Firewood tractors

[ajschainsaws]

Top picture inside tractor is my wifes 1941 Massey Harris 81 inside tractor is the 1954 pacer.
Bottom is the same tractors from the other side.

My dad pulling my 1953 Massey Harris 33. No he didn't place, in fact a blade came off the fan and went thru thre radiator.

My 1951 Massey Harris 30.

1949 Massey Harris 55 gas.

Wifes 1946 Massey Harris 20 top. my 1951 Massey Harris 22 I bought in Canada.

1961 Allis Chalmbers My ex neighbour gave me when he sold his place and moved to a condo.

My 1965 ford 5000 gas.

I have several more Massey Harris tractors also.
1952 Mustang with cultivator
1953 Mustang with front loader
1956 Massey Harris 333
1949 Massey Harris Pony

They are coming together slowly one at a time.

Al

Nice collection of Massey Harris’s
My neighbour when I was growing up had a Massey Harris 203 with a continental gasser engine from what I can remember it was a big tractor
I will find out what happened to it


That 5000 over here was always a diesel tractor never had the option of petrol
They where such a good reliable tractor it was fords answer to the good old faithful 165

 

[Ryan Browne]

Got the splitter back on the New Holland. That thing runs forever on a 7 gallon tank of fuel. Been working up some really nice ash. It was a tree that blew over in our woods in June of 2017. Some of them should be saw logs, but I need the firewood and it's there, so that's what's happening.

We had some poor weather here at the end of December, memorably featuring an inch or so of wet heavy snow followed by about 3/4 of an inch of rain. My driveway doesn't drain like it should (project with the box blade next summer), so I tried to plow as much off as I could, but still I ended up with a skating rink. So, I hooked up the new box blade too the Kubota, dropped the scarifiers and went to town on the ice. It worked great! I should swap it for the winch, but it is super handy on there, even in winter. At 1300# it's actually enough counterweight for moving logs on the forks, and it's handy for pushing piles around, cleaning up piles of splitter trash, and even lopping brush off at ground level to make room for pallets of wood. Oh yeah, I had a big burn pile and it was super handy for tending that too.

Oh, and since I'm posting pics, I got this guy coming out of my basement yesterday afternoon. I'd seen him coming and going while I was stacking wood in the basement so I set up on him from outside. Only took about 5 minutes of sitting in a folding chain with my pellet rifle before I got my shot.

 

[alleyyooper]

Massey Harris 203 had a 5,4 L engine, could be had to burn distulate or plain gasoline. Clained 37 PTO HP. a 5 bottom plow tractor. Built from 1940 to 1947 production remained stead during the war years, believe that to be due to the need for food production. A rare tractor in my area, sold mostly in the plains states and Canada.

Replaced in 1948 with the model 55.

Al

 

[ajschainsaws]

Massey Harris 203 had a 5,4 L engine, could be had to burn distulate or plain gasoline. Clained 37 PTO HP. a 5 bottom plow tractor. Built from 1940 to 1947 production remained stead during the war years, believe that to be due to the need for food production. A rare tractor in my area, sold mostly in thre plans states and Canada.

Replaced in 1948 with the model 55.

Al

Thanks for that I also remember them saying there weren’t many in the U.K.
and it had problems with the rotor arm

Was there many changes made to the 55 or where the early ones pretty much the
Same

 

[FergusonTO35]

Top picture inside tractor is my wifes 1941 Massey Harris 81 inside tractor is the 1954 pacer.
Bottom is the same tractors from the other side.

My dad pulling my 1953 Massey Harris 33. No he didn't place, in fact a blade came off the fan and went thru thre radiator.

My 1951 Massey Harris 30.

1949 Massey Harris 55 gas.

Wifes 1946 Massey Harris 20 top. my 1951 Massey Harris 22 I bought in Canada.

1961 Allis Chalmbers My ex neighbour gave me when he sold his place and moved to a condo.

My 1965 ford 5000 gas.

I have several more Massey Harris tractors also.
1952 Mustang with cultivator
1953 Mustang with front loader
1956 Massey Harris 333
1949 Massey Harris Pony

They are coming together slowly one at a time.

Al

Wow, you da man!!

 

[weesa20]

My firewood tractor. MF 1736 with Igland 3501 winch and 4' forks. Working some blown down oaks. Also have a MF GC2300 that sees its fair share of firewood and has paid for itself many times over (SCUT- MF's version of the BX)

 

[FergusonTO35]

You have very good taste in tractors! Every time I use it, I am more impressed with our new 2706. Seriously, I can't think of anything I couldn't do on the farm without it. I'm going to maintain this thing like a Ferrari so that my daughter can inherit it someday.

