Here is a mod that does not look aesthetically speaking. However, the John Deere forestry crane and its grapple deserve some attention. This tool is not the easiest to learn. But once the instructions are in mind, the forest may shake under the tracks of the machine.
Modders kenny456 and Driftstak offer a PC compatible machine only, despite the presence of the John Deere license. But we quickly understand why. There is nothing traditional about the tool. Its use is complex at first glance, and the commands are not translated into the language of Molière. I had to watch the video presentation of the creators to understand the whole point of this mod. This is a fairly classic crane in its use, which allows you to transport your logs to deposit them in a trailer. So far nothing bad. The John Deere Grapple Yarder can travel at 8 km / h on its tracks. On purchase, it offers you a hitch option. You will notice at first glance the stability of the tool during loading / unloading: it does not move, it is appreciable compared to Ponsse and Komatsu tools.
The weight is also a handicap, because on a machine carrier, the trucks have difficulty towing this large crane, and the slightest slope weighs down your speed. But that's not a big deal, because the tool is there to tackle heavy forestry work, and it is rarely moved. The enormous interest of this mod comes from the possibility of attaching a cable far, very far from the crane to use it as a zip line with the grapple. In use, once the principle is understood, it is devilishly effective for moving logs over great distances and loading them into a trailer. Rather than a long speech, just watch the video that accompanies the article to understand how it all works.