forestry quad

[10 Bears]

I used to use a Holder A50 in small woodland work. Fantastic machine, punched well past its weight, was stable on slopes (as long as you didnt do anything stupid), was frame steer so you could spin it in tight circles and handles a 3T winch with no problem.

 

Parts are dear though, and good A50s are becoming harder to find, but if you get a good one you will be very pleased at its capability.

[MaxwellArb]

I am thinking of buying a second hand quad for general work in a small woodland and wondered which make and model lends itself to this kind of work. Budget would be up to £5000.

 

Hi Jon.. Am selling my 2009 Honda Fourtrax 420 with 375 hrs on the counter.. Absolutely nothing it won't do. I'm trying to get it on arbtrader at the moment but struggling with uploading a pic.. If you're interested let me know :-)

[Commando]

How slopey is your land? Quads and slopes don't mix too well. IMHO. Alpine all the way.

[MaxwellArb]

Fair comment, Commando. The land I work on is a mix of mostly flat easy terrain, but with drainage ditches that the quad will happily tow a loaded 6x4' heavily laden trailer through. It surprises me every time I take it out on a job (or for a play!)

 

Sent from my D6503 using Arbtalk mobile app

[Commando]

I had my Foreman over with a flail on the back, the flail came past me, jackknifed the quad and the whole lot went over. Luckily I had time to bail out! The thought of the flail coming over focuses the mind!! Managed to get it back obver but sorting out the hitch was a proper bitch.

[jay2578]

Had a Honda fourtrax but have recently changed to a Kubota RTV 900, much more capable with tipping load bed, hi, mid and low ranges, a roof, and more importantly its in realtree camo so the landowner can`t find me!

[MaxwellArb]

Does the RTV 900 have a windscreen? Just thinking it would make a good shooting vehicle, especially if the landowner can't see it! :-)

 

Sent from my D6503 using Arbtalk mobile app

[Burgess]

I had my Foreman over with a flail on the back, the flail came past me, jackknifed the quad and the whole lot went over. Luckily I had time to bail out! The thought of the flail coming over focuses the mind!! Managed to get it back obver but sorting out the hitch was a proper bitch.

 

Jesus christ that would have made me brown myself and most of the quad.

[jay2578]

Does the RTV 900 have a windscreen? Just thinking it would make a good shooting vehicle, especially if the landowner can't see it! :-)

 

Sent from my D6503 using Arbtalk mobile app

 

This one does, although I think it`s just the roll cage as standard and the roof/screen are extras.

As I recall there are 3 different models, the camo one being the lightest and either slightly shorter or narrower, it also has the better tyres for off-road use.

It`ll take 1/2 ton in the back and tow 1/2 ton too, although I have hauled well over this.

You can also get a canvas-type cover that wraps round the back and sides to enclose the cab from the elements.

[codlasher]

I found the Honda fourtrax/big red a really useful tool in the woods. I had a large range of machinery and preferred this for maintenance jobs. I really should have made a carry box like the one pictured for tools instead relying on bungees!

Remember the bigger the machine the worse the turning circle and also the weight. Getting grounded on a hidden log/stump was never a problem as I could lift the machine off easily. I'd not be so sure even with a Foreman, it's just that little bit bigger. Yes it was more powerful and perhaps faster on the good tracks but I preferred the smaller.

Ferrari was great but slow and you had to be careful with the pivot steer over stumps....County, well the perfect workhorse but a little like a sledgehammer to crack a

nut!

With all these jobs there's never the perfect machine, or there is but it lives in the shed nine days out of ten and you end up with such a shed full there is only space for a tiny quad!

codlasher