13 HP Self-Propelled Stump Grinder

Stump Grinder Rental Stores, Landscapers, Tree Services, and Stump Grinding Professionals had asked us to make a more economical Self-Propelled Stump Grinder.  Rental Stores had lost rentals because customers did not want to push the stump grinder around.  Landscapers, Tree Services, and Stump Grinding Professionals with larger self-propelled stump grinders sometimes need to rent smaller machines and they do not want to rent a machine they have to push.

The original plan was to start from the ground up to make a smaller more economical unit.  The price was as much as larger ones.  This wouldn’t do, so we then decided to put the smaller single cylinder engines on the same frame as the 20, 25 and 30hp.  When we did this, we were able to use most of the parts from the 20, 25 and 30hp as well.  This gave us a lot better price advantage and we were able to reach our goal of a more economical 13hp self propelled stump grinder.

The hydrostat application engineers assured us that the parasitic drive loss was negligible when grinding a stump, and we would have the same transfer of power to the cutter wheel on this as on a push model.

25 and 30hp Self Propelled Stump Grinder

25 HP	30 HP

BeeLine was the 1st to Offer a 25 and 30hp Self-Propelled Stump Grinder

When we first started asking our customers what they wanted in a Self-Propelled Stump Grinder, we kept hearing more horsepower.  We knew that Kohler was going to be introducing the 30hp engine.  We knew it would be some time before the 30hp engine Kohler was going to introduce would be available.  Our Kohler Rep suggested we start with the 25hp because the 27hp would be to close to the 30hp.  With the 20, 25 and 30hp we would be able to offer our customers a good range of horsepower and pricing.

We decided to go with our reps advice and built our 1st self propelled stump grinders around the 30hp engine even though it wasn’t out yet. 

When we took our cutter wheel drive train to the belt application engineers, they told us that the 2 belt drive was not sufficient enough for the 20hp let alone the 25 and 30hp.  We took their advice, even though it would add additional cost to the machine.  That is why the 20 and 25hp machines have a 3 belt drive and the 30hp has a 4 belt drive.  We took the experts’ advice and matched the drive train to the engine.

The next stop was a visit to the clutch application engineers.  For safety we wanted to have a clutch brake for the cutter wheel.  Even back then before our customers asked for a single cylinder self propelled stump grinder we were thinking about it.  When we told the clutch application engineers we wanted a clutch with a brake for a 13, 20 and 30hp engine.  They told us we would have to use three different clutches.  Again we listened to the experts and matched the clutch to the engine.

Our 1st self propelled were the 20 and 25hp Kohler.  At that time we were the 1st to Offer a 25hp Self Propelled Stump Grinder.

When the 30hp Kohler was available for prototyping we were already for it.  When we took the first 30hp self propelled out for testing we could not believe the power.  We knew we had a winner!  We were the 1st to Offer a 30hp Self Propelled Stump Grinder.  Just the other day a new 30hp self propelled owner told us it was impossible to bog it down.

Finger-Tip Control Panel

Cutter Wheel Drive Train Belt Guard	SP Hydrostat Drive Train Belt Guard

This 1st to Offer Feature from Sunrise Concepts is available on all BeeLineSelf Propelled Stump Grinders

This 1st to Offer Featurefrom BeeLine Stump Grinders allows the operator to go forward or reverse while keeping both hands on the handle bar loop.  You don’t have to take your hand off the loop to move a leaver to go forward or reverse.  The Finger-Tip Control Panel is user friendly.  You have the same advantage whether you are left or right handed in controlling the direction of the stump grinder.

A light touch with your thumb and you go forward, with your finger tips you go in reverse.

