Winter Logging In Maine With The Clark 664

[@millersfloorcoatings]

That old Clark is a beast! I grew up working in a warehouse business my grandpa started. Had an old Clark forklift. That thing was built super heavy duty. The engine and transmission took a beating over the years and just kept on going.

[@mr.mckenney2549]

@@millersfloorcoatings that exactly right there is why they were considered the Cadillac of the forest. There is a lot of new stuff out there that is much better now don’t get me wrong but you have to butcher a lot of forest just to make them payments.

[@charlieellis9673]

Ran an old Detroit powered 230 Timberjack for a friend of mine back in the day. Your video turned the clock back 30 years for me. Thanks for the share!

[@mr.mckenney2549]

@@charlieellis9673 your welcome!

[@lowhydrogen7018a1]

I live in Somerset County When I was as kid, you could hear those old Detroits from all over Sure brings back memories

[@mr.mckenney2549]

@@lowhydrogen7018a1 I know that are well. Flat ground and nice cutting. The kennebec river valley makes them Detroits really sing.

[@kenwilson4375]

Boy that brings back memories.

[@mr.mckenney2549]

Glad you Enjoyed it!

[@dubya2514]

When I first started logging I had a 666c and a 666b, they were good skidders until you needed brakes, lol. Brought back memories hearing that "screaming Jimmy".

[@mr.mckenney2549]

Thanks, they are definitely screamers! You can identify them machines in the woods with one from miles away on a good day.

[@johncannon5067]

I love it- my first skidder was a 664C and it never failed me. I hooked it up with warming hoses from my F-350 to get that Detroit going in the Vermont winters. Rig was tall and tippy, but you get used to it- never rolled it. I pulled a hitch off a Mountain in Dorset Vermont- 3 HM trees 2100 b.f.

[@mr.mckenney2549]

@@johncannon5067 it works for me! Thanks for sharing.

[@dustyroads834]

The old Clark power shift transmissions were the best. We had them in our 450 Jacks bolted to 453 Ts. They never let us down.

[@UseR459-z8x]

Wow, this brings me back to the late 70’s logging in Maine. Threw a rod right through the block on a brand new Clark skidder back in the woods. Towed it out with an old Franklin, boss wasn’t happy😂.

[@mr.mckenney2549]

@@UseR459-z8x ..it happens!

[@dustinaustinson2338]

Finally a good video of piling it the right way

[@mr.mckenney2549]

Thank, we work with what we have.

[@ArmedAndIndigenous]

I love videos like this. Ive recently just developed a obsession with learning about Detroits and what different size engines come in all sorts of equipment. Awesome video

[@pfd37]

Love the old Detroit. Spent many years driving detroits in trucks when I was much younger, always logged with a JD, both skidder and crawler before I grew up. What little I do now is with farm tractors, maybe someday I'll pick up an old skidder. Good video.

[@mr.mckenney2549]

I started out with a Detroit in an old farm truck as a young kid. Very under powered but I drove to fast and thats how they slowed me down, Ha ha. I started pulling wood with a small 20 hp farm tractor with my sister and grew from there. I cant imagine going back. I do have a winch on a 60 hp tractor now to do them small jobs for customers but I don t promote that one much!

[@ericlakota1847]

Good looking rig love those nice big tires

[@RandyJewell-v2x]

I cut wood for 10 yrs operated skidder back in 1973 for 5 yrs hard work but it was fun . Good old Maine country. Boy Heading back to Me. In two weeks.

[@Lex-Hawthorn]

Drove the 664, 666, and 668, back in NZ in my youth. oh what fun it was, skirting round those mountain roads, with up to 8 decent logs behind you. Biggest trick was to get round tight mountain corners, without the logs hauling you over the side. 🤔🙃

[@mr.mckenney2549]

Fortunately, it's all flat ground here!

[@6.8SuperDutyDriver]

Good show!

[@mr.mckenney2549]

Thanks

[@davej8618]

The old Clarks were animals!

[@mr.mckenney2549]

She does her job well!

