3 point linkage skidding grabs

[clueless]

hi guys i'm looking at the option of a linkage mounted skidder to remove timber from my woods. basically its the most financially sound option at this stage as the woods arent bringing home enough bacon to justify anything better.

 

i cant seem to find any other makes than japa and riko. i like the japa because its simple and fairly rigid, whereas i like the riko as it has a little winch on it which would come in very handy for pulling out little bits and bobs that the tractor wont back up to.

 

any comments or suggestions as to other makes or even anybody used this type of setup before?

 

cheers

[Stephen Blair]

i can sell you a big timbergrab and rotator for cheapness, works but hasnt been used for a few years, the just get somone to make you up a frame

[Buzz]

Botex at JP Wilson make one as well.

 

Personally i'm not a big van of 3 point linkage cranes or grapples as they have a habit of shearing off if you give it to much stick which you will inevitable do.

 

What tractor would you be mounting it on ?

[Mr Ed]

The Japa is a most excellent piece of kit. The rest are just ordinary timber grapples modified on a frame, and wont work. The japa is a 'proper' skidding grapple, and has the correct swivel mechanism.

It would be a very simple job to attach a winch to the Japa.

[clueless]

buzz - its only going on a little newholland 6635 doing thinning so wouldnt be picking up that much weight anyway

 

mr ed - i was thinking of that option but cant work out what winch would be best to put onto it because i would think it would be limited to a hyd or electric (i.e. superwinch type job) due to the space available and short length to pto. what do you reckon?

[Andy Collins]

Are we on about the old style Hydrotongs here? Or am I barking up the wrong tree?

[b101uk]

The problem with all 3pt linkage mounted ones is the fact that they are 3pt linkage mounted rather than mounted on axel/top-link brackets which moves the CoG at lest >2ft closer to the rear axel.

[RichardT]

I used one of the Japas for a while with my little JD 1140 and a borrowed MF3090, pretty much limited to skidding or lifting small bundles with the former even with a full set of wafers up front. Very solid, apart from the optional slewing ram which had been rewelded twice (same problem on one recently seen on ebay).

 

BGU (German) do a range of these, including a hybrid crane:

 

::: BGU-Maschinen ::: Südharzer Maschinenbau GmbH :::

 

Plenty on ebay.de, don't know if anyone imports them.

[clueless]

to be honest i've not got a lot of big stuff to pull out but the ability to winch something out, grab it end on and take it to a laydown area is all i'm looking for and a japa seems like the cheapest way forward. i just need to work out what sort of winch can go on it. also i'm thinking the japa without the slewing function is the best option due to failure of the slewing ram being mentioned a few times

 

that bgu machine looks handy but it also looks pricey!

 

cheers

[skyhuck]

You could just use a forestry winch, you can just winch in a few, then hook the chokers on to the butt plate, lift the winch and drive out.