33hp vs 44hp kubota Carlton 4012

[TreeAce]

Just looking for people who can speak from experience on these two engines. Also input on the 35hp vanguard may be useful although I have pretty well ruled it out. I am currently planning on getting a 4012 with 4x4 and wireless remote. I just can't decide if the extra 4,000$ for the 44hp is worth it. I will only do the occasional monster stump and could always sub it out if I had to. I will mostly do stumps that are under 36 inches and mostly ash,oak,maple,and some pines. I just have to wonder if the 44hp is worth it for me. I am "just a little extra" for this option or that option myself right into spending twice what I had originally wanted to. Thoughts? Thanks!

 

[OLD MAN GRINDER]

Just looking for people who can speak from experience on these two engines. Also input on the 35hp vanguard may be useful although I have pretty well ruled it out. I am currently planning on getting a 4012 with 4x4 and wireless remote. I just can't decide if the extra 4,000$ for the 44hp is worth it. I will only do the occasional monster stump and could always sub it out if I had to. I will mostly do stumps that are under 36 inches and mostly ash,oak,maple,and some pines. I just have to wonder if the 44hp is worth it for me. I am "just a little extra" for this option or that option myself right into spending twice what I had originally wanted to. Thoughts? Thanks![/QUOT

Depends on how much longer u are going to be grinding stumps, don't know your age but if you are still a young man and going to be working for a while I would go with the 44hp, you will get done quicker and maximize your hourly earnings, won't take many jobs to get the 4000 back, 36 inches is a good sized stump and much quicker with more hp, but if you are like me, and just about to the end of your rope then the 4000 might be more important.....hope this helps...



Bob

 

[Bigstumps]

I've owned the 33HP version of the machine you are talking about. It was great but I also had a big tow behind at the same time. The 44HP engine is noticeably much more powerful, it wasn't available when I purchased my 33hp and when I upgraded my 33 I got rid of my tow behind at the same time and went all the way to a 74hp track - now down to a single machine.

I would say the 44HP would be worth the upgrade.

 

[elmostump]

I am running 35hp on my Rayco, its a good engine......at least for a gasser, (largest hp available when I bought mine). My suggestion would be get the 44hp. I learned along time ago I always regretted under powering any thing trying to save a few dollars. Not that 4K is few dollars, but I'm sure you wont regret it. plus it would have better resale value.

 

[TreeAce]

I am buying the 44hp unit with all the goodies! The Carlton dealer made me a very good deal (I think at least) so I took him up on it. I can't wait. I was smart and left a stump in my back yard and two and my neighbors house so I will be able to use it right away. I may even have it next week.

 

[Bigstumps]

That's a nice Christmas present!!! I always think this time of year dealers give better deals - just look at all the deals on cars at year end, along with winter and everybody spending all their extra cash on other things.

Good job - you'll be thrilled!!

 

[gorman]

I have a 44 horse with the sandvik wheel. It's really great. I have been told by my dealer that if you're not going 44 then it's better to get the gasser over the 33 kubota. The power is only a little more with the diesel but you can buy 3 replacement gas engines for the cost of one 33 kubota engine.

 

[Stump Grinder52]

Bought a 4012 two years ago with a 33HP Kubota,used,low hrs.[420hrs],with all the bells and whistles,wired and wireless remote,4 wheel drive,pusher blade,Sandvik wheel,it's a great machine.Twice as fast as the 2500-4 with Green Teeth it replaced.The biggest asset is the diesel torque,the Sandvik wheel and the wireless remote.Good luck with your new machine.

 

[TreeAce]

I actually wanted to order one without the pusher blade because I wasn't convinced I would ever really use it. Figured I would save the 1,100$. They ended up just giving it to me because they already have the units made up and want to move em on out. And that was after we already had a deal for one without the blade.NICE. I will report back after I get it just to share my thoughts on it. Thanks all!

