Brushcutter

I think they're around 19k+vat.

Our one was well at best pants. A very solid machine but the relability just hasn't been there. That was the was one of the first ones though. Apparently the new ones are very very good. The 345 rx was one of the best ever made IMO. FS460 i personally find a little clumsy and a few are having issues with cluches going. The AV is better though. If you don't mind the weight then the big Husky at some 50-55cc. Low vibes and it will eat anything.

I've recently debarked some big old chestnut using the cranes grapple.

Aren't redone Kwickchips? Saw them at the APF 4 years ago. They looked ok.

Thanks for the input guys. Its a 2001 TD5 with 150k on the clock for about 2200 quid.

If a mod could edit the thread title to buying a land rover discovery. Thanks.

Broken keyboard has lead to a nonsensical title. Off to look at a Land-Rover Discovery TD5 tomorrow. Anything to look out for. Are they best avoided or are they ok? Always been a Navara man but my current one is nothing but trouble. What are they like on fuel? Cheers.

Nice press. You'll never have a bent guide bar again.

Which way around does it go? The slightly dented side to the cylinder or the slightly raised side to the cylinder or does it not matter.

You have either the best ballasted roof mount in the world or world size balls to pick up best part of 4 tonne with a roof mount:thumbup: Hats off to you sir.

STIHL recommended you start their saws with the break off for years....

Horn is required to make it road legal iirc so worth checking.

Another few for my list. Drop link wear and where this attaches to the extension. This bit bends fairly easily so look for welds and heating. Breaks - check the hand break labours the engine on pulling off rather than doing nothing. Also the play in the break peddle and that it stops in a streight line.

It looks to be a tidy but well used example. A lot of the stuff i'm going to say is basic but its a great indication of how well its been or not been looked after. If there is a maintenance book in the cab take a look. I have one and its great i can how many hours it does to a fuel fill how long its worked in a month problems/fixes services. Tractor Engine oil - if its on the bottom of the stick it either used oil or has been used as a jump in and go machine. Keep a look out for oil leaks some 8000 series do leak a little. Cooling system - Easy to put sticks into the rad and fan when trecking through the forest (been there, done that). Check for leaks and the headder tank is full. They do like to sit just below the min line as normal though. Air filter - Is the pre cleaner on the bonnet full of crap? Does the one under the bonnet look like it's the first time it's ever been out. Chipping specially crane fed gums them up quickly. Fuel - Check the water in the trap. Ask if the tank has ever been drained and cleaned. Big tanks that sit half empty normally get a sludge at the bottom that can cause real problems. Only ever seen that in a volvo loader. Hydraulic - check it. Transmission - Drive it around check all the gears work including the delta powershift. If something is going to be iffy more than likely the power shift. Check the pto works as it should too, in both speeds with no grinding noises when it engages. 4wd switch actually makes it 4wd same with diff lock. If its an air seat it works properly. Front hubs have oil in. Steering rams have no play and don't leak. If it has a belly plate is it full of oil. Does it have holes in for changing filters. (If you have to drop the plate to fit filters have they been done?) Any signs of greasing on the linkage or front axle. I see the exhaust has been bent to one side which is really good. Hodge may know the history of that. Be sure its not because its been hit and bent stuff further down at the expansion box. I've seen that on a massy that has also bent the air filter so it doesn't come out anymore. Look for any cracks in the frame for the roof mount and at the axles. Check the welds on the rear window guard looks like its taken a knock or too. Valmets are solid tractors so if it looks well maintained and tidy it probably is. Crane. Well work from the slew box end... Is there gear oil it it? Seals around the slew cylinders leaking. Are all the grease nipples on the base working i think from memory there are 4. Put some grease in all the nipples over the crane better to find that they don't work and haven;t had grease in the yard and the pin is worn than 20k later. Main lift ram. Check for play and see if there are any metal filings around the pin as they do wear. Dipping boom ram - put a ladder up and check the pin for filings it can be a pain to grease so can often be 'done next time'. Dipping boom pin - this one seems to break roll pins in my experience and the spring washers on the whole wishbone set up need to be tight. Also there is a bolt. Movement is from dragging too much on the slew and lack of grease. The things that hold the metal pipes in they stop the pipes rubbing especially where they bend around and change to hoses. Wear on the extension roller. Rotator doesn't leak!! Grapple pins are tight and roll pins are there. There is a pita to change hose that wears easily in the grab check for wear. Hoses will also show some wear but make sure the hard to change ones are good. Make sure you check the the thing is straight too. All really simple things but will give you a good indication of condition of the machine. Don't be afraid to take a AG mechanic with you to check it out. It won't be new condition but you dont want to spend good money to spend more later on for the sake of a few hours of a mechanic going over it.

I'd say someone has put a log into that rear window guard. Are you looking for things with this valtra to look for or valtra/botex set ups in general.

I'm a 36 and i have a some old strech airs type C in extra large. They were very big. Got some Gladiators class 2 A's and i went for a large based on the fact the last ones were massive. They're a little snug not uncomfortably snug but tighter than i'd prefer. Although i think some of that is the extra material to mak them class 2.

BCS with the big cutter bar works well.

Can you program your electric controls?

It does that on clay too. I think it is the tension in the wood as it drys out it just cracks especially when its young. Trick is to leave it in pole form until your ready to extract.

Lime whitebeam and wild service seem to do ok.

My thinking is that as you do the opposite side to the one facing you you bend the file a little bit giving a hooked profile.

Caledonian forestry services are worth a mention. On their new look website they have a jake mounted Kelsa/valtra on the front page.

Thing with sharpening is that it is easy to learn but takes a lot to be good at it. I've seen people go on courses and not been shown how to do it with calipers. Just do x number of strokes each side. Never was it said like this one side will always be longer. I've seen it done all from one side in a vice just doing alternate cutters; this i suppose is personal prefernce but screams hooked cutters to me. Also most people will learn to sharpen one type of chain. Normally a .325 one and i can get a bloody good .325 sharpen my 3/8 isn't as good. Same technique just the execution is subtly different. Then you've got full and semi chisel one much less forgiving of sharpening. I've also sent a guy for assessment many years ago with a husky roller guide and the assessor said to him "never seen anybody use of those before so i'll just have to take your word your using it right." Poor sharpening is a bug bear of mine but i do understand people have to start somewhere 10 years ago my sharpening was probally poor. Although the we were shown caliper sharpening and the assessor measured teeth on the chain to see if they were ok. A CS30 course is at best a day doing the actual stuff so an understanding of accurate as possible is a must but an execution of +/- 1.5mm isn't bad. However someone doing a 4 week intensive course i would expect .5mm as a standard.

Wilsons have been OK for me. They didn't have some break spares in stock so they took them off a new unit in the yard to keep me going. Was nice but did have to chase them to get them. As for roof mounts they're flexable but not great for the bigger timber. Ideal if you winch to it and then process behind the tractor and use it to stack around it. They do fall over but i've never met anybody who has done it. Like things tractor based unless you're really stupid you'll be scared and give up before the thing gets close to fallling over.

When i did my saw refresher a few months ago. I was told off and marked down on the maintenance because my saws teeth were around 1-1.5mm difference. It had never been caliper sharpened either. Admittedly i've just caliper sharpened so ever tooth is 5.45mm +/- 0.05mm but i'd say that is OCD.