Skidder machines: types, characteristics, purpose

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

Wood is a universal material that is needed by everyone and always. But before the tree turns into a finished product, it will have to go through a lot of preparatory operations. It all starts with felling and skidding the forest. And if felling (cutting trees) is within the power of people with saws, skidding is a more complicated process. Special machines come to the aid of lumberjacks here - skidders. They greatly speed up and facilitate the harvesting of firewood and are considered a real lifesaver for forestry workers. Today we will find out what forest skidders are and get acquainted with some of their models.

Destination

Skidding is the transportation of whole trees, tree trunks or assortments to a loading area - a place to which a truck can drive. The tree is being removed from the loading area - it is transported outside the forest belt.

The need for skidding is obvious. Timber trucks and narrow-line transport are not able to get to the cutting area to collect wood there, so the materialmust be delivered to a place of comfortable loading. Skidding allows you to concentrate in convenient areas the wood ready for loading and further transportation.

Thus, skidding can be called transport operations, but it is fundamentally different from other types of transport operations. Since skidders move over very large areas and stay in one cutting area for a short time, laying tracks for them is impractical. Skidding is carried out in difficult conditions, off-road, anywhere in the forest at any time of the year. On its way, the skidder encounters a lot of obstacles: stumps, deadwood, boulders, swampy areas, and so on. Because of this, special requirements are placed on skidders.

Design features

Skidders are assembled on the basis of simple tractors. A platform for partial loading of tree-lengths is installed on the tractor frame. It attaches to the back of the machine.

Another important feature of these tractors is the increased footprint. The larger the footprint, the less pressure the tractor exerts on the soil, and the easier it will move in poor terrain. In the forest, this is extremely important.

In addition, skidders must have a powerful power plant, have good cross-country ability and the ability to work in difficult weather conditions. Usually such equipment is equipped with diesel engines. In addition to the tractor, the following can be attached: a frame or a platform for laying wood, a winch,jaw grip and other attachments. Typically, the skidder's cab and power plant are at the front, with the work platform at the rear. There is a practical rationale for this - when the platform is loaded with wood, the machine is balanced and easily passes obstacles. If one of the sides outweighed, off-road driving would be very difficult.

The feller skidder has a wider application. Thanks to special equipment, she can cut down trees, form bundles from them and transport the wood to the right place.

Types of skidders

A skidder can be based on different tractors. Depending on the type of propulsion, they can be wheeled or tracked. Still, tracked models are more common, since they, due to their larger bearing area, are superior to wheeled counterparts in terms of cross-country ability. Depending on the mechanism for collecting wood, which is equipped with a tractor, skidders are choker and without choker.

A choker skidder is used to move logs that have been felled with chainsaws by fellers. This group includes such tractors as TDT-55, MSN-10 and others.

Chokerless skidders, among other things, have in their design a gripper or, as it is also called, a hydraulic manipulator. This species works in tandem with a felling machine. Among the chokerless tractors, the following models can be noted: LT-154, LT-187 and others.

Famous Manufacturers

Depending onmanufacturer and model of the skidder, it may have some differences in performance. They are produced by some manufacturers of tractors and other special equipment. In our market you can find models of Russian and foreign production. Among the Russian manufacturers of skidders, it is worth noting the following plants: Altai, Kirov, Onega, as well as the Tesmark company. Imported equipment is also represented on the market quite widely. These are primarily firms: John Deere, Caterpillar and Velte. Of course, in addition to the listed manufacturers, there are others, less well-known. To better understand the fundamental features of skidding equipment, consider several well-known tractors.

TDT-55

This machine is one of the brightest representatives of domestic skidding equipment. The model is a caterpillar tractor of the third traction class. It can be used in stacking and hauling large and medium sized timber. In addition, the machine can be used for auxiliary work: preparation of portages, hilling of whips, loading and leveling of butts.

The tractor does an excellent job in poor terrain. It is rightfully considered a leader in the field of timber processing, but is also used in other types of special work. The main task of the tractor is to work with heavy loads and weights.

This model has been produced at the Onega Tractor Plant since 1966. In 2003, it was declared obsolete and discontinued. For 37 yearsrelease, there were few modifications of the tractor:

1. LHT-55. Features a metal tipper platform, lifting attachments and a rear PTO.
2. TDT-55 with a new motor.
3. TDT-55 A-05. It differs from the previous version with a stronger engine.

