monkeybusiness

I'd do it if you were local - if you want a few pointers give me a ring any time on 07970188050. Cheers Dan

I'd be more worried about going to prison at that speed in a 40!

This thread is nowhere near as good as I was hoping...

What's your budget?

Brushed chrome and matt black. Would look like something out of Star Wars! http://www.motofx.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/IMG_3856.jpg

Mix it with a bit of veg oil

My Brian James tows well, and appears well finished and thought out. However, it has started cracking and has needed welding up which is disappointing (especially as it is a 3.5 tonne trailer carrying the same machine as the 2.7 tonne Ifor that has not needed any welding). There are really poor side marker lights fitted that regularly drop bulbs. The original (very expensive) jockey wheel wasn't up to the task of unhitching the laiden trailer. In its defence, the catches for the ramps are miles better than the crap that Ifor fit. I wouldn't buy another though - very expensive but not very strong unfortunately.

I've got a digger plant - it's not as good as the Ifor Williams IME.

Many moons ago I worked for a demo firm on a job in Manchester - they had a brand new long reach Liebherr and what a fantastic machine it was! 2 weeks into the job it ended up on its side with a crushed cab (all singing and dancing tilting job you). Fortunately nobody was hurt. 1000 tonne crane was brought in to lift it upright (at a rumoured cost of £15k, 12 or more years ago!) and as it lifted it, every hose up the boom burst. The loss adjuster was on site with us watching the lift. That machine was repaired (and I believe is still working today) - I'd imagine the claim was pushing £100k when all was done and dusted. Battle on Eddie - that machine needs to go back to work!

Fingers crossed for a good result! It must have been fun knocking the pins out of the QH with that lot resting on it... Surely there is too much value left in the big girl to write it off? New engine, some hoses and wiring and a bit of paint and she'll be like new (again!). I can't believe someone had the mentality (and front) to attack a secured machine - it must be pretty hard to set something like that on fire for a start. Was it political? Has there been any animosity towards the tree removal there? I understand if you can't/don't want to comment.

How did you lift the front end for loading? Power pack?

Was there any security on site Eddie?

He wants a Safetrak fixer upper for no money - depending on his skills and how cheaply it could be bought for it may fit the bill. It's got tracks, legs, hydraulics, the correct safety features (incorrectly fitted) and a flywheel with knives (I assume) - could be a good starting point if approached correctly? Will be lucky to find a Safetrak in budget otherwise IME (although I do know of a nice 1623 Safetrak about to be sold, but will stretch that budget a tad).

Greenmech Safetrak ? 8? Tracked Woodchipper - £3,950.00 + VAT | eBay Redwoods are selling this - it's a non runner so should be available super cheap I'd have thought (a lot less than advertised anyway)!

We hired one (Diesel engine, 4 wheels, didn't have handlebars) and it was very good to be honest. It struggled to drive itself up losing ramps into the trailer which was a bit disappointing, but probably easily rectified (possibly incorrectly set hydraulic pressure relief valve?). If I was in the market I'd defo consider one.

They aren't even cheap! You can get a brand spanking top spec Navara for £19500 - these Sangyongs would need to be £14-15k IMO to make them worth considering.

If you do end up doing it speak to Ryetec as the KTS cranes they sell have detents on the hydraulic spools to allow you to tractor mount the crane and let it follow the trailer. I'm sure they would sell the necessary bits.

Hey up Bob - did you ever have any luck with the Berti hammers? I'm assuming not!

I wouldn't rush out and buy a mountain top personally. Look at Armadillo and others. To be fair, if someone is prepared to take a knife to the top the chances are they will also try with a crowbar/grinder etc - nothing is really secure from these horrible scumbags. [ame] [/ame]

Ace - hopefully won't be too expensive a fix!

If there is lots of water in the oil the oil will look milky/white in the oil level sight glass. It takes a long time to separate out so should still be noticably milky a few days after the last use.

Don't sell logs then! A race to the bottom is a mug's game...

It won't leak any oil out if the leak is on the suction side of the pump. A leaking seal will let air into the hydraulic system, and you won't be able to see it happening (but it will make the oil foam up when it returns to the tank, and then expand out of the breather after a while). I doubt very much that it is water in the oil as it wouldn't necessarily expand when running and then leak out of the breather (unless it was a massive amount of water, which I doubt). I would definitely not change any components until you know what the issue is - if it is water in the oil how is it getting in? If it is air in the oil,how is it getting in? Either way, fix that issue first and then pressure test the system to check for damaged components. Maybe find a local hydraulic firm to give it a quick once over - I guarantee from what you are posting that it will save you money in the long run.

Are you certain there is water in the oil? Hydraulic oil can foam up and come out of the breather (top of tank, sometimes the filler cap itself) if it is sucking air in from somewhere. It will be on the suction side - check all the connections and seals on any filters between the pump and the hydraulic oil tank. The pressure side will squirt oil out if there is a leak, so is easy to find.

I'm certainly not anti-police. The ladies and gents doing the policing are over-stretched and have their hands tied in many cases by bureaucracy (I have several friends who are coppers at different levels, and get a bit of an insight into their frustrations). The whole system is massively flawed when it comes to this sort of crime and travelling criminals - there is a very real problem that is difficult to deal with under the current way forces and the law works, and it is unlikely to be shaken up and resolved as people aren't dying (which they arguably are with easy-to-prosecute road traffic offences). This plays into the thieves hands as they know that they are unlikely to get caught, and there isn't the resource to undertake sting operations etc for such minor crime. Keep your gear as safe as you can, make sure you are insured, and have some reassurance from the recent case of the Welsh chap who filled two thieves in (broken legs etc) and has just had the court let him off prosecution as it was deemed reasonable force under the circumstances. I'm not suggesting you should break any scrotes' legs if you catch them in the act mind... Please don't do that...