# Carlton SP7015 with Kohler 74 HP



## Cupocoffee (Oct 20, 2015)

I talked with a sales rep at Carlton and he confirmed they are now using a 74 HP Kohler engine on the SP7015. I have a three year old SP7015 with the Kubota 66 HP engine. Has anyone been able to demo one of these units? I am curious how the torque compares with Kubota. Will 8 HP actually make a difference? What about the noise level. Carlton's web site does not reflect any of this. They still show they use the Kubota engine. You would think they would update their web site immediately. The price given to me for the SP7015 with the Kohler 74 HP engine, 4x4, hydraulic blade, razor teeth, and remote was $64,000. That seems pretty reasonable to me. I would just like to hear more about the Kohler engine. Supposedly, the reasoning for making the switch is because Kubota doesn't make the engines that meet EPA requirements. That seems strange as that is all that Kubota puts on their tractors. Any ideas or opinions?


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## Topbuilder (Oct 21, 2015)

My guess is they are rebadging someone else's motor. I would also bet they had to go to 74hp just to match the torque of the Kubota 66hp. I would NEVER run a gas engine on one of these machines. This change will make the available Kubota models GOLD.


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## Cupocoffee (Oct 21, 2015)

Topbuilder said:


> My guess is they are rebadging someone else's motor. I would also bet they had to go to 74hp just to match the torque of the Kubota 66hp. I would NEVER run a gas engine on one of these machines. This change will make the available Kubota models GOLD.


The Kohler 74 HP is a diesel engine. I should have made that clear. They told me, at Carlton, that anything under 75 HP does not require DEF (diesel exhaust fluid).


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## swaney (Oct 21, 2015)

Cupocoffee said:


> The Kohler 74 HP is a diesel engine. I should have made that clear. They told me, at Carlton, that anything under 75 HP does not require DEF (diesel exhaust fluid).



Hello All
I would always pick the diesel Kubota engine over the diesel Kohler--the now older Carlton Kubota diesel engine 7015 grinder will be in higher demand and value will be now ROCK SOLID.

Cheers!!


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## Eq Broker (Oct 23, 2015)

The Kohler diesel is really a Lombardini as they purchased them in order to get into the diesel market.


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## Topbuilder (Oct 23, 2015)

Carlton has a picture, no video yet, at:

facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=934089189935082&id=134518276558848

It looks BIG. It looks heavy.


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## Cupocoffee (Oct 23, 2015)

Topbuilder said:


> Carlton has a picture, no video yet, at:
> 
> facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=934089189935082&id=134518276558848
> 
> It looks BIG. It looks heavy.


I thought the same thing. I have the SP7015 with the 66 HP Kubota. In my opinion, it is top heavy. I am always extremely cautious on the slightest grade when I have to traverse the ground on a slope. Maybe the TRX would not be like that. Fortunately, in Oklahoma City, there are few really bad slopes. The Kohler looks even bigger. I would still like to try it out. From an aesthetic point of view, I think Carlton should continue to paint the engine housing the color of the grinder. In all the photos, I have seen, the engine housing is black. I appreciate the Facebook link. Those are the first comments I have seen from Carlton. It is a fine looking piece of equipment.


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## Topbuilder (Oct 23, 2015)

I have often wondered what the 7015 would act like without the duals. Right now I rarely run duals unless I need them to stay up in wet ground. _ I go through too many gates. Have you run yours without the duals?
It looks like the pic is maybe a prototype? Even so, why would they not release the video... you KNOW they shot film. I agree the motor unit should be painted. (sorry about italics?) 
What do you think about the "40 minutes" quoted in the pic vs your machine? _


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## Cupocoffee (Oct 23, 2015)

Topbuilder said:


> I have often wondered what the 7015 would act like without the duals. Right now I rarely run duals unless I need them to stay up in wet ground. _ I go through too many gates. Have you run yours without the duals?
> It looks like the pic is maybe a prototype? Even so, why would they not release the video... you KNOW they shot film. I agree the motor unit should be painted. (sorry about italics?)
> What do you think about the "40 minutes" quoted in the pic vs your machine? _


That looks to be a six foot stump. Honestly, I think I would be on that stump for an hour, and possibly an hour and a quarter, if I had a sharp set of lead teeth. I generally grind no less than eight inches. It looks like there are quite a few feeder roots to contend with. I can't imagine that they could grind that in 40 minutes going as deep as I do. The stump is big enough that I might reset on it twice or at least once. That is a solid stump too. I would charge a minimum of $400 -$500 for that job. It is hard to tell by the picture just what you would be getting into. 

To answer you question about grinding without duals. I have never done it with my SP7015. When I had a Vermeer 352, I decided to go a job without the duals. The ground was flat and the stump was only about 16". What could go wrong? While I was grinding, one of the wheels went into the hole I had just dug and it scared me badly. I thought I was going to dump the machine. Fortunately I didn't. My SP7015 seems very top heavy and unstable if I don't have the duals on.


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## Creeker (Oct 23, 2015)

That is a good post c' o' c, re trying to estimate how long/variability of the job from a pic. to real time site inspection and comments re dual wheels.

When I have to remove the outside duals on the 4012 to get thru' a gate I only leave them off if it's flat easy going and the stumps are relatively small and few. The duals take 5/10 minutes to take off and a bit longer to put back on, a very good system. (Half the time is grabbing the big socket and getting set up for ea. procedure)


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## Cupocoffee (Oct 23, 2015)

Creeker said:


> That is a good post c' o' c, re trying to estimate how long/variability of the job from a pic. to real time site inspection and comments re dual wheels.
> 
> When I have to remove the outside duals on the 4012 to get thru' a gate I only leave them off if it's flat easy going and the stumps are relatively small and few. The duals take 5/10 minutes to take off and a bit longer to put back on, a very good system. (Half the time is grabbing the big socket and getting set up for ea. procedure)



Yeah, Creeker, taking the wheels on and off is a real pain. The wheels on the SP7015 are heavy. I'm guessing around 35 or 40 pounds. In the heat of the Oklahoma summers, that means immediately sweating. On the Carlton there is only one very large bolt to take off. I always try to figure any way to save a few minutes and I pretty much have it down to a science. I am going to try to attach a photo of a holder I made for my socket wrench with its extension and the socket itself. I got all the hardware from Lowes. It saves me a lot of time going back to my truck and digging the tools out of my tool box and going back to the grinder. This way I always have the tools with me. I think this was 3" PVC with two end caps. It has been very handy.


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## Creeker (Oct 24, 2015)

Good idea having them that close and handy c'o'c, the 4012 duals are held on with one x 1" bolt ea. side, just lift the wheels off the ground with the cutter and I sometimes operate the fwd/back wheel travel to unwind/wind the bolt off/on. Bit lighter of course than the 7015's.

Not hard, just fiddly.

Can't see much of it, but enough to know you blokes with blades are spoilt..lol


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## Topbuilder (Jun 21, 2016)

Did they ever produce this machine? Still no video available.


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## Cupocoffee (Jun 21, 2016)

I know they produced some because I talked with a salesman several months ago. I noticed, on their web site, that they now make the 7015 with a 71 HP Kubota.


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## Topbuilder (Jun 21, 2016)

OK. I see both listed on the main site. Along with a "featured video" of Bob from '06 running his new Deutz machine...


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