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Thunderbird Yarders, Loaders, and Etc from the Murray's in Eugene Oregon
- Thread starter Contract Logger
- Start date
Contract Logger
Senior Member
Thunderbird TY40
The mini-yarder that Thunderbird designed and built for thinning applications was the 'TY40' with 40' tower height. They built a bunch of these things mounted on different carriers, both custom-built at Eugene, or whatever the customer wanted or already had. At least 5 were put onto lengthened Cat 518 skidder chassis, lengthened out. I always wanted to put one on an FMC 220 carrier- figured it would go anywhere! Here are some shots of one on a Cat.
The mini-yarder that Thunderbird designed and built for thinning applications was the 'TY40' with 40' tower height. They built a bunch of these things mounted on different carriers, both custom-built at Eugene, or whatever the customer wanted or already had. At least 5 were put onto lengthened Cat 518 skidder chassis, lengthened out. I always wanted to put one on an FMC 220 carrier- figured it would go anywhere! Here are some shots of one on a Cat.
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EGS
Senior Member
Contract Logger- What did Thunderbird use for motors in their loaders and shovels?
Where Thunderbird shovels and loaders made entirely by them or where they based on cat, deere etc.?
Where Thunderbird shovels and loaders made entirely by them or where they based on cat, deere etc.?
Contract Logger
Senior Member
the yarders were built at Eugene from scratch. the earlier shovels-- 838, 940, 1146, were also built this way. Some later models were built around Koehring and Hyundai products, but the shovel-logging machines were thiers. Power was customer-order, Cat, Cummins, or Detroit (50 and 60 Series). These things were incredibly poerful, but heavy.
Contract Logger
Senior Member
Contract Logger
Senior Member
The first Thunderbird Log Loaders were unveiled at the Eugene Logging Show in 1989.
There were 3 models introduced, from 'small' to large, as follows:
Thunderbird 838: 96,000 lbs with 40' boom, or 98,000 with optional 42' boom. 58" grapple.
Thunderbird 940: 128,000 lbs with 42' boom, or ??? with optional 46' boom reach. 62".
Thunderbird 1146: 152,000 lbs with 46' boom, or ??? with optional 48' boom. Up to 74".
These things were monsters--Huge weight-to-HP ratio, swing torque, and tracktive pull!
There were 3 models introduced, from 'small' to large, as follows:
Thunderbird 838: 96,000 lbs with 40' boom, or 98,000 with optional 42' boom. 58" grapple.
Thunderbird 940: 128,000 lbs with 42' boom, or ??? with optional 46' boom reach. 62".
Thunderbird 1146: 152,000 lbs with 46' boom, or ??? with optional 48' boom. Up to 74".
These things were monsters--Huge weight-to-HP ratio, swing torque, and tracktive pull!
Contract Logger
Senior Member
Thunderbird 1238 Logger with harvester head
This is an example of a 'Thunderbird branded' something else. The machines the Murrays were building were horribly expensive, so to hit the price-point markets with machines for lighter duties, several base carriers were modified. This is a Hyundai 290 sized machine, with guarding, boom, etc by Ross Corp, then marketed as a 'Thunderbird 1238'. Worked just fine, and everyone knew they were buying a Hyundai product, as parts and service manuals, etc were Hyundai, as well as the Vin tags on the machines. Many had a T-Bird tag right below or beside the factory tag, and those numbers were related to the specific to the conversion components. It was a good joint-venture.
This is an example of a 'Thunderbird branded' something else. The machines the Murrays were building were horribly expensive, so to hit the price-point markets with machines for lighter duties, several base carriers were modified. This is a Hyundai 290 sized machine, with guarding, boom, etc by Ross Corp, then marketed as a 'Thunderbird 1238'. Worked just fine, and everyone knew they were buying a Hyundai product, as parts and service manuals, etc were Hyundai, as well as the Vin tags on the machines. Many had a T-Bird tag right below or beside the factory tag, and those numbers were related to the specific to the conversion components. It was a good joint-venture.
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Contract Logger
Senior Member
Sorry fellows, wrong picture! TB 1238 (Hyundai 290) yes, harvester head, NO! thats a 58" log grapple there where the head should be, LOL.
