I see the lineloader in Post#8 has an interesting looking grapple. Is there anyone who could tell us a little more about it? Pictures, manufacturer, comments on how it was liked or not, etc. Thanks.
I've never tried a grapple like that one , but I think that was Gunther's preference in grapples , he's using it on a Washington TL6 TRAK LOADER which has a slack puller . Ran across Gunther at Percy's at the top of Powell Lake in Fall 1975 . Originally from Germany , he was working for Washington Iron Works assembling Trak Loaders , then delivering new Machines to customers showing the operators how to run and maintain TRAK LOADERS . George Percy made him an offer he couldn't refuse . I don't know what happened , the next time I seen him was down Muchalat Inlet from Gold River , in Matchlee Bay running his TL6 " WASHING MACHINE " for Friell Lake Logging in 1991 .
I went to Friell Lake for a 10 & 4 shift as a relief operator on a Nortwest Log Loader . During that shift I noticed the tires on the back axle on one of the logging trucks trailer getting a flat spot . Don't know what happened ,but got a call to go back in the following shift to drive logging truck . Turns out to be the HDX Hayes with the flat spotted trailer tires . As I had been driving highway logging truck for the past 5 years , I was a little rusty on the HDX , I set up the truck brakes before I left camp , as I was under the truck I noticed oil weeping out of left front truck brake drum . The truck had a V12 Jimmy with a 6 speed Alision ,the first time I used the retarter It didn't feel like it was doing anything , when I got loaded , I set up the trailer brakes , front axle brakes were set up right tight, back axle was backed right off, adjusted them. Checked the water to brake drums , went down a short hill stopped checked brake drums for heat , front axle on truck cold , back axle on truck warm , trailer drums warm . Had an interesting day That night we pulled the Left Front truck brake a part , relined brake and changed oil seal . Air valve under peddle for retarter was bad order , never did figure out what was wrong with Right Front truck brake . But 7 brakes and a retarter sure felt better than 6 brakes and no retarter. Taking a load down that hill with 4 brakes would have been scary.