# Vermeer SC60tx experience?



## vinceh

I bought one of these machines new 2 months ago. 

As of today, it's spent 3 weeks down. I can't blame the dealer,
in fact, they've been fantastic. 

Im just wondering if anyone else out there has had good
service out of theirs?

I've had electrical, clutch, and starter problems with mine.  


Thanks!


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## Curbside

I am in the process of buying a SC60tx but have not signed the papers yet . I would be very interested in getting a little more details about your problems? Did you buy the machine new? Did the dealer get you fixed up quickly? Did they have any explanation as to why the problem encurred? Did they have any suggestions that may have caused the problems? Is their to much gadgetry on this machine to make it reliable? How does the machine work when it is working? How fast does it track to the stump or is it painfully slow like their 252's? Any feedback would be very much appreciated.

If anyone else owns one out there did they also have problems or have they found it to be a reliable machine.


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## vinceh

The first problem we had was a lot of erratic electical problems. Strange codes, funny actions and the engine would just die for no reason, and then not restart. After several trips to the dealer, and a couple service calls where the dealer sent a mechanic to our location, the problem was tracked down to a pinched wiring harness that was incorrectly routed next to a hydraulic ram. 

Then, we've had a recouring problem with the adjustment on the clutch engagement yoke. It would rattle loose, come out of adjustment, and then the cutter wheel would not dis-engage. The tech finally got it to stop coming loose with loctite, but last week the clutch came apart, ruined the fly wheel, and the speed sensor. I suspect that the lever was set too tight, which caused the throwout bearing to press against the clutch fingers too tight.

The tracks pop off easily, and are difficult to get back on.

The radiator is very suseptiable to catching chips and over heating.

The 'wings' that need to be removed to narrow down the machine get
stuck and are not able to be removed.

The ram which makes the tracks wider and narrower gets stuck and works
when it wants too.

The starter doesnt work sometimes.(It just clicks) The dealer has tried several fixes, including replacing the solenoid and the entire starter, to no avail. Today, I am told that one of the wires going to the solenoid was too small for the current needed. We will see if it works. Im doubtfull.

Yes, i purchased the machine brand new. I should have known not to buy it when I went to pick up the machine and they wouldnt let me take it b/c it would not start. A couple hours later, they tracked it down to loose ground wire.

The machine is fairly complex. All of the operational functions for the hydraulics and engine controls are electronic over mechanical. So when their is a problem with one of these functions, it's difficult to know how to fix it yourself.

Now when this thing is working well, it cuts stumps like crazy. But I am starting to think that i laid down 40 grand on a machine that's not very reliable.

I am interested to hear from any one else who owns one.


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## Curbside

Wow you got me a little worried.....I also would like to hear from others. Wondering if you got a Monday morning machine or are they all like that.

What is the design flaw in the tracks. Is their not a tensioner to keep the tracks on? What in your opinion is causing the tracks to come off?


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## Sbusta

I spoke to a guy in Brisbane Aust who had an early one after a year of problems Vermeer took it back and refunded his money in full. Ive never liked Vermeer products i don't know why really I think they look good but just seem to lack the robustness i believe you need in this industry. Ive just purchased a Carlton 8018trx which I should get in about 6 weeks from what I can understand they are overbuilt.


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## vinceh

I hope it's not a Monday morning machine and the problems are now over. Regarding the tracks: there are tensionsers. Getting a wrench on them, is another story.  

Even when they are 'in spec' they are suseptible to getting sticks and dirt
in the tracks, and before you know it, the track is off. The system is a
lot more fragile than I think it should be.





Curbside said:


> Wow you got me a little worried.....I also would like to hear from others. Wondering if you got a Monday morning machine or are they all like that.
> 
> What is the design flaw in the tracks. Is their not a tensioner to keep the tracks on? What in your opinion is causing the tracks to come off?


