Forestry winch recommendations

[Gray git]

Tajfun for me, but all depends on the applications.
My 6.5 tonne Tajfun was the go to winch against a top spec double drum Igland for a few reasons.
 
The Tajfun cable is absolute quality as standard, easy to handle, resists kinking and damage well until the usual idiots get hold of it and hook it back on itself.
 
The Tajfun power outfeed unit is excellent, making it easy to handle the cable and keeping a nice bit of tension on it when spooling back in.
You can just flick the remote for a short burst of cable or lock it in for continuous feed when you’re doing something like walking back down a steep slope with it.
 
Ignore the recommendation to spool out all the cable and wind it back under tension at your peril.
Greg and myself could run the Tajfun no issues, but again the seat fillers would just use and use it until it would jam up and not pay out properly.
It’s only a few minutes to get the cable out and either spool the Tractor back against something or drag something back in. We normally just hooked a machine bucket to the cable and it provided a nice bit of tension as it dragged back in.
 
I may be wrong, but only Tajfun as I’m aware have the brilliant auto stop feature.
If you’re winding back in with the remote you can do so in confidence that you’ll do no damage and the winch will stop at the correct point.
 
Lastly if you go with the 6.5 tonne, and trust me it’s got some guts, drags Tractors about for fun, you can then use the brilliant Tajfun 13 tonne lightweight snatch blocks, ticking the compliance boxes without carrying something huge about on site.
 
I don’t think Tajfun do twin 6.5 tonne, but it they did that would be a perfect choice.
 
 
Eddie.
 
 
 
 
 
 

No the karapan has the auto stop to, as I understand it they are made by a previous employer or partner of the tajfun factory in the next town and are very much of a much with a few slight differences, a important feature of both is the way the break is always on unless released to pay out the cable so you don't get a release of a few inches when going from hold to pull which is imported when tipping trees - hope that makes sense.

[difflock]

I forgot to mention 1 or 2 aspects of the Krpan, that are less than ideal, but other makes/marques may be no different.

(i) The central mounting of the winch drum, means the very short PTO shaft runs at an acute angle, even more-so when the winch digs in or the butt-plate is on lower ground relative to the tractor.

But perhaps the PTO stub is higher mounted on the DB 1490.

(ii) It is surprisingly noisy, perhaps in part due to the acutely angled PTO, but mostly I imagine due to the cheaply plasma/laser cut chain reduction gears.

I suspect an Igland may run quieter?

Regards,

Marcus

[LGP Eddie]

I should add the main reason for my initial purchase of the Tajfun was the availability of the particular model with two pto shaft inputs.

Basically you could run it on the rear of any tractor with standard 540 pto, and then put it on the front linkage where it would accept 1000 speed reverse.

I was always hiring Valtra’s at the time and it would have been a useful option, but it mainly got used on the Kubota Excavator.

 

Eddie.

[difflock]

1 hour ago, LGP Eddie said:

I should add the main reason for my initial purchase of the Tajfun was the availability of the particular model with two pto shaft inputs.

Basically you could run it on the rear of any tractor with standard 540 pto, and then put it on the front linkage where it would accept 1000 speed reverse.

I was always hiring Valtra’s at the time and it would have been a useful option, but it mainly got used on the Kubota Excavator.

 

Eddie.

I understand this feature was available on at least 1 of the Krpan models, which would tie in with somebodys comment about the shared heritage of the 2 companies.

[monkeybusiness]

Went with the Tajfun, really pleased with it, very nicely thought out piece of kit. Thanks for the recommendations gents, much appreciated! 

[difflock]

What on earth is the front mounted monster, another winch surely?

[monkeybusiness]

11 minutes ago, difflock said:

What on earth is the front mounted monster, another winch surely?

Ex-military hydraulic Rotzler - great bit of kit but slow. No good from a production point of view and dragging the cable out soon gets boring, but just the job when you really really need to pull something heavy!!!

[monkeybusiness]

It’ll stand the Agrotron up pivoting around the ground anchors!..

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xIIjKb_Ib70

[blackeyeler]

Is there a model of winch /skidder where the wire is laid evenly on the drum as in a fishing reel? We currently have an Igland 55 and the cable is always getting bound up on the drum.

[Whoppa Choppa]

Tajfun here. Radio Controlled 8.5 tonne bit WITHOUT the powered top roller. Pro of that is it's easier to drive tractor away to detangle drum - you might argue that wouldn't have happened if I'd had the powered outfeed in the first place. Tension between top roller and drum is really essential. Say goodbye to your nice smooth swaged compressed cable otherwise; it will bow and twist, especially if you order the skyline version of the cable which is too stiff. 

 

My next winch will be a non drum type but either a Uniforest G or Pfanzelt. Constant* pulling force and far better spooling. Tractor 3pl winches are a compromise imo. Line skidder winches are where it's at.