QwikDraw
Platinum Member
Some teeth....
On the door and behind the rotor it has fixed teeth
The teeth are held on by a single, massive allen bolt
I need to get some couplers for it tomorrow and then to the woods.
Ted
FAE arrives
- Thread starter QwikDraw
- Start date
- Views: 8084
Some teeth....
On the door and behind the rotor it has fixed teeth
The teeth are held on by a single, massive allen bolt
I need to get some couplers for it tomorrow and then to the woods.
Ted
Maka
Veteran Member
Very nice. I have not personally seen them but I like the looks. I have the Fecon, Loftness and Magnum here and that looks ever bit as nice as any of them.
Let us know how it works.
Maka
Let us know how it works.
Maka
mulchoregon
New member
- Joined
- May 1, 2007
- Messages
- 15
Nice Machine!!! Tell us how it goes and good mulching to you.
-mulchoregon
-mulchoregon
OP
QwikDraw
Platinum Member
Quick update. Got all the couplers on Monday but did not have time to finish up installing them. I thought I could do that this morning but I woke up to rain so I just grabbed the Fecon and went to work. Hopefully tomorrow I will get a chance to try it out.
Bad day for the fecon...very rocky site and chipped 4 teeth...that's about $360.00!
Bad day for the fecon...very rocky site and chipped 4 teeth...that's about $360.00!
OP
QwikDraw
Platinum Member
Gamma, yes the frame was for shipping.
OK...mulching with the FAE.
First impressions. I tackled some cut branches and right away the noticed more flying debris compared to my Fecon. I hit it a few times with the door closed and I was very impressed with the final product, much finer then the fecon. Now you need to know that when I picked up the Fecon the salesman had sold me a model for 39-42 GPM, he said it would turn a bit slower but have more torque because of the lower gearing(anyone ever hear that?). Now after seeing the better finished product with the higher rotor speed I think he may have sold me what he had in stock and not what he should have. But in any case the FAE had the far better finished texture. It had better recovery time too. The only complaint was that it clogged up more then the Bull Hog.
Finished mulch.
OK...mulching with the FAE.
First impressions. I tackled some cut branches and right away the noticed more flying debris compared to my Fecon. I hit it a few times with the door closed and I was very impressed with the final product, much finer then the fecon. Now you need to know that when I picked up the Fecon the salesman had sold me a model for 39-42 GPM, he said it would turn a bit slower but have more torque because of the lower gearing(anyone ever hear that?). Now after seeing the better finished product with the higher rotor speed I think he may have sold me what he had in stock and not what he should have. But in any case the FAE had the far better finished texture. It had better recovery time too. The only complaint was that it clogged up more then the Bull Hog.
Finished mulch.
Terra Firma Scott
Silver Member
Great pics Ted- I am surprised at the final product size!..Never heard of the more torque salespitch...I think you may be onto something there with the whole sell ya what they had in stock technique.
By the way, Since Im unfamiliar with ASV Hydraulic oil cooler arrangement, Is that roof mount setup your AC system/fans or a Hydraulic oil cooler??
I have one ordered for my CAT that mounts on the roof like that from Loftness..Once the engine is done its been a week there so far...
ANXIOUS to get back into the mulch....
Regards,Scott
By the way, Since Im unfamiliar with ASV Hydraulic oil cooler arrangement,
Is that roof mount setup your AC system/fans or a Hydraulic oil cooler??I have one ordered for my CAT that mounts on the roof like that from Loftness..Once the engine is done
its been a week there so far... ANXIOUS to get back into the mulch....
Regards,Scott
OP
QwikDraw
Platinum Member
Final thoughts.
FAE gets picked up today. They offered me a very good price and if I had the choice today I would go with the FAE but I have most of the Fecon financed and I would lose on the deal if I had to sell it now, just bad timing.
