Mbtrac1300 skidder

kernowstu · December 31, 2011

with the money you have spent did you look at purpose built unit ie LKT or timberjack

tis a nice bit of kit

taff · January 1, 2012

Yes I did consider a purpose built in fact mid build I almost had another change of mind! If your sole use is timber skidding then its probably a no brainer especially with the addition of a grapple but I just felt the flexibility of the mb won the day. Purpose built units generally have single drum winches and are not remote controlled, they are pivot steered which I personally dont love and sourcing a good one for sale in the uk appeared tricky.

The werner winch on mine is driven off the N16 pto so I still have the option to attach things to the reduntant rear pto shaft, I could also pull a forwarding trailer with the mb, driving the crane pump off the pto, its reverse drive so that may also prove advantageous on occasion too.

Finally I can travel from site to site at 50k saving low loader cost.

Mike Hill · January 1, 2012

How about Terminating the Winch Rope with Replaceable Ferrules and using sliders and Chains.It looks like you have knotted the Ends of the Cables?

Replacement Ferrules

taff · January 1, 2012

Yes Mike that's what i'll do, I ve got some BIG lumps to move first. So hooking the yellow hooks back onto the rope will work lovely for now. I ll have to get some fairly hefty choker chain cause these winches will pull!

Nat · January 1, 2012

Oh lordy! That looks nice! Want one!

The exhaust does look a bit vulnerable to me though.

ntbrenna · January 3, 2012

You lucky git!!

That's a real nice MB, very tidy indeed. They're getting harder and harder to find with such clean tin-work and with the cab in good condition too.

You've been getting good advice from previous posters about the exhaust and the steps and diesel tank - these parts are arguably vulnerable on MB tracs even in normal farming use but in the forestry context, they're even more vulnerable.

A lot of MBs have lost their original exhaust as the whole weight of the pipe & silencer is supported by the manifold/turbo, etc, because there are no other brackets or supports to share the weight or steady it. This obviously puts the manifold at risk as well, especially if the exhaust gets a thump from a low or falling branch! Definitely a weak point in the design imo.

I've seen a few MBs with modified exhausts and air-breathers where they have been re-located to the corners of the cab, similar to most modern tractors; e.g. this 1500 at Pykett Tractors:

pykett tractors

Nice job!

Looks like you've plenty of grip on those tyres, so they should do a good while. By the way, do you think you could get more than 50kph flat out on the road? Have you got access to all eight gears?

taff · January 3, 2012

Hi, that's a lovely 1500. I'd love to relocate my air in take and exhaust like that but for now I'll go careful! Got to earn some before any more can go out!

I think that I could get more speed but 50k is comfortable, yes while she was at Alex Prices the boys opened up eighth gear, makes a big difference!

ntbrenna · January 3, 2012

Hi, that's a lovely 1500. I'd love to relocate my air in take and exhaust like that but for now I'll go careful! Got to earn some before any more can go out!
I think that I could get more speed but 50k is comfortable, yes while she was at Alex Prices the boys opened up eighth gear, makes a big difference!

I've heard great things about AC Price on other forums too; they must be very good although I bet they're not cheap.

I like Pykett's 1500 but I wouldn't go for the blue paint-job, if I had my pick of them!

The 1300 my brother bought a few months ago has had the exhaust and air-breather modified in a similar way and I think it's a great job, not least of all because of the improved visibility with no obstructions looking out the front windscreen.

See a couple of pics:

renewablejohn · January 4, 2012

I've heard great things about AC Price on other forums too; they must be very good although I bet they're not cheap.

Not all customers are satisfied. Due to the forum rules negatives are not allowed but anybody interested can come and inspect the abortion made of my MB Trac.

ntbrenna · January 4, 2012

Not all customers are satisfied. Due to the forum rules negatives are not allowed but anybody interested can come and inspect the abortion made of my MB Trac.

Ahhhhhh; 'click'!

I was wondering who brought about your dissatisfaction on the "MB Trac Agric Engineers" thread, but now I get it!

I have a little list of dealers/engineers that I contacted recently about parts for our MB trac; see below. (I didn't post them initially to your other thread as I figured that thread had gone quiet long before I joined arbtalk):

Jas P Wilson (Forest Machines)

Forest machines from Jas P Wilson

A. C. Price (Engineering) Ltd

AC Price Engineering - Home

Atkinson Vos Ltd

Atkinson Vos Ltd Mercedes Unimogs

South Cave Tractors Ltd (mainly work on sprayers/sprayer conversions, etc)

Mercedes-Benz Unimogs home is at South Cave Tractors

Avison Sprayers

Avison Used Crop Sprayers and Parts: Bateman, Chafer, Agribuggy, Gem, Case, Knight, Sam, Househam, Mercedes MB Trac, Matrot,

'The MB man' (Tim Matthews - has a fleet of MBs and has broken them in the past too; seems to know a lot about them)

Tim Matthews - Home