Vermeer sc1152/Carlton sp7015trx

[Bailey Foresty]

Hi.
Dose any one own and operate a vermeer sc1152 ?
I have run a carlton sp7015trx with a sandvik wheel, Then later replaced with a new revolution wheel. Very produtive combonation for eight years and have thrown every thing at it, from large land clearance site,forestry plantations to small back yard work. I now want to replace it with a new grinder. Either a new 7015trx with a kubota engine or may be upgrade !! to a vermeer sc1152.
How dose the new carlton sp7015trx with kubota engine compare to the old deutz powered machine ?
Any feed back please.

 

[Bill Becker]

I had a Carlton SP4400 with the Deutz 44HP engine. I used Vermeer Pro Series teeth and then Yellow Jacket. Great machine, ran it for 12 years, easy to maintain. Recently got a new SP7015 AWD with the Kubota 66HP engine, wireless remote control, oil cooler, grader blade and Razor cutting wheel. Cuts much faster. Its quieter and safer to operate. The Vermeer is too complicated in my opinion. Also the hydraulic drive on the cutter wheel is not as efficient as the polychain belt drive, with the hydraulic drive some power is lost due to the heat buildup in the pump/drive motor system. If your machine is still in good shape I suggest you ask Carlton for a price to upgrade the engine. Although I did get over the sticker shock of the price I paid for mine after grinding some 6' diameter Poplar stumps.

 

[hydro man]

Kubota 7015 bogs ,..but is quitter,....duetz seems to rev back up after bogging more quickly,....any 100hp machine even with the so called power loss to the cutter wheel through the hydraulics will eat um up quickly with lot less strain on your machine.

 

[Fairbanks Stump]

The Kubota has 6 more horsepower but considerably more torque. Due to the mechanical advantage and transfer of power to the ground it is about 15-20% more efficient than the sc110 I have run both head to head with identical cutting heads and the 7015 will do the same job faster and on about 60% the fuel of the Vermeer.

 

[Cupocoffee]

I have a two year old SP7015 with the Kubota 66HP engine. I have ground thousands of stumps and the only time I have ever bogged this machine down was when it was new. It took me about 25 hours to get used to the remote. I had never used a remote before but I will never grind without one again. I had a Vermeer SC352 prior with the 35 HP Daihatsu diesel. I rarely bogged it down either. I absolutely love the Carlton SP7015. Mine is a wheeled unit. I would say if anyone bogs down their stump grinder, it is because they are in too big a hurry or they do not know how to grind stumps. There is a video on Youtube of some guy using an 8018 and he bogs it down a couple of times. I just don't get it. I do mainly residential and small ranch work in Oklahoma and I can literally blast a stump out of the ground with my SP7015. The only down side to this machine is it seems I have had way too many things that have gone wrong with a brand new machine that should have never left the factory with the problems. I wonder if Carlton has a quality control team. I keep waiting on something else to happen. I have had hydraulic problems, electrical problems, replaced bearings on the front axle, replaced the front axle spindle and the huge assembly that it comes with, one of the wheels didn't have any welds on it and had to be replaced within a few hours of it being new (Carlton replaced it), and the list goes on. One of the reasons I bought a new machine is because I hoped NOT to have any issues other than normal maintenance. Another friend who owns an SP7015 told me it is a great machine but you have to have deep pockets to own one. Back to the subject at hand, if a stump grinder knows how to grind a stump properly, I can't imagine him bogging down an SP7015. It is a very powerful machine and stump grinding isn't a race.

 

[Fairbanks Stump]

Yes^^^^ stump grinding is not a race but when you grind with a SP7015 it dosnt matter because even slow and methodical with the 7015 is faster than anything else going while hog!
I'm sorry to hear about your problems I have had 2 big Carlton's and other than the POS Deutz engine the only thing that brakes are things that I did ie got in a hurry driving back to the trailer popped a wheelie and broke the front spindle ... Oops or got too close to a fence and dented a guard and that's with 5400 hrs on my first one and 2300 on my current machine
I hope it is making you money!

 

[Cupocoffee]

Yes^^^^ stump grinding is not a race but when you grind with a SP7015 it dosnt matter because even slow and methodical with the 7015 is faster than anything else going while hog!
I'm sorry to hear about your problems I have had 2 big Carlton's and other than the POS Deutz engine the only thing that brakes are things that I did ie got in a hurry driving back to the trailer popped a wheelie and broke the front spindle ... Oops or got too close to a fence and dented a guard and that's with 5400 hrs on my first one and 2300 on my current machine
I hope it is making you money!

