New Forestry Attachments
Komatsu’s new C144 harvester head, grapple line improve performance with increased reliability for great productivity
For success on forestry projects, your equipment needs to be highly productive and reliable. Komatsu’s upgraded C144 harvester head and new grapple range can help deliver both.
The C144 features a new valve bank with a longer service life than its predecessor (verified through testing). Its resilience against wear boosts the reliability of the harvester head and contributes to more uptime and reduced repair costs. To save fuel, the new valve bank lowers energy losses due to decreased hydraulic resistance in the valve block.
An increased feed rate on the smaller feed roller motor from approximately 16 feet per second to 21 feet per second helps deliver greater production and profitability. The design of the saw box has been improved to simplify maintenance and increase reliability.
Better stem holding performance during felling is another improvement. It comes from inverting the direction of the oil flow in the feed system. Test operators who tried the new C144 said that they got more response from the head and described it as “distinct.”
Longer service life
To help save time, Komatsu’s new grapple range encompasses 10 completely redesigned models with larger openings that offer better wood pile penetration and make it easier for the logs to roll into the grapple. They have also been refined for gathering and straightening timber.
In addition to new features, the grapples retain the key advantages of the previous models such as a robust, durable design. Several improvements on the new grapples contribute to a longer service life, ensuring durability in demanding forest environments.
New models range from the G82, which holds 0.85 square feet, to the G87H, which holds 1.64 square feet. The range is divided into standard, bioenergy (brushwood) and heavy-duty applications. All are compatible with the most common forwarders, as well as most types of truck cranes and other vehicles that handle timber.