Contract Logger
Senior Member
Thunderbird 836 Log Loader
This is a Thunderbird 836 Log Loader, only 2 were ever built. Both were in the 1991 Eugene Logging Show in the T-Bird display there with our names/murals painted on them. John Leonard (JB Leonard) of Chehalis WA bought one, and I bought the other. We used it all over for awhile, and were often in wood way to big for it. That is my machine on the brochure, along with some other pics of it from my own collection. That is a good friend there who was running it then. Sold her at Ritchie Bros Chehalis in 1999 and did good on price, got more than she was worth. In Idaho or Montana now I hear.
These were OK machines, sized like a 290 today, no one was building 290's back then. Cummins engine, Linde pumps and finals, and Cat 330 tracks and hydraulic cylinders. Boy would she ever lift with those big 330 barrels.
This is a Thunderbird 836 Log Loader, only 2 were ever built. Both were in the 1991 Eugene Logging Show in the T-Bird display there with our names/murals painted on them. John Leonard (JB Leonard) of Chehalis WA bought one, and I bought the other. We used it all over for awhile, and were often in wood way to big for it. That is my machine on the brochure, along with some other pics of it from my own collection. That is a good friend there who was running it then. Sold her at Ritchie Bros Chehalis in 1999 and did good on price, got more than she was worth. In Idaho or Montana now I hear.
These were OK machines, sized like a 290 today, no one was building 290's back then. Cummins engine, Linde pumps and finals, and Cat 330 tracks and hydraulic cylinders. Boy would she ever lift with those big 330 barrels.
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Contract Logger
Senior Member
virginialogger
New Member
how could a person get repair manuels on the thunderbird ty-40 yarder?
virginialogger
New Member
can anybody tell me where a person could find repair manuels for the ty-40 yarder?
slagpot
Well-Known Member
Try ebay for both items. Just keep looking on ebay and you should find them both over time.Although ,just checked before this post and found nothing on either.
Slagpot
grapple1
Well-Known Member
I believe T-mar Industries on vancouver island has a new yarder designed now. They were kicking new model #'s around. they have extensive experience with madill, cypress, skagit, t-bird, etc. Years ago they bought the company that designed every Cypress machine and that head engineer is still with t-mar. then with Madill's demise they hired the head yarding engineer so they now have the top 2 yarder designers in the world sitting in the same room. From arch enemies to team mates. they are both getting older and this is their last kick at the can so i hope they are dreaming up a real doozy.
grapple1
Well-Known Member
between those 2 boys they designed the 7280B, 7280C, 7230, 6280, 122, 123, 124, as well as worked on all the others. The new design apparently is to take on the 6280/124 but probably smaller then the mighty 7280. Wait and see. As with Modern, a deposit and they would start building right away. THe market is coming and the yarders are all aging.
Contract Logger
Senior Member
Well now that would be something! I can only hope I am young enough to see more yarders produced in my lifetime. I agree with you 100%- there arent any machines around getting younger, lol. At some point metal fatigue in current machines will force the production of new ones.
REDWOOD LOGGER
New Member
the company i work for has been replacing their old washington 1188's (a pacific mfg corp rebuild) due to the metal fatigue. They have been replacing them with new to them madill's (124's) the 124 is a good machine for what its made for.
DoubleBitTimber
Member
Contract Logger, If you have any info on the TSY-6140SLR or similar models that would be a great help. I'm looking to upgrade one of my Link-Belt 98 conversions to a more reliable machine, also a Modern Machinery is only 200 miles away so parts might be easier to find then driving 600 just to look through a 98 scrap yard where it might not be to begin with.
contract logger,As a wholetree chipping operator unfamiliar with high lead logging,how 'bout starting a thread with some of your business photos giving the specifics.Equipment used,what production was expected,log sorts,details that a curious old kid like myself finds very interesting.Interesting sidebars would be very informative.Don't mean to pry,these photos you've shown are very interesting.Looking at some of these operationsand equipment makes what I did for 30 years, look like "Wood's work 101". 70,000 tons of chips annually seems small in comparison.Gary
