just found this on Ebay and thought of this thread 
hammer:
Lad in my yard ran a Scania 530 V8 Topliner on forestry work. Took some hammer but he loved it. He reckoned tag axles are better than 6x4’s as they push less on wet ground and are easier to turn around in tight forest clearings. He gave up the forestry game when the crane caught fire and took the unit with it.MysonVinnie, are you doing your own maintenance and do you have a trailer of you’re own?
Put things on the back burner at the moment, the guy I was going to be contracting for has lost the contract, same old story I suppose, I managed to get a trailer with a crane, which Is now just sitting there! I will pick things back up in the new year but got to do some searching for people to work for, I might give the saw mills and other timber haulage companies a call.
I spent a few years as a forestry worker several years ago and loved being in the woods.
Anyone got any contacts they want to share??
MysonVinnie:
hammer:
Lad in my yard ran a Scania 530 V8 Topliner on forestry work. Took some hammer but he loved it. He reckoned tag axles are better than 6x4’s as they push less on wet ground and are easier to turn around in tight forest clearings. He gave up the forestry game when the crane caught fire and took the unit with it.MysonVinnie, are you doing your own maintenance and do you have a trailer of you’re own?
Put things on the back burner at the moment, the guy I was going to be contracting for has lost the contract, same old story I suppose, I managed to get a trailer with a crane, which Is now just sitting there! I will pick things back up in the new year but got to do some searching for people to work for, I might give the saw mills and other timber haulage companies a call.
I spent a few years as a forestry worker several years ago and loved being in the woods.
Anyone got any contacts they want to share??
Where are you based?
Kent based but run all over the uk, will go wherever the work is as long as u cn get home at the weekend
MysonVinnie:
Kent based but run all over the uk, will go wherever the work is as long as u cn get home at the weekend
No idea then mate, you’re miles away from me. The only place that takes a lot of wood in is Kronospan in Chirk, not sure where it all comes from? Might be worth a look?
Hi all does anyone have opinions on the best unit to use on forestry roads and farm tracks? Must be a sleeper comfortable manoeuvrable and reasonable economical. I have around 10k to spend…
MysonVinnie:
Hi all does anyone have opinions on the best unit to use on forestry roads and farm tracks? Must be a sleeper comfortable manoeuvrable and reasonable economical. I have around 10k to spend…
Carryfast will be along shortly to tell you it must be double drive and then others will say that it must be rear lift. Both are probably right, and the availability of either of those axle configurations will probably dictate what you get for your budget.
Your main concern should be be strength and robustness - it will get shaken to buggery, bashed, covered in mud etc… Keep your eyes open for what other forestry operators are running in your area.
The tractor seems like a great idea but not so sure it would bode well on the motorways aswell! Robustness is a must I agree, I look forward to your thoughts.
No high roof cab or spotlights on the roof, will all get bashed by low branches.
Used Unit?
Well,you have to take what you get,but i would say for Farmwork an 6x4 with Front,-and Middle Axle powered and rear Axle to lift,and if you have real hard work for it a 6x6,maybe with Palfinger
Thanks 6x4 and 6x6 units seem hard to come by, tried the usual truck trader and eBay but struggling to find anything within my price range.
For 6x4 a foden alpha is all you you might find sub 10k that isnt a total wreck. To be fair they are not a bad truck and the ■■■■■■■ powered ones are good on fuel if you go 6x2 a tag axle is the best bet for your work and I’d say an fm12 or flat top fh12 would be a good choice
Most of 'em round here favour Scania or Volvo; the majority seem to be FH12’s with a tag-lift, don’t see too many 6x4’s about.
Agree with comments about high cab, but then again plenty do seem to have roof lights, and the extra candles will be a godsend on a forestry track 'cos believe me you ain’t seen pitch dark till you’ve been up one!
Found this on Hanks Truck Pictures, this sort of thing’s regular round this way.
Straight-beam front axle if you can.
Trucks similar to the following will probably be most suitable to your budget and work.
Looks like a trip to Coalville!!!
Best 44t unit for use on forestry roads and farm tracks
Someone elses 
MysonVinnie:
Hi all does anyone have opinions on the best unit to use on forestry roads and farm tracks? Must be a sleeper comfortable manoeuvrable and reasonable economical. I have around 10k to spend…
Version 1 Volvo’s seem to last forever here in IRL. Personally i don’t think it’s what you should buy but what you should’nt, DAF,Iveco and MAN are noticably absent from timber haulage in the norm.An Axor is a great puller at 400hp and they are as tough as they come.
Hi Mysonvinnie.Up here most of the logging and forestry trucks are 6 wheel double drive Volvo or Scania units running at 60tons.They prefer double drive for the Autumn,Winter,and Spring due to the changing surface in the forests.With double drive you can usually just fit chains on the rear axle.but they still have sets of chains for ALL wheels,and a bloody great timberjack in the vicinity which has chains on all year.
You may consider looking in the Scandinavian sites for second hand trucks which are suitable.
take a look at the Military surplus sites, such as Witham-sv.com or another good one is
ljacksonandco.com/ljdbase/WP … tid1=32981 this is a link to a Seddon Atkinson 68 ton. 19000km a beast of a truck and as new. The MOD regularly dispose of trucks that have been in stroe for upto 20 years. They are kept in huge warhouses 7 TNT have a contract to maintain them. each vehicle gets a service up to a full service based on time, even tires are changed every so many years, they are kept on jacks & somebody will start at one end and drive a vehicle through the warehouse around the building and back into its park spot then the next one in line gets its turn.
A couple of years ago Witham sold some as new Seddons (ex RAF) standard 40ton tractors for 4500gbp & they had some brand new Container lift trailers 'Hammer" for 25K !! they are over 100k new. They currently have some 6x6 foden tippers for half what a new truck would cost and these have not done a days work. i some times wish i had not left the UK, could buy a couple of them and get to work down at Hinkly power station.
But for 10k, seriuosly all your going to get on the commersial market is some thing that needs 10k spending on it to keep it on the road, it would be a DOT magnet. better keeping your money a few more years until you can afford a better deal. Sorry to be a stick in the mud.