Valtra N92

[Big J]

I'm possibly at the stage of needing to increase my capabilities with forestry work locally, and I'm investigating 5 tonne class forwarders and tractors. 

 

I did my medium trees ticket today and was chatting with the assessor about it, and he recommended considering a tractor and trailer as an alternative due to the versatility of them.

 

There is a locally available 2010 Valtra N92, fully guarded, 6m Botex roof mounted crane with 9t steering drawbar trailer with disc brakes. There is also a 6t winch that could go with it. It's done just over 3000 hours but it's completely pristine. Looks like it's barely ever set foot in the woods and my understanding is that it's mainly been used as a yard tractor for a firewood business and for tree surgery too. 

 

Does anyone here have experience with them, good or bad? Sensible to consider as an alternative to a 5 tonne class forwarder? Am I just trying to bankrupt myself?!

[MattyF]

They are alright in the woods I’ve worked along side one in our 6400 a few years back and he could go in the same gaps with better traction but then my rear tyres where bald and his new ! We use a n101 along side the valmet 6400 now and the 101 is slightly less manoverable , I would say you can’t get a better tractor than the 6400 as long as it’s wearing decent tyres !

One thing to think about j is you could by a decent guarded valmet and 9 tonne timber trailer for about a third the price as a newish Valtra , they are cheaper to work on and parts are pretty easy to get hold of.

 

[arboriculturist]

I think I mentioned when you arrived here that Valtra was one tool to get the job done, which is why they have always been popular down here. All the small scale boys use them and with 90hp on hand that is a usefull tool. 9t trailer a bonus although not sure you would want to max it out many places in Devon, but on occasion nice to have the capacity especially when the bendy crooked timber we have plenty of in the South shows up, giving a load consisting of 50% air!

 

Others will give you a better insight than myself.

[Big J]

Well, I've gone for it, financing it when I said I was going to keep my gear finance free down here! 

 

It proved to be too useful a prospect for it, and I've got loads of work for it next year.

 

 

[Big J]

[MattyF]

Looks a very tidy set up [emoji1303]Would like to hear how you get on with it after a few months.
The only thing that puts me off a roof mount was the stands we work on are usually on terrain they won’t put harvesters and forwarders so on slopes and it worried me that a roof mount would be too unstable , I’ve only used a couple and they felt bad enough on the flat along with the height of the whole unit when thinning ripping off branches and pipes, on the plus side they have excellent visibility and it would be awesome to stack on a landing and not have a huge pile of pick up sticks to winch through that can catch you out.

[Big J]

1 minute ago, MattyF said:

Looks a very tidy set up Would like to hear how you get on with it after a few months.
The only thing that puts me off a roof mount was the stands we work on are usually on terrain they won’t put harvesters and forwarders so on slopes and it worried me that a roof mount would be too unstable , I’ve only used a couple and they felt bad enough on the flat along with the height of the whole unit when thinning ripping off branches and pipes, on the plus side they have excellent visibility and it would be awesome to stack on a landing and not have a huge pile of pick up sticks to winch through that can catch you out.

My main reasons for going for it were as follows: 

 

• Really low hours, fully guarded but almost no time in the woods. It's only done 150 hours in the last year, and the crane is only 4 years old (tractor is 8).
• It's a good partner for the mini forwarder. The forwarder does the tight access, the steeper slopes and the low impact. 
• The roof mount crane means it's great for winching. You can still handle the timber once it's winched to the tracks.

 

I see your point about the stability issues. I may yet add legs. 

[swinny]

Well done on finding a well kept and decent looking tractor local! Hope it all goes well for you.

[Matthew Storrs]

55 minutes ago, Big J said:

Lovely tidy setup, ? is that your winch too?

[Big J]

1 minute ago, Matthew Storrs said:

Lovely tidy setup, ? is that your winch too?

It will be, yes. 6t.