Tractor Sizing Advice on tractor selection?

[leonz]

The term comes from the use of a tracked timber harvester or a tracked
excavator pulling away and throwing blowdown and broken logs in a
semi circle behind or to the side of where the excavator is using the upper
and lower boom and bucket to physically shove the downed trees and logs
with a thumb attachment on the bucket.

It works, and works well and is a very quick method of clearing blowdown with
a log skidder where it is not safe to have a cutter working or clear cut trees
where its safe for a cutter to do so if the wood is of very low value.

 

[Piston]

You mean with spacers? I was referring to the ability to flip the rims inside out to set the stance. Or is there something else about R4's that I'm missing?

No not using spacers, but by flipping the rims as you mentioned, I believe there are actually 4 different widths from narrow, up to wide. The rims on my tractor are like this, they are two piece rims and can be flipped if needed, I currently have them on the wide stance. (with R4 tires)

I have never switched them around as I want to keep it widest as possible for stability.

 

[Piston]

Rusty,
If you end up not hiring the job out or renting a dozer, you can certainly push trees over with the M59. You would obviously be very wise to learn the safe ways to do this and not just go out pushing trees over everywhere, since one will eventually fall on you! However, you can do it safely and effectively, eliminating the hassle of taking the stump out of the ground later.

There is certainly a limit for each size machine, and the danger comes when try to push over a tree too big for what your using, or you read it wrong, etc.

 

[jenkinsph]

Rusty,
I suspect what is key here is to find a good logging company with good references. I have seen the damage and destruction left by careless loggers and quickly learned how important choosing the right people makes. I would also recommend the M59 equipped with a grapple to aid in your general cleanup and property improvements. For the work you will be doing for several years the tlb is a good choice.

I would not recommend that a retiree take on a large clearing project without the right equipment, much better to have an experienced logging crew with some younger men to do this work. Then do the cleanup work to suit you which would be safer and at your own pace.

 

[joshuabardwell]

No not using spacers, but by flipping the rims as you mentioned, I believe there are actually 4 different widths from narrow, up to wide. The rims on my tractor are like this, they are two piece rims and can be flipped if needed, I currently have them on the wide stance. (with R4 tires)

I have never switched them around as I want to keep it widest as possible for stability.

I thought only R1 rims did that.

 

[IndyIan]

I thought only R1 rims did that.

All the DK Kioti's use the same rear rim setup for R1's and R4's.

To the OP, for logging you don't need a huge tractor, and if you've got a nice wide spaced mature forest a smaller tractor is probably better to do less damage and you can spend less time make trails. Just skid log lengths and not tree lengths. I've used my Atv and an arch to move 1000-1400lb logs and it worked well enough, just a bit slow.
My neighbor got an old 4wd Case 580 TLB and it will dig, but its not much good on slopes and or in mud... How well an M59 does in the woods for just general use and skidding I don't know either. Its got to be better than that old case, but maybe a MX5100 would be much better?
If you have to move alot of dirt for your house site, driveway, foundation, then you might be best to get a MX5100 sized machine, log your house site with it, then hire out stump removal and all the major dirt moving. A big track hoe can do amazing amounts of work in a day.
Then you can use your tractor to back fill around your foundation and finish grading, spreading gravel on the driveway, etc.
After a few dozen hours of that you'll feel satisfied your getting good value out of your tractor. I spread around maybe 400 yards of dirt around my pond and it took quite a while using a 7' box blade and the FEL but it turned out well and was relatively easy work and I think I came out way ahead counting fuel and depreciation. To dig and move the couple 1000 yards for excavating the pond though was a job for a big hoe and someone that knows that they are doing...

 

[rustythread]

Update:
Wound up contracting for an L35 with 500 hours on it. Will have dealer install 3d-function hydraulics up front for future grapple use. Need to convert FEL to quick-attach, and am leery about after-market after reading here about aftermarket kits increasing the length and der=creasing teh lift capability. Anybody have a good guess on what a reasonable pruce would be to have the dealer install the Kubota quick-tach and convert the existing bucket?
Putting the timber up for sale in the area to be cleared, and will jsut deal with stumps thereafter.
Thanks, all, for the wealth of advice.