[@bobbelanger6426]

Put a set of ring chains on the front and your ice on the rear and you’ll have more traction and less sliding back when winching. Had a 664B and she would really perform fully chained up.

[@mr.mckenney2549]

Thanks for the info. I am glad to hear that it works, I have wanted to do that but was unsure if the machine would take it. I will definitely be making a set this winter.

[@bobbelanger6426]

Ring chains on the front gives you greater traction. Those Clark winches have a 60k pulling power. I ran this tire chain set up year round. Even backing up your steering will be spot on, no sliding or backing up against a tree to winch. That hitch you pulled out through the frozen mud area of your trail….should be able to walk on out.

[@edfisher2752]

That's it Mainer , strip those forests till there ain't a thing left over four inch !

[@mr.mckenney2549]

@@edfisher2752 actually there is a substantial amount of large wood left there. The lot is selectively harvested thinning out to turn it into a maple sugar bush. Properly harvested wood lots actually grow more carbon, absorbing trees, faster than something left to grow back naturally.

[@Dwjanke24]

love them old clarks hear them coming from a mile away

[@mr.mckenney2549]

That Detroit is definitely a screamer

[@karl-egertdaskov6217]

im thinking about quiting my job to go and start hand cutting for costomers and have the possibilty to haul the logs together with my old mtz 50 farm tractor and a 3pt grapple i have to make a new one the current one is good for small jobs and in my own woods but not to go custom working way too small of a opening also we dont do tree length but bucked up and that would be perfect for that tractor its 2wd with really good difflocks and it has a hell of a pull in snow add chains too and its not stoping

[@mr.mckenney2549]

I started with a massy-harris te-20 from the 1950. Only one section of log at a time. Hard way to make a living. Good luck and enjoy your work and it will never be a job!

[@jamesstanley9839]

We enjoyed the video! Thanks!

[@mr.mckenney2549]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@FILIPFROMSALMO]

never seen anything like this. good job

[@mr.mckenney2549]

Thanks. Sorry I deleted your other comment, I hit the wrong button. But yes the video with out audio is nice to do some days.

[@bobshaw3729]

Great video, saw a 664 parked next to a 668, reminded me of a mare standing next to her colt. the clark 664 was a rock solid machine, economical, easy & inexpensive to work on ( compared to a cat or a jd) stable on a hill side. Only short coming was the very inadequate drive line brake, not near enough holding power & if you let the debris build up around the disk, they catch on fire!!!

[@mr.mckenney2549]

The parking break is something that I need to address, It is very weak. She is small but affective.

[@billtmarchi4320]

I was running a 668 in Washington state as a logger. Lost brakes while backing down a hill on a line machine landing. Lucky to be alive. If you hit the brakes hard and didn't let up they would hold. The second you tried to ease off, you lost all brakes. On a hillside. I Was going to back up to a stump then blade down and hook some logs. Put in neutral hit brake and tried to ease off to back down to stump. Lost all brakes so went to put in forward gear but didn't want to be hard on machine so didn't give any throttle. But it killed the engine when it engaged forward while it was rolling backwards. And skidder took off flyin down the hill as it turned to the left. Tried to jump but wasn't able. Knew I was dead. Then skidder slammed into a tall tree stump between the rear fenders and the left front tire and planetary slammed onto another stump breaking the wheel and the planetary and it sat right on the stump pinning the skidder on the two stumps saving me. Had multiple lacerations on front and back of head and two above my eye from slamming back and forth on cage and broke fingers from trying to hold onto the cage. Broke both Steering cylinders and the wheel and planetary housing and two flat tires. Heard many times since how the brakes are inadequate on these machines. Actually there is a video of a guy who lost a skidder down a hill on ytube like my story but he had more time to jump

[@mr.mckenney2549]

@@billtmarchi4320 I am glad you made it to share that store with us. I have a lot of respect for you west coast logger, I could not fathom cutting the mountains like that. My father in law cut like that in the northern Maine mountains and he tells me of the nightmares. I thank god that I am in the river valley with mostly flat ground. The brakes on the old girl at great for me with some proper maintenance. By no means are they nice air breaks like the big Cat 518's have. I will say the park breaks are subpar at best.

