PT attachment on Bobcat

[BillCroasmun]

I have a friend who wants to put a PT stump grinder on his Bobcat 542B. The Bobcat specs are 8 GPM @ 1,575 PSI ( specs here).

The 180 specs are 8 GPM @ 2,000 while the 4xx series is 8 GPM @ 2,500. Seems odd to me that the 180 specs seem like a closer match to his Bobcat. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

My question is will the grinder work (or work well) at the 1,575 PSI being put out on his machine? If so, other than adapting hose couplings and mounting brackets, can anyone think of any other things I should warn him about with this project?

Thanks,

 

[ClintBlake]

I would think the hydraulics would work but when I grind stumps I use the pt's articulation to move the stump grinder back and forth on the stump. I wonder how that will work with a bobcat?

 

[Spiffy]

Perhaps more questions than answers, but.....

Assuming his pump is still strong, he'll be running the same RPMs, but have less available torque. How often do you have yours pushing the torque limits? If it's often, he will be stalling it in the same conditions; if yours runs mostly "free spinning" he might be just fine.

Anything else on the circuit? If nothing else is on it, and the pump, valve and hoses are all rated higher, he could set the relief higher (unless he has other tools rated for 2000). If that pump supplies only the PTO, he could upgrade it too, but that could be very easy or be met with "plumbing" frustrations (as I found out, in the Warped thread, still have to get a couple hoses made and the frost is coming out of the ground fast!).

Finally, the PT uses it's articulation for the lateral action. With a SS he'll either need to back up and take several attacks, or sacrifice turf.

 

[Spiffy]

<font color="blue">when I grind stumps I use the pt's articulation to move the stump grinder back and forth on the stump </font>

Two of us thinking the same thing, in the first two posts; must be something to be seriously considered! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[BillCroasmun]

Thanks for input Clint and Chad! I gave him the feedback on the articulation and in the areas he'll be using it he isn't concerned about the turf at all. As for some of the hydraulics comments go, I do not have a stump cutter he'd be buying one new from PT. He was trying to remember if the aux circuit was tied into the drive circuit and couldn't. If so he's not sure what impact running the cutter and trying to reposition for cuts would be...

 

[J_J]

This picture shows a stump grinder made for a skid steer. It uses a hydraulic cylinder to swing the stump grinder. Small and compact .

 

[Spiffy]

I hadn't seen that model JJ!

I looks like the same style as the SS ones I've seen, only smaller and I think it's blade runs toward the operator like an "unreversed" PT cutter.

The ones I'm thinking of run about $5K and 25GPM, so I figured either $$$ or GPM was the reason for the PT version. But if that one is the right size, why "reinvent the wheel."

By coincidence; something like that is what I'd like to have on the rear of my 2445. I designed one, but on indeffinite hold as the parts would be over $1000; $1000 more than I better spend on any PT toys; for a while anyway. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[BobRip]

I have used the stump grinder for my PT422 for about five years. Usually when I run it, I am loading the engine to its max and trip the relief valve often. When grinding a large stump, I can go through a lot of gasoline (> 1 gallon per hour).
If you use it on small stumps (6 inches and under) and fresh wood, your friends application might be alright. On large or older stumps the grinder is barely adequate on the PT. This is probably the least impressive tool in the PT stable. However, it sure beats digging them up by hand, and the small stumps are a piece of cake.

Bob Rip

 

[BillCroasmun]

JJ - Thanks for the picture. I looked them up and my friend has an email into them about pricing. The thing he liked about the PT stump cutter was price. He doesn't have a big need to justify the $5K Bobcat offerings but maybe the mini-skid steer version you pointed out will be more reasonable for his needs.

Spiffy - The cost of those big cutters is definitely hard for many to swallow. The small bobcat my friend has doesn't have the GPMs for the big bobcat tools either.

Bob - I think he mainly wants it for smaller stuff growing too close to buildings and such. Since he has a cab and wouldn't want the debris flying at the buildings I think he would be happy with the blade spinning as is to.

 

[BillCroasmun]

Well JJ, my friend got a price back on the SG13... Here's a quote from the email:
"The list price on the SG13 is $3499 - Delivered!"

Yikes! Well it's not $5K but it sure isn't $900 either! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif I think he may end up trying the PT one at that price range.