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## Dougaman

*Vermeer SC60TX experience*

I purchased a Vermeer SC60TX and it has been an awful experience.
1) The machine has electrical problems - sometime I turn the key and it won't start. The Dealer has been great but can't fund the source of the problem
2) It blew an engine. Caterpillar was great and expedited getting a new engine and replacing it in less than 2 weeks and did it 100% under warranty. 
3) Not all functions work on the computer. I can use the remote but if the remote should go out I can't use the display.
4) The glow plugs were burnt out when I got it. Again it was under warranty at no cost and the a dealer has been great but it shut me down.
5) The guards are removable to get through a 36 inch gate but if you bump into a tree the guard bends making it impossible to get off without tools like a large pry bar.
6) This week the oil pressure sensor is out which shuts the machine down periodically because it thinks the oil pressure is low.
7) The tracks do not track evenly - even after adjustment. This tears up lawns because it travels in a zig zag pattern. Turning it is the worst on lawns.
8) The machine doesn't really go through a 36 inch gate because since it travels in a zig zag fashion it can't get through a 35 inch opening even though it is 35 inches wide.
9) The machine is top heavy. Do not ever try to go through a 35 inch gate if the ground has any slope that is even remotely traverse to the machine. The machine will tip over.
10) The hood to the gas tank is not stable. A heavy wind will knock it down on your arm or worse yet on your head if you are re-fueling with a 5 gallon tank.
10) The front two guards have only a 1/2 inch vertical clearance from the head or boom. Consequently when the machine bumps a tree it bends and then the boom will hit it causing it to bend a lot. I kept fixing it by hammering it out. Then one day I saw a used machine. I wondered what that owner did about the problem because surely he would encounter it as well so I looked at his machine. The answer was obvious and I couldn't believe I didn't think of it myself. He simply cut the end off the guard! I took it to a metal fab shop and had it cut off for only $100. It was the best $100 I ever spent because I haven't had the problem since.
11) It takes a lot of cleaning. The radiator especially collects a lot of debris. I think the travel path of the chips is such that it gets sucked into the radiator. This is especialy true when you can't get the guard back on so you use it anyway. 
12) The teeth are difficult to change. The manual says to torque it down to between 250 and 300 pounds. Then re-torque them after 2 hours of use. Realistically that is almost impossible to do on a consistent basis.
13) The ground pressure under the tracks is advertised as an average of 4 PSI. The operative word is average. I'm thinking the middle of the tracks are nearly zero while the ends are hundreds pounds.


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## Plyscamp

I bought a used SC505 with 995 hours on it ( Dirt Cheap ) about a month ago from the Vermeer Dealer. It was traded in on a SC60TX because no one could figure out what was wrong with it. The dealer had worked on it several times over the last year or so and was convinced it was a hydraulic problem. The tracks would not move the unit when chips built up under it, and it would almost jump up and down when you drove it on the pavement.

Turns out that the two rollers at the rear of the tracks were worn out and there are 4 Nylon runners that the tracks slide on at the base of the tracks. The nylon slides were worn so bad that the tracks were hanging up on the bolts that secure them. This also allowed the tracks to come in contact with the metal frame that supports them acting like a brake.

Replaced the rollers and slides and it works like new.

I am posting this info in hopes I can save someone all the aggravation the prior owner went through.


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## ASD

when it comes to vermeer stumpers all i can say is buy a carlton we just got a 8018 and love it !!!!!!!!!! the vermeer 505 / tx50 / tx60 all suck!! y do you think they keep changing the mod. number????? so people don't do a search and find bad info on them!!!!!!!!!


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## Curbside

That sucks you have had that many problems. Mind you all the engine problems are a Cat problem.

I bought a SC60 and have been pretty happy with it. I found the tracking at first was a bit wonky but it is pretty good now and I have gone through gates where it was rubbing both sides of the tracks. You have to turn the rpm to idle and inch it through. Although the machine is 36 I prefer the gates to be a little wider. 

The guards are a peice of junk and I have long since thrown them away. I took some of the skirt materail and bolted it to the sides. I then made a swivel where you pin the guards and now I just pull the guards out and ready to go. 

I run a Sandvic disk so I do not have the issue with the teeth. Vermeer teeth are hard to replace.

