John Deere has a skidder for all forestry needs

John Deere skidders are based on a legacy of over 180 years of groundbreaking engineering and over 50 years of servicing the needs of forestry customers. They are designed to tackle the toughest jobs while maximising efficiency and operator comfort.

John Deere LII line-up ensures that forestry operators can select a skidder tailored to their specific workloads, terrain, and operational requirements.

The latest John Deere skidder is the 768L-II six-wheel skidder designed for wet conditions and steep slopes

The Line-up

The John Deere L-II Series skidders vary in size and capacity and include the 640L-II, 648L-II, 748L-II, 848L-II and 948L-II models and the latest 768L-II six-wheel-bogie skidder. The engines comply with stringent emission standards, reflecting the company’s commitment to sustainability. (Models may not be offered in selected markets)

640L-II Cable Skidder: This model is equipped with the John Deere 6.8L tier III engine delivering 163kW (218 hp) and torque of 943 Nm. It is an exceptionally manoeuvrable and purpose-designed “standard” cable skidder.

648L-II Grapple Skidder: Featuring a 6.8L tier III engine that produces 163kW (218 hp) and 1025Nm of torque, the 648L-II comes with a standard grapple capacity of 1.2 m² and the option of a 1.48m² grapple capacity.This model balances versatility with performance, making it a popular choice for many operators.

748L-II Grapple Skidder: Powered by a John Deere 6.8L tier III engine generating 180kW (242 hp) and 1050 Nm of torque, the 748L-II offers a standard grapple capacity of 1.48m² with the option of a 1.63 m² grapple. The robust power horse is designed to easily haul large loads.

848L-II Grapple Skidder: This model boasts a John Deere 9.0L tier III engine with an output of 210 kW (281 hp) and 1276 Nm of torque. It features a standard grapple capacity of 1.77m² and an optional 2.07m², making it suitable for demanding jobs involving high timber volumes.

948L-II Grapple Skidder: The largest in the series, the 948L-II is equipped with the 9.0L engine delivering 224kW (300 hp) and an impressive torque of 1369Nm. It offers a substantial standard grapple capacity of 2.07m², providing unparalleled strength and stability for heavy-duty operations.

768L-II Six-wheel Bogie Skidder. The latest in the John Deere range of skidders, the 768L-II is designed for wet conditions and steep slopes. The six-wheel skidder combines tenacious tractive ability and flotation with reduced ground pressure, which enables it to carry larger loads over longer distances. It is driven by the John Deere 9.0L engine delivering 210kW (281 hp) and 1276Nm of torque and fitted with the standard 1.77m² grapple. However, customers can specify the optional 2.07m² grapple.

The John Deere 748L-II has a standard grapple capacity of 1.77m2 and an optional 2.07m2

Advanced technologies

The L-II Series Skidders incorporate several advanced features to enhance productivity, stability and ease of operation.

Continuously Variable Transmission

A standout feature is the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), which blends the efficiency of a direct-drive transmission with the smooth handling of a hydrostatic drive. This innovative technology increases fuel efficiency and reduces operator fatigue by providing seamless power delivery.

JDLink telematics

JDLink, John Deere’s core telematics system, is factory-installed on all machines, can be managed from a desktop or smartphone, and is free to use.

JDLink provides remote access to crucial machine data, including fuel consumption, idle time, maintenance schedules and location tracking. This connectivity allows operators and managers to monitor fleet performance in real-time, reducing downtime and improving operational efficiency.

Connected Support

Another key feature is Connected Support, which ensures machines stay operational and productive. With Connected Support, John Deere dealers can proactively monitor machine health and identify potential issues before they lead to costly breakdowns. This system leverages predictive diagnostics and remote troubleshooting to minimise maintenance delays and keep operations running smoothly.

Ergonomics

The skidders have ergonomically designed cabins featuring a rotating high back seat to improve driving and visibility rearward, always enabling better vision of the skid trail and load, configurable controls, and reduced noise levels.

These enhancements improve operator comfort, enabling longer and more productive working hours in demanding conditions.

Support and financing solutions

In addition to offering cutting-edge equipment, John Deere provides tailored financial solutions to help buyers acquire the necessary machinery.

John Deere Finance takes a hands-on approach, learning about each customer’s unique business requirements to develop customised payment plans.

