Pave the rodden or buy a crawler

[difflock]

For to access forestry in rank moss, therefore even if pave the 400 plus metres of the Rodden,

I still need to get about once among the trees?

A considerable amount of windthrow Lodgepole to cut for firewood.

The old 1490 on good wide new tyres aint bad but I can probably only get access for 4 to 6 weeks in the year if I am lucky without doing more harm than good.

So if a crawler, either a traditional steel tracked crawler, with linkage & PTO for the winch, & 70 or 80 HP would be plenty.

Marshall, Same , Fiat or MF would be the obvious contenders.

OR sommat like a Mooraka rubber tracked crawler (& I was looking for a tracked dumper, when I first seen one) , again complete with PTO & link arms for the winch (as far as I could tell from the Photo)

I had been prepared to buy the tracked dumper & live without link arms & PTO for the winch, & perhaps fit a hydraulic winch?

if the rubber tracks were better (or cheaper) than steel.

& I gather the Mooraka will be a hydraulic transmission of some sort?

Plus tracks among stumps? how practical?

though at least i can cut my stumps very low being in Moss.

PS

I am currently using all my brash keeping my head above water (so to speak) whilst extracting the timber,

So far none "left over" to drag out to pave the rodden.

Heli logging?

Hmmmmm?

 

Cheers

M

PPS

The photo in my Avatar was taken last April, & not in our usual weather or ground conditions!

Edited February 28, 2012 by difflock

[pembswoodrecycling]

All of a sudden the name Difflock makes sense!

[Charlieh]

what about dual wheels for the tractor? a crawler may pull out better but if it starts to sink in your really going to know about it. If its sphagnum moss type bog you will be better going for floatation rather than heavy plant

[difflock]

I had/have seriousley thought about duals, got a cousin who could fabricate the kit and all, but have been advised that duals are not a particularly good idea among brash as debris will get jammed in the gap and eventually or indeed quite suddenly take out a sidewall.(or so can I presume)

My tyres are radials and fingers crossed so far i have probably just been fortunate not to have damaged one. They are certainly guy thin in the sidewall.

I do try & excercise caution but bytimes when tired can do stupid things:blushing:

Sometimes even when I am not tired

I suppose I should really put absolute flotation tyres on, like sommat out of Swamp loggers(or even the umbilical slurry outfits) but gulp!

have you seen the price of those!

Yehaw!

and yawn

beddy byes time

[Stephen Blair]

You need 1 of these

[pembswoodrecycling]

I had/have seriousley thought about duals, got a cousin who could fabricate the kit and all, but have been advised that duals are not a particularly good idea among brash as debris will get jammed in the gap and eventually or indeed quite suddenly take out a sidewall.(or so can I presume)

My tyres are radials and fingers crossed so far i have probably just been fortunate not to have damaged one. They are certainly guy thin in the sidewall.

I do try & excercise caution but bytimes when tired can do stupid things:blushing:

Sometimes even when I am not tired

I suppose I should really put absolute flotation tyres on, like sommat out of Swamp loggers(or even the umbilical slurry outfits) but gulp!

have you seen the price of those!

Yehaw!

and yawn

beddy byes time

 

Still chapter than a whole crawler though I'll guess.

[tothby1]

how about getting some old combine tyres from abreakers or some secondhand wide terras quit often in farmers weekly

[difflock]

To the three posters as above

Yes

Yes

& Yes

I cannot argue with any of that.

btw I omitted to mention that the adjacent Moss was clear-felled 3 or 4 years ago with brand new 8 wheel drive J Deere forraders used for extraction.

A bloody hash is all I can say, hence I do not wish to see our own Moss left in such a condition.

Cheers all

Marcus

[renewablejohn]

You could get a Forward control MB Trac that has crab steer normally found as the base unit for crop sprayers. I bought mine as were on peat and normal tractors have access for only 6 months of the year. We replaced the crop tyres with standard wide wheels. Amazed at the difference in foot print between our normal MB Trac and the forward control using crab steer. Just have to remember to go back onto normal steer when going through narrow gateways.

[difflock]

RJ

I should blush,

I done bought ( being an itch I needed to scratch) a very rough but running MB Trac 1000 a wheen o year ago with the intention of putting flotation tyres thereon.

But after mulling over the knackered link-arms, non working PTO's ( F&R), knackered shocks etc etc

 

Her now be safely parked up in the shed for a possible restoration project:001_rolleyes:

 

And as a fall back position:Not quite worth as much for scrap as I paid but I'm in with a chance:confused1:

Ps

I like smilies ( but apparently limited to 4, bah humbug)

PPS

I didnt like the Forward control MB Tracs