Feelings on Gyrotrac

[cbturf]

Robbie you mentioned the flow and pressure on the 250 was 80 GPM @ 5000 psi will it be compatable with the Barko's 96 GPM @ 5500 psi? Does DC have a rock tooth in it's future? I can not wait to get in the Barko. I already told the guy selling it that if it runs like I think it will I was going to buy it. One thing that is very important to me is the fuel tank size, the last two weeks it was so wet and muddy that we had a 40 minute drive in the grinder to get to the work site. If the fuel tank will not run 10 hours then you can not get in a full day. Barko has a 126 gallon fuel tank and the Supertrak only holds 65 gallons with essentially the same size engine. I will be lucky to run until lunch in a 300hp grinder with only 65 gallons of fuel. Another think that I like about the Barko is the tires, out here the jobs are spread out a little and I will be able to drive the machine (within a few miles of course) rather than load it on a truck every three weeks.

Added a couple of pictures so you can see why it was wet amd muddy. Pictures from March 3

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

The 250 will handle up to 110 gpm. I was just using the numbers from the Prentice since I had been working on the specs for it recently. The real beauty with tired prime movers is the tractor is up out of the mulching debri, clean and safe. Plus the visibility is excellent. If you would like to see a large Cimaf head run that can be arranged!
Yes we have different blades. There are actually three different blades with two of them being used most. One is the regular steel blades that would come stock on a new head. Then we have a forged blade just for challenging conditions. Such as heavy sand that you would find near the coast.
Now for your conditions I would actually consider the regular blades. The reason being you are going to damage any blade/tooth in rocky conditions. Atleast with the steel blades you can sharpen the dings out. A carbide is broke. You will still have increased wear but atleast you will get productivity.
Point in case. I have seen a large skid steer with our head run and I have seen our head run on a 400 H.P. carrier. Same blade. Skid 2500 rpm, Carrier 2800rpm. You would expect to see more wear/damage on the larger unit but it was the opposite. I think because the larger unit had more enurisha(southern phonics). It would kick a rock out of the way more quickly and drive through the material.
Your points about fueling and travel speed are VERY important points. Time spent not mulching is costing you money. Plus a tired carrier is going to weight less than a tracked counterpart. I hope the Barko deal works for you. The tractors you are assenmbling are good because each one has it's place.

 

[cbturf]

I am replacing the FTX-140 with a 148. They are pretty much the same as far as power goes but the rocks are so bad that I need the suspended undercarriage and loader arms. I don't know if the arms will speed us up any but we are grinding a lot of trees that are already cut down and they are so topheavy that the stump is 6-8 feet up in the air. We are having to work them from the top end and that takes much longer than attacking it from the butt end. If I am running a 148 and a Barko I think that I should cut 3 acres per hour in the small stuff. I am more scared about keeping busy than anything! I have always been able to find work so I think that will not be a problem but I sure hope it is back in TN. I am starting to miss the family pretty bad.

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

Funny you mention that. The Barko should have about a 10-11' reach height. You then could mulch the tree felled from the stump end.
Plus with the Barko you could go after big right-of-way work and pipe-line stuff. Here a fellow mulcher was using his large rubber tired loader to compete with tub grinders. He was/is doing large commercial lots for developers. It's a large deposit to just bring a tub grinder before you even put the first tree in it. With the Barko there will not be anymore "that's too big", just "that will be an additional fee".... PM sent

 

[Clear Site]

I was just wanting everyones opinion on the gyrotrac dedicated machines? I had a salesman call me today wanting me to try one out but wanted everyones opinion first.

I have a Gyro Trac GT-25XP, Gyro Trac GT-13, and a Bobcat T-320 W/Forestry cutter (Fecon). I'm completely sold on GyroTrac. From clearing brush, chipping cedar like it was made of butter, and cutting up 38" pecan trees 80' feet in length in 30 minutes, I have found nothing yet that it will not take down with ease. Sharpening the teeth dailey does suck.
ClearSite Texas. Land Clearing, Right of Way, pipelines and cedar clearing in austin, buda, wimberly, san antonio, and all of central texas

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

Weel we"ll take that as a complement since its our technology. I'm glad you like your equipment, it seems to serve you well. We can however make that Bobcat a little more productive if you need.
Also if you are interested in seeing a excavator mount let us know. I personally enjoy excavators far more than front mount due to the limited debri thrown at the cab. Plus you enjoy a high h.p. to rotor length ratio. Oh ya you'll like this one, far less undercarriage problems.

 

[tejaslm]

hey do you know what it cost per hour if you contracted out by the hour to have one of these mulchers do some clearing??

 

[fishfactor]

There is no generic hourly rate. Local markets play a part in determining rates as well as the size of the machine and conditions of the jobsite. Lots of rocks for example will normally bring a higher hourly rate because of anticipated damage to teeth. Best thing to do is find someone in your area and have them come out and give you a estimate.

 

[tejaslm]

thanks for the help--it just seems there is no one in our area and contractors 2 hours away aren't too interested unless you guarantee them work--guess it would take too much time to come look---not rocky at all just mostly sand-looking to have acreage of locust stands mulched down-very pencil like trees 3-8 inch diameter but tall and close together---I would just like some idea before I commit to a contractor (who may blindside me with the price) just want to be educated in some average of rates (BALLPARK)

 

[fishfactor]

Where are you located? Any contractor should be willing to come look at it unless they are so busy they don't need the work. Offer to pay a estimate fee to cover their gas.

There really is no generic number. We have cleared for anywhere between $150 - $4000 per acre depending on the hundreds of factors that must be considered.

We have done a few jobs site unseen that were 200 miles away. We just qualify them well over the phone and give average production rates for the conditions they describe. It normally works out if they describe the conditions and the desired end result accurately.