The Predator 38 RX EFI Radio Remote Stump Grinder – 20 Months In
In this video and blog post, you can see my review of the Predator 38 RX EFI radio remote stump grinder – 20 months in. So far, the Predator 38 RX has clocked up 850 hours. I carried out an earlier review of the stump grinder at about 150 hours. You can see the earlier review here.
This is my third Predator stump grinder, the first one being a Predator 28 radio remote diesel machine. This one was a bit more troublesome; you can see an earlier video review that I carried out here. The second machine was a Predator 38 radio remote machine, which was a carburettor petrol model. And then finally my present Predator 38 RX which I am reviewing here.
The Predator 38 RX EFI Radio Remote Stump Grinder
I am pleased to say that my present Predator 38 RX EFI has been trouble-free. Starting at the front of the machine, I am still on the original cutting wheel. Obviously, there is a bit of wear and tear, but it still works fine. I do sheer the odd cutter bolt now and then, however, that’s hardly surprising when you think what pressure the cutter head is under! Also, grinding below ground level, unfortunately, we never know what’s underneath the ground.
New Cutter Head Bearings At 650 Hours
I had to have the cutter head bearings replaced at around 650 hours. On my diesel Predator 28, the bearings lasted around 850 hours, which was considerably more. I actually thought the bearings would go before on the diesel model due to the extra vibration. However, where we are grinding underground we can pick all sorts of things up. I’m aware that there have been situations where wire and string have become wrapped around the bearings, which can potentially cause unnecessary wear.
Bearings are not cheap, I also had to have a replacement shaft which added to the cost. I took it back to the main dealer to have the work carried out which cost around £1800 including VAT. Definitely, an expense that I could have done without!
Cutter Head Drive Belts
I have found that the main drive belts from the cutter head to the main bearing average around 300 hours. There are three individual drive belts to the cutter head. I always replace all three belts at one time, to replace individual belts would be a false economy.
It’s important to keep the belts regularly tensioned. Normally after fitting a new set of belts, I check the tension after about 10 hours of use. It’s important to keep the belts tensioned correctly to give the belts longevity. It takes me around 20 to 30 minutes to tension the belts. To replace a new set of belts to the cutter head takes about 90 minutes, approximately.
The Predator 38 RX machine is fitted with Kevlar belts, my old Predator 28 machine was fitted with traditional drive belts. I have to say there is a huge difference between the Kevlar belts and the traditional belts. With the traditional belts I was continually having to re-tension them, however, I find the Kevlar belts, literally, a thousand times better.
Engine Drive Belts
The three drive belts from the engine to the main drive shaft are still the original belts after 850 hours. That’s pretty good going considering the amount of strain that they are under. On my Predator 28 diesel machine, the first set of drive belts went after 17 hours of use! Fortunately, the next set of drive belts lasted approximately 500 hours, thankfully, considerably longer!
I would say to replace the engine drive belts is approximately a 90-minute job. It’s a relatively straightforward task, like everything, it’s always easier when you have done it before.
Kohler EFI Engine
One of the best improvements to the Predator 38 is the new Kohler EFI engine. The previous petrol model that I was using had basically the same engine, but a carburettor model.
The difference between the two models is amazing. I don’t want to undermine the carburettor version, however, the EFI engine is so much better.
The engine responsiveness is huge over the carburettor engine. It almost seemed like the carburettor engine had to think about giving you extra fuel, whereas the EFI engine is just instant! The fuel consumption is also greatly improved, especially if the machine is being used all day. With the EFI engine, for a continuous day’s work, the machine uses around 45 to 50 L per day (10 to 11 gallons). The carburettor engine would probably use around 35% more.
Throttle Cable Assembly
For some reason on the Predator 38 stump grinders, the throttle cable never seems to run freely. I appreciate that my machine is exposed to a lot of weather when I’m travelling. However, it is kept undercover. I regularly oil the throttle cable and yet it never seems to run freely.
The first throttle cable assembly broke after about 10 months of use. It was replaced free of charge under the warranty.
Paintwork
On all the Predator stump grinders that I have owned, I have never found the paintwork to be brilliant. When the machine is first delivered it looks nice and bright and shiny. However, that shine and paintwork soon wears off.
I must admit I carry my stump grinder on an open trailer, so it is exposed to all the weather on the road. The road salt really wrecks the paintwork quickly. I guess if you were transporting the machine in a van, or a covered trailer would make a considerable difference.
I don’t know much about paint finishes, but it appears there is just one coat of paint applied. No undercoat or primer, it appears. That would be one thing that would be worth spending a bit extra on. If there was such an option available.
To Conclude
So probably one of the main questions that people ask is, would I buy another one? The answer is, definitely yes!
I think one of the best things about the Predator 38 RX EFI stump grinder is the fact that the tracks narrow down to 26 inches (66 cm). This is ideal for going through most garden gates.
I remember having a radio remote Carlton 4012 machine on dual wheels. I was forever having to take a set of wheels to get through gateways. This required a socket set, blocks of wood and a huge amount of time. I can narrow in the Predator tracks in around one or two seconds at the move of a paddle switch.
When I first saw the cutter head on the Predator several years ago, I thought it looked too simple to be effective. However, I’m very satisfied with the performance and like the quick and simple way of replacing the cutting teeth. It takes 5 to 10 minutes to change a set of Predator cutting teeth.
There are six cutting teeth on the Predator cutting head. However, only two of the teeth are for cutting, the other four teeth are for clearance purposes only. This means that only two cutting teeth are replaced at the same time. When a clearance tooth becomes worn that can be replaced with a used cutting tooth. All the cutting teeth are identical, but the teeth are just positioned slightly differently on the cutting wheel.
Warranty
Predator now has a good number of dealerships around the country to keep your machine running smoothly. I believe that this has helped the brand greatly. It is always important to have a good dealer backup in case of an emergency. The Predator stump grinder comes with a two-year warranty. The Kohler engine has three years warranty.
Please feel free to comment if you have any questions or thoughts on the YouTube comments section.
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