bradco ground shark

[CLPJR]

Thanks for the information! I have been researching them for a while and this seems to fit best for what I need. Now just to get in touch with a dealer to get things going.

 

[PhillipAL]

I have been running my new Bradco Ground Shark for about 2 months and I'm having trouble with the carbide teeth loosening after hitting rocks. They are torqued properly when installed and blue loctited. Have you had trouble with this? Also, I am looking for a way to remove and install them without a second person holding them in place while tightening.

 

[lumberjack1986]

The easiest way I've found to do them solo is to pull the blade carrier... It doesn't take long with an impact, even in the field.


It's far easier to use 2 people, a wife or child works fine in my experience! It's not hard, just need another hand.


I've not had problems with them loosening after hitting metal or concrete... Not much rock here. I don't use loctite.

 

[Xfaxman]

I have been running my new Bradco Ground Shark for about 2 months and I'm having trouble with the carbide teeth loosening after hitting rocks. They are torqued properly when installed and blue loctited. Have you had trouble with this? Also, I am looking for a way to remove and install them without a second person holding them in place while tightening.

Don't know if it will work in your situation, but I use vice-grips or a wrench and a large c-clamp when I need a an extra hand.

 

[lumberjack1986]

Except the outside teeth, there's nothing to hook too.

I've thought about a magnet to hold them in place, but so far it's easier to just have a helper in the shop.

 

[PhillipAL]

Thanks for the help. I think I'll try finding a strong magnet. I work alone most of the time and occasionally need to change teeth on the job.

 

[patricku421]

I'm glad to find that this thread was somewhat active after I found it through a google search. I am thinking of renting one of these on a machine from my local bobcat dealer to run through and clean up about 2 acres of brush and pine tops from when I had some timber cut. Does anyone see any reason why this wouldn't work for what I am trying to do? I hate to spend the money to rent the machine just to find out it isn't going to get the work done.

Thanks!

 

[PhillipAL]

Make sure to put this mower on the largest machine they have. More power the better. It should do fine once you get the hang of operating it properly to get the best finish product. These are awesome mowers!

 

[retrieverman]

I've put about 140 hours on my Ground Shark, and I'm on the fence as to whether I'll keep it or try something else.

The first problem was the pressure gauge breaking, and I plugged the hose and continued to work...not really a big deal. The second problem has been the bolts holding the blades shearing off, and I've probably replaced all of them at least once. The third problem has been keeping the stump grinding teeth tight and from coming out, and there are no rocks or concrete where I've worked.

For just "underbrushing", the GS is fine, but in my opinion, it's not heavy duty enough for "brush clearing". For $10k, I expected more.

 

[lumberjack1986]

I've put about 140 hours on my Ground Shark, and I'm on the fence as to whether I'll keep it or try something else. The first problem was the pressure gauge breaking, and I plugged the hose and continued to work...not really a big deal. The second problem has been the bolts holding the blades shearing off, and I've probably replaced all of them at least once. The third problem has been keeping the stump grinding teeth tight and from coming out, and there are no rocks or concrete where I've worked. For just "underbrushing", the GS is fine, but in my opinion, it's not heavy duty enough for "brush clearing". For $10k, I expected more.

My pressure gauge's dial inside is loose, but the needle still works and no leaks.

The only time I've had trouble with shearing bolts is when the stupid safety chain got on top of the disk. I cut it off and haven't had a problem since.

I've had no trouble with loosening teeth, and I've hit plenty of metal and concrete with them.

I've used mine to cut a lot of oversized trees. The biggest hardwood stump diameter I've made was 16" (10-12"dbh) and I cut a bigger pine on a golf course in a demonstration (probably 14-15" dbh).

I've been very happy with my Ground Shark but I'll be selling it because I don't use the track loader enough to justify keeping it (270 hours in 23 months) at this point. Also, I've made a heavy investment into the residential tree side of my company with a rear mount grapple truck.

 

[PhillipAL]

I hit a lot of rocks here in NW CT hills. I now check my stump grinder teeth for tightness (by trying to wiggle them) 2-3 times a day. Usually just the outer ones loosen up a bit, and I over torque them to keep them still for a few hours. I haven't sheared any blade bolts yet. I took lumberjack's suggestion and use the Milwaukee 1/2" Fuel 18V cordless impact gun. It is a powerful tool. Pressure gauge is holding up so far. I have to tighten ALL the blade carrier bolts every 2-3 days with the Milwaukee impact. I only get a small turn on each of them, but it is keeping it from launching. That may be why your blade bolts sheared? I've run a few different brands of rotary mowers and this one is the toughest and gives a nice clean finish product with less passes.

