Mini Skids

[TopNotchEquipment]

Zahn's are great little machines, even with lower capacity, they articulate which means minimal to no turf damage eliminating the need for plywood. Any machine beats moving limbs and brush by hand.

I have found in selling to a variety of tree services (small, large and national companies) that what works well in one doesn't fit the needs of another. We can help with min's and articulated loaders in variety of sizes from small Avant 420 to the 12k lb Gehl AL750, we have Avant, Boxer, Cast, Gehl and Giant brands most models in stock, on order or at the OEM warehouses.

What I tell all my customers is to to buy the machine that best suits 85-90% of your jobs and either rent or make due on the rest. Sometimes that a large track machine or articulated loader and sometimes that's a stand on mini either wheeled or tracked. But what fits more often than not, is a compact class articulating loader under 3k lbs with a lift capacity of low 2k lbs. I would be more than happy to discuss your needs and what machine would best fit your company.

Harry (612)454-9191

 

[southsoundtree]

There is a bag of tricks to using a smaller machine.

Freehand ripping a large crotch onsite, that I want for milling later, meant I could barely load/ unload each half into my chip truck. Barely is enough.

Chainsaw milling/ ripping a large log into two halves makes it half as heavy, and easy to roll and/ or skid on small, manually movable logs or round, wood fence posts.

Skidding on plywood/ mats increases your capacity over grass.

A tag axle, like the Arbor Trolley, heavy duty hand truck, or home made will increase what you can move.

 

[monkeylove]

My wife snuck a pic of me plowing in front of the house the other day.

 

[Tr33Climb3r]

We demoed a ditch witch Zahn awhile back. They are unique machines. The Zahn has much more potential with a diesel for weight or substitute some of the plastic with larger steel. Beef up the axels. Because why wouldn't you run it with foam filled tires? I would still consider one of the price was right. I would get the one with the bigger engine. I think that is the r300.


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[Tr33Climb3r]

We demoed a ditch witch Zahn awhile back. They are unique machines. The Zahn has much more potential with a diesel for weight or substitute some of the plastic with larger steel. Beef up the axels. Because why wouldn't you run it with foam filled tires? I would still consider one of the price was right. I would get the one with the bigger engine. I think that is the r300.


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I was only able to use it on a couple of jobs. It was a nice machine.



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[flyingsquirrel25]

View attachment 48685

I was only able to use it on a couple of jobs. It was a nice machine.

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Best of both worlds. Ride-on articulating loader. How was it’s capacity?

 

[Jeff_Cochran]

I bought a r300 then promptly traded it for an sk650. Good little machine for small/medium backyard jobs. I had all the counter weight you could get from dw and foam filled tires. I probably should have kept it and bought a larger articulated loader, but hind sight is 20/20. The 650 is the best of both worlds imo. Great carrying capacity for its size. Low entry cost. Surprisingly light yard damage with a skilled op. But it's slow for those long hauls to the street on estate properties.


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[islandedge]

I bought a r300 then promptly traded it for an sk650. Good little machine for small/medium backyard jobs. I had all the counter weight you could get from dw and foam filled tires. I probably should have kept it and bought a larger articulated loader, but hind sight is 20/20. The 650 is the best of both worlds imo. Great carrying capacity for its size. Low entry cost. Surprisingly light yard damage with a skilled op. But it's slow for those long hauls to the street on estate properties.


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What was the speed on those r300? Were they 2 speed? They seemee pretty quick

 

[Jeff_Cochran]

What was the speed on those r300? Were they 2 speed? They seemee pretty quick

I don't remember, we literally used that machine about three hours and took it back and bought the 650. It raised the ass end on almost everything we tried to drag. The sk did not give us that problem. I have the same experience with almost all of the articulated machines I have tried locally, except a larger wacker and a similar sized kubota


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[monkeylove]

For those interested a couple bucket clamp on devices I got from a company "Ratchet Rake". Quality isn't bad for the cost @$300 each. First one was what I was pushing snow around with. Second one will be used for ripping ground vines and gravel driveways.

 

[DTS]

I’m going to try this tooth bar for cleaning up stump grindings and roots.

 

[monkeylove]

I looked at that myself, let know how you like it. Looked like it would make a good shear for bamboo patches, which we have lots of around here. People love them until they take over their yards.

 

[Serf Life]

Current setup for woods work. Still playing around with it, but this has worked well for having everything stowed and not run over or lost... Wedge pouch and tape clipped by the fuel tank, scrench sits in a slot by the loader arm, wedge pounder fits securely by fuel cap. Saw scabbard is lashed on the brush guard and works mint.

 

[colb]

Current setup for woods work. Still playing around with it, but this has worked well for having everything stowed and not run over or lost... Wedge pouch and tape clipped by the fuel tank, scrench sits in a slot by the loader arm, wedge pounder fits securely by fuel cap. Saw scabbard is lashed on the brush guard and works mint. View attachment 68625

Where the hell did you get that brush guard?!

 

[Barc Buster]

Current setup for woods work. Still playing around with it, but this has worked well for having everything stowed and not run over or lost... Wedge pouch and tape clipped by the fuel tank, scrench sits in a slot by the loader arm, wedge pounder fits securely by fuel cap. Saw scabbard is lashed on the brush guard and works mint. View attachment 68625

Sweet setup there! What did you make the saw scabbard out of? Source?

 

[Serf Life]

Brush guard is OEM DW. Really cool attachment design, I’ll snap a pic tomorrow. Scabbard is just table sawn cutting board Sean got with some GRK screws. Fits 3/8 bars width wise, but a 24” one would be pushing it. Don’t really get the point of the bmg scabbards as the grapple swings so easily, and having one at your feet gets old.

 

[Barc Buster]

Brush guard is OEM DW. Really cool attachment design, I’ll snap a pic tomorrow. Scabbard is just table sawn cutting board Sean got with some GRK screws. Fits 3/8 bars width wise, but a 24” one would be pushing it. Don’t really get the point of the bmg scabbards as the grapple swings so easily, and having one at your feet gets old.

Yeah the bmg ones are okay for smooth lawns but no bueno for anything else.

 

[Rmltree]

I've found I like my bmg grapple tightened so that it doesnt swing!. Leave the nut that attaches the frame to the grapple loose but tighten all the others and you can lock the grapple facing out to reach further. Close grapple and force small debris/ short logs into chipper.
I find the swinging grapple irritating, maybe I drive it too aggressively.

 

[Serf Life]

 

[southsoundtree]

I've found I like my bmg grapple tightened so that it doesnt swing!. Leave the nut that attaches the frame to the grapple loose but tighten all the others and you can lock the grapple facing out to reach further. Close grapple and force small debris/ short logs into chipper.
I find the swinging grapple irritating, maybe I drive it too aggressively.

Too aggressively might not be all.

Why take the dangle out of a dangle grapple? I don't understand the problem or remedy.