Log loaders

[cascadia]

Which brand of new log loader gives "best bang for the buck for shovel logging in the pac nw coastl areas?

Which brAnds are best for reliability?

Which are best for fuel economy?

Which have the best parts availability?

Which have the lowest cost parts?

Which brands are best for re-sale?

Any comments on:
Cat
Komatsu
Deere
Hitachi
Kobelco
Link-belt
Madill
Volvo
Others

 

[hammerlogging]

Kinda startin to wonder about you cascadia.

But, the short answer would be, it comes down to dealer support- who is there for you.

 

[Gologit]

Kinda startin to wonder about you cascadia.

But, the short answer would be, it comes down to dealer support- who is there for you.

For someone who's claiming to be a logger he doesn't seem to have a lot of first hand knowledge. Maybe he's just starting out but from the questions he's asked I'd say he has a ways to go.

If he'd share some of his background with us, and give us a better idea of what exactly he wants to do in the way of logging, we might be better able to answer his questions.

To Cascadia...any of the shovels, or Cats, or yarders that you've asked about will do the job if they're maintained properly, used within their design limitations, and not abused by the operator. To list all the good and bad points of each would take a huge amount of time and space. And probably start a lot of arguments, too.

I've always had good luck with Cat products but I've also seen outfits with every other brand imaginable that did just as well. None of them are trouble-proof. A good on-site service truck with a full compliment of tools, fluids, filters, and hose making stuff is a necessity. Repairs and regular maintenance aren't as expensive as down-time.

 

[Billy_Bob]

I've been an "Authorized Factory Service" tech in the past with various products...

If someone had a broken gadget which was manufactured by one of the companies we represented, then no problem fixing it. We had the technical instructions, electrical diagrams, parts, and access to factory technical assistance experts...

...but if someone had a broken gadget manufactured by a company we did not represent, then pretty much we could not fix it!

And this is especially true with all the electronics in everything these days. Without access to parts, the factory technical documents, and software upgrades, the repair guy can't do much.

With that said, if I were you, I would see what everyone else in your area has. Ask who they call for repair. Then hunt those guys down. Find out which brands/models they have parts and technical documentation for. Ask which brands/models they like the best/least.

And some repair guys do not know electronics/computers. If there is only one local repair guy in your area and he does not know electronics, you might be better off buying something older without electronics :msp_confused:

 

[slowp]

It almost sounds like you are doing a logging plan/appraisal/ assignment for school.