The full package

John Deere offers a complete range of products designed to assist with harvesting applications such as tracked and wheeled harvesters, forwarders, forestry swing machines, knuckleboom loaders. For land preparation, silviculture, road building and maintenance, and the sawmill, products such dozers, graders, and wheel loaders complete John Deere’s impressive lineup of machines to assist with forestry applications.

Ask your local John Deere dealer for more information about the full range of John Deere Construction and Forestry products.

AfrEquip delivers the first Tigercat H-Series Skidder in Africa

The AfrEquip team has delivered a powerful Tigercat 625H 6-wheel skidder to Merensky Timber’s Weza operation as part of the group’s plans to update their timber harvesting equipment fleet to improve efficiencies, get better data insights towards precision forestry practice, and to minimise carbon emissions by deploying fuel efficient equipment.

This is the first H-Series Tigercat skidder to be deployed on the African continent. It was put to work immediately in Merensky's pine harvesting operations in Weza in southern KZN, to skid full tree lengths to road side for further processing. Merensky is an integrated forestry and sawmilling group.

A key motivating factor for choosing the Tigercat skidder was the level of support and backup that the AfrEquip team is able to provide. With premises in Pietermaritzburg (KwaZulu-Natal), Ugie (Eastern Cape), Richards Bay (Zululand), Nelspruit and Piet Retief (Mpumalanga), AfrEquip is able to service all relevant forestry areas in the country.

Tigercat launched their H-series skidders recently, introducing a number of new features to these renowned workhorses which have benefited from over two decades of real world development in some of the most demanding timber extraction operations on the planet.

The 625H that the Merensky harvesting team has opted for is a high capacity 6-wheel drive machine best suited to steep slope operations and long distance skidding.

The Tigercat 625H 6-wheel skidder is working in Merensky’s pine operation in the Weza district, skidding tree-lengths to roadside for further processing.

The new series 625H offers a number of key benefits, including:-

• Improved ergonomics, control and comfort for the operator with a 220 degree rotating seat which locks in any position with full access to all machine functions and drive controls. Bigger windows maximise operator visibility all around.
• The six-wheel drive configuration spreads the load and offers low ground pressure and incredible traction and power, which enables the skidder to perform optimally in rough and variable terrain, such as that found in Weza.
• Electronic controlled hydrostatic drive, known as EHS, offers excellent fuel efficiency and easy operation. The EHS drive provides extremely high tractive effort or very quick travel speeds as and when required. When operating conditions demand high tractive effort, both hydrostatic motors are working. When tractive effort requirements are reduced - for instance, when traveling empty or loaded on flat terrain - all of the pump flow is directed to one motor for higher travel speeds and improved efficiency. It all happens seamlessly with no operator input required. This feature enables the skidder to perform optimally in a wide variety of operating conditions.
• The 625H offers operators high capacity dual-cylinder Tigercat grapple options for handling timber of all sizes.
• The Tigercat H-series skidders are made up with robust, high quality components including a proven long-life centre section constructed with thick steel plate plus large diameter pins and tapered roller bearings, reinforced engine enclosure doors and large diameter cylinders for improved durability.
• Servicing and maintenance is made easy by convenient access to daily service points and a well designed layout of all major components.

Handing over the new Tigercat skidder to Merensky in Weza (left to right) John Barbour (Technical Director, AfrEquip); Raees Osman (Tigercat Technician, AfrEquip); John du Toit (MD, AfrEquip); Wessel Van Niekerk ( Workshop Manager, Merensky); Craig van Dijk (Finance Director, AfrEquip); Ryan Neumann (Business Development Manager, AfrEquip).

The 625H skidder is 8,7 metres in length, weighs just under 22 950 kgs, is powered by a 195 kW Tigercat engine and has a top speed of 23 kmh.

Tigercat harvesting equipment is manufactured in Canada and distributed and supported in South Africa by the experienced team at AfrEquip. Their services include sales, maintenance and service support, as well as training for machine operators. They carry a huge inventory of spare parts and their highly skilled technical team is geared to support customers operating in any of the forestry growing areas in South Africa.

Premium brands distributed by AfrEquip in South Africa include Tigercat harvesting equipment, including skidders, forwarders, harvesters and mulchers, Log Max harvesting heads and Morbark grinders and chippers.

For more information contact Ryan Neumann (072 708 9091) or visit www.afrequip.co.za