Carlton 4012 vs Bandit 2450xp

[dontbthatguy]

Looking to upgrade to a used diesel in the near future. I am leaning towards the 4012 with a 44 hp diesel. I have seen a few 44hp 2450's too.

I am finding I go through a lot of gates and do a lot of jobs in tight spots. I figure the 4012 will give similar versatility to my current Rayco 1625. I have also been getting a lot of 4' + stumps so the extra power of a 44hp diesel will be a big difference from my 25.

Here is the question. How much different is a 4012 to a belt driven bandit 2450? They have the same motors and from there it's two belts. How much different could the two machines be?

Lastly, guys that have done this for a while. Would you take a high hour 60+ hp machine vs a low hour 44hp?

Part of me just wants to buy an older 4400 or 7015 and keep my current machine for the tight spots. But machines that large seem to be in the 20,000+ range with high hours. Which is why I am leaning towards a newer 4012.

Any advice would help. Thanks in advance.

 

[fatheadon1]

i cant speak first hand for a 4012 but i do have a 2450 and id have nothing but good things to say about it. Easy to use and maintain i can from running a bandit 2100 with a 27hp gas motor and this was a big upgrade. i cant say a that more hp would be a bad thing but i do feel the 44 hp give you the most bang for your buck. unless you are grinding 25+ stumps a day i can't not see you being happy with either machine.

 

[dontbthatguy]

i cant speak first hand for a 4012 but i do have a 2450 and id have nothing but good things to say about it. Easy to use and maintain i can from running a bandit 2100 with a 27hp gas motor and this was a big upgrade. i cant say a that more hp would be a bad thing but i do feel the 44 hp give you the most bang for your buck. unless you are grinding 25+ stumps a day i can't not see you being happy with either machine.

That's great thanks. I have my eye on one 44hp with a bush blade.

Have you had any problems with yours?

Also what tooth set up do you have?

 

[fatheadon1]

That's great thanks. I have my eye on one 44hp with a bush blade.

Have you had any problems with yours?

Also what tooth set up do you have?

Burnt up a belt from the motor to the jackshaft @215 hours and my wireless remote just stopped working due to condensation in it at @230 hrs other then that it's been good. I do a lot of stumps with foreign debris or concrete so it takes a lot of abuse and so do the teeth. I got the machine with tomahawk Teeth or that's what the dealer called them anyway @ 15 hours I swapped to green teeth and never looked back as it's simple to swap a tooth or tool holder if you hit something I carry a full spare set with me in the hours on my machine Iv used up 1 set of holders and 2 sets of teeth and I do a decent amount of stumps even tho the hours don't Seam to add up. I will say this any grinder you buy hammer the cutting head bearing every stump or every other with grease it's cheap insurance because they are big money to change. I have a Milwaukee battery powered grease gun that makes short work of keeping it greased. The picture I posted is my biggest so far with the machine. It was a sliver maple that I had to remove the sidewalk to grind an area 9'x 18' ground out the bottom of the stump cleaned up the 12 yards of grindings and put down topsoil with my bobcat and one guy 4 hours on the job site

 

[fatheadon1]

Another 82 inch oak with root flare 6" below grade in just shy of an hour

 

[island edge]

Thats impressive, for less than a hour..

 

[dontbthatguy]

Another 82 inch oak with root flare 6" below grade in just shy of an hour

Wow I have done a few monsters like that but haven't been able to get that low below grade.

How is the process for changing/ maintaining belt tension. My machine it is a complete pain in the ass.

 

[island edge]

How big of a sweep does the 2450 have?

 

[Stump Grinder52]

How big of a sweep does the 2450 have?

 

[Stump Grinder52]

dontbthatguy,a couple of years ago was in same predicament,ended up picking up a low hr.[420hrs]4012 with a 33hp Kabota,loaded out,Sandvic wheel,wired&wireless remote,4 wheel drive and push blade.Is twice as as fast as my old 2500-4 with a 27hp Kolher with 700 green teeth,it has a 40 degree sweep, so if you grind a big stump like fatheadon does you have to reposition grinder to make a full sweep.fatheadon like island edge said, thats inpressive time for a 82"stump.What size green teeth do you run?

 

[fatheadon1]

How big of a sweep does the 2450 have?

54''

dontbthatguy,a couple of years ago was in same predicament,ended up picking up a low hr.[420hrs]4012 with a 33hp Kabota,loaded out,Sandvic wheel,wired&wireless remote,4 wheel drive and push blade.Is twice as as fast as my old 2500-4 with a 27hp Kolher with 700 green teeth,it has a 40 degree sweep, so if you grind a big stump like fatheadon does you have to reposition grinder to make a full sweep.fatheadon like island edge said, thats inpressive time for a 82"stump.What size green teeth do you run?

