# Rayco rg 50 super



## outdoorsman0490 (May 17, 2016)

does anyone have one of these? How do you like it. There is one close to me for sale with the 65 duetz and the grader blade.

I have a 97 rayco rg1642 with 42 duetz. Works good, but was looking into more Hp and self propelled.


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## pajeepman (May 17, 2016)

Do it. Company I worked for had a rayco tow behind, I think that model. Traded for a rg50 4x4. Well worth it. Able to get to more stumps, from various angles, on wet ground without tracking up yards as bad. Traded that for a big bandit self propelled. They have since traded the bandit for a rg90. The blade is real nice if you clean grinding up

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## epicklein22 (May 17, 2016)

I have a rg50 (48hp) and have a lot of hours on a super rg50 (66hp). Both are solid grinders and really do well for power, yet remaining agile. How much money is the machine? I would look at big carltons too.


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## outdoorsman0490 (May 18, 2016)

Dudes asking 19,500. He is a service guy and bought this one and another from a large company who bought a brand new large one.
The other grinder he bought had low hours too, the company had them but didn't use them often. And this guy serviced them for years.
He replaced the cog belt, the hydro pump, new pulleys, new starter; everything it needed I guess.

I would look into seeing if he would take my rayco as a trade, or would sell and offset some of this one.

I grind a day a week or so, but would like to do more stumps


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## outdoorsman0490 (May 18, 2016)

It's an 03 with just under 1k hours


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## backhoelover (May 18, 2016)

need to run the. drive pumps are known for going out on them stump grinder. i just replaced one


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## Topbuilder (May 18, 2016)

I've worked with a few service guys and mechanics over the years. Never a one of them had enough coin to fit in this story.


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## pajeepman (May 18, 2016)

Did the pillow block bearings that support the grinding wheel get replaced also?

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## epicklein22 (May 19, 2016)

That's a good price for the hours if the meter is working correctly. Get him to come down some more and buy it.


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## outdoorsman0490 (May 19, 2016)

Going tomorrow, hopefully everything is good.

I never ran one before. But I believe the head is the same size as my 1642, but the head should be almost twice as thick. I would have to think having 65hp verses the 42hp is going to make it really chew verses what I am used to


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## Topbuilder (May 19, 2016)

The 1642 is a 3cyl. direct drive. The super is a four cylinder hydraulically driven. Makes a BIG difference in noise, vibration and power. 
If this machine is legit, it's a bargain.


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## outdoorsman0490 (May 21, 2016)

I checked it out last night. Looks good, runs even better. 
Started easy, no smoke, quite, no smoke when revved up. Had new cutter head bearings, he did put a new hydraulic pump in it, new bushings, etc. left a deposit and going to pick it up Sunday morning.


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## Topbuilder (May 21, 2016)

Congrats! You will love it.
I have read every written word on the super 50, (seriously, I think I have) from what I have seen the number one cause of failure is poor maintenance practices. While that seems to be a "captain obvious" moment, there are plenty of machines out there that fail even when the owner does everything right. My super was purchased from a man in Florida. I have no doubt he is a force to be reckoned with in all that he does including stump grinding. Admittedly, his maintenance standards were above those that I adhered to. Who better to buy a valuable piece of equipment from? I currently attempt to honor his practices. (sorry John, I have not waxed the hood in over a year!)

My longevity list for the Super 50:
1) Blow off the entire machine before every trip out.
Overheating for this machine is catastrophic. They call it "air cooled", but the hydraulic oil cools the motor. If there is no air passing through the evaporator coil (radiator), there is no cooling. Seems obvious but it is still the biggest cause of premature engine failure in these machines. The ability to cool is hindered by the rest of the engine compartment/ oil pan being covered in dirt as well. Blow off every square inch! In this process you will detect problems before they become big problems. Oil, fuel, hydraulic leaks usually start small.