 

[Coen]

We have a blade on our 4012. It seems almost useless. A rarely see people using them.

 

[Bigstumps]

On my SP7015TRX I use the blade on every job! I either push the material back in the hole I've created and do a roughly smooth the area, or I push everything in a pile next to the hole so it can be removed (by someone else - I don't do this) I give the homeowner the option. On really large stumps I find I have to move the material so I can finish the removal.

 

[Stump Grinder52]

When i first got my machine,thought the blade was a joke,now i use it all the time like Bigstumps does.It's real handy to back fill your hole,push chips into a pile,smoothen out the job.TreeAce did you get yours with wireless remote?

 

[Stumpefy]

I found someone on a different tree site that doesn't like the 4012 at all. What do you guys think about his criticisms?

"I've run quite a few grinders and my employer's Carlton SP4012s are the biggest pieces of junk I've ever run! He's had 2 of them and I've never known a grinder could go through so many belts, pulleys, polychains and sheaves in my life. Every hundred hours or so we're replacing 1 or the other. I don't ever take the grinder out without bringing the entire socket set along, as it seems we rarely make it thru a week without having to wrench on something. The polychain enclosure driving the cutting wheel fills up with debris in the blink of an eye and must be unbolted and cleaned out frequently, otherwise you rapidly eat up the expensive polychain and sheaves. The safety latch on the slide system which tensions the cutter belts doesn't have enough adjustment built into it to accommodate both new or worn belts, so we've had to either cut it down shorter when a new belt is put on, or weld it up longer as the belts wear and stretch. Several times. The fuel tank only holds enough for several hours of grinding, nowhere near enough for a day's worth of work. The turning radius on it is horrible, the visibility of the cutter head is non-existent, the guard over the cutter wheel extends too far down. It will start hitting the top of the stump as soon as you grind several passes thus limiting your grind depth, but if you flip it up you'll spew chips everywhere. As you grind deeper into the ground, the left/right swing cylinders come down and hit the top of the frame with every swing, thus wearing away at both frame and cylinder and greatly limiting your swing radius as you get deeper. And many of the hydraulic hoses were seemingly routed with no thought or foresight, dragging back and forth across the frame and drive wheel fenders with every swing, wearing holes in the hoses. The chip containment curtains under the swing frame leave a lot to be desired and you'll regularly get pelted in the face while grinding. Did I mention I hate it???

Like I said, I've run a number of Rayco and Vermeer machines and have never had half this many problems or 1/10 this level of frustration and hatred towards a machine. I did a bunch of looking/talking at TCIA and really liked the looks of both the Bandit 2550 and the Rayco RG45 Super Jr., for that size machine and am trying to convince the boss to schedule some demos of those 2. I'm pretty confident they'll grind circles around the Carlton."

 

[Mowingman]

I have owned a 4012 for 5 years. I do not see one valid point in this guys rant. In my experience, every point he makes is 100% wrong. I also believe he does not know much about maintaining, or operating this machine, based on his comments about belts, belt enclosures, engagement lever and so on.
If he worked for me, I would probably have fired him already for abusing/misusing/neglecting maintenance, on this machine.
Jeff

 

[Stump Grinder52]

Bush Ape,Don't know where this guy is from,but like Mowingman says,"i do not see one valid point in this guys rant'.I've a 2500-4 and a 4012 and have none of these problems.I have well over a on both v and poly belt with no problems.For it to be eating belts and pulleys something is out of line.I think the guys employer should do to him a favor and let him start his own stump grinding business.

 

[marne]

BTW which exact Kubota engine is used in the 44hp version?

I see a V1505-T-E3B and a V2003-M-E3B with different displacement (91 cu.in / 122 cu.in) and and torque (88ft/lb vs 96ft/lb) but both rated 44hp and 4 cylinders. Which is it?

 

[Mowingman]

My 4015 is a 2012 model, with the 44hp diesel. It has the Kubota V1505T engine in it.
Jeff