treevet
Addicted to ArboristSite
Anybody want to weigh in. We got the Toro on a 3 day demo
YouTube - Toro Introduces New Dedicated Stump Grinder‏
YouTube - Toro Introduces New Dedicated Stump Grinder‏
Vermeer sc 252 vs Toro (Dingo) STX dedicated stump grinder
- Thread starter treevet
- Start date
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I hate Toro.
Everything they make is proprietary, and then they stick it to you badly for parts.
Everything they make is proprietary, and then they stick it to you badly for parts.
I used both for a project I did for a buddy, first weekend I used the 252 I was running it on some pretty good sized oak stumps ~30"-40" @ ground level. It ate them just slowly seemed to chatter a lot. the next weekend I ran a dingo it seemed to cut much more smoothly and a little faster still good sized oak stumps.
I noticed the dingo did not cut as deep as the 252 but in a residential situation I wouldn't see it being a problem (i was trying to get as much of the stump as possible out for grading work to be done to level the yard)
the 252 was a biotch to move around on the tore up terrain, no turf just mud and ruts from heavy equipment, the dingo was a breeze to move around made it up and down a pretty steep hill that was nothing but mud I don't think the 252 would have made it back up from the depressed back half of the property under its own power.
the dingo seemed to "clog up" with grindings under the machine and needed to be cleared before advancing the machine forward otherwise it would just aim twords the sky and cut to ground level or a touch deeper.
both machines had freshly sharpened teeth before being used.
overall I was much more satisfied with the dingo.
I noticed the dingo did not cut as deep as the 252 but in a residential situation I wouldn't see it being a problem (i was trying to get as much of the stump as possible out for grading work to be done to level the yard)
the 252 was a biotch to move around on the tore up terrain, no turf just mud and ruts from heavy equipment, the dingo was a breeze to move around made it up and down a pretty steep hill that was nothing but mud I don't think the 252 would have made it back up from the depressed back half of the property under its own power.
the dingo seemed to "clog up" with grindings under the machine and needed to be cleared before advancing the machine forward otherwise it would just aim twords the sky and cut to ground level or a touch deeper.
both machines had freshly sharpened teeth before being used.
overall I was much more satisfied with the dingo.
treevet
Addicted to ArboristSite
At first glance I agree with all your opinions. We did a decent size spruce stump which is as stringy as it gets. The salesman said it would kick back grindings better if weren't in an ivy bed. I told him to just grind out the ivy bed before the stump but it did not seem much better.
We are doing some stumps tomorrow including some ash that should make it look quite good I expect.
If I do buy one I will look for the aftermarket surrey he said I can buy. I am thinking I can carry my Dingo 525tx and the Dingo stumper on the same trailer. I also can easily ramp it into my pickup.
For 26hp then put into hydralic power it seems pretty heavy and I would think it could do with better ground clearance and approach angle than it has.
Wouldn't a stump grinder attachment with it's own engine be a better option for a mini? I'm sure a mini could carry a 35 horsepower grinder, and at a lower expense and operating cost.
treevet
Addicted to ArboristSite
we are doing a 30" ash stump right now and it is doing just fine. ground speed is a huge factor and I think it has 5 pumps to facilitate good hyd. delivery.
I am starting to really like this thing. If I can stick it in the pick up bed and buzz through routine stumps without going back and getting my big tow behind...gonna save mass time. Ground clearance has been no issue so far and you can manuever it easily like any mini.
I am also checking out the vermeer, carlton, rayco, and kandu. I gotta have a difficult access grinder now.
treevet
Addicted to ArboristSite
No doubt but you can't use your mini when it is doing stumps. Lower expense is not much with the 11k plus TNT attachment. Then you have belt etc repair. This is all hyd.
I can buy this tracked unit right now for 15k less 500 rebate and finance if I want.
Can it climb stairs?
treevet
Addicted to ArboristSite
Maybe if not too severe. We went over 2 step levels of patio yesterday. What I will probably do sometimes is just boom it wherever with my crane. Over roof or whatever. It only weighs 1200 lbs.
We used it all day yesterday on and off on a sometimes drizzly day and made $1300 on mostly stuff a tow behind wouldn't begin to get to and didn't even have a day planned.
I went ahead and bought one as I got another 5 hun off it. Wish I had not given so many small jobs away already this year. Think I will sell my small tow behind. You get real fond of this this thing quick.
Tried to upload a couple of vids and they failed. Will re try. As with anything there is a little learning curve with finesse but my gm is a quick study on anything and you can see the progress clearly.
But you can run it on the edge and as mentioned getting it stopped by bogging it down means nothing like on other units as a quick restart is routine.
We used it all day yesterday on and off on a sometimes drizzly day and made $1300 on mostly stuff a tow behind wouldn't begin to get to and didn't even have a day planned.
I went ahead and bought one as I got another 5 hun off it. Wish I had not given so many small jobs away already this year. Think I will sell my small tow behind. You get real fond of this this thing quick.
Tried to upload a couple of vids and they failed. Will re try. As with anything there is a little learning curve with finesse but my gm is a quick study on anything and you can see the progress clearly.
But you can run it on the edge and as mentioned getting it stopped by bogging it down means nothing like on other units as a quick restart is routine.
treevet
Addicted to ArboristSite
treevet
Addicted to ArboristSite
We have had around 3 months now on this machine and I don't mind telling you that this is one of the most strategic buys I have made in the biz to date. It is such a pleasure when the end of the job nears and you are trying to kill it and go home....you don't have to go get the stumper or back something in or are too big on a self propelled, or have an extra truck take home, etc etc.
We take off the Dingo/grapple 525tx....load the wood into the dump insert on the tow vehicle (silverado) without taking off the trailer, then we take off the stx stumper from the trailer and have done many stumps in the 60" plus dia range in about 20 or 30 mins. (couple hund bucks) then we load both units and ....phew....we are homeward bound. My big stumper is getting very lonely although we still do use it for giant stumps and ones that need extra depth.
This machine is very very impressive, and it takes a lot to impress me on my 41st yr. in the biz. It just scoots all over the stump (tracked skid steer) unlike the clumsy sc252 etc. and its ground speed, 3 edges per tooth, no belts (hyd drive), joy stick, balance, light weight and light surface weight on lawn, and so much more just blows the both of us away with performance.
And $14k...come on...just chump change.
umpkin2:
We take off the Dingo/grapple 525tx....load the wood into the dump insert on the tow vehicle (silverado) without taking off the trailer, then we take off the stx stumper from the trailer and have done many stumps in the 60" plus dia range in about 20 or 30 mins. (couple hund bucks) then we load both units and ....phew....we are homeward bound. My big stumper is getting very lonely although we still do use it for giant stumps and ones that need extra depth.
This machine is very very impressive, and it takes a lot to impress me on my 41st yr. in the biz. It just scoots all over the stump (tracked skid steer) unlike the clumsy sc252 etc. and its ground speed, 3 edges per tooth, no belts (hyd drive), joy stick, balance, light weight and light surface weight on lawn, and so much more just blows the both of us away with performance.
And $14k...come on...just chump change.
umpkin2:
Bigus Termitius
Addicted to ArboristSite
We have had around 3 months now on this machine and I don't mind telling you that this is one of the most strategic buys I have made in the biz to date. It is such a pleasure when the end of the job nears and you are trying to kill it and go home....you don't have to go get the stumper or back something in or are too big on a self propelled, or have an extra truck take home, etc etc.
We take off the Dingo/grapple 525tx....load the wood into the dump insert on the tow vehicle (silverado) without taking off the trailer, then we take off the stx stumper from the trailer and have done many stumps in the 60" plus dia range in about 20 or 30 mins. (couple hund bucks) then we load both units and ....phew....we are homeward bound. My big stumper is getting very lonely although we still do use it for giant stumps and ones that need extra depth.
This machine is very very impressive, and it takes a lot to impress me on my 41st yr. in the biz. It just scoots all over the stump (tracked skid steer) unlike the clumsy sc252 etc. and its ground speed, 3 edges per tooth, no belts (hyd drive), joy stick, balance, light weight and light surface weight on lawn, and so much more just blows the both of us away with performance.
And $14k...come on...just chump change.