1 Piece Sealed Integrated Hydrostatic Transaxle

BeeLine Stump Grinders was the 1st to Offer a 1 Piece Sealed Integrated Hydrostatic Transaxle.  No other self-propelled stump grinder offers you a 1 Piece Sealed Integrated Hydrostatic Transaxle with these Standard Features:

• Internal oil filtration system – this increases the life of the unit and saves you money by trapping any material that does not get washed out of the unit
• "Sealed for life" no oil change required – the Hydrostat Application Engineers told us that in our application we would never have to change the oil.  This unit is used in commercial lawn mowing that goes 8 months, 8 to 12 hours a day, 6 to 7 days a week.  They said that the amount of travel a self propelled stump grinder will do in 20 years is a fraction of what it would do in a commercial lawn mower.
• Variable speed control – allows you to go from stop to full speed with out changing gears. 
• Automatic return to neutral – that was designed by the hydrostat manufacturer and is an integral part of the hydrostat-transaxle 
• Automatic return to off disc brake – another system designed by the hydrostat manufacturer and is an integral part of  the hydrostat-transaxle
• 4 Bolt Solid Mounting of Hydrostat – No U bolts or tabs.  This is another design by the hydrostat manufacture that allows us to securely bolt the hydrostat-transaxle to our frame. See 1st to Offer Feature – 4 Bolt Solid Mounting of Hydrostat.

Control Dampener

The Control Dampener is a 1st to Offer Feature from BeeLine that gives the operator a more controlled, softer, safer, stop when going forward.

When you are going backwards, because of safety, the Control Dampener gives you an immediate stop.

Clutch Brake

The Electric Clutch Brake is a 1st to Offer Feature from BeeLine Stump Grinders that when the Clutch Switch is off, the brake is on. This keeps the cutter wheel from turning as a result of bearing drag.  The Clutch Brake also helps bring the cutter wheel to a stop when the Clutch Switch or Key Switch is turned off, the Emergency Stop Switch is pushed in, or the Operator Presence Bow is released.

Clutch Matched to Engine

When we visited with the clutch application engineers, we told them we wanted an electric clutch brake for a 13, 20, 25, and 30hp engine.  We soon found out that we did not have a “one clutch fits all” application.  After talking with a few different companies, we found two companies that could fill our needs.  From one company we get the clutch for the 20 and 25hp stump grinder, and the 13 and 30hp clutches are two different clutches that we get from another company.  Again, we listened to the experts and matched the clutch to the engine.

Matched to meet engine torque requirements 

• 200 ft/lb Torque - 3 groove - 13hp 
• 250 ft/lb Torque - 3 groove - 20 & 25hp 
• 250 ft/lb Torque - 4 groove - 30hp

Clutch Safety

This very important safety feature is another 1st to Offer Feature from BeeLine Stump Grinders.  It prevents the operator from starting the stump grinder if the Clutch Switch is in the “ON” position.  We still strongly recommend that when starting any stump grinder, including ours, that you are sure the cutter wheel is off the ground

Easy to View Control Panel

With this 1st to Offer Feature from BeeLine Stump Grinders we raised the control panel slightly, so the operator can easily see all the controls.  Also, by raising the control panel, the operator can easily and safely reach over (not through) the handle bar loop.  This gives the operator better control.  Better control makes it easier and safer to operate.

Engine Gauge/Tachometer/Change Oil Alert/Hour Meter

BeeLine Stump Grinders was the 1st to Offer the engine gauge as a standard feature – it is not an “option” that you pay extra for.

• Lets you know when to change oil
• Lets you know how many hours are on the Engine
• Lets you know the current RPM

2 Piece Inner Belt Guard

With this 1st to Offer Feature from BeeLine Stump Grinders you can change the cutter wheel shaft, cutter wheel, and cutter wheel shaft bearings without having to remove the clutch, and engine shaft hydrostat pulley and belt.  This will save you time and money by getting you back out taking out stumps and making money.

Aggressive Snow Hog Tires

It only took one stump to determine that the snow hog tire was our tire of choice.  When we got done that stump we had a hole big enough to park our pickup in.  It was a 54” diameter, 10” high maple with large diameter surface roots that covered a very large area. With all those chips and lots of soil, the snow hog tires out performed the tractor tread design and made it easier to operate.

4 Bolt Solid Mounting of Hydrostatic Transaxle and a Torque Bracket for additional Support

With many years of stump grinder experience, we knew this was another area that needed to be addressed.  The Hydrostatic Transaxle application engineers felt that with our frame design, the 4 bolt mounting of the unit to the frame and our torque bracket was over kill – we don’t believe in over kill and we did it anyway.  We have had customers tell us they have dropped their units off their trucks and they just kept on going.  This hydrostatic transaxle is used on all BeeLine Self-propelled Stump Grinders models from 13 to 30hp.