Tree farmer C4D cable skidder weight ?!?

[Timberking]

So I was about to buy an 440a with a bad tranny and swap it out with a good one I found local but was talked out of it.
I am going next week to pick up a Tree Farmer C4D cable skidder instead. Good machine from what I see and am told.
Does anyone know the weight of the C4D ? Searched and searched and couldnt find anything on how much it weighs.
Gotta pull her back south several hours and not sure what truck and trailer to take.

Any info on its weight would be of great help, thanks fellas....

 

[old-iron-habit]

I have a number of books on the C4 series at home. Not sure about a D series but will check tonight to see what I got. One of my old earlier cable C4s weighed 13 to 14,000 lbs with the Gearmatic 19 and 34" tires. Lots of combinations out there though. Which engine? Easily hauled on a tandem dually or three axle gooseneck but to heavy for the tandem single tired gooseneck.

 

[Timberking]

Old-iron-habit> Thanks, would really appreciate it. I was wanting to take the 1 ton and tandem dually gooseneck to pick it up. Have pulled a 20,000 lb. dozer with this set up but only locally, not 9 hours away

 

[old-iron-habit]

My books do not cover the D series. The C4C and the rest of the older ones are in the 14,000 lb. range. As I recall the C4D has the same frame and axles as the older ones. You should be well covered with your 1 ton and tandem dually. My brother in law has a C5D with both grapple and winch and he scales out with his gooseneck and F350. He does have to having it setting just right for weight distribution between truck and trailer. You are a fair amount lighter than that.

 

[Timberking]

This will be my first skidder. Is there anything particular i should look for on it before I hand over the muulla and load her up( I know to check center pins and basic mechanical operations) ?

 

[old-iron-habit]

The good things about the old Tree Farmers is that they are built pretty simple of off the shelf parts. Not sure what engine you got, most had 3-53 Detroit's. Run it like you stole it. Flat out all the time. If it has a model 19 Gearmatic it's best to drag the cable out in free spool a few times in the morning before you pull it by hand. If model 20 you are in like gold. Transfer case bearing may squeal if bad but are not to complicated to replace. The upper shaft ones seem to get abused a bit when the oil level is not kept topped off. All in all these are one durable everyday log skidder. Never had a power shift in a C4, always had a straight stick with 2 speed transfer case. The 5 cylinder Deutz engine was also good. Know of one with over 12,000 winter hours on it and still going. They start good in the cold if your batteries are top notch. Most of the guys hooked up jumpers in the morning before they hit the preheater.

 

[old-iron-habit]

Did more digging and found a spec sheet for the C4D in my equipment manuals cabinet. This a for a C4D with the Deutz and the Gearmatic Model 9. Weight is at 11,900 lbs total, considerably lighter than the older models.

 

[Timberking]

Old-Iron-Habit> He said it has the Ford industrial engine in it, said it would fire on a dime in -10 degree temps. But we all know what someone says and what something is are two completely different things most of the time it seems. I just hope it adds up to what he is telling me it is as it is going to be a long haul up north to fetch it, 11 hours one direction and then back. I wont buy something im not satisfied with just because I drove a good ways to get there. Been down that road, where someone thinks you'll take it regardless just because of the time and money I have invested already.

Do you think the C4D is a big enough skidder for me? I'm cutting north eastern hard woods on a daily basis, White oak, red oak, hard maple, ash, poplar, hickory and so on ? Most of the tracts I cut are on a hillside and some of them you could call cliffs

 

[Timberking]

Awesome !! You posted that seconds before my last response, but didnt see it untill I hit the enter key. Thats what i was thinking about what it would weigh ! The owner told me it weighed 17,000 or so. I thought to myself that couldn't be right, thats as much as the JD 550J dozer I used to lease !

Thank you for taking the time to dig that up for me Old-iron-habit ! I owe you for sure.
I looked and looked and couldnt find anything on the c4d. Not even a sales brochure like you can normally find online, found a bunch on the c5,6,7 series.

This is good news as its going to be a several hundred dollar(less) difference in travel/haul expense.
My one ton loaded does much better on fuel than my single axle with an ISM cummins

 

[old-iron-habit]

Old-Iron-Habit> He said it has the Ford industrial engine in it, said it would fire on a dime in -10 degree temps. But we all know what someone says and what something is are two completely different things most of the time it seems. I just hope it adds up to what he is telling me it is as it is going to be a long haul up north to fetch it, 11 hours one direction and then back. I wont buy something im not satisfied with just because I drove a good ways to get there. Been down that road, where someone thinks you'll take it regardless just because of the time and money I have invested already.

