Need opinions on Vermeer sc 252

luke capa

luke capa

Location
boulder
I am looking into buying a stump grinder and I found a Vermeer sc 252 nearby. I have been talking to friends and they all have bad things to say about them. I do not need the best grinder, I am just starting up and everyone said that a 6 inch morbark was too small but I love it. So do you guys think it is worth purchasing, if not what else in my price range would be worth buying. I am currently between the 252 and an alpine magnum
 
The Toro stumper that looks like a dingo served me well the few times I used it. Ground speed is fast and its hydraulic drive to the wheel so there are no belts to worry about

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Between the Alpine Magnum and the 252, the 252 wins. But your friends are right: as you get more, bigger stumps you'll begin to see how much time an underpowered machine wastes.
 
252 is gonna smoke an alpine...no.matter what you have to fix. The alpine magnum has made money for 1 person...the designer/marketer...way too slow to make money with unless you get that one wierd a$$ stump someone really, really needs gone. A stump inside a deck? Really?! It gets covered over for a fraction of the cost it would take to make money with removing using an alpine.
 
I have decided to go with buying the machine. For the price it is at it will be a great entry level grinder for me and since I have low overhead I am not too concerned about how slow it is.
 
Also its colorado and we dont get as many trees that big around here as some of you guys get, and I can always rent a bigger grinder if needed
 
I have run an alpine magnum and done a 3 ft stump with one and it is a fine stump grinder, especially in this area of colorado. The magnum works, but I was looking to have a good small/midsize grinder, which the magnum is not.
 
Hydraulics rule.
I bought my 252 brand new in 2003. Got almost 2000 hrs on it today with no major repairs. Machine does the work and I got plenty of energy left over to throw buckets of chips onto my trailer with the help of my power barrow.

Trick is to run 700 series GreenTeeth on the 252, disable the AutoSweep and get good running it yourself.

But boy does that new 292SC look good with all the upgrades mine doesn't have.

My chipper is a Morbark too. A 2001 2060D with a 13"×6" infeed powered by a 35 HP Wisconsin V4 controlled by a auto feed computer.

Here's my 2003 252SC.

20170602_113225.webp
 
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Levi.CO said:
Word, I may have done one or two that size with the magnum but would not wish it upon my worst enemy.
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Lol, I can't imagine swinging a Alpine Magnum no matter what size of powerhead in anything over 10" day after day or all day long.

Sure you can grind a 3 footer once, but I ground out an 8 foot diameter stump once with my 252 and never broke a sweat.:sisi:
 
Levi.CO said:
Yep, gotta pick your battles with the Magnum. I think it could contend with or maybe even beat a 252 in the 10'' or smaller range.
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I've never used a hand held alpine magnum. But I've seen the size of its wheel and teeth.
But even with a ported 3120XP lol, it could not match me and my 252's hydraulic power and the 25hp Kohler.
I've only been running it myself for the last 14 years. She rips in 10" and under, whole core included.
Just the power of the swing hydraulics on the spinning cutter wheel clears the pile of chips away without even slowing down while cutting.
 
Levi.CO said:
yes, in a straight cutting race, you are right. I think though, that over the long haul the AM is more efficient for stumps in this range.
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Levi, I was going to leave it at that with my last post.
The 252 has 42" of swing arc capable of efficiently grinding many little hedge stumps while moving forward without slowing down.
Just the weight and momentum of the big 252 wheel at 1500rpm will destroy a 4" stump with one pass.

I can see where a Alpine mag would be handy for work in gardens that are cribbed in.
But all I had to do in those cases is use my blind folded up as a ramp to get the 252 up over the cribbings or low stone walls.

Hard to believe but Rayco and Vermeer designed the 3 wheel grinder design way back in the mid 1970's. Still a well proven design especially with the latest 292SC model.
 
alpine magnum is a badass grinder with fresh teeth on a stump <15". I have gone out stump grinding with a 36 hp carlton 2300 and a magnum and sometimes its not worth the hassle of bringing the big grinder all the way back into a tiny colorado back yard and because of that I often just use the magnum. Even with this in mind I picked the vermeer because I am very good at committing to things that my equipment cant handle so I personally would rather go big.
 
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