I'll say this ... regardless of the problems I've had with my SP7015, I would buy another one in a second. The reason is as you stated ... you can grind stumps faster than anything else out there. Once I got the hang of the remote control, I can make this machine dance. It is crazy how many people bring out their video cameras when I am on a job. I have seen all of your Youtube videos and I love the one you did with the Cottoneyed Joe music. There are a million questions on this site where people ask if you can make money in this business. Without getting into specifics, if a person markets themself right, there isn't a reason in the world that they can't pay for one of these machines in one season or less. I keep very accurate records and I know exactly how much I make per hour of machine time. The SP7015 sips fuel. I have the four cylinder 66HP turbo diesel Kubota. Running my grinder wide open, it uses a gallon and a half an hour. My grinder and trailer weigh over 8,500 lbs. I never go anywhere without hauling my "moving billboard." It gets me jobs at least a couple of times per month. I have a Silverado with the Duramax diesel engine. I spend over $500 per month on diesel fuel. My drinking buddies (coffee drinking) think it is insane that I spend that kind of money on fuel. They don't realize that when you are spending that kind of money on fuel, it equates to a LOT of stump grinding work ... thus a lot of money. I have also seen on this site that you can't make money stump grinding. I guess if they can convince a bunch of people that is true, it is better for you and me. Huh? Some people say they hate stump grinding. I had a great job and punched a time clock for thirty years but it was a job working for the man. I accidentally got into stump grinding after I retired and I absolutely LOVE grinding stumps, especially since I bought this unit with the remote control. People always tell me if I am going to charge them that I should at least make it LOOK like I am working. On the other hand, if someone thinks they can buy a $60,000 machine and just sit around waiting on work to come to them, they will be paying for a machine without getting work. You have to market yourself through serious advertising. After just a few years, they will start getting jobs from referrals. I keep my prices reasonable but not low. I will not beat up my machine for nothing although we have all underbid jobs and I have done my share too. It is part of life. I never raise my price on someone once I have seen the job. If I screw up a bid, that is not my customers fault. I have had tree service people tell me my prices are too low. I have also had weekend wonders tell me they could never get a job at the prices I charge. Honestly, I have NEVER compared my prices with anyone. When someone calls me, I get the job 99% of the time. It is all about presentation. I did get a call just the other day and the man asked me how much I charge and I gave him examples for different stump sizes. He was really old (even older than me at 66 Ha!) and he told me he could have a backhoe dig them out cheaper. So I don't get every job. One more thing ... I only grind stumps ... that's all. I do have the hydraulic blade and I do a rough coverup of the hole when done. I don't dress it up with a rake. My customers understand all this and I have NEVER had anyone ask me to remove chips.

 

[Eq Broker]

One of my customers hydraulic pump went out on the SC1152 and contaminated the other drive motors and the repair was $24,000. It's pretty rare that this happens.

 

[MOE]

Carltons are more efficient for their size. I have an 8018 with 79 HP deutz and a rayco RG100 hydraulic drive with a 99 HP kubota. They grind a stump more or less the same speed.

 

[hydro man]

that 1152 had a lot of hrs on it and was ran by multiple people,warranty covered it.

 

[howel07264]

I'll say this ... regardless of the problems I've had with my SP7015, I would buy another one in a second. The reason is as you stated ... you can grind stumps faster than anything else out there. Once I got the hang of the remote control, I can make this machine dance. It is crazy how many people bring out their video cameras when I am on a job. I have seen all of your Youtube videos and I love the one you did with the Cottoneyed Joe music. There are a million questions on this site where people ask if you can make money in this business. Without getting into specifics, if a person markets themself right, there isn't a reason in the world that they can't pay for one of these machines in one season or less. I keep very accurate records and I know exactly how much I make per hour of machine time. The SP7015 sips fuel. I have the four cylinder 66HP turbo diesel Kubota. Running my grinder wide open, it uses a gallon and a half an hour. My grinder and trailer weigh over 8,500 lbs. I never go anywhere without hauling my "moving billboard." It gets me jobs at least a couple of times per month. I have a Silverado with the Duramax diesel engine. I spend over $500 per month on diesel fuel. My drinking buddies (coffee drinking) think it is insane that I spend that kind of money on fuel. They don't realize that when you are spending that kind of money on fuel, it equates to a LOT of stump grinding work ... thus a lot of money. I have also seen on this site that you can't make money stump grinding. I guess if they can convince a bunch of people that is true, it is better for you and me. Huh? Some people say they hate stump grinding. I had a great job and punched a time clock for thirty years but it was a job working for the man. I accidentally got into stump grinding after I retired and I absolutely LOVE grinding stumps, especially since I bought this unit with the remote control. People always tell me if I am going to charge them that I should at least make it LOOK like I am working. On the other hand, if someone thinks they can buy a $60,000 machine and just sit around waiting on work to come to them, they will be paying for a machine without getting work. You have to market yourself through serious advertising. After just a few years, they will start getting jobs from referrals. I keep my prices reasonable but not low. I will not beat up my machine for nothing although we have all underbid jobs and I have done my share too. It is part of life. I never raise my price on someone once I have seen the job. If I screw up a bid, that is not my customers fault. I have had tree service people tell me my prices are too low. I have also had weekend wonders tell me they could never get a job at the prices I charge. Honestly, I have NEVER compared my prices with anyone. When someone calls me, I get the job 99% of the time. It is all about presentation. I did get a call just the other day and the man asked me how much I charge and I gave him examples for different stump sizes. He was really old (even older than me at 66 Ha!) and he told me he could have a backhoe dig them out cheaper. So I don't get every job. One more thing ... I only grind stumps ... that's all. I do have the hydraulic blade and I do a rough coverup of the hole when done. I don't dress it up with a rake. My customers understand all this and I have NEVER had anyone ask me to remove chips.

