Need advice on wood loading trailer for buisness expansion.

[truestory]

Hi, our tree care company in Sherbrooke Québec, canada, has been growing in the last few years. The wood loading part is what I'm looking for advice on. We salvage urban timber, some in 8 foot length, hardwood or soft, to be sold at the mills, what ever hardwood is either to large or unfit for sale we make into firewood. Now this process is time and energy consuming, a lot of the time spent on job sites is for loading that wood. wood which adds up to very marginal profit. At the moment we have a dumping trailer and tongs, 4 men can lift quite a bit with those tongs. So very time and energy consuming. Not very good for the back either. We're looking to upgrade, new trailer wich would make the task of riding a job site of the wood more efficient. Should we go with a grapple design? if so any suggestions of size, make, capacity etc.. or a winch style trailer. Thanks for the info, could make our dollars go a longer way!

 

[IcePick]

Don't know. A trailer with a Prentice loader perhaps, or a loader such as a swinger or JCB with a grapple would be worth looking into. A loader would be nice because in addition to being able to load larger logs, you can haul brush as well.

 

[Olesenofalaska]

I have family between Sherbrooke and Lac Megantic and I visited the Payeur/Metavic yard when I was back there. The Metavic log loading trailers are really well built. The option that made the most sense to me is the ability to turn the armature 360+ to be able to load limbs into a truck or chipper. Bunks or a flat deck are available, so is a dump bed and pallet forks for the boom. Good luck, I am interested in what you choose. As a one man show with a truck and a splitter I want to get this type of trailer next instead of a chipper. It would really cut time down on removal and allow me to remove quantities of logs. The hope is that if I do get a chipper, the grapple could be used to feed it as well.

 

[Maineiac]

Metavic log loader trailer is not a bad idea, no need for a class A or B license, and like Olesenofalaska said, a dump body can be added which can cut down on unloading time. But honestly, for the price you are gonna pay for a good functional Metavic with the necessary features, you would probably be better off to find a used small log truck for a good price. It will be more maneuverable than a truck and trailer and you will be able to haul more logs, and if you get it equipped with caged in sides you can haul a ton of brush. I started my own tree business last year and have found that having a piece of equipment to load heavy wood is a must!(for the reason of labor intensity as well as being able to capitalize on the value of the wood have I give away to offset the cost of paying a trucker). I was gonna go with the Metavic at first, but after alot of thought and talking to some of the old timers around here I decided a small log truck is a better way to go.

If you have a savvy mechanic/welder in your pocket you could even buy a dump truck (around the size of an International 4700) with a 16' bed, slide the dump body back and stick a loader between the dump body and the cab. That would be the best of both worlds.

 

[Mike Van]

truestory - This was my answer to your problem - The truck is a '74 Chevy, 19000 gvw, bought a few years back for 4500.00. It was someones grain truck, came with a 15' dump body. The Hiab crane was 3500.00, It will pick about 3 tons right along side. I cut 3 ft from the front of the 15 ft bed & installed the crane. Log trailer with grapple is nice, but thats all it is. I deliver firewood, haul hay, gravel, and whatever else I need with this truck. Simple to work on, no computer chips.

 

[IcePick]

Nice truck and crane Mike. That's a similar setup that I've always had in mind to purchase for myself. I could do a lot of different jobs and make money in different ways with a setup like that. Obviously you control the hiab from the ground with joystick control?

 

[Mike Van]

Right by the outrigger are about 6 levers, same on the other side -