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burnt buncher

stormdodger

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2009
Messages
60
Location
Vancouver Island B.C.
Occupation
feller buncher operator
Well, I had a nice start to the week. My feller buncher caught on fire this morning. The flames were 10 ft in the air. The fire started in the engine compartment and cooked every wire and hose around the engine. Thankfully I was close to the road and there was some of the crew close by to help me get the fire out. It was very close to being out of control. If I had been further up the hill (which is where i was earlier) there would have been no way to get the fire out. We should be able to repair everything....... What a friggin rush.
I,ll try to get some pics of the aftermath.:mad::eek::cussing
 

John C.

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
12,870
Location
Northwest
Occupation
Machinery & Equipment Appraiser
What kind of buncher. Most all I have worked on in the last fifteen years have factory installed fire suppression systems.

Photos will be interesting!
 

stormdodger

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2009
Messages
60
Location
Vancouver Island B.C.
Occupation
feller buncher operator
It is a timberking with about 16000 hrs. The fire supression has been disconnected for some time. I guess it had some electrical issues and would go off at times when it was not needed. Maybe It will get hooked back up after they get the bill to repair the engine. It could have been worse, We just had a processor burn up last year. Its been a good old gurl.:(
 

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John C.

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
12,870
Location
Northwest
Occupation
Machinery & Equipment Appraiser
Fix the motor and replace a few wiring harnesses and you will be back in business in no time.

OK really, call the adjuster, call the dealer, escort both to the site. Look it all over for a couple of hours. Now drive to a restaurant and jaw for more hours. Get estimate for trucking to dealer shop. Haul another machine in to drag this out of the brush. Hire mechanic to pull stub shafts out of the finals. Drag onto the truck and tie down. Pick up your chain saw and go to work.

Forward estimate of repair to adjuster after shop takes a week to ascertain damages. Argue extent of what insurance will pay for that will last another week. Sign work order with the shop without getting confirmation from the adjuster what they will pay for. One week later the shop calls you back up and says parts are a month or more out.

Two months later machine comes back and backs off the truck. Ten minutes after truck leaves the engine dies and won't restart. Run the batteries down trying to get the engine restarted and bring another machine over for jump start. When jumpers are hooked up the fire suppression system that didn't work in the first place now does.

So maybe next time you won't work so hard trying to put the fire out.
 

JAK5

Active Member
Joined
May 6, 2009
Messages
37
Location
Michigan
Man that looks like your having some poor luck! Some days its better just to stay in bed!
 

Case 580e

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2009
Messages
98
Location
new jersey
Occupation
heavy equipment operator
its a cat just fix the wiring and hoses and fire her up
 
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