I have been hauling off a job where a 188 Washington is yarding and a Barko 550 is loading, my question is what do you think of rubber mounts as both of these machines are. In my thoughts i see them as unsafe considering a 100,000 plus pound machine with a puny detroit lower and truck brakes? I have had the pure unluckiness of seeing a 550 Barko on a 4 axle carrier run away and roll over. Just wondering what you think.
Rubber mounted equipment used to be alot more popular 20/30 years ago than it is today, that's for sure. I actually like a rubber-mounted shovel for loading, as they are far more stable and will pick heavier logs than the crawlers will (assuming you use your outriggers properly). For moving between landings and cleanup they cannot be beat. The downside is on a tight landing the carrier does take up more space. If only for loading logs, my ideal machine is carrier-mounted, with at least one hydraulic winch (so the chaser can get the ones over the bank and out of my reach).
with a yarder it doesnt matter much, and I still prefer rubber there too.
By the 1980's hydraulics and track undercarriages had progressed to the point that you could actually get off the road to your logs, and crawlers took over. Most people now would never buy a rubber mount loader just because so often you are allowed to get out and log with your shovel off the road.
It's just personal preference. I have owned and/or used alot more crawler mounted machines than rubber, no doubt about that!
The power issue varies from carrier to carrier, and you do need to adjust the brakes for them to work, that is for sure. I never had one get away.
It would be really neat if you could post some pics of these machines for us!