Best road-towable forestry tractor?

[john k]

Any recommendations for a small forestry tractor that can be towed behind a 4x4?

 

Realistically I reckon that this means a max weight of around 2 tonnes.

 

It will be used for winching, towing a timber trailer, maybe some flailing. A front loader would be handy too.

 

A 50hp alpine would fit easily and do all this, but at a premium. What other options are worth considering?

[MattyF]

Tom D's looks ideal.

[treedave]

I've a small iseki (30 hp & 1.25t), climbs almost everything, limited towing trailer off road in the wood, winches well with a 3 ton unit but a big turn can be fun. Will get into positions other tractors won't, and does less ground damage in the process.

 

If I had the cash a 50+ hp alpine with some form of cab would the unit of choice. Have used a couple of different ones in the past and bar the ground clearance issue I've been impressed with where they'll get to.

[john k]

Tom D's looks ideal.

 

Which is that?

[Chris Sheppard]

If I could justify it, I'd really quite like one of the 95hp Carraros. 16" ground clearance, 40K gearbox and a lifts somthing daft like 2000kg on the linkage. Weighs about 2 tonne and is only about the same size as a normal 40hp compact but still oscilates like a normal alpine.

 

If you're not needing the stability of an Alpine, then a decent sized compact on the right wheels/tyres can be made to work really well, and come in cheaper too.

 

Used to run a 50hp alpine, mainly for winching, and it would handle steep ground well, but lacked on ground clearance.

 

Regularly work alongside a 28hp Landini that punches well above it's weight and we've recently picked up an older 40hp Kubota for pulling the forwarding trailer and that works well too.

 

Only critiscism with any of the smaller conventional tractors is they cross axle really easily so you need to be thinking a fair way in front.

[Tom D]

This is mine, it is one of my best investments, currently using it on a nice council woodland project, winching, skidding, stacking, and pulling the chipper around..

[Ty Unnos]

Hi Tom

 

Looks like a great set up.

 

What size / type trailer do you transport your alpine on?

[Tom D]

I have 2 trailers, a 16' beavertail ifor and an atlas 10' tipper, I mostly use the atlas these days, the loader sits above the back of the landy...

[john k]

Looks like a good bit of kit, what make/model/spec is it?

 

Front loaders seem to be unusual on alpines. How do you get on with it?

Edited March 20, 2012 by john k

[Tom D]

its a bcs 50hp. the loader is very handy but its not a big lifter, mainly because alpines are designed with a lot of weight out front for implement work on hills. its a very handy bit of kit. It has paid for itself many times over.