I haven't had any electrical problems. At least not yet.

As far as turning on turf if you do power turns you will rip the snot out of the grass. If you ease the turns you scuff it a bit but nothing overly serious.

Good luck


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## vinceh

Do you happen to have a picture of what you are describing with those guards you made??


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## Curbside

I've never put a picture on the site but I will try and get you some. They work really slick.


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## dogdad

I don't have the 60tx but do have the 352 and it has been great,,,no problems and works well. I didn't want to spend 40k on a machine.


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## hayes9415

keep up w/ maintenance like CRAZY!!! overdoit w/oil changes, lube, CLEANING!!!! vermschmeeer are kinda finikky! i have had lots of em over the years, my grinder is a sc505 it6 has alot less of the gadgetry then sc60tx, hence less headache! greenteeth only!!!!!


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## Curbside

Ok I tried uploading some files of the new skirts I built for the 60TX. I hope you can see what I've done. They work great and it is so easy.


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## rbtree

I don't own a big stumper, but don't tracked machines tear up yards? I've heard mostly bad about the Vermeer tracked units. And have seen Rayco RG 50 and 90's in action...awesome machines....


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## treesquirrel

If you turn a machine that is on tracks while on a yard you will do severe damage.

My track loader will destroy a yard if I am not careful and set myself up to drive straight in and straight out.

I would prefer a rubber tire unit if lawn damage is a concern. The Rayco units are quite nice as are the Vermeer, however Vermeer is lacking in horsepower with the rubber tire units.

I am unsure of what Carlton and others have to offer.


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## Curbside

You can destroy the turf if you decide to do powerturns but if you are careful you can make it through the turf with only minor scuffing. Heck sometimes my 252 will leave ruts in the yard. It's the same thing with trackloaders etc if you are gently you can almost get anywhere with little or no damage but if you start power turning etc it will eat the grass up.


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## Andy C

Hi all, this is my first post and I have to chime in on my experience with Vermeer, STAY AWAY!!! I would much rather have a carlton than a vermeer, we do a lot of work on Vermeer, Bandit and Carlton and by far Carlton is a much better machine, also carlton and bandit have a much better customer service attitude and are always willing to assist with any problems that may arise....just my 2 cents


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## TheTreeAmigos

Super happy with my Carlton 7015. A friendly competitor has a SC60TX and it’s about a disappointing turd from all I’ve heard.


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## Erwin

From my experience, the SC60TX is by far the best machine Vermeer ever made, I mean mechanically. Yeah, they'd done a better job with those butterfly removable guards flap things. 60 HP diesel power directly going into the stump, no power loss on hydraulic, or belts, Or the concern of wearing and replacing them. the control is not as bad as you think. With a little practice, I can steer it pretty well. You do have to have very steady hand on the joy stick. Vermeer should've designed some thing to stabilize the control station while it's folded (I'm going to figure out a way to modify it). With the current config, the entire control station shakes as it bumps up n down to the main body of the machine, thus makes it very hard to control turns.

The most complaints for this machine is the gut, namely the computer. My opinion, that's what screwed the chance of this otherwise wonderful machine to compete with similar models from Rayco and carlton. If that's bothering you like it does to me, there is a solution now. I'm getting an after market remote control to completely bypass the computer. I'm going to wire it to the computer inputs for now. Once the computer or any little part in it breaks down, instead of buying a very expensive replacement part from Vermeer, I'll just directly wire the new remote to all the valve coils which is what the Vermeer engineer (or over-engineer!) should've done when they developed it.