2) Keep it parked indoors.
Yep, my truck sleeps outside. My equipment gets unloaded and parked in the barn every night. One drop of oil/fuel will not hit the ground without detection. The instruments/wiring only suffer rain while on the job. No UV on the fiberglass and gauges except when its making money. 

3) Check oil levels, air pressure, clean air cleaner every trip out. Develop a grease schedule based on hours and stick to it. Buy filters by the case quantity. You get a better price. Never let your schedule suffer because you don't have a filter on the shelf.

4) Mark filters with the date and hours. Change (outer) air , oil and filter every 100 hours, inner every 300 hours depending on your conditions. No cheap oil! , give it the good stuff. 2 1/2 gallons every time... As far as rest of the machine, let your experience and the manual guide you. I change the fuel filters every 200 hours and the hydraulic filters every 4-500 hours. Don't forget to check/change gear oil in the wheel drive motors. This machine has a timing belt! 1500 - 2000 hours I think. 

5) Keep the teeth sharp. For all the same reasons you put a file to a chainsaw... Power, fuel, productivity... You can rotate or change all 6 lead teeth in less than 10 minutes and be throwing 6" ribbons instead of dust. Deal with full tooth changes when you are back in the shop. Air tools, radio and a good cigar!

6) Operator awareness. I don't wear ear protection. No radio... I have to hear the machine. It will tell you what's going on, when you are pushing too hard. When you are into something that should not be ground - rock, metal ect. If you smell something unusual, shut it down (cutter head) and pop the hoods and check it out. I saved my 50 from burning to the ground because I trusted my nose. I stopped a blown fuel hose from draining the tank because I smelled it first.

7) Cool down procedure. After a job, I load the machine asap and allow the machine to cool down prior to killing it. Not necessarily at an idle... you want to continue to draw a lot of air over the radiator. Then I will blow off the drive street, change shirts, wash off with a hose... there is always something to do while the machine is cooling down. How long is long enough? I need to plumb a temp gauge in. I give it a solid 5 minutes. 

8) The muffler. There is a "muffler blanket" covering the muffler and an asbestos sleeve covering the tail pipe where it exits the hood. These have to be there, and in good condition. Do not buy the factory sleeve for the tail pipe. Use header wrap and copper worm drive clamps. This all keeps the heat out of the engine compartment. This machine generate A LOT of heat. Like you will not be handling the controls without gloves, kind of heat.

Hey, good luck with it! I hope you got a good one!


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## Topbuilder (May 21, 2016)

One more thing. Slopes!! the Deutz engine does not like extreme slopes!


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## outdoorsman0490 (May 21, 2016)

Thanks. I did a lot of those things already with my current grinder. But I will be sure to open the hoods and blow everything out well every time; and the air filter.
I agree with warm up and cool down. Some stumps I go there is way more time doing these than doing the grinding.

No ear protection? No way, I can grind with my grinder with my ears in, and really not having to look, just off the sound.

I wanted to put this grinder in my dump trailer so I can put grindings in when I have too. What do you figure re sale is on the rayco trailer it is coming with? It is built real well and is in real good shape, but I am pretty sure I am going to try to sell it.


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## Topbuilder (May 21, 2016)

No idea on the trailer. Seems like it might be handy on quick jobs.


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## outdoorsman0490 (May 21, 2016)

Hey top,

Are all your green teeth pockets angled. On tree stuff they have 2 setups for this machine, one has 6 straight pockets, one has 4. What's your setup


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## pajeepman (May 21, 2016)

Trailer is really nice, quick on quick off easy to maneuver, it is just heavy as hell for such a small trailer. Thats not a bad this, means it should last and not fall apart.

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## Topbuilder (May 22, 2016)

outdoorsman0490 said:


> Hey top,
> 
> Are all your green teeth pockets angled. On tree stuff they have 2 setups for this machine, one has 6 straight pockets, one has 4. What's your setup


I'm running 6 straights in the lead position. the reverse pockets wont work on a 1 1/2" wheel. 1100s... they will recommend 900s . Don't know what to tell you there. Been running 11oos with no problems on this Super and the RG 50.