[@Rene-up1dl]

@@mr.mckenney2549 Cheap price, crap safety. Do not trust any machine. Be ready for a runaway at all times.

[@bobbelanger6426]

I modified my parking break to include a hydraulic mitrolock, keeping the cable/brake lever still operational.

[@MartyAckerman310]

Husqvarna FTW!

[@mr.mckenney2549]

@@MartyAckerman310 she will cut!

[@Whipple1]

Good honest work. Your camera image is exceptionally crisp. Worked with a guy for a few tears who logged with an old Franklin built in the 1960s/early 70s. Pretty sure it had a Detroit in it. Solid cable machine. Good small skidder that got into tight places. Ran ring chains on all for corners. Cheers! Whipple

[@mr.mckenney2549]

I would like to chain up all four corners but I have a tendency to push her hard and planetary's are getting harder to find.

[@ericlakota1847]

Yea those old Franklin's run detroits their all gm

[@bobbelanger6426]

Those 353 Detroits run best at full rpm. The 664B will pull incredibly in low range….granted their slow, but powerful. My machine was identical to yours.

[@bobbelanger6426]

Don’t worry about breaking planetary gears. Ran mine for 8 years here in downtown Vermont. Change your gear oil before winter 🥶 The nice thing about the Clark’s is the Allison transmission….very simple forward/reverse. No dropping the clutch😏

[@frankbirkemose4967]

Loved the video, the only difference between your operation and mine is I had a Clark 664D

[@mr.mckenney2549]

Great machine either way. Don't use much fuel. Not so heavy, We destroy the ground. And still narrow enough to fit between them Selective cut trees that are left behind..

[@kentpowell5427]

that's a fast saw :) Great video

[@mr.mckenney2549]

Yes, thanks.

[@chriscollamore940]

that logging trucks bussin!

[@mr.mckenney2549]

Thanks Chris. Sustainable heat is not easy but I can proudly say there is no Gas or Oil in my house for heating !!!

[@scottschaeffer8920]

Running the skidder & the saw=work!

[@mr.mckenney2549]

A labor of love.

[@errolpoxleitner7901]

I get to run a 667 with a 5.9 commins or a 518 cat or a548 Johndeere all grapples. Such fun.

[@mr.mckenney2549]

My father-in-law runs a 518 what a very nice machine! He use to have a 667 or a 666 and he misses it, but at the end of the day they are both work horses! Never tried a grapple but it has crossed my mined a time or two when getting out of the cab and trudging through 3 feet of snow.

[@Rene-up1dl]

@@mr.mckenney2549 Chains alla way & loaded tires!

[@Multilogger]

Where abouts in Maine I cut 180 Cord Last winter in Hermon

[@mr.mckenney2549]

Just south of you in the Burnum, Clinton area.

[@jvallieres1979]

They are tough old skidders. Most had 4-53s some with 3-53s. You couldn’t get a 3-71 or 4-71 to fit in there without heavy modifications.

[@mr.mckenney2549]

Just the little 353 for me.

[@andrewmunchkin7212]

That guy delimbing is a ninja 😮

[@mr.mckenney2549]

@@andrewmunchkin7212 thanks

[@JD-sr3ie]

Old school logging!

[@keithyoung5930]

Nice job. Not many of us hand crews left in maine.

[@mr.mckenney2549]

No overhead is nice 👍

[@keithyoung5930]

That's right. I have owned the same Timberjack since 1987. Use it everyday.

[@stevengonyaw1617]

Or Vermont ! Lol

[@teresadecker6817]

Use to own a 664 powered by a 292 chevy believe it or not good skidder

[@mr.mckenney2549]

@@teresadecker6817 that is very interesting. I’ve never seen one with a gas motor. I can only imagine the extra fuel cost throughout the day with the gas compared to diesel though. But I guess if you paired anything with that nice Clark transmission it would still be a goodpulling machine. I learned something new today about the motors thank you very much!

[@dirkreese6230]

Nice Cut!

