Hp of BC1230A gas engine?

[Blakesmaster]

I would post this over in equipment but no one seems to hang there. I got a line on an '02 1230A with only 375 hours on it. Good, clean machine for $8900. I'll need to drive a ways to get it but it might be the one. Problem. The guy on the phone said it's an 8" chipper and only 25 horse gas engine but didn't seem TOO certain of either. I always assumed a 1230 would chip 12 inch wood and need to be at least 60 - 70 horse but I could be wrong. If it's only a 25 horse machine I'm gonna need something bigger. Anybody know the horsepower and capacity of this chipper? Other than the problems of jamming feedwheels I read about earlier anything else I need to watch out for? Help me out boys, there's a hole burning in my pocket.

 

[tree MDS]

I wouldnt buy something from someone that doesnt even know what they have or the horsepower for certain.

I just sold my old bandit 200+ for 8500, that chipper was diesel (12 inch) 76 hp and had a winch. Shop around some more, vermeer sucks. Maybe try and save some more and get a 250 bandit, even if it doesnt have a winch you can always get one and put it on, its pretty simple.

 

[Blakesmaster]

I wouldnt buy something from someone that doesnt even know what they have or the horsepower for certain.

I just sold my old bandit 200+ for 8500, that chipper was diesel (12 inch) 76 hp and had a winch. Shop around some more, vermeer sucks. Maybe try and save some more and get a 250 bandit, even if it doesnt have a winch you can always get one and put it on, its pretty simple.

I know what you mean. This guy's an equipment dealer and took this unit in on trade. I think it's understandable that he'd be confused on the numbers a bit. In fact if it's more hp than he knows I could use that to my advantage when buying. I'm not ready to pull the trigger yet as I have a few more leads I'm following as well. I'm planning on shopping around to find the right unit. Have a line on a bandit 250 at $8K as well. As far as saving more, I can't. If I'm going to buy a better chipper and better truck both this season I need to keep them under $10K each. I've never run a bandit but from what I've read on this site they seem to be the chipper of choice. Why is that?

 

[tree MDS]

Bandit just makes good simple user friendly machines that kick a$$ and last forever.

Vermeer is what you buy when you really dont know the difference and have money to burn + buy into that whole pro image thing they try and rock IMHO.

I've also heard the newer vermeers rattle themselves to pieces and get stress cracks.

Good stumpers though, they got that.

 

[Blakesmaster]

Gotcha. I really do want to find a bandit but can't seem to locate one near me. That $8K jobby I mentioned earlier was actually found for me by the Vermeer Northeast dealer...go figure. He didn't have all the info but I'm waiting for his call back. I found another 1230 out in Rochester with an 83 hp Perkins, 1337 hours for almost $11K. Private sale, seems a good guy too. My question is that if some 1230's come with an 83 hp diesel, what would the gas powered version come with?

 

[gr8scott72]

Good stumpers though, they got that.

You're joking right?

The SC60 or whatever they call their 60 hp tracked grinder looks like a toy when you compaire it to a Carlton.

 

[gr8scott72]

Gotcha. I really do want to find a bandit but can't seem to locate one near me. That $8K jobby I mentioned earlier was actually found for me by the Vermeer Northeast dealer...go figure. He didn't have all the info but I'm waiting for his call back. I found another 1230 out in Rochester with an 83 hp Perkins, 1337 hours for almost $11K. Private sale, seems a good guy too. My question is that if some 1230's come with an 83 hp diesel, what would the gas powered version come with?

Vermeer's dealer network is really, IMO, the only thing they have going for themselves. Both the sales rep and the parts guy go way out of their way for me.

 

[Blakesmaster]

Vermeer's dealer network is really, IMO, the only thing they have going for themselves. Both the sales rep and the parts guy go way out of their way for me.

Well, that's pretty important to me. I like my little 630B stumper and I like the BC1800A that I've used ( a lot ) as well. When it comes to mid-range chippers, though, I'm at a loss. I'm going to wait till the Vermeer dealer calls back and see what he digs up. If he can find me a nice unit in my price range I have no problem throwing business his way and building that relationship. Everyone who's anyone around here runs Vermeer. Maybe the only reason is their dealer network. If my machine breaks down in a storm, having a rep I've dealt with before who's willing to bend over backwards for me is invaluable. Anybody have any other info on this 1230 other than it sucks? Why does it suck?

 

[gr8scott72]

Well, that's pretty important to me. I like my little 630B stumper and I like the BC1800A that I've used ( a lot ) as well. When it comes to mid-range chippers, though, I'm at a loss. I'm going to wait till the Vermeer dealer calls back and see what he digs up. If he can find me a nice unit in my price range I have no problem throwing business his way and building that relationship. Everyone who's anyone around here runs Vermeer. Maybe the only reason is their dealer network. If my machine breaks down in a storm, having a rep I've dealt with before who's willing to bend over backwards for me is invaluable. Anybody have any other info on this 1230 other than it sucks? Why does it suck?

If they are like my dealer, they will be just as happy to work on a Bandit or Carlton as they are to work on a Vermeer. I recently gave them my Calton grinder that had blown a hydro hose to fix as I didn't have time to fix it. They gladly took it in and fixed it quickly.

 

[tree MDS]

You're joking right?

The SC60 or whatever they call their 60 hp tracked grinder looks like a toy when you compaire it to a Carlton.

They have a new one out now, its supposed to be built based on our suggestions: wheels instead of tracks, 4 wheel drive, and its like 80 hp. I forget the model but it sounds interesting- not that I could ever afford 40+ G's for a stump grinder though, lol.

I just looked it up, its an SC 852. 85 horse cummings 4 wheel drive and fits through a 36" gate. Looks like a good machine to me. Anyone have one yet?

 

[gr8scott72]

They have a new one out now, its supposed to be built based on our suggestions: wheels instead of tracks, 4 wheel drive, and its like 80 hp. I forget the model but it sounds interesting- not that I could ever afford 40+ G's for a stump grinder though, lol.

I just looked it up, its an SC 852. 85 horse cummings 4 wheel drive and fits through a 36" gate. Looks like a good machine to me. Anyone have one yet?

I've seen someone on here said they had one. I think it's closer to $60k.

I still think tracks are better than wheels for me anyways. I think it would be a pain to have to take the wheels off everytime you needed to squeeze thru a gate. In fact, I know it is. I had to do that on my old Rayco 1625.

The only thing I thought was cool about that machine was the way the head actually moves away from the machine as you lower it. Oh, that and the 85 hp, that's nice. I don't like how they took the expensive clutch system AND put it with the hp robbing hydro motor for the cutter wheel.

And, if I'm reading the specs right, it only goes 1.7 mph? (180 fpm) That's half the ground speed of the Carlton. (3.5 mph)