Which medium sized stump grinder?

[Tree Man Tom]

I've had a predator for nearly 6 years (2500+ hours). Its not perfect, but imo there is nothing on the market that gets close to matching it for tight access and general mountain goat abilities. It will cruise through a standard house door and is very rarely beaten by side passages. If the cutting arm is unpinned from its ram and pulled up to nearly vertical it can manage a 90 degree turn in back alleys just 1 metre wide.

 

Issues:-

- As Nick states - get rid of the polydrive belt. A conversion to V belts is cheaper than 1 new polydrive belt!

 

- Had problems keeping the cutting head from coming loose - solved be recoiling the threads and putting lock nuts on the inside.

 

- Clutches have been moaned about by some users - that said I'm still on the original.

 

- Parts not a problem; the vast majority of wearing bits are generic.

 

- I never got on with the multi-tip system. Found the carbide tips just not tough enough for harsh conditions, particularly West Midlands hard pebble. After a bit of experimentation (drilling pocket holes in the multi-tip wheel) I settled on 1100 green teeth, just 8 cutters on the wheel, of which the lead 4 do virtually all the work being 19mm ahead of the other 4.

The wheel is not a wheel, but an off-square square (if that makes sense) which I had made for 150 quid. (60 for a slab of hardox type steel and 90 to get it laser cut). Using 'Chinese' copies at £4 a tooth (with resharpening), cutter costs, performance and reliability have ceased to be an issue).

 

- BUT, my first engine lasted just 2000 hours before the crank bearing at the drive pulley end wore out. Probably a combination of running the belt tighter than needed and the fact that there is no extra bearing support for the pulley. The engine suppliers said there should be as the lombardini engine is not designed for taking full power through v belts without extra support.

 

All in all, if I had to replace this machine; it would be with another one just the same.

 

Thanks for that mate, we had a few machines that we were close to striking a deal on, but based on the discription we have bought a predator

 

Thanks to everyone who gave feedback. Where would we look at getting a v-belt conversion set up from?

[nick channer]

Thanks for that mate, we had a few machines that we were close to striking a deal on, but based on the discription we have bought a predator

 

Thanks to everyone who gave feedback. Where would we look at getting a v-belt conversion set up from?

 

the manufacture arbour plant will sort you out.. there based near reading in berks.. 01189401740

[Tree Man Tom]

the manufacture arbour plant will sort you out.. there based near reading in berks.. 01189401740

 

Cheers

[PeteB]

Mark Lowndes at M and H Arb runs predatorparts.com so he should be able to give some sensible admit.

[Stumpgo]

"Where would we look at getting a v-belt conversion set up from?"

 

Check first. If the machine is new or near new it should already be fitted with a V belt drive.

 

I got the following spec. from a most helpful technician (not sales!) at Megadyne (a major manufacturer of drive belts of all types):-

 

- 2 taper lock triple v belt pulleys. (140SPA3-neutral)

- 2 taper lock bushes to fit pulleys to the 50mm drive shafts. (2517-50mm-neutral)

- 3 XPA drive belts. (XPA2282-Megadyne)

 

These I purchased from my preferred Bearing and Belt supplier, in July '07, for £55 + vat. Fitting is a simple direct replacement. Fully happy with the result.

The belts need to be run pretty tight & will require several adjustments early on as they bed in. I suspect this change has played a useful role in the long clutch life I'm experiencing.

 

BTW. This technician seemed genuinely shocked that polybelts had been chosen in the first place, saying they were never designed for the inevitable shock loads involved in stump grinding.

 

Good luck with your new machine. You will find turning on grass etc. is a subtle art of the gentle curve, which gets easier as the tracks lose a bit of their aggressive edge. Secondary screening is wise on most sites.

 

I'd also endorse M & H Arb services for all things Predator. Mark worked with Arborplant for many years before setting up his own business - M & H Arb Services

[Theocus]

Also for something a little different, how about an sc252 on tracks. SAS from Malvern are converting vermeers to tracks. I saw one the other day and it looks brilliant. Always worth considering.

[JeremySmithers@EricHunter]

Nobody has mentioned Tunnissen stump grinders. There are options for PTO. wheeled or tracked machines. German built, cracking deals.

[PeteB]

Go on Jez, post a picture do!

[samwise]

found the rayco pretty gutless, the bandit has more grunt i think, no experience of the others.

[Lee Winger]

Vermeer 252