JD 548G3 S/A Grapple vs Franklin 170 S2 S/A grapple vs tigercat 610

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Logger4Life

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Our company is getting ready to purchase a new skidder and thinking of a 548G3 W/8sq' grapple. I have operated a 540G3 cable skidder and was not impressed at all . Our franklin 170 has a 9sq' grapple and pulls better with no chains and 50% tires than the new John Deere does chained up. I would like to try a Tigercat 610c D/A grapple. anybody have any complaints about any of these skidders please any info will help $175,00 to a$220,000 Is a lot of $ to spend on the wrong piece of equipment For your average job
 
How come a 548 and not a 648? The Frankie 170 is 648 sized...A 648 D/A with good chains will pull one heck of a twitch of wood. The 548 is single arch, which is a deal breaker for me personally.
I am a big fan of the JD powershift. I have never run the hydro tigercats, but I have never found any hydro anything I really liked. IMO, hydrostatic is for lawn tractors.

I'd first consider dealer support. I'd buy whatever the best dealer sold.
Because they ALL break.
 
We had a big JD skidding into the mill direct, don't know which one, I think a 748.. really impressive, I know it was the size of our 644 loader. We had a contractor skidding w/ it, I know it would walk away with a log out D6 would have to winch on good ground. We had cat skidders and a Clark 666 but no big skidders.
 
Logger4Life said:
Our company is getting ready to purchase a new skidder and thinking of a 548G3 W/8sq' grapple. I have operated a 540G3 cable skidder and was not impressed at all . Our franklin 170 has a 9sq' grapple and pulls better with no chains and 50% tires than the new John Deere does chained up. I would like to try a Tigercat 610c D/A grapple. anybody have any complaints about any of these skidders please any info will help $175,00 to a$220,000 Is a lot of $ to spend on the wrong piece of equipment For your average job
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I really like 170's but it is hard to find parts for them since franklin went out of business. They are a SUPER machine....and they will pull like he11...and are a pretty tough machine...they are hard to beat. 640D's are a nice machine too...expensive parts though. I havent been around too many tigercats....they seem to be down south and out west more. Around here you'll see JD 640D's, 540's, and franklin 170's and 105's, and the occasional Q80...and timberjacks of all sorts...mainly 380's though.
 
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JD 648 S/A From D&B Truchs JUNK

We went down to kentucky about 6 months ago to D&B Trucks it is a big used skidder sales place (Dad didn't go this time) we looked at about 12 648G3 and we bought the best one they had 2001 648G3 S/A with 5000hrs . well we made a sales agreement on the stuff that needed fixxed so it could go straight to the job. So about a week goes bye and they called it's on it's way it got here 2 days later and none of the stuff was fixxed, they didn't send any of the parts, the grapple yoke's shaft splines were stripped $4000, wouldn't even start to get off the low boy batteries, they put center pins in it and the top one came out and destroyed all the bushings and bearings first day, Hyd pump went first day JD came & put 4 more new ones on before they found otherproblems, and never did get it right sold it again but the person we sold it to knew all the problems. Still in a legal battle over it in 6mo's it pulled 3 loads. Sure is not a franklin. Our mill is a little gun shy on us getting a big skidder and that's where the 548 comes into play I hate them pretend skidders for people that don't know what a real skidder can pull . Monday I pulled 2 drags with my Franklin 560 s/a that equalled over 3000 bdf =1 triaxle load
 
The boss just plopped down 70k for a 05 JD G3. Its nice to look at and the air works. Looks like too many things can go wrong with it. Computers in the woods. I dont know. Just my .02
 
I bought this 1988 648D D/A in April, and I love it to death. Simple as an anvil and just as tough.
Would buy another good condition 648D in a heartbeat. Newer isn't always better. No computer, and parts are easy to get and cheap enough when you do.
 
logging22 said:
The boss just plopped down 70k for a 05 JD G3. Its nice to look at and the air works. Looks like too many things can go wrong with it. Computers in the woods. I dont know. Just my .02
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Computers in the woods. :laugh:
I guarantee that if you consider yourself an operator you will hate it.
I bought a 2011 Terex PT-100G in February....................I just bought an old beat up Fecon FTX 90 to take it's place since it's in the shop so much. When I think about that Terex and the $$$ I blew on it, I have to :laugh: to keep from :cry:. Every time the Terex goes in the shop it's 3 1/2 to 4 weeks before I get it back, but Terex keeps wanting their payments on time. Maybe since the Fecon isn't all computerized I can keep it running for 3 or 4 weeks at a time to cover for my new fangled computerized piece of crap.

Andy
 
Skidder Problem Solved

I just went tonight and bought a 2006 Franklin 170 S/A 9 sq' grapple skidder it has the HD axles, 42,000lb winch, A/C,heat, only 5000 true hours , andits straight and tight. For $35,000 and the best part it is 10 miles away from the house.
 
Logger4Life said:
I just went tonight and bought a 2006 Franklin 170 S/A 9 sq' grapple skidder it has the HD axles, 42,000lb winch, A/C,heat, only 5000 true hours , andits straight and tight. For $35,000 and the best part it is 10 miles away from the house.
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I dont think you could have possibly went wrong with that purchase. 5,000 hrs and $35,000=great deal. Are you sure about the 42,000lb winch?...i think our 170 got a 42 ton winch. I think the timberjack's is 36 or 38 ton or something like that.
 
stihl 440 said:
I dont think you could have possibly went wrong with that purchase. 5,000 hrs and $35,000=great deal. Are you sure about the 42,000lb winch?...i think our 170 got a 42 ton winch. I think the timberjack's is 36 or 38 ton or something like that.
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It's 42,000 pounds, 22 tons. About the biggest winch put on a skidder. My old C5D has a 40,000 pound Cancar winch. Would break a new 5/8 swagged to 9/16 cable like string.

Congrats! Lets see some pictures of it with a hitch on!
 

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