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## outdoorsman0490 (May 22, 2016)

Ok


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## Topbuilder (May 22, 2016)

I think the machine set ups for 1100 series machines on Tree Stuff's site are listed in error. They show spacers and nuts. I'm not aware of a 1100 series tooth that uses a spacer.


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## outdoorsman0490 (May 22, 2016)

Why do you use the 1100 verse the 900, won't the smaller tooth cut faster than a larger tooth if all other factors are constant?


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## Topbuilder (May 23, 2016)

If that were true there would be no need for the larger tooth. I think the goal is to use the largest carbide surface your horse power will support. Up until a couple years ago, the break between the 900 series and 100 series was at 50 -60 HP range. Now the line has been moved to the 90 -100 HP. I'm sure there is a very good reason for it somewhere. I hope it is not because the margins are better on the smaller tooth and pockets. It may be because the average operator does not maintain a sharp edge, bogging the machine down? At any rate, my machines (RG50,RG66, RG1642) were all running 1100s when I bought them. It's what I'm used to. I have close to 200 teeth and a inventory of pockets... 
I'm not trying to influence your decision, only telling you why there are so many people not running 900s and that in _MY_ area with the stumps that I run across day to day, the Super will handle 1100s.


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## island edge (May 24, 2016)

So how does the the super (66) compare to the standard 50 in power? Those of u that own both.. Will the extra 15hp make the difference?


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## Topbuilder (May 24, 2016)

A world of difference. I think the RG50 is 48 HP. So you are looking at a gain of 18 HP. But, you are going from a 3 cyl to a 4 cyl. A MUCH smoother and quieter machine. Less vibration. 
You loose the vinyl overflow/bleed-off lines on the injectors. 
You go from a 20" cutter wheel to a 24", increasing from 18 to 24 pocket/teeth. 
One of the biggest gains is going from 2WD to 4WD. Huge advantage. Many, many jobs I have completed that would have been drive-bys with the 50 because of the 4DW. Sometimes you never get those jobs back, they go to the guy who can get it done. 
With the Super you gain a hydraulic blade. You now have the ability to move a mountain of chips. Ever have a tree service buck a tree and leave the rounds right where you need to be, then go to lunch? Backfilling is now a breeze. Ever sink an axle in the mud? The blade will lift the entire back of the machine out of the ground. 
In terms of actual horse power increase, you are only gaining 37%. (only!) But, when you consider the total package, the actual differences between the two machines in productivity, are much more. I have always told people that overall, the Super is twice the machine.


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## Topbuilder (May 25, 2016)

outdoorsman0490 said:


> Why do you use the 1100 verse the 900, won't the smaller tooth cut faster than a larger tooth if all other factors are constant?



So did you pick it up? Test run it...


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## outdoorsman0490 (May 25, 2016)

I like the way all that sounds.

I didn't get an engine manual from the previous owner, I got the service manual and the operators manual. This machine always ran full synthetic Royal purple believe it or not. I got 3 extra oil filters from the guy, but I don't know the capacity of the oil; how much does this motor take?


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## outdoorsman0490 (May 25, 2016)

I wrote that last post last night, but didn't post it somehow.

Yeah, got it Sunday. The super teeth on them are pretty rough and work has been too busy to give it a rip. I have it in the garage on the trailer, maybe this weekend I will get a chance to do a small maple or ash stump at my house, even with the dull rayco teeth


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## Topbuilder (May 25, 2016)

outdoorsman0490 said:


> I like the way all that sounds.
> 
> I didn't get an engine manual from the previous owner, I got the service manual and the operators manual. This machine always ran full synthetic Royal purple believe it or not. I got 3 extra oil filters from the guy, but I don't know the capacity of the oil; how much does this motor take?



2 1/2 GALLONS!!
The engine manual is all in German.


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## new stump guy (Jun 2, 2016)

I can use a little help from Rayco Super 50 owners.

