Our Lesson For Today is Overkill

cbturf · Mar 29, 2008

Well the verdict on the Supertrak is in and I am sending it back. In fact it is parked today and I am running the FTX-140. I really think that the Supertrak is a little sickly, the Fecon mulcher is cutting far better than the machine with more than double the power. I am mulching almost two acres per hour with the 140 today. If you are wondering why I am typing and not grinding my dad is in town and he is running this afternoon and I am going to play in the sunshine. I have a 2005 Harley with only 1900 miles. Never buy a toy and a mulcher at the same time. I think that the Supertrak would be a better machine in the big hard stuff back home but the huge lumbering machine is not at all suited for this type of work. It reminds me of the cartoon dogs with the big dog just walking and the little one running everywhere doing all of the work. There are a couple of other issues with the converted grinder, if you look at all of the purpose built machines the operator is sitting right on the front of the tracks where you can see what you are grinding. On this one you are way in the back behind the hood and no visibility of what you are cutting. You can see around you just fine but not what is right in front of the head. That is why I am buying a set of knives for this thing after running them only 6 hours.

Gamma · Mar 29, 2008

Do you have any videos or pictures of that Supertrak in operation that you could post? Pictures of the destroyed knives?

Robbie Hegwood · Mar 30, 2008

Hey CB.
This a very outside observation but we'll see. I believe you have answered your own questions. For the money that is on the line try this. Think how productive you could be with two 140's or even the new 148 if it cuts good. I have seen it to many times a successful mulching company with 2-3 100-150 hp tractor and one monster backup in the 250hp range that are doing well. For 350k you could hire a good operator/mech. and a second tractor and still save money. You can transport both tractors on one low boy without permits. You can divide and conquer smaller jobs and control fuel burn. If...wait...when one tractor goes down the other can keep you going. If...when the big boy broke, the 140 could not cover it's jobs.
Now all that being said, I still think the Barko or equal would serve you well. Maybe even a 190 hp Prentice for the money would be a good option.
But anyway, your doing a good job weighting all the option and a prayer here and there and the tractor for you will show itself. It will be a WOW moment and you will see the productivity. It sounds like the Supertrak didn't show you that.
Maybe even two 140's and a excavator with what other than a Cimaf head will round out your fleet. Couldn't resist!!!! Later

cbturf · Mar 30, 2008

That is why I am trying every machine that I can. I have changed my demo on the Barko to the 190hp Prentice. I do not think that I need 305hp for what I am grinding out here. If I can cut as much or more with 140hp than I can with 300hp and save almost $200k up front and $160 per day in fuel. Even my little brain knows what to do here. I am very confident that for my work out here 2 machines will grind 3 acres per hour. I am also looking at a Kodiak 160hp machine. This seems to be a good happy medium, it runs a 160hp Cummins through a PTO drive. As we all know a PTO is about 20% more efficient than hydraulic so it should run like a 200hp hydraulic machine...we'll see I guess.

Gamma · Mar 30, 2008

cbturf,

Are you looking at an older Kodiak machine? The reason I ask is that on their website they only list one machine, the B425 which has 425 h.p..

INDEX

cbturf · Mar 30, 2008

They do not seem to be interested in keeping the web site up to date. It is a new machine...hopefully I will get some literature and get it posted. I do not have any pictures of the ST running since I was the only one running it. I will try to remember to get some of the dead teeth.

cbturf · Mar 31, 2008

Pictures of the 160hp Kodiak.

Landwise · Mar 31, 2008

I like the thought of that Kodiak. When I sell ASV #2, I will be looking for a larger machine to replace it, but nothing as big as that SK300. I like the looks of that FTX148, but I don't like Fecon.

I have been thinking along the lines of what Robbie said. I would rather have two $160,000 machines than 1 $300,000 machine.

I also hear that Supertracks is coming out with a Tak 150 with a 140 hp engine, similar to the Cat 287 that they modify. I may look at that, if this Tak I have now holds up.

vpexp · Mar 31, 2008

CBTURF, which head are you going to demo on the Prentice 2664? I have been debating between the Prentice with a Fecon 120 and a Rayco 275 with their head. Completely different machines but close in price. Quite a bit more HP with the Rayco, but I have heard really good things about the reliability of the Prentice from a friend who runs them clearing seismic lines.

cbturf · Mar 31, 2008

I wanted the FAE head but it would be a six week wait to get one in so it looks like the Fecon 120. The company that I am getting it from assembles their own heads and uses some different components than a straight factory 120. Robbie makes a great point about two $160k machines over one $300k machine unless you are working on sites that have large trees that have to be ground. One reason that I am looking at the high horsepower machines is so that I will have the power that I need when I get back to the oak trees in TN. If you have two 150hp machines they will not cut with one 300hp machine in the big stuff. Torque grinds oak not horsepower so even though you only have 2 times the hp you get three or four times the torque.