Also, talked to the guys at Fecon and they said the slower RPM and more torque set up is used alot and my salesman was right on when he suggested that configuration. I will be trying the faster/less torque set up to see how that works, (less production and better finished product?) we'll see
TED
FAE gets picked up today. They offered me a very good price and if I had the choice today I would go with the FAE but I have most of the Fecon financed and I would lose on the deal if I had to sell it now, just bad timing.
Also, talked to the guys at Fecon and they said the slower RPM and more torque set up is used alot and my salesman was right on when he suggested that configuration. I will be trying the faster/less torque set up to see how that works, (less production and better finished product?) we'll see
TED
OP
QwikDraw
Platinum Member
Mowermoney
Member
Hello Quickdraw. Newbie here. I've been running Fae's for four years.
I've got two, one good and one not so good. I've had three motor failures, all terminal. I've been waiting on parts since December. The main shaft of the drive motor attaches directly to the shaft extension and receives it's lubrication via a shielded bearing. When you lube the housing there is no way of knowing whether or not the grease is getting to the coupling. One ran dry for a long time and failed. Another time the bearing wore and produced slack. In both instances the entere motor had to be replaced. You can fix this by adding a grease fitting on the coupler side of the shaft housing.
Twice the pressure releif valve stuck, once exploding the aluminum manifold attached to the motor, and once rupturing the pump housing. FAE will only sell you the manifold for $ 550. You can't buy just the releif valve.
I'm about to order a new RC 100 with a Magnum Mower. I'm hoping their motors are less expensive and more availabe than the Rexroth motors on the FAE mowers.
You are right about the grind. They do a great job on most materials. Stay away from wysteria vines.
I had an old Fecon once It cut good, but not as good as the FAE.
Is yours the 60" Model?
I've got two, one good and one not so good. I've had three motor failures, all terminal. I've been waiting on parts since December. The main shaft of the drive motor attaches directly to the shaft extension and receives it's lubrication via a shielded bearing. When you lube the housing there is no way of knowing whether or not the grease is getting to the coupling. One ran dry for a long time and failed. Another time the bearing wore and produced slack. In both instances the entere motor had to be replaced. You can fix this by adding a grease fitting on the coupler side of the shaft housing.
Twice the pressure releif valve stuck, once exploding the aluminum manifold attached to the motor, and once rupturing the pump housing. FAE will only sell you the manifold for $ 550. You can't buy just the releif valve.
I'm about to order a new RC 100 with a Magnum Mower. I'm hoping their motors are less expensive and more availabe than the Rexroth motors on the FAE mowers.
You are right about the grind. They do a great job on most materials. Stay away from wysteria vines.
I had an old Fecon once It cut good, but not as good as the FAE.
Is yours the 60" Model?
OP
QwikDraw
Platinum Member
MM,
It's always good to hear the opinion of someone who has run the equipment. I do think that FAE has changed the head and made improvements but I never got to see an older model so I don't really know. I do know the rep and CEO showed up on my job and were very helpful and nice to deal with, a big plus. I also ran a Magnum mulcher for a week (rented and saw a demo by rep), I do like them but the lack of any type of "counter combs" or fixed teeth leaves them behind the other for finished product (my opinion of course). Magnum comes with a Rexroth motor, I don't know how many different models their are of Rexroth motors so they may be different models in different manufactures(Fecon also runs a Rexroth). The FAE I demo'd did start to make a whining noise when it was coming down from speed, I don't know what that was and it only had 6-8 hours on it (may have been nothing).
I recently installed a door on my Fecon, compared to the FAE the Fecon's door flexes under pressure from the cylinder and when a chunk of wood slams in to it. I plan on reinforcing it and adding some sort of teeth for a better finished mulch.
If I had a little more work I'd think about a 140 HP Rayco or Fecon, although I have been happy with the ASV/Fecon (60") so far.