900 and yes i reposition my grinder about 5 times on a stump of that size but its as simple as going around the stump till its the size of the cut swing. I start out grinding go in as far as i can keeping the rpm up then when the pile of chips get to big and starts to bog the machine ill bump 2 feet right repeat the steps again and agin till i have a stump that i can hit on one swing to finish. with smaller grinders its more about how your run it hen the machine. i put in well over a 1000hr of grinding with a 2100 bandit with a 27hp kolher and learned over that time the way to make the most of a small machine.

 

[island edge]

So the 4012 has a 40" swing while the bandit has a 54" swing?

 

[island edge]

Also what's the rumor with some of the bandit grinders cutter wheels flying off?

 

[Mowingman]

Also what's the rumor with some of the bandit grinders cutter wheels flying off?

That was on some early models of the machines with hydraulic-drive cutter wheels. It was resolved very early into production. The machines with that problem should all have been retrofitted with a factory designed repair by now. It did not affect any of the belt-driven machines.
Jeff

 

[Topbuilder]

"Lastly, guys that have done this for a while. Would you take a high hour 60+ hp machine vs a low hour 44hp?"

I would choose "C", a 60+ HP low hour machine. Let me explain. If you look at a 60 HP heavy duty diesel machine with 1000 hours, that's low hours. Not so for a 35HP lighter duty machine.

I consider the RG 66 (50 Super) the minimum machine for what I do. Residential, front yard/back yard, 1 to 10 stumps at a time under 60". The minimum requirements being: 60+ diesel horsepower, 4WD, and the push blade. The push blade is dead weight most of the time. Unless you need it... Invaluable for getting out of the mud. You put a block under the blade and lift the axles out of the hole. It saves your back when back filling the BIG ones. Ever go to a job where the customer spent 3 days trying to dig the stump out before he called you? Backfill and grind away as he realizes his time would have been better spent watching cartoons...

I don't want to be that guy who thinks his machine is the best out there... but, I'm not trying to convince you that a chainsaw motor and 2 carbide teeth is the best thing since pockets on a shirt either. If you could pick up a used RG 50 super for 25G or less, (you can) why spend as much or more for a machine that will not out work it or out last it?

 

[Stump Grinder52]

"Lastly, guys that have done this for a while. Would you take a high hour 60+ hp machine vs a low hour 44hp?"

I would choose "C", a 60+ HP low hour machine. Let me explain. If you look at a 60 HP heavy duty diesel machine with 1000 hours, that's low hours. Not so for a 35HP lighter duty machine.

I consider the RG 66 (50 Super) the minimum machine for what I do. Residential, front yard/back yard, 1 to 10 stumps at a time under 60". The minimum requirements being: 60+ diesel horsepower, 4WD, and the push blade. The push blade is dead weight most of the time. Unless you need it... Invaluable for getting out of the mud. You put a block under the blade and lift the axles out of the hole. It saves your back when back filling the BIG ones. Ever go to a job where the customer spent 3 days trying to dig the stump out before he called you? Backfill and grind away as he realizes his time would have been better spent watching cartoons...

I don't want to be that guy who thinks his machine is the best out there... but, I'm not trying to convince you that a chainsaw motor and 2 carbide teeth is the best thing since pockets on a shirt either. If you could pick up a used RG 50 super for 25G or less, (you can) why spend as much or more for a machine that will not out work it or out last it?

 

[Stump Grinder52]

Topbuilder i would have to agree if you could find a 6o hp grinder, owner operatated ,that hasn't been beat to death, for the same money that might be the way to go.I looked for six months, and was wanting to spend around 25k with no luck.I was looking for a Carlton SP7015 with a remote and a Sandvic wheel,but would take one with green teeth,but definitely wanted a remote.Wanted the Carlton because it has a 70 degree sweep,and local dealer is great with service,support and parts.

 

[Topbuilder]

Topbuilder i would have to agree if you could find a 6o hp grinder, owner operatated ,that hasn't been beat to death, for the same money that might be the way to go.I looked for six months, and was wanting to spend around 25k with no luck.I was looking for a Carlton SP7015 with a remote and a Sandvic wheel,but would take one with green teeth,but definitely wanted a remote.Wanted the Carlton because it has a 70 degree sweep,and local dealer is great with service,support and parts.

I don't think that deal exists. I've seen a few at 30G that have the Deutz engine. There are Super 50s in that range. Good luck.