Rollback tow truck for tree work

[OasisTree]

Good day..Was wondering if anyone on here uses rollback tow trucks for tree work. I am primarily thinking of hauling a spider/wheel lift, and winching/loading large logs from work sites. Any input would be appreciated.

 

[southsoundtree]

How will you offload logs?

Get the tail ends to drag on the ground and drive out from under them???

 

[OasisTree]

How will you offload logs?

Get the tail ends to drag on the ground and drive out from under them???

We have a large forklift at our log yard/sawmill.

 

[Reach]

@flyingsquirrel25 has one to haul around a Nifty SD64. It seems to work well for him, but it rarely tows a trailer because it’s not real good for pulling due to the mile long tail.

 

[RyanCafferky]

My good friend Tom Ford hires a local tow company in his town to move logs all the time. I think they winch the logs on and then unload with a forklift at a local sawmill operation. That has been a game changer for him. Not as much firewood cutting and loading.

 

[Jehinten]

I've never used a rollback. But if a forklift or other loader isn't available to offload, the winch can unload the truck as well with a redirect pulley at the end of the bed.

 

[SumoClimber]

The local rental place does most of their drop off and pickup of smaller units with a rollback. Great for equipment, I don't see it being as useful for logs and brush.

If you already have a CDL, I'd look into a swaploader or other hook lift. Can still use it for equipment of course, but you can also get a box bed for it that will do a much better job with brush and logs.

There's a guy semi-local to me that runs a hook loader and picked up extra box beds for it. He'll stage a box at the site the night before/early morning, then show up with one on the truck with the mini in that box.

 

[Fivepoints]

We have a local company here that uses one to move their niftylift. It works well for that. They put a bobcat on it as well. I've talked to the owner about moving logs with it. He doesnt. Says its to much of a headache.

 

[OasisTree]

Well I like the idea .. I am regularly dealing with logs larger that we can lift with our grapple truck, and would like a truck that we could load up to a 8K log onto. Also, we work alot of challenging access roads with not much turnaround space, so a straight truck would be an advantage over a trailer if we need to back a quarter mile in or more.

 

[flyingsquirrel25]

Sorry guys not on here much. Someone sent me a message so I checked in.

We use a 22’ Jerrdan aluminum roll back on an F650 with GVW of 26,000. Its great for hauling our nifty, skid loaders, excavators and the like. I would however NEVER use it to haul wood as our deck is aluminum and lacks the proper tie downs to secure a load of wood properly.
In addition we DO NOT tow a trailer with the truck because the disconnect and reconnect constantly would negate the time savings we gain in having it for the lift. We typically stay within 10 miles of home base so driving another truck with the trailer doesn’t bother us.
On very rare occasions we may toss a skid loader under the boom but again it negates time savings so there has to be a damn good reason for it.

 

[flyingsquirrel25]

View attachment 82874View attachment 82873Sorry guys not on here much. Someone sent me a message so I checked in.

We use a 22’ Jerrdan aluminum roll back on an F650 with GVW of 26,000. Its great for hauling our nifty, skid loaders, excavators and the like. I would however NEVER use it to haul wood as our deck is aluminum and lacks the proper tie downs to secure a load of wood properly.
In addition we DO NOT tow a trailer with the truck because the disconnect and reconnect constantly would negate the time savings we gain in having it for the lift. We typically stay within 10 miles of home base so driving another truck with the trailer doesn’t bother us.
On very rare occasions we may toss a skid loader under the boom but again it negates time savings so there has to be a damn good reason for it.

Ps we DO NOT uses the chains as tie downs anymore. With the nifty suspension we found they bounced out of the pockets leaving 100k teetering up on the truck. Wi use the 8 point tire straps now.

 

[OasisTree]

Ps we DO NOT uses the chains as tie downs anymore. With the nifty suspension we found they bounced out of the pockets leaving 100k teetering up on the truck. Wi use the 8 point tire straps now.

@flyingsquirrel25
Where do you get the tire tie downs?

We have been using tie downs that we can tighten with an impact to counter the coil springs on the lift. It works, but I think the tire tie downs would work better.

You don't have the machine bouncing too much going down the road with just the tired tied down?

 

[flyingsquirrel25]

@flyingsquirrel25
Where do you get the tire tie downs?

We have been using tie downs that we can tighten with an impact to counter the coil springs on the lift. It works, but I think the tire tie downs would work better.

You don't have the machine bouncing too much going down the road with just the tired tied down?

These are the ones we use. We replace them annually because they cost way less than a new nifty.
No it really doesn’t bounce much. It does roll with our crappy roads but the biggest difference we found is chains pounded the machine on bumps (not an air ride truck) but the tire straps allow the lift suspension to absorb bumps and it smooths the ride out considerably.
We found tying with normal ratchet binders we could get enough suspension bounce to dislodge the bottom of the chain from the key hole slots. Which scared the hell out of me on some of the roads we drive.

8 Point flatbed/rollback car tie-down w/ chain tail Safety Orange

4 straps and ratchets with chain tails for use in rollback/flatbed tow trucks that have chain keyholes.

www.autohaulersupply.com

 

[OasisTree]

These are the ones we use. We replace them annually because they cost way less than a new nifty.
No it really doesn’t bounce much. It does roll with our crappy roads but the biggest difference we found is chains pounded the machine on bumps (not an air ride truck) but the tire straps allow the lift suspension to absorb bumps and it smooths the ride out considerably.
We found tying with normal ratchet binders we could get enough suspension bounce to dislodge the bottom of the chain from the key hole slots. Which scared the hell out of me on some of the roads we drive.

8 Point flatbed/rollback car tie-down w/ chain tail Safety Orange

4 straps and ratchets with chain tails for use in rollback/flatbed tow trucks that have chain keyholes.

www.autohaulersupply.com

Thanks for the link!