TED
It's always good to hear the opinion of someone who has run the equipment. I do think that FAE has changed the head and made improvements but I never got to see an older model so I don't really know. I do know the rep and CEO showed up on my job and were very helpful and nice to deal with, a big plus. I also ran a Magnum mulcher for a week (rented and saw a demo by rep), I do like them but the lack of any type of "counter combs" or fixed teeth leaves them behind the other for finished product (my opinion of course). Magnum comes with a Rexroth motor, I don't know how many different models their are of Rexroth motors so they may be different models in different manufactures(Fecon also runs a Rexroth). The FAE I demo'd did start to make a whining noise when it was coming down from speed, I don't know what that was and it only had 6-8 hours on it (may have been nothing).
I recently installed a door on my Fecon, compared to the FAE the Fecon's door flexes under pressure from the cylinder and when a chunk of wood slams in to it. I plan on reinforcing it and adding some sort of teeth for a better finished mulch.
If I had a little more work I'd think about a 140 HP Rayco or Fecon, although I have been happy with the ASV/Fecon (60") so far.
TED
Mowermoney
Member
Ted:
Thanks for the heads-up on the Magnum Mower. I do not have any problem with the Rexroth motor per se. I just don't like the way FAE couples it to the drive shaft. I have talked to the FAE rep several times about this issue and thy have chosen to deny there is a problem. Fecon connects theirs with a taper lock so there is no slack between the splines on the motor's output shaft and the female shaft extension. The problem with the motor is that once the shaft has rounded, you can't just replace the shaft, you have to replace the entire motor and shaft housing at a cost of around $4,000.
And these motors are hard to come by making downtim a major factor in your operation. I really wish Fae would address this problem. It is nice having them right up the road in Flowery Branch.
Thanks for the heads-up on the Magnum Mower. I do not have any problem with the Rexroth motor per se. I just don't like the way FAE couples it to the drive shaft. I have talked to the FAE rep several times about this issue and thy have chosen to deny there is a problem. Fecon connects theirs with a taper lock so there is no slack between the splines on the motor's output shaft and the female shaft extension. The problem with the motor is that once the shaft has rounded, you can't just replace the shaft, you have to replace the entire motor and shaft housing at a cost of around $4,000.
And these motors are hard to come by making downtim a major factor in your operation. I really wish Fae would address this problem. It is nice having them right up the road in Flowery Branch.
Qwikdraw,
You mentioned wanting to add some 'teeth' to the Fecon door. From looking at your pictures of the FAE head, the teeth on it look very much like 'racks' used with spur gears. Here's a link to the McMaster-Carr website that shows what I'm talking about:
McMaster-Carr
Good Luck.
You mentioned wanting to add some 'teeth' to the Fecon door. From looking at your pictures of the FAE head, the teeth on it look very much like 'racks' used with spur gears. Here's a link to the McMaster-Carr website that shows what I'm talking about:
McMaster-Carr
Good Luck.
OP
QwikDraw
Platinum Member
Thanks Gamma,
That's an interesting idea, I'll check it out.
Ted
That's an interesting idea, I'll check it out.
Ted
Maka
Veteran Member
Yes, how about the SR-80 with a Loftness Carbide Cutter running a #6 motor. The Loftness website has it listed as the set-up for the SR-80 but any real world experience in using it?
Maka
Maka
yellowdogsvc
Platinum Member
Great Pics!
I have the identical head with CAT paint on it. Only small difference is hose routing (I think). Drum and frame are identical. I have the same problem with clogging but I get a good finished product and my customers seem to approve. Close the door and soft woods look like old hay when you are done!
The CAT mulcher runs about $23 or $24k and like I said, it's the FAE with CAT paint just like the Bobcat mower is a Fecon and Bradco is a magnum.
I have the identical head with CAT paint on it. Only small difference is hose routing (I think). Drum and frame are identical. I have the same problem with clogging but I get a good finished product and my customers seem to approve. Close the door and soft woods look like old hay when you are done!
The CAT mulcher runs about $23 or $24k and like I said, it's the FAE with CAT paint just like the Bobcat mower is a Fecon and Bradco is a magnum.
Renze
Super Member
QwikDraw said:
What's the point of putting a sticker on it that says "stay back 300 feet" if its only 2 inches high, so one can only read it from a distance of less than 50 feet ????
Here are some similar links:
