Tractor-Mounted Forestry Cranes in NZ: Two South Island JAKE Builds, Four Days Each

Two South Island tractors now carry PALMS forestry cranes on JAKE mounting systems. One is in Otago with Whakatipu Timber. The other is in Marlborough with Greenvine NZ, fitted by Northern Tractor Services based in Canterbury. Each build was assembled in four days. And the tractor under the crane doesn't need to be new.

Here is what went into them, and why the next one could be in Australia.

A tractor-mounted crane is two products, not one

A forestry crane does not go onto a tractor on its own. It needs a mounting system that carries the crane's weight and twisting load through the tractor's chassis. That is what JAKE builds.

Every build pairs two machines:

• A PALMS forestry crane. Every build here runs the PALMS 7.94, the longest-reaching crane in PALMS's 7 Series, built in Estonia from Swedish Strenx steel. It reaches 9.4 m and lifts 1,750 kg at 4 m.

• A JAKE mounting system. Built in Finland to fit one specific tractor. The frame runs through the chassis, extends to the front and wraps around both rear axles to counter the sideways torque of a working crane.

Around that frame sit the parts that make it a forestry machine: support legs to steady the tractor under load, a boom support for road travel, armour for the fuel tank, exhaust, intake and soft panels, and a cab cage with mesh surround.

The Otago build: Whakatipu Timber

Whakatipu Timber was ALFA’s first JAKE build in New Zealand. The setup is built for crane-fed chipping: a PALMS 7.94 crane, cab cage and mesh, grapple holder and a chipper, with the installation completed alongside JJ's Ltd in Dunedin.

The technicians who fitted it had never done a JAKE build before. Their verdict was the accuracy: every angle and every bolt hole lined up to the millimetre.

The Marlborough build: Greenvine NZ

The second build went to Greenvine NZ in Marlborough: a PALMS 7.94 crane on a Valtra T235, carried on a JAKE 904 mounting frame. Northern Tractor Services carried out the fit in their workshop. Same process, same result: assembly complete in four days, and the tractor rolled out of the workshop ready to work.

PALMS 7.94	Spec
Maximum outreach	9.4 m
Lift at 4 m reach	1,750 kg
Lift at full reach	650 kg
Gross lifting torque	96 kNm
Slewing torque / angle	21 kNm / 380°
Rotator maximum load	60 kN
Max working pressure	240 bar
Recommended oil flow	60–120 L/min
Crane weight	1,310 kg

Lift figures at maximum pressure, without grapple and rotator. Crane weight excludes support leg and valve block. Source: PALMS.

Precision by JAKE: why it's four days, not four months

The four-day turnaround comes from what happens before the parts land. ALFA sends the tractor's serial number, make, model and year to JAKE in Finland. JAKE designs and builds the mounting kit to fit that tractor, then ships it.

So nothing is fabricated on site. The frame arrives cut, drilled and ready to bolt up. A locally fabricated equivalent can leave a tractor in a workshop for one to six months, earning nothing. A JAKE build is measured in days.

The modifications are minimal. Nothing is fixed permanently, and the only cut needed is when the crane is set lower.

Your tractor doesn't need to be new

Because JAKE builds to the serial number, the starting point is the tractor you already own. JAKE kits are built for Valtra, John Deere, Massey Ferguson, New Holland, McCormick, Lamborghini and Belarus/MTZ. If your brand isn't on that list, ask anyway: other tractors can often be fitted.

That matters more than the purchase price. You keep the controls you already know, the cab you already sit in and the mechanic who already services it. One machine, one operator and one parts relationship, instead of a second dedicated forest machine.

And it stays a tractor. The whole crane setup comes off in five to ten minutes: undo two bolts, stand it on the support legs with the crane itself as the third leg, and drive away.

Built for forestry protection, not just fitted for it

The JAKE cab cage and mesh are certified to ISO 8084 and meet Level 3 OPS (operator protective structure). That certification applies across tractor brands, not just Valtra.

For the heavier cranes, the JAKE 904 frame uses a 40 mm bottom plate and the heavy-duty support legs are 60 mm steel, and both can be retrofitted.

Frame mount or roof mount?

Owners in the UK call this a "JAKE plate" build, as opposed to a roof-mounted crane. The difference is where the weight goes. A frame mount carries the crane low, through the chassis and rear axles. A roof mount carries it on top of the cab. Low and through the chassis is what lets the tractor work a larger crane with stability.

On site from assembly to induction

Asher Bowyer from ALFA was on site for both builds. If a question came up during assembly, he took it straight to JAKE in Finland, so nothing waited on an email thread.

Once the build was finished, Asher ran the operator induction before handover: the crane controls, setting the support legs, the boom support for road travel, and taking the crane off and putting it back on.

Otago was first in New Zealand. Who's first in Australia?

ALFA is the exclusive distributor for PALMS and JAKE in both New Zealand and Australia. Two South Island builds are done. The first Australian build is still open.

If you run a tractor in forestry, farm forestry, firewood or chipping work on either side of the Tasman, the next step is simple. Send us your tractor's serial number, make, model and year. We'll come back with the JAKE kit and PALMS crane that suit it.

Call 0800 425 325 or send your tractor details.

Frequently asked questions

Can a PALMS crane be fitted to any tractor? A PALMS crane goes onto a tractor through a JAKE mounting system built in Finland to that tractor's serial number, make, model and year. Kits exist for Valtra, John Deere, Massey Ferguson, New Holland, McCormick, Lamborghini and Belarus/MTZ, and other brands can often be fitted.

Does my tractor need to be new? No. JAKE builds to your tractor's serial number, so the tractor you already own is the starting point.

How long does a JAKE crane build take? The JAKE mounting kit goes on in two to three days. Both South Island crane builds were fully assembled in four days.

Can I take the crane off? Yes. The whole crane setup comes off in five to ten minutes by undoing two bolts and standing it on its support legs, so the tractor goes back to normal work.

Is the forestry guarding certified? Yes. The JAKE cab cage and mesh are certified to ISO 8084 and meet Level 3 OPS, across tractor brands.

Is JAKE available in Australia? Yes. ALFA is the exclusive Australian and New Zealand distributor for JAKE and PALMS.