs]

I think often they pay themselves and their staff very, very poorly.

 

Depending on your definition of poorly.

 

I'd reckon a 2 man team (inc owner as climber) with a transit and chipper working 220 days a year at £350 per day could pay the groundie somewhere between £20-25k and climber/business owner taking home around £35k a year after business expenses

 

Yeah ok your not going to be rich but even so not a bad living wage surely?

Less staff& less kit=less hassle so again just depends on folks expectations from a buisness

[Tom D]

I was scared of the new mogs and tractors with all the electronics,but tbh they are fine. Just bite the bullet and spend 70k on a decent new shape mog, it will last for years and be better than constantly trying to keep a 20 year old machine going.

[Marc]

I was scared of the new mogs and tractors with all the electronics,but tbh they are fine. Just bite the bullet and spend 70k on a decent new shape mog, it will last for years and be better than constantly trying to keep a 20 year old machine going.

 

One day I am sure we will Tom, we are pretty good at keeping 20 year old Mogs going and at half the cost of the new shape they probably work out pretty even in the long run.

[Tom D]

One day I am sure we will Tom, we are pretty good at keeping 20 year old Mogs going and at half the cost of the new shape they probably work out pretty even in the long run.

 

That's a lot of chip!

[Mark Bolam]

Investment in kit is obviously highly important.

Equally, if not more so, is getting away from lowballing 12 quote customers.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

[Tom D]

Investment in kit is obviously highly important.

Equally, if not more so, is getting away from lowballing 12 quote customers.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

 

Absolutely!

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

Not completely relevant I know, but I had Western Power out this week to shut down an LV circuit for me. I was admiring their 15 plate Defender 110 utility van which is kitted out with fancy roof rack, winch, van racking, PTO for air and power tools etc and all manner of utility tools they require to carry out their work, the lad driving it said the total cost is 60k each which shocked me. He also put it on the weighbridge recently and it came in at 3900kg, so 400kg overloaded with him and his workmate in it.

 

No surprise there! You've only to look at / listen to them on the road to see they are loaded. And there we have a (supposedly) national, reputable company - seemingly, money no object - skirting the edge of the possible in terms of appropriate loading.

[tree-fancier123]

Investment in kit is obviously highly important.

Equally, if not more so, is getting away from lowballing 12 quote customers.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

 

Some bright spark must have tried quoting by drone camera by now - quick flight across town avoid the traffic