Mulcher Upgrade Questions

[fishfactor]

Newbie here. I've been lurking for a while and finally signed up. I have a small mulching business that we started part time 3 years ago. We have slowly grown and hope to expand a little soon.

We have been running a bobcat T320 with the bobcat branded fecon head. Despite everything I have read here, we have had very few problems and are happy with it's performance.

The radiator does get clogged easy, and is very difficult to clean without knocking a hole in it with the hydraulic oil cooler. To solve this, I modified the oil cooler and a/c condenser by putting them on hinges. They now flip up and allow easy access to the radiator. Also made up a cover that extends from the top of the cab back to keep so much debris from falling on the radiator cover. We keep the machine well maintained and only me and my partner operate the machine.

Now to the questions. We are getting larger jobs and are considering adding a larger machine. I like the fecon 148. I would like to know what kind of production rates guys with these are getting (compared to a skid steer setup) as well as fuel consumption. Also any problems you have experienced. I haven't found a dealer in my area, but don't know if I would trust their answers anyway.

Any information you could share would be appreciated. If anyone has a T320 and is interested in the radiator mod, let me know and I can PM you the specifics.

 

[Timark80]

Hey fishfactor,I'm very interested in your radiator mod.Can you send me some details? Thanks.
My t320 with forestry kit has also been running suprisingly well while mulching and whatever else is attached to it.

 

[cbturf]

You will outrun any skid steer by more than 2-1 with a 148. not to mention that the cab is off the charts when it comes to comfort. I love my 148 because I just sit in there and listen to the radio, it is more like sitting in the cab of my truck than running a machine.

Where is your area, your production depends a lot on what you will be working in and your terrain.

Ask Treeman40 how much fuel I burn because evidently I do not know:confused2: I think it is between 6-9 gallons per hour depending on what trees I come across that day.

Treeman you had better be laughing too!

 

[DIRTROAD]

The FTX 140 will burn 50 gallons a day easy if it is run hard. I would imagine that the 148 would be about the same.

 

[cbturf]

Yes you are right but there was a discussion a few days back about how much fuel my machines burn See Yee haww thread

 

[treeman40]

im laughing ,i hope you finaly realized ur not going to 200 a day

 

[cbturf]

I did not say i would use 200 i meant that I would need more than 100. All that arguing and we were not even talking about the same thing! If I run daylight to dark I am burning about 140-150 gallons.

 

[treeman40]

im with you,we were talking about the same thing .just different ways of debating it

 

[fishfactor]

Thanks guys.. those numbers are looking pretty good. Cab comfort is definately a little lacking in the bobcat. Guess they fixed that with the new pressurized cabs, but I get filthy if it's dusty.

Looks like so far I will be looking at a FTX 148. The size is right too because it will fit on the trailer with our bobcat. Take them both and use the bobcat to detail.

I'm in NC so we work in all types of conditions from sandy at the coast to clay and rocks at the edge of the mountains. I'm right in the middle, so we get a little of both. Then there are the areas you think are easy going until you find the granite boulders that are buried except for the very top. I hate granite, old farm implements, and especially old rusty barbed wire... it can ruin your day, or at least a few hours of it. I always ask customers where their piece of cable is before we start. When they give that puzzled look I explain that everyone has a piece of cable, a log chain, and probably a roll of barbed wire on their property somewhere and that I'm the best person in the world at locating it. It gives them a good laugh, then when they see us trying to cut it out, they understand and sometimes even offer to help.

Thanks again for the info. I hope things work out so I can add one of these by the end of the year.

 

[fishfactor]

I did not say i would use 200 i meant that I would need more than 100. All that arguing and we were not even talking about the same thing! If I run daylight to dark I am burning about 140-150 gallons.

You sure you are not in Alaska?

 

[cbturf]

Not those 24 hour days!! I am running the Barko 930 is Mississippi. Daylight is 6:00AM Dark is about 7:45PM. A 148 will burn 75 in one of those days.

 

[treeman40]

ru trying to break a record.i cant take more than 10 hrs in a machine

 

[fishfactor]

That's not bad. I can burn 40-50 gallons in 12 hours in the bobcat T320 at . Cut back a little on light stuff and it drops way back.

 

[AX MAN]

That's not bad. I can burn 40-50 gallons in 12 hours in the bobcat T320 at . Cut back a little on light stuff and it drops way back.

I was buring right at 5 gph. while mulching in a ASV,(a sucka*% vehicle)

 

[cbturf]

I did not say that it was easy. I have a wife and two kids at home and I work like crazy when I am away. This week I took it kinda easy because of the business stuff but that is a "normal" day for me. I don't go out or have any fun while I am on the road so why not put hours on the machines and get paid!

Fish..when do you plan on the new machine purchase?

 

[fishfactor]

Fish..when do you plan on the new machine purchase?

Hopefully in the next few months. We are between large projects right now and can't justify it. Next large one comes up in November.

 

[WestshoreConstruction]

ru trying to break a record.i cant take more than 10 hrs in a machine

We will run from 12-18 hrs a day when light allows or depending on the conditions. When you are in the middle of nowhere and all that is there is your camp and mulchers thats what you do, the faster you get it done the faster you get back to the things that matter, the family.

 

[fishfactor]

I found a dealer in my area that has a lamtrac 6125. Anyone know anything good or bad about these carriers? The dealer was closed today and it was behind the fence. I found on their website it's 125 HP, but seems narrow at only 4'11", but that could be a good thing. Their next HP jumps to 290 and it's a quad track. Not reall interested in that as it seems like a lot that could break in harsh conditions.