I am getting ready to change the hydraulic oil and filters and I have several questions. The return oil filter seems simple enough, spin the old one off and spin the new one on. The suction or supply to the pump filter is in the oil tank itself. I was thinking of removing the small basket strainer on the top of the oil tank and pumping out the oil from the tank and replacing the suction filter and refilling the tank with fresh hydraulic oil. I am aware I will not get all of the old oil out of the system but I believe I will get at least about 80% of it out. It concerns me to empty the complete system and I am fearful of starting up without the pumps and motors somewhat filled with hydraulic oil. In short how do you guys change your hydraulic oil and filters?

When greasing your cutting wheel bearings I pump grease into the bearing until I see grease exiting the bearing. I do this every one to two hours of operation. Does this seem correct?

Thanks in advance,
Joe


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## Topbuilder (Jun 3, 2016)

Can't help you with the hydro question. I had mine done at the service shop while getting other work done. I'll see what the book says. 
As far as the grease goes... that is WAY too much grease. Pull your metal belt cover off, there is probably plenty evidence of your excess. I have to clean mine out every now and then and I only give it 3-4 pumps per DAY. Unless I'm really putting hard hours into it, then I might add a few in the field. I have read about people who never add grease. I can't go there, but I think you might be over doing it.


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## outdoorsman0490 (Jun 9, 2016)

Finally used the grinder yesterday and today. Works good; nice going from stump to stump at the same job. Even took down a 20' spruce in a guys backyard in a fenced in area, ground the stump then pulled the tree out tied to the blade


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## Topbuilder (Jun 10, 2016)

Did you make the change to Greenteeth, if so, 1100s or 900s?


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## outdoorsman0490 (Jun 10, 2016)

Yeah, I put the 900s on like my other grinder. I wanted them to be the same. Didn't want to take the plunge on the 1100


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## Topbuilder (Jun 10, 2016)

I can understand that. One set of parts to keep in inventory...
Have you run it enough to judge production between the 1642 and the Super? I always felt the hydraulics were a little slow on the 1642.
I'm interested to see if the Super will relegate the 1642 to "back up" status. Or, if you will think you don't even need it.


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## outdoorsman0490 (Jun 10, 2016)

I had planned on selling the 1642 when I bought this. Yes, the hydros are quicker, and you can take a larger bite. Did an ash stump about 2'/3' in prob 5-7 mins, maybe quicker; wasn't really timing it. Is pretty slow moving to the stump though


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## Topbuilder (Jun 10, 2016)

Yep. Sometimes I have to check and see if it is really in "hi" speed, hi and low are that close...
I do some work on a golf course where you have to take cart paths a l o n g way to get to the stumps. Makes me dream of a Carlton 7015 with 7 ground speeds... the seventh is labeled "50 yard dash", and then I wake up.


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## outdoorsman0490 (Jun 10, 2016)

I would have liked one of those carltons too, I don't think they come up too often


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## outdoorsman0490 (Jun 14, 2016)

I did 2 real big linden stumps today and a cherry. We took the trees down a while back, someone was supposed to pop them with an excavator, but backed out. The entire root system from all 3 were on the surface. No kidding, these stumps looked like an octopus. I would say the 2 lindens I ground out 25' in diameter. Took 3 hours and I filled my large dump trailer 2 times with the grindings. Total about 6 hours since tractor did the loading.
I couldn't imagine doing stumps like these with a tow behind.


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## Topbuilder (Jun 14, 2016)

Now you're talking. Pretty versatile machine eh? I've never hauled chips, that would be a whole different element. I have had customers ask me on the big ones before. I say "imagine the back of your truck heaped up high...twice. They think I'm pulling their leg until they see it all at the end.

Something to add to your check list - The hydraulic return tank cap. It is also the vent. Depending on how dusty your life is, it will completely clog up if not blown out every once in a while. 

Have a feel for how many hours you get out of an edge on those 900s yet?


