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BC logging equipment left to rust
- Thread starter Murk100
- Start date
BDFT
Senior Member
It is indeed a 78. I've spent many hours either wrenching on one just like it or sitting in the seat. Missing the haulback drum and planetary among other things.
Greatwestcam
Senior Member
furpo
Senior Member
What was the planatary interlock on these machines like? Looks like a more efficent system that a slip clutch. Must be a reason no one else did it.
BDFT
Senior Member
The early 78's like th eone shown above had a two giant gears on the end of the haulback. The big case directly to the right of the guyline drums. A set of planetary gears controlled the speed of each gear which was driven by the main driveline on one side and a hydraulic motor on the other. Its kind of hard to explain without many pictures, which I really should scan one of these days. The end result was a yarder that was simple to operate although far too complex and grossly overengineered in some respects. The operator had a trans conrol for forward and reverse and another lever to slack and tighten the haulback and/or the mains. With the rigging running out, push the lever forward and the haulback ran slower than the mains and the rigging slacked on the fly, pull the lever back and the mains slowed, tightening the rigging. You didn't have to ride any brakes or slip any clutches although each drum had an air clutch and a big band brake they were just for stopping. You could park the machine with the rigging in the air and it would stay there with the brakes off and the clutches engaged if you set the lever right. It would also slowly creep in or out if you didn't and I've seen more than one haulback drum snarled up as the line slowly creeped out after the rigging was on the ground. I've never done that of course.
The newer 78A's had a large doubled ended and very expensive hydraulic motor in place of the haulback planetary gear that was quieter, faster and easier to repair but also prone to failure. at least on the machine I ran. When that happened you better have deep pockets.
That's a very brief and rambling explanation and its a lot easier to do it than it is to explain it.
Someone once told me that the Washington yarders were designed by engineers that had left Boeing. I don't know if that is true or not but some of the things I saw on the 78's and 108's made me want to believe it. I think that's one of the reasons that Madill lasted so long. You could fix them with a big hammer, cold chisel and a crescent wrench.
The newer 78A's had a large doubled ended and very expensive hydraulic motor in place of the haulback planetary gear that was quieter, faster and easier to repair but also prone to failure. at least on the machine I ran. When that happened you better have deep pockets.
That's a very brief and rambling explanation and its a lot easier to do it than it is to explain it.
Someone once told me that the Washington yarders were designed by engineers that had left Boeing. I don't know if that is true or not but some of the things I saw on the 78's and 108's made me want to believe it. I think that's one of the reasons that Madill lasted so long. You could fix them with a big hammer, cold chisel and a crescent wrench.
Jumbo
Senior Member
The original Washingtons were top notch and easy to work with and on according to donkey doctors I knew. When Formco (I think that was the spelling) bought them out things changed. The story went around Seattle that the first thing Formco did was dump all the casting molds. Adrian Estep was one of Washington's greatest treasures. Louis Bianchi who spent 50 years at Washington was a fellow who had a treasure trove of stories. Louis did a good job of describing Washington's demise after Formco.
Alas, like many other companies who were bought in the late 70's Washington was run into the ground by the new owner.
I always figured Madill was popular because they were cheaper that a Washington or Skagit.:stirthepot
That comment should rile someone up!
skadill
Senior Member
075
Senior Member
It doses not travel but they use it all the time to load and unload trailers. It looks like that because two years ago a slide came through that area and covered every thing in 2 feet of mud and wood.
DBDLS
Well-Known Member
Could someone explain what the stinger arrangement on the Washington 78's undercarriage is all about? I am curious.
The stinger has the raising and lowering cylinder for the mast and gantry.
In the travel position the mast and gantry are supported by the stinger.
DBDLS
Well-Known Member
Thanx lg junior. Much appreciated.
skadill
Senior Member
DBDLS
Well-Known Member
I had no idea Saunders ran anything but KW's. Thanx.
Greatwestcam
Senior Member
Had a friend that drove for Saunders back in the 70's, up at Kemano, when he started there he had a brand new Pacific P16 and all the other trucks on the haul were HDX's at that time, well when he headed up the road listening to all the calls on the radio he tucked into a turn out and here comes this HDX pulling pup smoking buy and the driver calls on the radio "who the hell are you? this is HAYES country". they had a lot of trucks there, think he said 25 or 30 HDX's, they would load out of the lake and haul up and over the mountain down to the salt chuck. said if they got 3 months out of a 91000 clark diff that was good. later when the Kenworths came with 121 clarks they never lost a diff. He had a ton of cool pictures and stories to go with them. RIP Mike P.
lowbed driver
Well-Known Member
Had an Uncle who worked the boom boats at Kemano , mostly in the lake, a little in the salt chuck at the dump. He himself hauled about 35 loads total with the HDX. Mostly on weekends when they needed trucks moved and all the drivers were off.
He has alot of good stories about his time there as well. I drove the road from Kemano to the lake in the early 90's. talk about hills. Shoot goats right from the pick up.
skadill
Senior Member
Helper81
Member
Bump to the top for more pic's! Let's see some more here!