 

[oaky]

where are guys finding these three point hitch log skidding/ winch attachments for your tractors, whatda you call them

 

[Ryan Browne]

where are guys finding these three point hitch log skidding/ winch attachments for your tractors, whatda you call them

They're called skidding winches, and they're really really great! The most recognized manufacturer is Farmi, but there are many others. Uniforest, Tajifun, Wallenstein, and Norse all make them too, plus maybe more that I forgot. They aren't cheap, though the Norse winches from Labonville are not too dear. They are worth every penny though. I bought mine used, after looking for almost a year. They don't pop up often. After living with it for five years now, I wouldn't be without it. Major boost to productivity in the woods, and safety too. It's great to be able to wrap a choker around a hung up tree, or one that might become hung up, and be able to winch it over from 100' away. Much better than trying to get the tractor close enough to use a chain.

 

[oaky]

skidding winches. thank you sir, i'm gonna start researching those makers this week. that igland on the massey above us looks nice as well, made in norway. does sound expensive.

 

[Ryan Browne]

Igland, yep forgot about them. I think the Norse winches are under $3000 delivered. I did check labonville's site just now and they seem to be unavailable currently. Might be worth giving them a call. If my farmi got stolen tomorrow, I'd probably replace it with a Norse because they're very similar and the Norse is quite a bit cheaper.

 

[oaky]

dang i might do a deep search for a used model

 

[alleyyooper]

Massey Harris 55 many changes from thre 203 model. Could be had with a distulate engine (all Fuel), diesel and Butane (LP) as well as gasloline Continentel 6.3 L engine.

56 PTO HP
57.55 HP draw bar, per the nebraska testing.
66.91 belt HP, per nebraska testing.

Weighed 7273 pounds to over 10,000 pounds depending on chassis and equipment.

Mine is a 1949 gas just like this one.

Wish mine looked as good. Mine also has the clam shell fenders rather than the crown ones like above.
It was replaced by the 555 in 1956, Mine is a 57 diesel.

The 555 came in gasoline, Diesel and Butane (LPG) I don't know why massey called it Butane either.

weighed 7500 pounds dry. inprovement was power steering
Roughly the same power as the 55 just more comfort with the power steering and up graged hrydrlics.

The engine like the 333, 444 was painted a bronze color.

Al

 

[weesa20]

dang i might do a deep search for a used model

Used ones are few and far between and are usually beat to snot with a near new price tag...shopped for more than a year before just giving up and buying new. Igland and Norse are the same with a different numbering scheme (drop the "1" and mine is a Norse 350). Labonville has had trouble keeping them in stock. Got mine out of a place in New Hampshire for a very competitive price. Couldn't be happier with it.

W

 

[XP_Slinger]

I am DROOLING over skidding winches right now. Would make skidding easier, safer and give ability to pull logs from where I can’t squeeze my tractor in to the log. Extra bonus is the winch would make good ballast for loader work, they don’t appear to stick out any further than the average ballast box. Can’t wait to get one but I have to replace the roof on my house in the spring first.

Anyone in here running the synthetic rope instead of cable on their winch? Wallenstein calls it an upgrade but I wonder how it will hold up to my very rocky woods as far as getting frayed. Thanks!

Another question: suggestions on pulling capacity? My tractor scales at about 8k, 46hp and has a FEL I can jam into the ground to help anchor the tractor. I’m thinking an 8500lb pull capacity (Model FX85) would be what I’d want to go with. Good pulling power and rated for 30-60 HP tractors, I’d be right in the middle which I like. Should give me more pulling power than I’ll ever need considering the size sticks I’ll be dragging. Thoughts???

 

[XP_Slinger]

After chatting with @Ryan Browne , I may finance a winch right now then sell some timber to pay for it. At a cost of about $3,600 after taxes it shouldn’t take but about a single log truck load. I’ve got some nice timber that I will be able to access with a winch but not without it. Just have to sell it to my wife...wish me luck

 

[oaky]

heres one
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Uniforest-...183485050857?_trksid=p2385738.m4383.l4275.c10

 

[XP_Slinger]

Well gents, I’m ordering my wallenstein F85 tomorrow at a local dealer. Should have it by the weekend



Thanks for the link to the used one, but I’m going to buy new for the warranty. And ya just never know how hard a used one has been beat.

 

[Ryan Browne]

Well gents, I’m ordering my wallenstein F85 tomorrow at a local dealer. Should have it by the weekend



Thanks for the link to the used one, but I’m going to buy new for the warranty. And ya just never know how hard a used one has been beat.

QTLA. Congrats!

 

[XP_Slinger]

Change of plans! Getting a Uniforest 45m. Heavier, better clutch, more cable...and better color for my rig. The last thing isn’t important but I consider it a perk

https://www.hud-son.com/product/45m-uniforest-log-skidding-winch/