Since John Deere's acquisition of Timberjack last year, the company has worked to expand its range of forestry equipment and recently, the John Deere Forestry Group entered the knuckleboom log loader market with three purpose-built machines, the 335, 435 and 535 loaders, which feature optional delimbers and slashers.

"The introduction of these machines really rounds out the forestry product line offered by John Deere," said Product Manager Loading Division Keith Wilson. "With the introduction of the knuckleboom log loaders, Deere now offers a full line of equipment that also includes other log loaders, fellerbunchers and log skidders."

The 335 and 435 loaders are powered by the six-cylinder turbocharged John Deere 6068T diesel engine, which has a maximum output of 170 hp at 2200 rpm. The 535 is powered by a 6081A six-cylinder turbocharged/aftercooled diesel with a maximum output of 250 hp at 2200 rpm. The engines are mounted on Lord rubber isolation mounts to reduce vibration, smooth operation and lower noise emissions from the machine.

The engine packages include an AKG Thermal Systems side-by-side radiator and oil coolers, Nelson mufflers, and Donaldson air filters. The electrical system for the machines is a 12 V, self-energizing design with a 95 amp alternator - the 535 uses a 120 amp alternator. Each machine is equipped with two 12 V batteries and the 535 includes a master power disconnect switch.

 The hydraulic system for the log loaders uses a mix of components, including pumps, motors, valves and manifolds from Parker Hannifin and its Commercial Intertech subsidiary.

The engine drives a triple gear pump assembly that provides hydraulic flow for various machine functions. Each pump section for the 335 and 435 machines has a flow of 55, 45 and 30 gpm respectively, while the 535 has flows of 70, 60 and 40 gpm respectively.

The system pressure for the 335 is 2300 psi for the main and jib sections and 2400 psi for the swing system. The 435 features system pressures of 2500 and 2400 psi respectively while the 535 includes system pressures of 2500, 3000 and 2400 psi.

The 335 and 435 use two 6 in. bore x 3 in. rod cylinders on the boom, a 7 in. bore x 3.5 in. rod cylinder on the jib and four 6 in. bore x 3 in. rod cylinders with locking valves on the stabilizers. The 535 uses two 6.3 in. bore x 3.7 in. rod solid cylinders on the boom, one 7 in. bore x 3.7 in. rod solid cylinder on the jib and 4.7 in. bore x 4 in. solid rod cylinders for machine stabilization. The stabilizer cylinders also include cylinder-mounted locking valves.

Hydraulic system filtration is accomplished via a 10 micron Hydac filter located in the return line with a 25 psi bypass and visual indicator. The hydraulic reservoir for the 335, 435 and 535 has a 100 gal. capacity. The 335 and 435 have a "direct fill" filler system while the 535 uses a hand-operated hydraulic oil pump that fills the system through filters.

For higher production with added operator safety, the hydraulic system incorporates Voac joysticks to control the pilot-operated swing controls, which are interfaced with an enable switch that isolates hydraulic pressure and prevents boom movement when the engine is running and the operator is off the seat.

The swing system for the loaders is a 360[degrees] continuous rotation design. The 335 and 435 rotate at 7 rpm while the 535 can rotate as fast as 9 rpm. The drive system utilizes a two-stage Fairfield planetary gearbox with a Parker gear motor. The system is greaseable from the cab. Swing torque for the 335 and 435 is 36,540 lb.ft., while the 535 is 44,500 ft.lb. Standard operating weights for the machines are 23,336 lb. for the 335, 29,550 lb. for the 435 and 33,700 lb. for the 535.

The cabs are designed with certified FOPS, plus operator protection systems constructed with heavy-duty front windshield guards. In-cab machine instrumentation is provided by Beede.

Also available for these loaders are the 4800 delimber, the S240 (40 in.) and S260 (58 in.) reversible bar saws, and the reversible slasher and swing arm. The optional delimber is a self-contained unit powered by optional hydraulics with the accumulator mounted on board.

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