adam4838

Hi Guys, I am an on call (retained) Crew Manager (Leading Fire Fighter) and a tree surgeon. Watching that vid having knowledge of tree work as well as fire service practices and incident command, I would agree that it is a poor effort at felling a tree. However, the Fire & Rescue Service is called out to by far the widest and most varied types of incidents of any of the emergency services. Sometimes we are called out to incidents which we are not specifically trained to deal with, but we are trained and developed in our roles to improvise and overcome challenges. In my professional opinion as a Crew Manager, with no immediate life risk I would have requested the attendance of the nearest LA tree surgeon. Every incident is different though, and the team in the video obviously saw it as right to try and deal with it. I am typing this with a balanced view as I undertake both jobs to a high standard. I am sure nobody on here means to offend or slag off the emergency services, but I would encourage people to think a bit before jumping in and having a dig at them. I love both my jobs, and strangely enough both jobs have their similarities. Eg, problem solving, working in dangerous situations, use of machinery etc. Anyone ever tried performing CPR on someone by the side of the road at 3am in the rain after cutting them out of a car? Or getting hotter than a sausage in a pan searching a smoke filled house for some kids? Like I said, I am sure nobody meant to offend. Adam

I have converted a TD5 110 Hi Cap to a tipper. Below are serious points to consider 1) Your 110 is probably 3050kg GVM. This is legally useless for carrying a load. It needs to be 3500kg Heavy Duty model, or legally uprated through DVLA which is what I did. 2) The 110s carry most of the load over the rear axle, so even when uprated to 3500kg, you will overload the rear alxle before reaching your legal GVM. 3) Based on experience, a 130 is a much better option as it carries the weight over both axles better and you can achieve your max payload legally. 4) A Landy is a workhorse. They are well upto to carrying and towing the weight. However, with a heavy chipper or trailer, the noseweight also puts more weight on the rear axle. Sorry all that is a bit wordy and all very "legal." I try to stay within the law as long term fines and points are not the way to go. If you want any help or other advice PM me. Adam

I have converted a TD5 110 Hi Cap to a tipper. Below are serious points to consider 1) Your 110 is probably 3050kg GVM. This is legally useless for carrying a load. It needs to be 3500kg Heavy Duty model, or legally uprated through DVLA which is what I did. 2) The 110s carry most of the load over the rear axle, so even when uprated to 3500kg, you will overload the rear alxle before reaching your legal GVM. 3) Based on experience, a 130 is a much better option as it carries the weight over both axles better and you can achieve your max payload legally. 4) A Landy is a workhorse. They are well upto to carrying and towing the weight. However, with a heavy chipper or trailer, the noseweight also puts more weight on the rear axle. 5) The wheel arches can be legally removed if the wheels are under the tipper body as far as I am aware. Sorry all that is a bit wordy and all very "legal." I try to stay within the law as long term fines and points are not the way to go. If you want any help or other advice PM me. Adam

Yes 18 stoner, a Defender replacement is due in 2012 / 2013. It looks like it will be quite different in order to comply with safety rules regarding air bags and crumple zones which is why it needs changing. Only info I have read is in LRO magazine which is just gossip in terms of what the spec and look of the new ones will be like! Wait and see I think!

What would be ideal is when they replace the defender next year they make a "utility special!" 130, big brakes, big wheels, 3.0 V6 out of a disco 4, 4.5t GVW! PTO hydraulics and a light weigh ally tipper! Yes please!

Try and look as far ahead as you can when buying kit. I know its hard, i was doing it only a couple of years ago with a tight budget. I bought a TW125PH for £3000 and its a good little machine. Cost me £500 recently when the no stress and swithces broke though. I agree with the post about using your money as a deposit on a newer chipper. It may just be for weekend work now but as you expand it will get more use. My petrol TW 125 is now cosing a bit to run and I am contemplating upgrading to a diesel as I am sure running it on red will work out cheaper. In hindsight I wish I had put a deposit down on an ex demo TW150 instead with a bit of dealer support. Just food for thought. Adam

Thanks Riggerbear and hamadryad. Thats great advice.

Thanks for the quick diagnosis! What would you do? (sorry, I know its hard with just a few pics!)