Good deal, glad to here it. I'm always telling folks about that toro, and was explaining to my son just last night about how we upgrade equipment. The toro came up as a potential. We are likey to doll up the 630a and sell it for a down payment on a toro in a year or two max. The 630 is getting it done though. Runs good, and barely uses any oil.
Anyway, that toro coming in at 14k, in the very least, makes vermeer out to be the inept ripoff corporation that they are.
treevet
Addicted to ArboristSite
I knew you'd like that 630 Ryan. It beats an sc 252 by a zillion miles too. These small stumpers are all about sharp teeth and they can do mass work. That 630 can be moved around with a mini if nec,. but a 4x4 mini truck such as my yota is perfect.
We have not found 1 neg with the Toro yet. Might slap a diesel on it someday just for the heck of it tho.
Pelorus
Uva uvam vivendo varia fit
Impressive machine, Treevet, and it totally blows my fully depreciated (purchased used and abused) Rayco Super Junior completely out of the water.
Rayco = horrible ground tavel speed, poor traction, expensive-to-replace polychain belt cutterhead drive, too long to fit into my Toyota, high center of gravity, etc.
I'm almost at the point of preferring to watch grass grow than grind stumps, and I find that every hour spent grinding comes with another 30 minutes maintenance on the machine once it comes home. We have a lot of rock up here. Which is why nobody has a tree spade.
Here in Canuckland, I doubt the Toro will come in much under 18 - 20 grand.
Rayco = horrible ground tavel speed, poor traction, expensive-to-replace polychain belt cutterhead drive, too long to fit into my Toyota, high center of gravity, etc.
I'm almost at the point of preferring to watch grass grow than grind stumps, and I find that every hour spent grinding comes with another 30 minutes maintenance on the machine once it comes home. We have a lot of rock up here. Which is why nobody has a tree spade.
Here in Canuckland, I doubt the Toro will come in much under 18 - 20 grand.
Bigus Termitius
Addicted to ArboristSite
Yep, I do like it better than the 252s that I have run. I'm spotting it with my chevy for now, but told my client last night that as soon as I get a skidder I'll be able to haul it all on the trailer and spot it better with that. I'm learning a few tricks like walking it out on small lateral movements without respotting on bigger stumps. Nothing major, just skootch it out some to grab that bit of lateral root and buttress that I just did miss. I might slap a sandvik wheel on it before too long. Talked to the guy at new river the other day and he's working on getting the specs and he'll keep it well under a grand, which isn't bad when you figure what vermeer wants for a wheel and cutters. He says he can put a wheel on anything so you might consider that too down the line. A diesel powered toro with a sandvik?? Look out!
Nailsbeats
Addicted to ArboristSite
I just bought a 30hp Beeline self propelled unit. The kind you wrestle the stump with, seems like it'll be nice for the hard to get smaller stumps. Got a real nice 5x8 covered trailer/heavy duty ramp with a Prolocker wheel chock in it and storage shelving. Hand tools hang on a rack down the side. 141 hours on the grinder, took the whole thing for $4,500. This is my entry into grinding, sub out the big stuff still.
I looked at getting a Toro and the other self propelled hydro options, but I got this grinder for $3,450, it was close and the whole package is mint condition, so that's where I started.
That Toro does look like the tits though for spinning around the stump and coming in at different angles as far as the self propelled hydro units go, can't beat skidsteer style turning for efficiency.
I looked at getting a Toro and the other self propelled hydro options, but I got this grinder for $3,450, it was close and the whole package is mint condition, so that's where I started.
That Toro does look like the tits though for spinning around the stump and coming in at different angles as far as the self propelled hydro units go, can't beat skidsteer style turning for efficiency.
troythetreeman
ArboristSite Operative
we have a dingo mini loader and have a lot of problems with it
252 isnt much of a grinder tho either...
252 isnt much of a grinder tho either...
treevet
Addicted to ArboristSite
We have had our Dingo mini 525 for over 3 years now, bought new. Not 1 (one) prob, and I mean zero and we go real hard with it, grapple, 30" auger, root ball grabber, big bucket, plowing etc etc. The stx is guar front to back for 2years.
troythetreeman
ArboristSite Operative
dingo 425 wide track upgraded to 27horse motor, for sale, 8k
