monkeybusiness

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...

We had a chipper nicked off site a few years ago - realised it had gone within half an hour maximum of it being taken. The lads on site phoned the police and reported it stolen and I jumped in the car and shot across from another job. About 2 miles from where it was taken (on a major trunk road) there was a police car stopped - I spoke to the officers who were unaware of the theft, even though it had been reported as having just been stolen 15 mins before. We were apparently in another force's area (North Wales as opposed to Cheshire, where the theft had taken place) and the 2 forces don't talk to each other. Total ineptitude, the thieves have got free reign from what I can see.

The fact that different forces use different crime systems is a total joke - I'm pretty sure these thieving scumbags don't really stick to robbing in one county. If there was a nationwide sharing of information (shouldn't be too hard in this day and age) securing convictions would surely be much easier?!

Any machine is better than manual labour. A 3 tonner can do a massive amount of work. Fantastic looking set up!

Relentless! What a weapon! What size Takeuchi is that?

If I pick up a baby calf every day will I one day be able to pick up a cow?

I had a chipper nicked - the insurers paid out with no issues (which was excellent). However, my renewal doubled - they basically tried to get half their money back in one hit. I had no choice but to move my business elsewhere (I expected an increase and ended up paying more than before, but they were taking the Mickey!).

I think your best bet is annual treatment. I know of a couple of old school farmers who liberally slap on a (rather unenvironmentally friendly) mix of old engine oil and creosote every year, and let it run down the posts into the ground. The fences seem to last forever!

Wow - what a beast!!!

Great machines, very powerful, massive indeed, really reliable if maintained. Don't rely on the hour clock - they can reset themselves. Check all the things you would on any chipper - make sure there is no play in the rotor bearings (stick a bar in between it and the housing and ensure it doesn't move front to back or up and down in the bearings). Also check the hydraulic oil hasn't got water in it (run it for a while and check it isn't milky - don't just check the site glass, open the filter housing on top and make sure the oil is clean inside). Make sure the axle is in good shape and the wheels point where they are supposed to! Ring Greenmech with the serial number to make sure it isn't stolen (there are 2 of mine out there that were nicked, and I'm certainly not the only one who has lost these machines). If mine turns up let me know and I'll sort you out with a good cash reward!

That is ace!