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## Mike Sheppard

Erwin said:


> From my experience, the SC60TX is by far the best machine Vermeer ever made, I mean mechanically. Yeah, they'd done a better job with those butterfly removable guards flap things. 60 HP diesel power directly going into the stump, no power loss on hydraulic, or belts, Or the concern of wearing and replacing them. the control is not as bad as you think. With a little practice, I can steer it pretty well. You do have to have very steady hand on the joy stick. Vermeer should've designed some thing to stabilize the control station while it's folded (I'm going to figure out a way to modify it). With the current config, the entire control station shakes as it bumps up n down to the main body of the machine, thus makes it very hard to control turns.
> 
> The most complaints for this machine is the gut, namely the computer. My opinion, that's what screwed the chance of this otherwise wonderful machine to compete with similar models from Rayco and carlton. If that's bothering you like it does to me, there is a solution now. I'm getting an after market remote control to completely bypass the computer. I'm going to wire it to the computer inputs for now. Once the computer or any little part in it breaks down, instead of buying a very expensive replacement part from Vermeer, I'll just directly wire the new remote to all the valve coils which is what the Vermeer engineer (or over-engineer!) should've done when they developed it.


*Where can I get this remote controlle at*


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## Mike Sheppard

Where can I get a aftermarket remote at please because I got trouble with mine


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## Erwin

What model year is urs? Post pictures of the valve compartment so I can tell if u have the same configuration as mine.


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## mrhemihead

Erwin said:


> The most complaints for this machine is the gut, namely the computer. My opinion, that's what screwed the chance of this otherwise wonderful machine to compete with similar models from Rayco and carlton. If that's bothering you like it does to me, there is a solution now. I'm getting an after market remote control to completely bypass the computer. I'm going to wire it to the computer inputs for now. Once the computer or any little part in it breaks down, instead of buying a very expensive replacement part from Vermeer, I'll just directly wire the new remote to all the valve coils which is what the Vermeer engineer (or over-engineer!) should've done when they developed it.



Your experience with the Vermeer controller (computer) has been the same with my chipper. My background is in robotic controls, its apparent Vermeer is attempting to combine safety and machine operating features in one box.

I had looked into an aftermarket controller, *BUT* the safety features are disabled with that.

Since the machine is exposed to the elements, wiring connectors, switches and sensors can deteriorate. I have neighborhood rodents that seem to enjoy chewing the wiring harness.
Their service manual, especially the wiring diagrams, are OK but could be confusing for an independent shop tech.
Factory customer service refers service related questions to the local dealer. The standard line from the dealer..."bring it in."


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## 74inchshovel

My 60 which I bought new 18 months ago has been flawless. But myself as well thinks it’s way over complicated in the safety/wiring area. If this ever causes excessive down time due to loss of reliability, I’d be the first to begin re-engineering it. The motor, thankfully, looks to be a simple mechanicaly injected Perkins/Cat with a linear actuator. If so, the work around on that is no biggie. The valves are all non-proportional electric over hydraulic, take a volt meter, find what voltage the computer is sending to actuate, and where, and go from there. The auto- sweep would be hard to replace. Personally, I rarely need it. Sharp teeth, a little skill makes an even better auto sweep. I know this all sounds like “ big talk “ but my point is 4 days in the shop and I think it’s a done deal. Anyone want to buy a ECM? Lol


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## luckydad

I would like to know about the aftermarket remote as well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Erwin

u have to call Kurt and buy his remote (transmitter n receiver) for Carlton 7015 and wire it ur self.


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## Mike Sheppard

Erwin said:


> View attachment 730790
> View attachment 730791
> u have to call Kurt and buy his remote (transmitter n receiver) for Carlton 7015 and wire it ur self.[/QUOTE


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## Mike Sheppard

What is Kurt’s number


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## #1treeman

Curbside said:


> I am in the process of buying a SC60tx but have not signed the papers yet . I would be very interested in getting a little more details about your problems? Did you buy the machine new? Did the dealer get you fixed up quickly? Did they have any explanation as to why the problem encurred? Did they have any suggestions that may have caused the problems? Is their to much gadgetry on this machine to make it reliable? How does the machine work when it is working? How fast does it track to the stump or is it painfully slow like their 252's? Any feedback would be very much appreciated.
> 
> If anyone else owns one out there did they also have problems or have they found it to be a reliable machine.


I bought a new 2018 five months ago and I’m sad to say that I will be taking my machine back to the dealer in pensacola Florida in the morning electronics have hit the skids


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