Archive through January 07, 2012

[tstewart]

Dennis - I would love to have something like that but thats way out of my diy skills! And money!

Thanks for the info Kraig, one that was not mentioned though (and I already had posted on it earlier) is https://www.ihcubcadet.com/cgi-bin/discus/discus.pl?pg=next&topic=106&page=219849 and the logger that Ben Litka made. I was thinking about building the boom from scratch like his, but thought the HF hoist would save some work.

Dennis - as for the levering the front up when trying to pull forward, thats what those two cables from the front of the log should do, pull it straight inline as to avoid levering. The boom should be just lifting the front of the log off the ground and not pulling. At least thats the theory. There will be plenty of counterweight like I said, but I really dont know how much I need. I was going to space a dual tube bumper out maybe 2' with the battery relocated there perhaps (and a big battery not a little lg bat) as well as maybe some more ballast, and a winch.

I plan on upgrading other odds n ends too, like replacing all the tie rod ends with heim joints, upgrade the front end to 5 lug splindles, etc.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Tristan, here's some info on log skidders that have been posted here before. I believe this link is to some photos that I had re-posted for you about a year ago...

ANOTHER LINK

 

[digger]

If your gonna do a skidder, at least make it IH!

 

[mgonitzke]

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>quote:</font>

I thought of this design which should be easy to implement, it could be all bolt on or weld on.<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

<font size="-1">Rule #1 of custom-built attachments: Never weld the attachment to the tractor. I cannot describe how much of a pain it is to un-do something like that...</font>

 

[wshytle]

Charlie-

Are you telling us you have a skidder in your "arsenal" of IH? If so I just haven't seen it before. I've always thought of skidders as bad a$$ machines with what they can do.

 

[digger]

Wayne S.
Shhhhhhhhhhh!

 

[thoffman]

Charlie = Axe Man!

 

[tstewart]

Thanks Kraig, I did link to that same one in my post right before yours though so we are thinking in similar terms. I was actually part of that converstion though, thats were I decided the log skidder idea might actually work for what I want to do.

Any issues with my current idea though?

Matt: yeah I was leaning towards bolting anyhow, I have a really teeneey welder I want to avoid welds if I can bolt.

The only issue I think I may run into is aquiring a thick enough piece to be the plate under the hoist.

 

[dfrisk]

TRISTAN - I get the idea that you want the front of the log off the ground so it pulls easier, BUT... You're still putting the lifting force behind the rear axle transferring weight off the front, and still applying pulling force which lifts the frt axle. Combine that with climbing a hill and it get DANGEROUS in a hurry.

You look at the pic of Charlie's skidder and the load is high, yes, but it's also AHEAD of or in line with the rear axle. The operator has a cage, and the weight of the frt of the log is adding weight & traction to the rear.

I probably have all the equipment to make an articulated CC, just don't have a need or desire for one. But IF I was going to make something to skid logs I'd use most of two Hydro CC's, deal with the problem of synchronizing the frt & rear hydro, use a 14 HP engine or bigger, and mount the winch about where the steering column was on the rear tractor right above the articulation point and run the cable up through a pulley in a short mast then back to the logs. I'd make some sort of platform on the back half's frame to secure the logs to the rear half of the skidder that pivots & swivels and is located ahead of the rear axle. And the front half would be most of a full CC with the frt axle removed. That way I'd have 60-70% of the stationary un-loaded weight on the front, and the machine would be long enough to still be stable. BUT it would probably tip down on it's nose going downhill unloaded.

I just think that something like a skid-steer with a grapple bucket and a good cage would do more work, and be safer, than anything you can bolt onto a CC. They're built to push/pull and lift.