[@mr.mckenney2549]

Thanks dirk

[@smellyrobert4448]

Great video! I’m wondering why you have such a small bar on that chainsaw? I got myself a 32inch years ago and won’t go back to 20’s. A lot less bending over especially when bucking. Keep them video coming

[@mr.mckenney2549]

I have tried it and just cant overcome the feel of that long bar. I run an 18" all the time. The power that I gain on cutting these Maine hard woods is worth it to me. Hard wood over 36'' in these parts are hard to find now a days.

[@idroadking]

I too am constantly amazed at the short bars run on saws on that side of the country.... my back slaps me across the face every time I even watch a video of them being used.

[@tomre2769]

That skidder sounds to be working on a high rpm, compared to other diesels. Never heard that sound before, is it a sertain engine designed differently? Or is it a gasengine?

[@allenlong3939]

It’s a Detroit they are loud.

[@farmeronthree]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mofNiaqJba2tfNk&ab_channel=danetp

[@jamessitterson757]

it is a 2 cycle Detroit Diesel engine. There were many variations and number of cylinders of these engines. These engines fire every time the piston has a up stroke.

[@mr.mckenney2549]

Yep 353 2 stroke Detroit diesel. It's a screamer.

[@maritimelogger1296]

You never seen an old skidder or old truck before. It's called a Detroit, probably one of the most famous diesel engines in the world from the sound alone.

[@theallaroundguy2399]

It really seem to struggle a lot. It’s almost like you didn’t have the logs winched up high enough

[@mr.mckenney2549]

Might be the case, or it's the little 353. Detroit!

[@dreisternehof]

Sounds Like a 2-stroke engine. Detroit Diesel?

[@mr.mckenney2549]

You got it.

[@michaeledlin9995]

I came hear just to listen

[@stevenwescott1422]

Where about are you in Maine ? I cut in southwestern and western Maine usually both sides ME and NH

[@mr.mckenney2549]

Upper Kennebec Valley. Flat ground!

[@gregtaylor8327]

666b was a cool old girl to operate and the 666c

[@mr.mckenney2549]

My father-in-law ran the triple 6's for awhile he said they were great machine's. Somedays I wish I had one, other days this little 664 is nice to snake in between trees.

[@JosephSargent-p1o]

State o maine

[@Multilogger]

With my Clark 664

[@mr.mckenney2549]

thanks

[@georgepidick9967]

Clark ! Shitter is full..

[@stevejesus6525]

Why the hell are skidders always so loud? Ever hear about mufflers?

[@mr.mckenney2549]

that has a muffler and a spark arrester box. this is a 2 stroke diesel motor, they were just loud. the faster you can get air in and out the more horse power they make. Smaller motor less fuel consumption but more noise.

[@strykerblue3598]

Detroit’s always scream, it’s like music in the woods

[@mr.mckenney2549]

@ it’s definitely an acquired taste, but it works for me!

[@georgewilson2185]

Why aren't you limbing those trees out first! 53 years in the business, first time I've seen that. Makes no sense.

[@mr.mckenney2549]

@@georgewilson2185 not a for profit job. The large part of the tops go into firewood. But yes I know what you are saying. Not aiming for volume but good use of the wood on this lot. Also we hunt on this land so the bulk of the limbing is done in one area.

[@olehickoryoutdoors6815]

Good video but your notch needs to be deeper.

[@mr.mckenney2549]

I appreciate your comment old Hickory. 25 years I would have agreed with you we made grossly oversized notches that ruined valuable board feet in the butt cut. Currently in the state of Maine to sell certified hand cut timber we are allowed 1/5 the diameter of the tree with a notch. The trees are 20 inch with a 4 inch cut in to the hinge. With the bore cutting process that we are asked to use up here it works flawlessly. Years ago when we were chasing the tail from the back the deep notch worked OK.

[@neilcunningham6282]

Now that's real Maine logging not the bull that the pellaters harvesting trees!

[@mr.mckenney2549]

@@neilcunningham6282 thanks. I like working with the tress. I do cut them but I appreciate every one of them and what it took to grow them. No glass cab for me! I want to smell, touch and enjoy the outdoors!