Strengths and weaknesses

The main advantage of the TDT-55 tractor, which became the reason for its popularity and widespread use, was its unpretentiousness. The operation of the machine almost always took place in specific conditions, but it easily coped with all the tasks. The tractor was very easy to repair and operate. Tractor drivers considered it almost eternal. The durability of the machine was achieved through the use of high-quality materials and the rejection of mechanisms that were not of fundamental importance, but constantly failed. We are talking about air conditioning, air bags and a large number of buttons. A powerful motor and a reliable gearbox were placed in the vacated space. With their help, the model received an extra 30-40% passability.

Many believe that the price of the TDT-55 tractor is too high, but if we take into account all the advantages of the model, we can conclude that it is quite reasonable. In terms of reliability, cost of spare parts and fuel consumption, this unit is one of the most attractive in its segment. The price of a tractor in good condition, in the secondary market, ranges from 1.2 to 1.8 million rubles. Models with problems can be found for 400 thousand rubles. Becausethe model is still popular, it is not difficult to find spare parts for it.

Parameters

Technical characteristics of the tractor TDT-55:

1. Motor power - 70 or 95 HP. s.
2. Specific fuel consumption – 227 or 167 g/kWh
3. Fuel tank volume - 140 l.
4. Dimensions - 5850/2357/2560 mm.
5. Ground clearance - 555 mm.
6. Ground pressure - 44 kPa.
7. Curb weight - 9, 6 t.
8. Maximum speed -12.8 km/h

TT-4

Another notorious Soviet-made model. It is a skidder of the fourth traction class designed specifically for logging. With sturdy tracks, choker hardware and a bottom frame guard, the machine excels at tasks that not all machines can handle.

Skidders model TT-4 were produced at the Altai Tractor Plant from 1969 to 2010. The model was built on the basis of the TDT-75 version, which was the most massive in its class in the 70s. To improve the performance of the machine, the designers made a number of changes to it, the main of which was the new motor. Thanks to the frame structure with a closed bottom, the tractor is not afraid of contact with snags and mounds, which can be found literally at every step in the forest. Another important difference of the tractor is the fact that the motor and clutch are located inside the cab.

Strengths and weaknesses

The TT-4 skidder and its versions are used for transporting fishing line and loading it onto timber trucks andall kinds of platforms. As a trailer, any forestry units can be attached to it. Due to the unpretentiousness of the tractor and the stability of its work in different climatic conditions, it is very popular in the harsh northern regions.

Wide tracks contribute to the unhindered movement of the device not only along forest paths, but also in swampy, snowy and other problem areas. A good transmission also contributes to good cross-country ability. Despite its solid dimensions, the tractor, or rather, its diesel engine, has very modest appetites.

The main drawback of the model is the fact that the motor is installed in the cab. Many owners also do not like that due to the massiveness of the tractor, it has low maneuverability. For example, the skidder TDT-55, discussed above, has slightly higher maneuverability. The TT-4 tractor of the last years of production costs from two million rubles. Versions before 2000 can cost almost half as much.

Parameters

Specifications of the TT-4 tractor:

1. Motor power - 81 HP. s.
2. Specific fuel consumption – 250 g/kWh
3. Fuel tank volume - 135 l.
4. Dimensions - 6000/2500/2750 mm.
5. Ground clearance - 550 mm.
6. Ground pressure - 44.13 kPa.
7. Curb weight - 13 t.
8. Maximum speed is 20 km/h

John Deere 848H

Now let's briefly get acquainted with the foreign model. The John Deere 848H wheeled skidder is unique inhis performance of the technique. It is characterized by compactness, high stability, excellent maneuverability and economy. The tractor is equipped with a grab that is able to transport the whips on any surface with a stable clamping force.

The model has an increased travel speed, but consumes fuel very economically. It copes with swampy soils, steep slopes and other "gifts" of the forest. The tractor engine is equipped with a reliable, economical and environmentally friendly engine that meets the Tier 2 standard. The torque converter in automatic mode allows you to vary the torque and increase the power of the tractor.

Thanks to the tilting cab, access to the engine filters, gearbox and hydraulic system is very comfortable. The condenser and hydraulic oil cooler slide out for easy cleaning. The company also did not forget about the comfort of operators. The salon is equipped with cooling and heating systems. The control is carried out by one lever, which reduces labor costs and increases productivity. The cost of such a tractor starts at about one hundred thousand dollars.

Model specifications:

1. Motor power - 200 HP. s.
2. Fuel tank volume - 329 l.
3. Dimensions - 8072/3560/2946 mm.
4. Ground clearance - 615 mm.
5. Curb weight – 17.8 t.
6. Maximum speed is 20.9 km/h

Conclusion

Summarizing the above, we can conclude that skidders greatly simplify and speed up the process of logging. These are real all-terrain vehicles that are able to drag tons of wood on almost any surface.