Vermeer SC372 Diesel

oceans

oceans

Been here much more than a while
Location
RI
Any opinions on this machine are welcome. I usually sub out all stump grinding, but payment on a bunch of jobs are now hinging on someone else’s timing. We’re all busy.

I also just picked up close to 4 acres of clearing a former X-mas tree farm. Lots of small stumps, but pulling and disposing is out of the question. I doubt there’s a stump over 8”.

I’ve grappled with belt/pulley drives and don’t necessarily love that design, especially the profile at the cutter wheel. My experience with hydro drive has been rock solid. Gas isn’t my favorite and kinda prefer diesel for a bunch of reasons.

The machine in question seems to check a lot of boxes and I might be able to get a decent one for a very fair price.

What might I be getting into? What should I look out for? Thanks!
 
Hydraulic pumps and motors wear out and it might be hard to assess what degree of "used up" you're getting and used-up/wear is also a function of maintenance that was done which has to e taken on faith. Hourmeter yes, but there's hard hrs and less hard hours. With big hp pump/motor deficiency may be masked. Bad, but also good because to a degree hp will compensate. Big hp probably also compensates need for constantly maintained fresh sharp teeth. Small hp really shows benefit from sharp teeth.

Sorry I'm a generalist today.

What triggered this was a guy telling me about a hydraulic bobcat mounted stumper he used that sucked wind worse than a little 13 hp belt rental special - stalled in the cut endlessly.
 
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I don't have much to offer in specific info on this machine but I will say that getting a big machine makes good sense if you're doing lots of stumps and you are not normally working in very tight quarters. We did a few removals at a house here in Detroit and were going to come back to do the stumps because we have to rent a stumper after ours was stolen. My partner happened to notice a crew down the street with a stumper. He walked down and asked the guys if they wanted to do our stumps that day for cash since they were right there and they said yes. They came in with a big Vermeer and that thing just obliterated a couple big hardwood stumps in like 10 minutes. It was an eye-opener. It wouldn't make sense for us because we try to do more pruning than removals but if you do lots of removals and land clearing, wow would it be the move.
 
Bart_ said:
Hydraulic pumps and motors wear out and it might be hard to assess what degree of "used up" you're getting and used-up/wear is also a function of maintenance that was done which has to e taken on faith. Hourmeter yes, but there's hard hrs and less hard hours. With big hp pump/motor deficiency may be masked. Bad, but also good because to a degree hp will compensate. Big hp probably also compensates need for constantly maintained fresh sharp teeth. Small hp really shows benefit from sharp teeth.

Sorry I'm a generalist today.

What triggered this was a guy telling me about a hydraulic bobcat mounted stumper he used that sucked wind worse than a little 13 hp belt rental special - stalled in the cut endlessly.
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Nah, General(ist), it’s all helpful. Thank you.

Since posting I have come across the new Bandit SG40 which basically comes in 4 flavors. Track or wheel and belt or hydro. Pick your combo. The wheeled hydro seems pretty decent.

I rarely get into massive stumps so it may be an affordable entry machine that’s relatively easy to transport.
 
flushcut said:
One of my stump subs runs one and has had problems galore with it.
Personally if you are going to buy a stumper bigger is better. Horse power is king with stump grinders.
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I agree that hp is king from all the machines ever being around. Like a chipper, keeping teeth sharp is…queen? Or a different king?

My only path into big hp right now would be a used machine and the more I think about it, the less I want to buy someone else’s problems.
 
oceans said:
I agree that hp is king from all the machines ever being around. Like a chipper, keeping teeth sharp is…queen? Or a different king?

My only path into big hp right now would be a used machine and the more I think about it, the less I want to buy someone else’s problems.
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Low hp machines need to have sharp teeth, always. So you have 4 acres of small stumps. Let’s say it will take four swipes, back forth back forth, with a 30hp machine and maybe a minute and half. Now a 60hp machine does it in two swipes at thirty seconds, or even one swipe. After 800 stumps which one will get you off site faster walking into the bank. With little stumps big stumpers don’t really care that the teeth are dull, small stumpers you will see a drastic drop in production.

All that being said hp costs money and get expensive quickly.
 
flushcut said:
Is renting an option?
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It’s possible but the math doesn’t totally work out. I’d spend close to a year of payments to manage what’s In front of me before the end of the year, and I’m sure more will come since I have traditionally subbed it out.

I totally hear you, @flushcut, but I also have to think about transportation. The smaller machine can fit on my trailer along with everything else. I could lose a lot of time and burn a lot of fuel just driving around after the fact with a larger machine. I’m also telling my wife that a second bathroom is coming as soon as possible.
 
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