Anyone interested in hiring a quad bike and/or timber trailer?

[farmer_ben]

I'm seriously looking at investing in a compact timber trailer with mini crane for my quad. It would suit what we do on the farm very very well. But I cant really justify buying one just for the farm.

 

DO fellow arbtalk users think there would be much hire demand for a quad and timber trailer combo? Would you hire one? How much would you be willing to pay?

 

If a neighbour of mine had one, I would certainly be interested in hiring it i know that much.

 

I have a newish 500 honda work horse and looking at the Compact Dragon timber trailer.

[Mark Bolam]

Would the trailer/grab be road-towable, and compatible with anything with a tow bar? That would increase its hire value to other arbs a lot, I reckon.

[harvey b davison]

I will be intrested in how you get on, as i'm thinking of getting a compact tractor and wanting extra ideas to make more profitable.

[Big Bolt]

A trailer that could be used as a flat bed would be good and also a clam shell for the grab , as much multi purpose as you can get it , then i could pull it behind my iron horse.

[farmer_ben]

Would the trailer/grab be road-towable, and compatible with anything with a tow bar? That would increase its hire value to other arbs a lot, I reckon.

 

Ideally it will be road towable yes. As i want to bring wood back to the farm every evening after doing work on other farms so would need to be road legal if possible.

 

And yes standard ball hitch. Would try and do it so quad can be transported in the trailer if possible

[Charlieh]

I have looked into this time after time and I can't make the figures

add up, a decent fast tow unit, with powerpack and a solidy body for materials and transporting the atv is about 8k for the trailer alone I could buy a tractor and timber trailer or used forwarder for that kind of money,

 

 

also look futher than timber dragon there are a lot better made heavier duty machines out there, google things like atv skogsvagn (atv woods trailer) the swedes produce loads of kit cheaper than in the uk with the basic dual bogied axel trailers with a wire crane starting at 850quid before tax!

 

I would love a hydraulic unit, but I know deep down inside its only going to be odd logs that it would be required for as most stuff could be hand loaded a lot quicker, and in fairness most the time a wire crane and winch combo is handier as you can skid the log to the machine with it using a remote control on tbe winch,

 

if you want I will dig you out some links as I have loads of pdf files forestry commision tech reports on atv set ups and loads of bits of info I could route out, but I would say look long and hard before spending that kind of money, if 6K+ isn't a substantial part of your income and you need to invest in the equipment for tax reasons then go for it! I know up here with the wigs money dissappearing fast I doubt I could find a lot of work for them now.

 

they are cool though

[base]

harvey b davison i have a 4wd compact tractor, its like a jack of all trades master of none but for my purposes it solves the need to have a lot of dedicated kit hanging around, ok so i still have had to buy attachments but it works out cheaper i run a stump grinder from it, i have a small chipper for it, the machine as a whole is narrow and will get places that a normal 6 inch chipper would be to wide. it will also tow my 6 inch road towable chipper if access is to narrow for my pickup.

 

i run a log spillter off the back, i have other attachments rotavator, leveler, roller mower deck, that came with it when i bought it, its been very handy i dont advertise rotavating etc as its not what i wish to do, but for clients who have mentioned that they have the need i have supplied this service, all in all i have found it a good bit of kit

 

occasionally i hire it to people who own menages to level and roll the surfaces,

 

all in all for me it earns its money,

[josharb87]

also look futher than timber dragon there are a lot better made heavier duty machines out there, google things like atv skogsvagn (atv woods trailer) the swedes produce loads of kit cheaper than in the uk with the basic dual bogied axel trailers with a wire crane starting at 850quid before tax!