New M9540HD12-1

[TripleR]

Great pictures.:thumbsup:

 

[ovrszd]

TripleR,

I built my grapple based on a Bobcat 72" low-pro bucket that I bought used. I built it to use with my L4400 so didn't consider finding an 84" bucket. Now I kinda wish I had. This tractor handles this bucket with ease. Clearing fencerows for the past week or so the bucket has been irreplaceable. I fall a tree, pick it up with the grapple, carry it to the brush pile, top it, carry it to the wood pile and then block it up all while holding it with the grapple. No bending over, pinching the saw, working on the ground.

These aren't great pictures but give you an idea of how it's designed. There are occassional times when I would like to have an open grapple bucket, but not often. Using a regular bucket limits the amount of brush you can pick up because of the bucket having sides. But the payoff is you don't have to switch buckets if you want to move dirt or material. I can also haul a LOT of dirt in the bucket by using the grapple to hold it. I'll try to remember to get some pictures using the bucket.

 

[ovrszd]

Great pictures.:thumbsup:

How's you weather down there??? It's 42 degrees, windy out of the Northwest and light rain here. I started the woodstove in the shop and will be heading out there to spend the day in a few minutes.

 

[TripleR]

There have been times a bucket like yours would really be handy, but we mostly do dirt work and mowing. We rented a tracked skid steer for a little over a week this summer to take care of a lot of trees.

I had my grand daughter's boyfriend drop a lot of 20-40 foot willow trees that would take maybe an hour to clear with a grapple, but will take a day otherwise. We have a LOT of thinning to do, but you can't get anything bigger than a BX in to drag them out.

If I ever catch up on equipment, I may look at a grapple; recovering from buying the L5740 and Land Pride HR3584 now.

We have one more day of 80 degree temperatures before that front hits us. My son will be working on his camper and I will be working on road maintenance in advance of the rains. A dump truck is suppose to show up and replenish my rock reserves, our truck is toes up right now.

 

[ovrszd]

There have been times a bucket like yours would really be handy, but we mostly do dirt work and mowing. We rented a tracked skid steer for a little over a week this summer to take care of a lot of trees.

I had my grand daughter's boyfriend drop a lot of 20-40 foot willow trees that would take maybe an hour to clear with a grapple, but will take a day otherwise. We have a LOT of thinning to do, but you can't get anything bigger than a BX in to drag them out.

If I ever catch up on equipment, I may look at a grapple; recovering from buying the L5740 and Land Pride HR3584 now.

We have one more day of 80 degree temperatures before that front hits us. My son will be working on his camper and I will be working on road maintenance in advance of the rains. A dump truck is suppose to show up and replenish my rock reserves, our truck is toes up right now.

My Brother owns a T300 bobcat. It's pretty amazing what that thing can do. Makes a wheeled skidsteer look silly. I plumbed my 3rd function hydraulics on the loader with flush/bobcat type couplers because we share attachments.

I am constantly doing thinning work in my timber too. Can't carry out an entire tree. But the grapple still works great to gather up the trimmings and carry them to the brush pile.

If you add 3rd function to your loader and purchase some accessories you'll wonder how you ever got along without it. I've built my grapple and a tree/post puller and my Brother bought a 12" tree shear. I rarely use my plain loader bucket. More often than not I have a 3rd function attachment on.

This time of year you gotta be diligent about finishing outdoor projects. Though we've been extremely dry, it can change overnight here in Missouri!!!

 

[TripleR]

My Brother owns a T300 bobcat. It's pretty amazing what that thing can do. Makes a wheeled skidsteer look silly. I plumbed my 3rd function hydraulics on the loader with flush/bobcat type couplers because we share attachments.

I am constantly doing thinning work in my timber too. Can't carry out an entire tree. But the grapple still works great to gather up the trimmings and carry them to the brush pile.

If you add 3rd function to your loader and purchase some accessories you'll wonder how you ever got along without it. I've built my grapple and a tree/post puller and my Brother bought a 12" tree shear. I rarely use my plain loader bucket. More often than not I have a 3rd function attachment on.

This time of year you gotta be diligent about finishing outdoor projects. Though we've been extremely dry, it can change overnight here in Missouri!!!

The areas we will be working are ones we reforested and the trees are planted on 10' rows with 10'-12' spacing; mix of hardwoods and two of pines, so we can't even get our L5740 in there as we will be staggering our cuts to select the best trees as well as to get proper spacing.

I'm sure I could still find uses elsewhere, but most of our old growth is on land too steep for a tractor, there are places I can't get to on my Rhino.

I sure know what you mean about the weather, we have cabbed tractors, so the cold is not a problem, but this far south when it gets muddy in the winter it pretty much stays that way.

 

[ovrszd]

I sure know what you mean about the weather, we have cabbed tractors, so the cold is not a problem, but this far south when it gets muddy in the winter it pretty much stays that way.

Last Winter was pretty warm and dry but I still ran chains on the rear of my L4400 all Winter. Gonna try to get them in the shop and extend them to fit this tractor. Makes a World of difference in steep timber.

 

[TripleR]

This far south the ground doesn't often freeze solid. If it is even a little muddy, we keep our tractors parked as our hills are highly erodible. If we make a rut, it turns into a washout really quickly. Land to our north has a lot of rocks to stabilize the soil, but here fighting erosion is a year round battle.

 

[creekbend]

I sincerely enjoyed your post. Thanks for posting. :thumbsup:

 

[case245]

is the frame on the 8540 a larger frame then my 7040su and still trying to figure out what it wieghts i have 1153 fel shuddle shift open station cast center 30x 16.9 in the rear also loaded with antifreeze 24 x 9.5 in front