"Field find" SPYDER rough terrain forklift. Looking for info on it.

   / "Field find" SPYDER rough terrain forklift. Looking for info on it. #1  

strantor

Platinum Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2018
Messages
931
Location
Brazoria co., TX
Tractor
LS XR4140H
I've been driving past this derelict machine in a pasture off the side of the road every day since I moved here 3 years ago. It wasn't until I drove past it on the tractor going a whopping 16mph that I had time to notice the sun-bleached For Sale sign on it. I stopped to look, and immediately wrote it off as a piece of scrap that a few potentially useful hydraulic cylinders on it. Particularly the cylinders on the wheel arms, which would make a nice hydraulic top link, and a pump which I assumed would make a good PTO pump. I enquired with the owner, an old lady, who said it has been parked there nearly a decade and I was the first person in years to Express any interest in it. I told her it had a few parts on it that I was willing to give $200 for and she said she wasn't interested in having it torn apart on-site and that if I wanted anything off of it, I would have to take the whole machine. But she said I could have the whole thing for $200 because she just wanted it gone. OK I said. But the ground was too wet to do anything.

That was a few weeks ago. I just went and got it yesterday. I might be fatally naive, but during the long and arduous process of loading it (wheels wouldn't turn and mast was frozen all the way down against the ground), and upon inspection back at my place, I begin to see some restoration potential in it. It looks like crap. Not a single square inch of it is rust-free. But it's mostly surface rust, and everything that matters, shows hope. It was parked with all the cylinders 90%-100% retracted, and those rod ends which were exposed, aren't bad off; they're chrome plated. As I look at it, I get the impression it wasn't that old when parked. I can't find any data plate to see the year of MFG or the brand or model or capacity or anything, but it's got a big Kohler engine that looks just like the ones they still sell.

At a minimum it will need all new tires, hoses, paint, gas tank & carb cleanout. Not sure what else to expect. Not sure if it's worth the effort. What say you?

I can't find any information on the company. As I said I don't know the model number or anything. I only know it's a "Spyder" brand from Google image searches. I can't find any company website for Spyder. Any info on the company or the machine is appreciated.
 

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   / "Field find" SPYDER rough terrain forklift. Looking for info on it. #2  
No harm in bodging things up with a hanging fuel jug and loaner battery to see if it will run, then take it from there. Definitely worth $200 for toy potential. What is that box between the forks that looks like it has hydraulic hoses going into it?
 
   / "Field find" SPYDER rough terrain forklift. Looking for info on it.
  • Thread Starter
#3  
No harm in bodging things up with a hanging fuel jug and loaner battery to see if it will run, then take it from there. Definitely worth $200 for toy potential. What is that box between the forks that looks like it has hydraulic hoses going into it?

I don't want to try turning it on until I verify the hydraulic system free of water. If it has water in parts of the system, i would rather it stay contained where it is than being pumped into all the components.... But i suppose i could just uncouple the pumps first. That's what a smart man would do i think. ... ok, with your help I've talked myself into it.

The box between the forks is an ant hill. It has scissor-type extending forks and the ants over the years apparently transported probably 50lbs of dirt up from the earth and into the machine.
 

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   / "Field find" SPYDER rough terrain forklift. Looking for info on it. #5  
IMG_5547.jpg

IMG_5546.jpg

This is my guess......
 
   / "Field find" SPYDER rough terrain forklift. Looking for info on it. #6  
If it has hydraulic drive motor(s), you probably don't want to drag it or roll it without making sure the hydraulic drive pump is bypassed, as you can damage the drive pump.

My PowerTrac PT425 has a 25HP Kohler command gas engine that turns three pumps. One pump is the variable volume drive pump that supplies hydraulic power to the drive wheels, 2nd pump supplies PTO power for hydraulic attachments like mowers, cutters, brooms, trenchers, etc... and 3rd pump supplies power to steering and FEL.

Anytime we have to tow the machine, we have to open by-pass ports on newer models, or, like mine, connect a hose between two ports on the drive pump to bypass it.

Interesting machine you have there. Can you get more pics of the engine, pumps, etc...? :thumbsup:
 
   / "Field find" SPYDER rough terrain forklift. Looking for info on it.
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Thanks. I'll contact those folks and see if they can tell me anything about it. I poked around their website and found some familiar looking images.

mlpweb

Compared to a brand new one, mine appears to be missing the panel with all the gauges and hour meter. Or maybe that's a new feature. It seems odd that there's no hour meter on mine. I figure there had to be one at some point.
 
   / "Field find" SPYDER rough terrain forklift. Looking for info on it. #8  
Your Spyder is a piggy back or truck mount forklift. The mast has double hydraulics to push DOWN to lift the unit up.

I used to have one. I will try to find better pics tonight and provide a little more info.

IMG_5536.jpg

I’m quite certain you won’t find a website as they didn’t exist back then.
 
   / "Field find" SPYDER rough terrain forklift. Looking for info on it.
  • Thread Starter
#10  
If it has hydraulic drive motor(s), you probably don't want to drag it or roll it without making sure the hydraulic drive pump is bypassed, as you can damage the drive pump.

My PowerTrac PT425 has a 25HP Kohler command gas engine that turns three pumps. One pump is the variable volume drive pump that supplies hydraulic power to the drive wheels, 2nd pump supplies PTO power for hydraulic attachments like mowers, cutters, brooms, trenchers, etc... and 3rd pump supplies power to steering and FEL.

Anytime we have to tow the machine, we have to open by-pass ports on newer models, or, like mine, connect a hose between two ports on the drive pump to bypass it.

Interesting machine you have there. Can you get more pics of the engine, pumps, etc...? :thumbsup:

Well I knew the reason the wheels were locked up was because they're hydraulic and need to be bypassed. I planned on taking the lines off each wheel motor and connect it in a loop so the fluid could flow; that way I can move it around a little easier. but I did NOT know that dragging with the tractor with the wheels locked up could damage the pump. It's been dragged probably 20-40ft total since I showed up to dig it out of the pasture. I hope it's not already damaged.

I will go take some pictures of the hydro treasures in bit. Will post later.
 
 
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