You and I think alike. I run the same TRX. Been grinding for 15 years and NEVER rake of haul chips.

 

[Bailey Foresty]

I have now run my Bandit 2900t with it's 115hp caterpillar motor and revolution wheel for two years...... no belts bearings or drive sprockets to maintain,
Has a much better cutting capacity 74" slew... 26" deep....and will easy out preform the 7015....having run both 7015trx (60hp deutz & 66hp kubota) and a Vermeer sc60tx....I my opinion it's by far the best machine I have owned both in preformance and build quality...
www.baileyforestryengineering.co.uk

 

[howel07264]

I have now run my Bandit 2900t with it's 115hp caterpillar motor and revolution wheel for two years...... no belts bearings or drive sprockets to maintain,
Has a much better cutting capacity 74" slew... 26" deep....and will easy out preform the 7015....having run both 7015trx (60hp deutz & 66hp kubota) and a Vermeer sc60tx....I my opinion it's by far the best machine I have owned both in preformance and build quality...
www.baileyforestryengineering.co.uk

I just pulled up some video of the 2900t and it's very impressive. Having said that comparing a 115 hp machine to a 60 hp is apples to oranges.

 

[Bailey Foresty]

Yes it may sound like a a one horse race with 115hp against 66hp but when you take in consideration the 20% power loses associated with any hydrostaic systems ( manufactures will tell you it's a lot less than that )....... its not there far apart.
But foot print and weight are very similar....it's the much larger cutting capacity that I really like coupled with not having to purge bearings daily.... tension belts and aline sprockets.
I think what we all need would be a machine with a mechanical drive system like Vermeer use on there sc60tx ....but with at least 80hp.....and the build quality and cutting capacity of the Bandit in a package like the Carlton !!!!!!

 

[Cupocoffee]

Yes it may sound like a a one horse race with 115hp against 66hp but when you take in consideration the 20% power loses associated with any hydrostaic systems ( manufactures will tell you it's a lot less than that )....... its not there far apart.

Even if you take the 20% power loss for hydrostatic systems, you are still equating a 95 HP to a 66HP machine. That being said, I would like to see some videos of the 2900 in action on Youtube. There just aren't that many. I own the Carlton SP7015 and I love it but I am always thinking of what the best machine would be for this business. I like the idea that your Bandit will grind 24" deep. Mine grinds 15" deep. You and I both know 15" is plenty deep but on large stumps when you are climbing on a pile of chips, that 15" suddenly becomes much less and you have to move chips to grind even 10" deep. I did look at Bandit when I bought my machine four years ago but they were much more expensive than Carlton. There is one major drawback to Carlton and that is they have no dealer network. I have had some issues with my machine in the four years and have found that I have had to become a Carlton mechanic over the years. I would much rather take my equipment to a dealer and say, "Fix it", even if it is out of warranty. I have looked at the Bandit web site to see the specs for their equipment and they don't show it online. How much does your machine weigh and how is it on fuel consumption? My 7015 with a blade and 4 wheel drive and 66HP Kubota weighs 4,200 lbs. It uses a gallon and a half of fuel per hour. I have never used a Bandit so I can't make a comparison. I appreciate your comment that your Bandit will out grind a 7015 hands down. It must be awesome.

 

[Bailey Foresty]

Yes you are right, As you grind and then climb the chip pile with the Carlton at times you hardly touch the surface where as with the 2900t you can climb 12" and still grind 12" deep.....and as for the dealer back here in the UK it's .....only Orange plant that import Carlton and back up is useless...... I to aslo serviced and maintained my own equipment ......My Bandit 2900t weighs 5280 lbs so yes a little heavier but tracked machine will weigh more that a wheeled machine.....as for fuel consumption yes it dose use more but all thing are relevant you have to put more in to get more out !!..... The service back up here for the Bandit is Global Recycling Solutions Ltd and they are very good....Again the 2900t is more expensive than the 7015trx but in my opinon it's a more complete package....If you take a look at my facebook page bailey forestr yengineering you will see some of the work I have done with the Bandit along with the engineering work that I do.

