Bandit 2100SP. Cannot make cutter wheel swing at all. Please help

[Apachedesert]

Please help. I am totally new to stump grinding. I bought a 2007 Bandit 2100SP stump grinder on Friday and drove 650 miles to get home, and I can't make the cutter wheel swing at all from side to side. I can't make it move at all. This grinder has the remote, wireless control box that executes all other functions just fine. It is a hydraulic system. I am assuming (hoping) there is simply a setting that is off, perhaps a safety setting of some sort that I don't know about. I will inquire from the people I bought it from on Monday during business hours. But today is Sunday and really had my heart set on grinding some stumps. Can anyone help? By the way, I cannot even locate manual levers to do this either. But again, all other functions on the remote work just fine. If you have the ability to calll me, please do so. 919-637-7003

 

[BC WetCoast]

I've run a 2100 but never with remote and it was an older model. Have you looked for a safety switch?
Does it have the side protection wing? If so, there might be a safety switch that won't allow movement until the wing if fully open.
Have you lifted the panels to look inside to where the remote operates the hydraulic switches?
Post some pics, we might be able to help.

I know you're enthusiastic to use this machine, make sure you have proper PPE and panels (screens or plywood) to protect adjacent property from flying rocks.

 

[Apachedesert]

Thanks WetCoast. I spoke to Bandit today, and they said the cutter wheel on my model and year machine will not swing unless being operated at maximum RPMs. I did not know that, and I just got home so it is dark outside. Hopefully tomorrow I will try that, and I suspect it will work fine. I knew about PPE, but never even gave a thought to protecting property from flying rocks. I assume you put a board behind the machine because that is where debris is liekly to get thrown, right? If so, how large are the boards you use. Do the rocks always fly, if they do fly, at a low trajectory? Really glad you brought this point up.

 

[BC WetCoast]

Rocks that fly usually fly out to the side. The ones that fly towards the rear get caught by the machine and skirts. Occasionally, something may go forwards. To the rear, and front trajectory is usually pretty low. To the side, it can go anywhere. I had one go over my plywood and get a window.

I usually take 2-3 sheets of 3/8 plywood and lean them together or lean them up against a shovel. Try and keep the plywood as close to the cutter wheel as feasible, you get a larger protected area. There are others on here who have a more sophisticated system of shields, but this is easy and cheap. I usually only put the plywood up if there is something to hit.

I assume you've ground stumps for others, but if you haven't, watch a bunch of videos. It takes a while to learn the most efficient technique and the tricks.