Been to look at a job to sort out a wind damaged Oak. Sounded minor on the phone but when I got there saw this. Being fairly new to work with mature Oaks, I want to make sure I am offering the best solution. Due to the size of the limb which has fractured, and the state of the wood, would you recommend work to the remaining tree to reduce weight or fell, or is this sort of thing common on mature Oaks and therefor could be left alone as a "happens all the time in nature?" Sorry if these are obvious questions to some of you, but I am not entirely sure what to offer to the client and avoid unnecessary work. Many thanks, Adam

Quick bank holiday job has lead to a broken machine!! Single roller TW125, had new no stress unit this year, new SRB500 relay last month. Green button will now not operate roller and I cant get it to in feed. Blue button works in reverse no problem. Iv had the back off the switches and it all looks ok. Any ideas?? Adam

Thanks both, good advice. Pete, do you do mainly tree work and timber shifting with yours then? Is there much work with assisting smaller outfits with larger jobs? I'm aware of the ops licence and all the rest that running a truck brings. Would you say yours has been a good investment?

Hi All, Relatively new here and after some advice. I am toying with purchasing a truck in the region of 18 - 26 tonnes with a hiab for the larger jobs. Thing is, its a lot of money to spend for it to spend most of its time in the yard. Those of you who have one, do you get much work subbing it out with an operator to other companies for collection and haulage? I am in North West and would value your feedback and how much work it may be able to bring and what a day rate would be? Thanks in advance!

Cheers guys, I think i'll invest in a set!

Has anyone ever used Air Lift helper springs for their 110 or 130 tipper? I have the helper coils in mine at the moment but when empty its very hard, and when full of chip and towing big trailer it could do with a bit more lift! Matt Savage do red air bags which go inside the outer coils and are adjustable. Anybody tried them? Are they upto the loads and levelling ability needed? Comments appreciated! Adam

My 110 is an HD with heavy duty springs and inner helper springs. It is a bit rolly polly when loaded and I am planning on fitting anti-roll bars. I quite agree with Buzzsurgeon though. a 3050kg rated truck is over loaded very easily legally. Not worth the risk IMO. 3500kg can carry a fair bit but watch rear axle weights. That will be over the limit before you reach 3500kg.

I would go for a 130 over a 3500kg 110. Rear axle weight is too easy to exceed on a 110 due to shorter wheelbase and weighte being over rear.

I run a 3.5t 110 tipper which is great, but as Pete says the payload isnt the best because they are heavy to begin with. In hindsight i would go for a 130 because they give you more payload as you dont overload the rear axle as easy as you do on a 110. I can comfortably work with mine as a 2 man team with a TW125 on an average days work, but usually have to go and get rid of chip and then return for the wood. I would consider a 4x4 sprinter, but they are also pricey! Best 4x4xfar a Land Rover.

I have fitted a Champion 4500lb winch to the front of my tipping trailer. £160 ish brand new off ebay and wireless remote available. Will pull my TW125 up the ramps no bother. Ideal for getting all the gear to a job in one trip.

Yeh them helpers and the retainers were silly money from genuine parts. Thats what bumped the price up! Are you doing a chassis swap and a tipper then?

The spec of a 3500kg HD compared with a standard one meant changing front springs and shocks, rear springs, shocks, helper springs, new spring retainers and a new VIN plate and engraving. Also put new front spring cones in. £400 may have been a slight "round up" but it was somewhere between £350 - £400 for the bits. Well worth spending the money tho as my 110 was a 38000 miler in great nick, and I would never get an ex utility 110 or 130 that would compare.

I'll PM you his number now mate. Just a word of caution before spending money. Firstly, unless your 110 is an HD version with a gross vehicle weight of 3500KG you are wasting your time and money. Unfortunately, you can carry very little with the standard 3050KG version. I legally uprated mine from 3050 to 3500kg but it was a bit of a pain and cost me around £400 in total in new suspension components. Secondly, make sure the rear body you get is not too long on the overhang at the rear. Mine is a bit too long due to a toolbox behind the cab, which makes even the HD rear axle weight of 2200KG very easy to overload. The other day I was 250KG below the 3500KG gross weight, but still just over loaded on the back axle. Ideally, in hindsight, a 130 would be a better option. The longer wheelbase spreads the load out better over the 2 axles which means the full capacity can be carried legally. I hope you dont mind the advice from someone who runs a Landy tipper and has done the conversion work legally and recently.

I know a man who can make you an aluminium one at a good price. Is it a 110 or a 130?

Thanks for the advice fellas! Had a right laugh reading all that! I'll post a pic if I get the job!

Thanks for the feedback chaps. No access to MEWP, so i'll be climbing it which im happy doing. As for price, there's a load of other work round the back so its a little bit of a 2 day job, but thanks for the guidance. And no chance of felling and sticking plant pots on top! 20% crown reduction was what I was meaning, not 20% in height including trunk. Thanks again!