 

[Cupocoffee]

Yes you are right, As you grind and then climb the chip pile with the Carlton at times you hardly touch the surface where as with the 2900t you can climb 12" and still grind 12" deep.....and as for the dealer back here in the UK it's .....only Orange plant that import Carlton and back up is useless...... I to aslo serviced and maintained my own equipment ......My Bandit 2900t weighs 5280 lbs so yes a little heavier but tracked machine will weigh more that a wheeled machine.....as for fuel consumption yes it dose use more but all thing are relevant you have to put more in to get more out !!..... The service back up here for the Bandit is Global Recycling Solutions Ltd and they are very good....Again the 2900t is more expensive than the 7015trx but in my opinon it's a more complete package....If you take a look at my facebook page bailey forestr yengineering you will see some of the work I have done with the Bandit along with the engineering work that I do.

Thanks for the response. I know there are a million guys who say that if you have a track machine you would never go back to wheels. I have no issues with the wheeled Carlton but I hate, hate, hate taking the wheels off and on and off and on to go through a narrow gate. I live in Oklahoma and we have very hot summers with high humidity. That means instant sweating. Ha! I would love to have a track machine just for that purpose ... push a button and the tracks go in or out. With tracks, I think I would lose about 10% of my work for people who have manicured lawns with several stumps. It isn't always possible to make a straight run at several stumps on a property. Also, I am nearly 70 years old, so dragging sheets of plywood around to go from stump to stump isn't something I would be willing to do. Nearly all my customers would not mind a divot or two out of their lawn but those who spend fortunes on their landscape would not like that. My point in all this is, do you go the extra mile and lay plywood down for such jobs or are you good enough that you don't find that to be an issue? Do any of your customers worry about you damaging their lawns? One other thing, the Carlton SP7015 can be a bit tippy on any incline if you are traversing the ground parallel to a slope. How is your track unit in those situations? Other than taking the wheels on and off, I have never had a job I couldn't do with the wheeled unit.

 

[Bailey Foresty]

I would like some of that sun shine here but you can keep the humidity !! In an ideal world I guess we would have both a tracked machine and a wheeled machine......I do exactly that... with the ply wood if I am on a sensitive site I carry two 8x4 sheets of buffalo board ( the same sort of material they use in trailer decks ) in the bottom of the trailer and place them down where I intend to turn the machine then off I go again in a straight line.....works well but a bit of a ball ache like changing wheels I guess......I used a router to cut out nice neat hand holes in the center of the boards so you can carry them easier by your self...... I can turn 360 degrees on the board and not damage the lawn at all...... The Bandit 2900t track expand to 54" wide and retract to 35" so no worriers there for stability and it will climb a mounting.....The revolution cutting wheel is very similar to the Carlton Razor cut and chip throw in minimal..Like all machines they have there pros & cons... you just need to work out what works best for you most of the time.....Do you sharpen your teeth and if so what grinding wheel do you use ? or do you send them away for sharpening ?.....I try to keep an edge on my teeth all the time and sharpen them on the machine..... I have tried many different diamond dice and all tho they all do the job it's a slow process....Didn't know if you have a better product out there !!

 

[Cupocoffee]

According to Carlton's web site, which they are VERY lax to update, the 7015TRX tracks extend from 35" to 48". As far as sharpening teeth, I have sent mine out to be sharpened and I also sharpen my own when I am not too lazy. Several years ago, I bought a diamond cutting wheel for my 4" grinder for about $85. It did a great job but they don't last forever. Later, I did a search on Ebay and found some manufactured in China (big surprise) for about $7 with free shipping. I hate buying things from China if I don't have to but, for over ten times less money, I ordered several. If I remember, they are 80 grit. They do exactly the same job and seem to last just as long. I have about 100 extra teeth, so it is much cheaper to grind my own. I do not grind them while they are on my grinder. I do it on a work bench so I am not bending over. Remember, I said I am old so it is much easier for me to sharpen a bunch and just change them out every now and then. There is nothing like having sharp teeth on a powerful machine. There is also a place here, which I haven't used, that will re-tip your teeth for about $8. I sharpen my teeth many times before they are not effective.

I went to your Facebook page at Bailey Forestry Engineering and looked at every photo. You live in some very beautiful country. You have a photo of an 8' stump with huge feeder roots twice that. How long did it take you to grind that stump, if you remember?

 

[Bailey Foresty]

Grinding time was about 40 minute I made a note of the hour clock before and after I started grinding....Have you had a chance to look at the tracked 80hp grinder I made.....it's on my web site www.baileyforestryengineering.co.uk in case studies.