First Grinder

rugger01

rugger01

Participating member
Location
MA
So I'm looking at buying a stump grinder and I wanted to know your thoughts on the fillowing:
1. Make
2. Model
3. Wheel and teeth combo
4. Gas vs diesel
5. Hydraulic vs belt driven

Here is a bit of info as to what I'm thinking as for now:
1. Remote
2. Blade
3. Budget around $50k
4. Self propelled not tow behind
5. I lean away from belts to avoid having the annoying belt cover in the stump hole.
6. Service and parts is everything so I lean toward the same brand as the guys I bring my chipper to now (rayco).

Thanks for your thoughts and feedback.
 
I would go with the most simple machine you can get.
Simple engine wo common rail and exhaust treatment.
No remote or at least a machine that has manual override if it fails.
Any electronics have to be avoided, if the computer or a wire breaks, your lost with 2500lbs steel in a backyard.
My vote goes to belts, as they are cheaper to repair than a radial piston pump and hyd motor. If hydraulics break, you can make an insane mess on the customers yard.
The belt cover can be shallower than a hyd motor sticking out.
The main concern is grinding depth, which lacks on the only machine that ticks all boxes, a carlton 7015.
Maybe you should get one and mount an extension to the push blade, so you're able to lift the machines end to gain more depth.
As for wheels sandvic with high hp grinders is the way to go, rugged teeth with virtually no drag because of missing teeth holders on the outside of the wheel.
Go simple!
 
I have 2 bandit zt. Great little machines. You will need a bobcat mt85 to move chips if a second pass is needed. It fits my select housing area. If your budget is 50k then you can get the grinder, mini, and trailer.

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Pretty impressive before and after. Thanks. I already own a mini and clean up tools. But I appreciate the info. Keep it comin
 
rugger01 said:
So I'm looking at buying a stump grinder and I wanted to know your thoughts on the fillowing:
1. Make
2. Model
3. Wheel and teeth combo
4. Gas vs diesel
5. Hydraulic vs belt driven

Here is a bit of info as to what I'm thinking as for now:
1. Remote
2. Blade
3. Budget around $50k
4. Self propelled not tow behind
5. I lean away from belts to avoid having the annoying belt cover in the stump hole.
6. Service and parts is everything so I lean toward the same brand as the guys I bring my chipper to now (rayco).

Thanks for your thoughts and feedback.
Click to expand...
I like your thoughts on the machine ..go diesel if possible although emissions systems on certain new ones aren't very proven in longevity without large upkeep or repair Bills( Hearsay?) Hydro static or direct dive is sweet. I like green teeth but I'm pretty sandy soil mostly..someone with lots of rocks may think another setup better.. rayco makes notoriously well performed grinders.. if I had 50k to spend on a stumper in my market I'm not sure which I'd choose right now either
 
Bigger is ALWAYS better.. time is money and you don’t want to stand around losing brain cells grinding stumps. We run a bandit 2900T (160 horse gas) the machine is a beast but have had a few issues with the grinders from bandit.. from what I have gathered rayco seems to have the stump grinders down and make a great machine. I can’t imagine not having a wireless remote let alone a tow behind machine. Invest in a good piece of equipment that will save you time but importantly make the job easier!
 
Treetopflyer said:
What's that's stumps diameter and how long did your machine take to grind that stump?
Click to expand...
Around 38” Live Oak with a large mound. It took about 4 hours of grinding and cleaning with about 16 yards of chips/soil removed.


I looked heavily into the bandit line. Almost pulled the trigger on the 2600 series grinders but I was not satisfied with the performance of the rev wheel (too much teeth and wheel wear in the sand) I did demo a 2900 equivalent series tow behind with the HD REV. it held up better. Problem is that they are all around $90k. I just decided to get the second zt and a 15xp for the $90k and split crew during the slow down.

Go as big as possible to save time if working with only 1 crew.

Big decisions.

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Last edited:
4 hours? My Vermeer sc852 seems like a 45 minute stump and that’s a huge stump,chasing roots and doing 3ft diameter to grind the crown so it’s level (12’circle)
On a soft maple an oak or locusts go faster
 
VenasNursery said:
4 hours? My Vermeer sc852 seems like a 45 minute stump and that’s a huge stump,chasing roots and doing 3ft diameter to grind the crown so it’s level (12’circle)
On a soft maple an oak or locusts go faster
Click to expand...

i agree... I don’t want to be that guy that says “I have a bigger thing then yours” but, with the 2900 we would rip through a stump like that in 15 minutes (1 pass however deep needed) and Have it cleaned up in gone and back filled in 45 people ask how you spend 90+ on a grinder is looking at the numbers.. if that save us 3 hours on the job we could do 8 jobs a day compared to another machine doing 2.. Thats 40 a week instead of 10
 
Daren Smith said:
i agree... I don’t want to be that guy that says “I have a bigger thing then yours” but, with the 2900 we would rip through a stump like that in 15 minutes (1 pass however deep needed) and Have it cleaned up in gone and back filled in 45 people ask how you spend 90+ on a grinder is looking at the numbers.. if that save us 3 hours on the job we could do 8 jobs a day compared to another machine doing 2.. Thats 40 a week instead of 10
Click to expand...


I agree. Hence me shopping.

Lots of things to consider. Trailer, trucks. People. Target market. Competition. This all had input into the decision. Speed will not always win.
 
Tree_Frog said:
I agree. Hence me shopping.

Lots of things to consider. Trailer, trucks. People. Target market. Competition. This all had input into the decision. Speed will not always win.
Click to expand...

for sure you are spot on with all of that! Our big day hint is time so we could justify spending the extra money. We are still unsure on teeth.. running green right.. personally I think they cut the best but they do throw chips a country mile!
 
Thanks for the thoughts and input. In my research there are 4 manufacturers to pick from who all make decent grinders.
1. Rayco
2. Bandit - One of my buddies is a bandit guy and has had continual nightmare stories about both his chippers and grinders both on break down and service from local dealer. I will never buy a bandit because of his stories.
3. Vermeer - I have not received good part support for another machine (one of their garbage minis) that I have to run at my other job.
4. Carlton - The local dealer has just changed and I am leery of their part support and their service is no where near me.

Soooo that led me to Rayco.

We have a TON of granite up here so I think I will go through teeth regardless of who makes them. Keep your thoughts coming. Thank you
 
My bandit dealer, Company wrench, has been great. John Snyder goes out of his way to take care of business. I have had my chipper go down on Friday. And he had me a loaner on Monday, delivered and swapped for repair. Same thing on my grinder. An issue arose and I have a loaner to keep my business running. Great investment in customer service.

Teeth- I’m not sold on the rev wheel. Side by side the rev wheel is faster than green teeth. Less throw. But financially appears to be a huge expense in the long term. There are a multitude of different teeth. Wear appears higher. The actual wheel wears down and requires replacement. I think it is about 600 hours. It’s a head scratcher.
 
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