 

[lumberjack1986]

If y'all are having such troubles, I wonder if a Nordlock washer or thread locking compound would be helpful.

 

[rob6161974]

First off, this is the first time I've ever posted to a forum. I'm usually "lurking in the shadows", but I felt the need to give my two cents worth. I run an ASV SR80 with a high flow Bradco Ground Shark. I also have the stump grinder teeth option. This is the only brush hog to own, In my opinion. The only attachment more productive on heavy wood would be a forestry head. Advantages of this beast: it can process 6" softwood all day, grind the stump down to grade, grind/ mulch brush piles, has oil pressure gauge standard, and the largest bearing assembly I have seen on any brush hog. Disadvantages: extremely heavy at 2008 pounds, a little pricey (I paid $10,000), blade and stump teeth are expensive to maintain/replace. The replacement knives (4) from any dealer cost $1200.00. Absolutely ridiculous, but with some serious searching I found a machine shop that sells them for $80.00 each. Same thing with the stump teeth (18), dealer wanted $400.00. I found teeth for $7.35 a piece. On two to three year growth, it leaves a lot of stems still standing, but then again this isn't made to cut grass. Please ask any other questions. There doesn't seem to be a great deal of information about this model out there to ask people about.

Where do you get blades and teeth from?

 

[PhillipAL]

I agree with Rob. This is by far the best mower I have used to date. I also found the cheaper blades, and they seem to last as long as the OEM blades. The lower cost stump grinder teeth I found work O.K., but in rocky terrain here in N.W. CT. they seem to loose the carbide quicker than the OEM teeth, but for the lower cost I have stuck with them, Though I usually wind up changing 3 - 4 per day. That is where the Milwaukee Fuel 18V makes life a lot easier with the replacement work. This mower also works well to fine grind the material left after I cut larger wood with my excavator/ RDM mulcher. The RDM will fine grind also, but it takes longer to do so than the Shark mower. These rotary mowers take less power to cut the same material with a drum type forestry mower and the cutters maintenance is less costly. My Bandit drum type forestry mower doesn't see many hours of work since I bought the Shark mower.

 

[donfraser]

Looking at a Bradco 72" Standard Duty High Flow Ground Shark Brush Cutter with 3 bi-directional blades vs. the Bradco Extreme Duty Brush Cutter that you all have done a good job of reviewing. I want something that will also do a decent job of mowing high grasses. I called the Paladin factory and they claim that the Extreme Duty does just as good of a job of mowing as the 3 bladed bi-directional mower. I would appreciate your thoughts and experience.

 

[PhillipAL]

I get good results with the extreme mower, though the carbides located under the stump jumper tend to stir up the grass as they pass over it. I mow so that the cut material is thrown into the uncut side of the mowing path, and overlap by almost half, which double grinds it and gives a nicer finish cut. I can't cut as fast as the bushog mower on my tractor, and get a nice cut, but if I am cutting a brushy field with a few patches of open grass, I don't worry about the finish cut of the grass as much as the finish cut of the brush. A bushog is still faster in an "all grass" cutting situation, but if you plan on cutting a lot of brush also, the carbide teeth really help in cutting of the woody debris, needing fewer passes to get a fine grind and lower the stumps, so it can be cut with a bushog in the future.

 

[MulchingContractor]

I've never run the one with the disc but I did start out with a rotary cutter that I built. It was modeled after a Brushmonster model made in Gadsen, Al. Basically, I got the measurements off of one and built the deck myself, then ordered the drive, hub, and blades from the manufacturer. It turned out pretty well and I ran it for a couple of years until I got my first mulcher. The only thing that scares me now about anything bolted to a single shaft is the possibility of it being bent, then having the attachment out of balance until it's repaired. They do cut pretty well though.

 

[dabfarms]

Hello Powerstrock. Could you send me the name and phone number of the place that sells the carbide teeth.
Thanks Dale

 

[PhillipAL]

Huron Quality Manufacturing. Google their website. Good prices and low shipping costs.

 

[xbirdman]

Been lurking here a while , thank guys for the useful information on blades and carbide teeth. I have been using my land shark for a few years now great machine with no problems. Talked to Lewis machine ,they have the exact replacement blade for land shark cutters now and just got some new carbide teeth from Huron.
My question ...has anyone turned all the blades with all 4 of the cutting edges down to see if it will do a better job cutting grass. I realize performance in woody material would be lost but if cutting grass only for a period of time I am wondering if it would do a better job if all the blades were turned with the cutting edge on the bottom.