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Deere Bogie Skidder gains traction

John Deere’s new six-wheel Bogie Skidder has been built to handle wet and steep conditions, with a new arch for better visibility

John Deere's latest piece of forestry equipment is the six-wheel 768L-II Bogie Skidder
John Deere’s latest piece of forestry equipment is the six-wheel 768L-II Bogie Skidder

John Deere says features in the new addition to its range of forestry equipment, the six-wheel 768L-II Bogie Skidder, help it become more productive in carrying heavy loads over long distances.

Equipped with a 281 horsepower (209 kilowatt) engine, the six-wheel skidder is equipped with heavy-duty bogie axles and features giving it improved flotation and tractive ability.

This, Deere says, reduces ground pressure and means the 768L-II can work in wet terrain areas that a four-wheel skidder will not be able to access – extending the harvesting window and adding more working days to the calendar.

These features also help reduce machine vibration, which helps to minimise driver fatigue, Deere adds.

“The John Deere bogie skidder is hands down twice as good as a regular four-tyre skidder,” Jason Dawson of Triple J Logging said.

“It’s just all-around better in my book for productivity and ground disturbance. With the 768L-II, you can carry twice as much of a load, especially in wet conditions and on the steep terrain, without tearing the ground up.”

John Deere Forestry product marketing manager Matthew Flood says the Bogie Skidder was purpose-built for tough terrain, such as swamps or steep slopes.

“Providing distinct features, the John Deere bogie skidder helps logging contractors maximise their potential, regardless of the conditions,” he says.

The skidder also offers a new arch design, giving the operator a wider rearward view of the grapple and work area, while a long wheelbase and boom-arch envelope give the boom and grapple wider reach and better lift capability.

The 768L-II also has features from other models in the L-II range, including electro-hydraulic controls on the armrest, joystick steering, a continuously variable transmission and an air-conditioned cab.

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