Do you think the C4D is a big enough skidder for me? I'm cutting north eastern hard woods on a daily basis, White oak, red oak, hard maple, ash, poplar, hickory and so on ? Most of the tracts I cut are on a hillside and some of them you could call cliffs

If it has the Ford gas engine it is probably not a D series but a C or older series. The 172 Ford goes way back. My 1950s Garret 15 (forerunner to Tree Farmer) has one. In my recollection the D series only came with the 353 Detroit or the 5 banger Deutz. The 172 CI Ford gas engine is a great little engine that will start at -30. Commonly called the Red Tiger it is 57 HP. Spend a $130.00 dollars on electronic ignition and it will pull with the big dogs. They were fairly decent on fuel but not near the speed under load of the diesels. If the skid is kept shorter they were a great little machine. Engine parts are available, blocks are becoming hard to find. The same engine is in the Ford 800 and 801 tractors of the 50s and early sixties. Also were common in clutched power units.

After thought! I was thinking Ford gas but if it has the Ford diesel in it they are a great little engine in there day that started well also. Very easy on fuel. 192 cubic inches and in the 55 to 60 HP range. Like the gas they are not real fast under load but will get the job done. I have one in an antique Iron Mule forwarder but have no engine book on it. I don't think the Ford diesel was available in the D series either.

Overall the C series with a Model 9 Gearmatic was a great reliable machine in their day. Make sure it has the two speed transfer case with the winch drive off the transfer case with the winch PTO disconnect lever or it is really old.

 

[old-iron-habit]

Sure curious what model the Tree Farmer turned out to be and how you made out.

 

[Timberking]

Old-iron-habit> I am going next week to pick it up. I sent him a deposit to hold it and he said its mine. I am waiting because we are expecting a new baby this week, my second son ! Didn't want to drive that far from home and stay over night on the road while we are expecting any day now. As soon as the little guy arrives I'm gonna wait 3-5 days to help get him settled in at home and then im gonna drive up after it. The doc said it will be this week for sure so I'm booking a room for next week.

I will let you know as soon as she is on my trailer ! But I'm sure of it being a c4d and am under the impression it has been VERY VERY well taken care of. The gentlemen im buying it from seems to be a Nice fellow and seems honest. He's taken care of it regularly. And I owe him big time for holding it with deposit until I make it up.

From what I'v read and learned I believe the C4d skidder is gonna be perfect for me ! I'm getting anxious as I'v been excited for a week or two now.

 

[Viking Rental]

Hi, I am new to the forum. I just picked up a Tree Farmer C4D. I was wondering if Old Iron Habit knows the production years of this skidder? Could you post full page pics of the brochure you posted earlier? Mine has a 4cyl Deutz diesel -air cooled, with 4spd trans, Can-Car 20 winch. I just like to know the year, etc., good specs.

 

[Viking Rental]

 

[Viking Rental]

Serial number is 4402-065
Model C4D

Engine is a Deutz Model F4L912 (Serial Number 70020)

Winch is a CAN CAR 20, Serial Number 03408

The skidder had been fixed up by a previous owner @10 years ago. It is green paint under the yellow.

 

[old-iron-habit]

Hi Viking, I do not have a serial number book to pin down the exact year but it would be in the 80s with the model 20 winch and the olive green paint. If your engine is original it should be a inline aircooled 5 cylinder instead of a 4. I can't recall ever seeing a 4 cylinder Duetz in them. As far as the spec sheet, both parts are there. I can take it to work and scan it to get it on one sheet. The previous post was a couple poctures of my Ipad so I could get the info to Timberking. That model Duetz does not like starting fluid so insure your preheaters are working properly. In good engine shape with good batteries they will start at -10F without any ether.

 

[Viking Rental]

I will have to count the cylinders. The previous owner disconnected the preheaters just to be safe of the ether if anybody else used it. It does start instant in this weather. The scans of the spec sheet would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Viking Rental]

It is indeed a 4cyl. The original paint is the bright yellow green.

 

[Viking Rental]

It is indeed a 4cyl. The original paint is the bright yellow green.

 

[old-iron-habit]

It is indeed a 4cyl. The original paint is the bright yellow green.

You are right. The spec pictures I posted also lists a 4 cylinder. We had mostly C5D's around here. My old brain must have got hung up. The C5's had a 5 cylinder when equipped with the Deutz. My brother in law and I still have one that we keep for a back up machine.