Woods TSG-50 Stump Grinder operation question

[MossflowerWoods]

Guys & Gals,

OK, I've had the TSG-50 since Sept or Oct and I've ground a variety of soft and hard stumps, small and large.

Today I hit I think the smallest two black walnut stumps. I hit the fruitwoods over the weekend.

The ground is not exactly level, and my operators manual is not clear on this either, so I'm going to ask my fellow TBN folks, a number of whom have the same grinder as I do...

My dealer mounted the TSG-50 for me the day he delivered it, and I have not needed to bush-hog, so I have not changed it out yet.

What I have seen twice now is when the stump actually is bigger under the ground than above, due to spreading shallow roots, this I think is when I see it most, but there is a point where the grinder will go deeper, but what happens is it jacks up the 3pt hitch and looks like it is twisting the "frame" of the TSG-50.

I always stop and move the tractor and attack from another angle, but I suspect there is another problem.

#1 - has anyone else seen this?

So the other thing I suspect is that the TSG-50 when fully lowered is not "square". My toplink seems too short, and when the TSG-50 is fully lowered it leans towards the tractor, and I think this is messing up my geometry, and causing the TSG-50 to actually "bottom out" in the hole it is grinding.

So, #2 - Am I crazy? Should I adjust the toplink to make the "frame" straight up and down when lowered or not?

I will try to take pics tomorrow to illustrate my points I am curious about.

If you have run one of these, and you have advice for me, please let me have it!

Be well,
David

 

[foggy1111]

I have a grinder like this.....but I do not understand your problems. Pictures?

When my grinder is resting on the ground, the frame is pretty much perpendicular to the ground (ie 90 degrees). Is yours leaning in or out? I would adjust your top link to minimize the "lean".

 

[MossflowerWoods]

I have a grinder like this.....but I do not understand your problems. Pictures?

When my grinder is resting on the ground, the frame is pretty much perpendicular to the ground (ie 90 degrees). Is yours leaning in or out? I would adjust your top link to minimize the "lean".

Foggy,

THANK YOU! Yes, mine is leaning towards the tractor! See pic.

The problem, as best as I can describe it, is after I get just a few inches below the ground, as I go to lower it a bit more for the next pas, it jacks up the frame and twists the 3 pt and scares the @#$% out of me and I raise the grinder because it does not look or feel right. I KNOW the grinder can go deeper, the piston still has play.

I will adjust the top link and see what happens next time I guess.

Thanks for replying,
David

 

[Reg]

An old thread, I know.
What I think the O/P was experiencing was the flat plate at the bottom of the grinder riding up on surface roots - hopefully solved by now, as I said an OLD thread.

I have one of these, I have probably done a hundred or so stumps of various species, sizes, stages of rot, etc.
I set about a small clearing of 15 to 20 fairly small stumps recently, several are pine, others are unknown (this is NOT my property).

The right hand lift arm pin bracket has started to bend toward the rear (toward the grind wheel end) of the machine and I'm not at all sure WHY.

I'm guessing that when I hit a hard spot and the grinder jumps it smacks back on the tractor and that bracket is the softest link.

If it is my technique ...well, OK it could be.
One thing I have a slight problem with is where I start, I typically back up to where I take the "front" edge of the stump first, grind that to below grade, back up 3 tire lugs (really, I watch them against the fender) and take the next cut.
I know a little bit about machine shop, e.g. climb milling, so I am wondering if grinding up vs grinding down would make a difference to the jumping and the forces that are bending the right side lift pin bracket.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Wow... Very old thread. I'm still a bit of a n00b, but with experience now...

I believe it is due to the grinder itself is kind of light and it bounces because of that + my technique.

Mostly I need to be patient and bite less stump for best results.

Be well all,
David

 

[Reg]

Wow... Very old thread. I'm still a bit of a n00b, but with experience now...

I believe it is due to the grinder itself is kind of light and it bounces because of that + my technique.

Mostly I need to be patient and bite less stump for best results.

Be well all,
David

Yes, smaller bites will make it jump less, but I think mine jumps because it GRABS and I am beginning to think that this might be the difference between "regular" and "climb" milling.

I have another dozen or so to do at that place, then I'll be doing some leveling out and grading with the Harley rake.
This is incidental unpaid voluntary work, I do a couple of hours there when the weather is good and I have nothing else to do.

Anyway, I think I'll try the "back" of the stumps first, in the hope that it reduces the bump and bounce.
If it is worse, well at least I know what I can go back to.

I find it hard to imagine the center line of the grinder wheel in relationship to the stump I'm backing up to - although (at some intellectual level) I know it is aligned with the back of the gear box that I can see so clearly when the swing cylinder is fully retracted.
I just need to imagine that center line in relationship to the BACK edge of the stump.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

I've ground a LOT of stumps since 2011...

I have the best results grinding front to back (easier to slightly back up tractor I feel).

I shift the grinder head all the way to Port (I was a Sailor, LOL) or to the left facing forward and line the head up with the leading edge of the stump and swipe across. I find the bounce is worse on the return sweep. I've stopped grinding more than 2" below grade as it seems unneeded on my property...

Be well!
David

 

[Reg]

Since the lift pin ear on mine is bent I got to thinking a) why ? b) about how to straighten it.
OK, so technique may be part of it - working on that.

Then I got to thinking that if I put the lift pins on the OUTSIDE of the frame,,, MAYBE that would straighten out the lift pin ear.
It has always aggravated me a bit that I have to slacken off the check chains in order to get the lift arms IN to get them onto the pins.

OK, I read the owner/operator's manual and for Cat 2 pins it says to put them on the OUTSIDE anyway, i.e. pointing out.
I'm thinking that Cat 1 pins pointing OUT might make for a more rigid structure anyway and make it an easier implement to hook up.

Only down side I can see is the possibility that the outward side forces could cause a lift arm to sheer a hitch pin - washers should avoid that.


Separately I'm trying to figure a way to beef up those lift pin ears ANYWAY.
I want to discontinue whatever it is that I'm doing to bend them, but stronger would be nicer.
{Could be that I just have one that is "soft" from incorrect post weld cooling (too slow ?) I may have a weld shop work on that.}