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## outdoorsman0490 (Jun 14, 2016)

I have been blowing it off pretty well every time I park it back at the house.

I don't know where yuh are, but here in New England, there are more rocks than you can shake a stick at. Doing these stumps I probably hit several hundred golf ball size rocks and at least a dozen or so potato or larger rocks that were under the stump and roots.
I have never had a chance to see how long a tooth lasts cutting wood.
I did all the roots first and left the center of mass, then rotated the bad teeth before I did the "stump" portion.


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## Topbuilder (Jun 14, 2016)

Texas. I can't imagine. We have zero natural rock. In that environment I'm sure you have nothing worth sharpening. Big expense over me.


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## outdoorsman0490 (Jun 15, 2016)

The outer teeth all just get ruined. The middles and inners just wear, the rock never really gets to them. I was planning on sending out all the ones that are so so to get sharpened


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## outdoorsman0490 (Jun 19, 2016)

Made a nice tool box for the trailer today, dividers from scrap wood from my sugar house I built. Bracket was already part of the trailer.

Hey top, how many hours on your grinder, how long have you had it, what year?


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## outdoorsman0490 (Jun 19, 2016)

Pic


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## Topbuilder (Jun 19, 2016)

outdoorsman0490 said:


> Made a nice tool box for the trailer today, dividers from scrap wood from my sugar house I built. Bracket was already part of the trailer.
> 
> Hey top, how many hours on your grinder, how long have you had it, what year?



I picked up this machine in April '14. I was in going through Baton Rouge on the way home "Fat Tuesday" when they closed down I-10 due to ice everywhere. Interesting trip pulling a trailer.
It had a little over a thousand hours on it when I got it and now I'm at 1900 or so hours. I think it is a '06 or '07.


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## Topbuilder (Jun 24, 2016)

Hey ODM, here is pic of side guards. Let me know if you need something specific.
Don't forget the one below. It keeps a lot of dust out of the oil cooler.


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## outdoorsman0490 (Jun 24, 2016)

I see. That was what I figured the non operator side looked like. I am not mets savvy enough to make something just like the real one.
I did replace the underneath one with a heavy piece of heavy rubber


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## outdoorsman0490 (Jun 28, 2016)

I just put my rg 1642 on Craigslist last night. 
I had a scammer email me about how he is ready to purchase the machine for his "lovely sister for her wedding ceremony" I am sure that is just what she wants as a wedding present, a stump grinder. All the punctuation and spacing was weird too.


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## Topbuilder (Mar 25, 2017)

outdoorsman0490 said:


> I see. That was what I figured the non operator side looked like. I am not mets savvy enough to make something just like the real one.
> I did replace the underneath one with a heavy piece of heavy rubber


I had to replace that guard as well. I bought a pair of mud flaps that go on a 18 wheeler. 1/4" thick. Cut them to size and did both machines with one flap. BIG difference in the amount of crap that makes it under the machine and up where it does not belong. The real test will be when it dries up and I do a dusty job. Way less material making it into the oil cooler fins so far. 
How's it going with your Super?


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## outdoorsman0490 (Mar 26, 2017)

Hey Top, mines doing well. Did what I consider a lot of stumps last year, several really big. At least 5 where the ground area was the size of my truck or so. It is also so nice to do a dozen small stumps in no time compared to the town behind having to be repositioned with truck.
I never got a good system for the passenger side deflector, so I got a few shields I stand up around the stump for containment.
I probably did my last stumps in December last year, and just did a handful a couple weeks ago. Everything was good with its few months sitting.
Need to move my 1642 this year and put that money towards something else.


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## Topbuilder (Mar 26, 2017)

I kinda forgot about it being winter for you. My December, January have always been pretty dead even though it's the best time to work here. Our trees have been full with leaves for weeks. 
I saw an ad for a factory refurbished Super that was listed for $52,000!! Looks really nice. Glad I'm not making those payments...
Good luck hope you have a good year!


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