Ripper for 8 Ton Excavator

[StumpyWally]

For an upcoming project that involves some gray shale & hard glacial till, I'm considering getting a ripper for my 2005 NH EH80 CS (really a Kobelco sk80cs). Also, it would be better than a bucket for ripping our stubborn tree roots & stumps. I'm in the process of getting a quote on one from Werk-Brau, fitted with a KLAC size F quick-coupler attach plate & an Esco Ultralok pick-style tooth. They have a published model for a 5 metric ton machine (24" long shank, 2" wide T-1 steel, weight ??) & then jump to a model for a 12, 15 & 20 metric ton machine (30" long shank, 2.5" wide T-1 steel, weight 625 lbs). So, it will be interesting to see what they come up with.

But I'd like to hear what rippers other users of 8-metric-ton excavators are using or would recommend. Give me some details, like what brand & model, shank length & width, type of steel, tooth style, weight, quick coupler style...and a picture...basically all the info you can come up with.

If not on an 8 ton machine, what have you got on anything close...bigger or smaller??

Any & all ideas/opinions are welcome.

 

[JD8875]

I built one this winter out of necessity for my 30 class to rip frost. I used some 3/4" plate I had laying around the shop. Its a 24" long tooth 6" deep. It worked great ripping 30" of frost and frozen gravel around new houses to put in electrical services. Its pretty handy paired with my thumb for ripping roots and small stumps as well. Bigger stumps I still go back to a 12" bucket.

John

 

[Shimmy1]

I know guys trash the SEC brand, but I bought new ripper for my 210 from Carroll Equipment in Skaneateles. $1700. I would guess your quotes are going to come in close to $5000. A new Craig, Werk-Brau, or CF would have been almost $9000 for me. I can buy 5 SEC's for that.

 

[lumberjack]

I have the ripper from Kubota for my KX057. It works great on trees, stumps sometimes require the bucket to dig down to get leverage on the tap root.

If I remember, I'll take some pictures and measurements tomorrow when I go by the shop.

 

[maddog]

I made my ripper out of scrap I had laying around and used a shank from TSC(the kind that's made for a box blade). My machine is smaller then what your running but I'm sure one could be made. I use it very often, just took down a very large oak tree, made it quite a bit easier with the ripper.

 

[StumpyWally]

I know guys trash the SEC brand, but I bought new ripper for my 210 from Carroll Equipment in Skaneateles. $1700.

Interesting...Carroll Equipment is "only" about 150 miles west of me. What kind of quick coupler do you have on your machine?? Did you cut the pin-on hangers off the SEC ripper & modify it to your coupler?? Or are you using a pin-grabber style coupler, so you could leave the pin-on hangers intact??

For me, just the Klac size F attach plate to fit my coupler will probably cost about $500, so I'd have to add that to the probably $1,500 for the SEC ripper, plus $200 or so to my farmer/welder friend to cut the pin-on hangers off & weld the Klac attach plate on, maybe looking at $2,200 or so. And i don't get my choice of ripper tooth...hummm...have to think about that when I get my Werk-Brau quote (I sure hope it's not $5,000!!)

 

[lumberjack]

Got by the shop, here's the Kubota ripper for the KX057, ~13.2klbs.






And a video I made from a cush job last year using the ripper:
http://youtu.be/QQ8JV00Yf0g

 

[Shimmy1]

Interesting...Carroll Equipment is "only" about 150 miles west of me. What kind of quick coupler do you have on your machine?? Did you cut the pin-on hangers off the SEC ripper & modify it to your coupler?? Or are you using a pin-grabber style coupler, so you could leave the pin-on hangers intact??

For me, just the Klac size F attach plate to fit my coupler will probably cost about $500, so I'd have to add that to the probably $1,500 for the SEC ripper, plus $200 or so to my farmer/welder friend to cut the pin-on hangers off & weld the Klac attach plate on, maybe looking at $2,200 or so. And i don't get my choice of ripper tooth...hummm...have to think about that when I get my Werk-Brau quote (I sure hope it's not $5,000!!)

My coupler is OEM Case-New Holland. At least the tag says it's a CNH. But, it's really a JRB. This is my ripper. A pic of it anyway. Did I ever post more pics of my thumb? If not, here they are.

 

[StumpyWally]

Got by the shop, here's the Kubota ripper for the KX057, ~13.2klbs.

And a video I made from a cush job last year using the ripper:
http://youtu.be/QQ8JV00Yf0g

I wondered how your ripper could weigh "13.2klbs", then, duh, I realized you meant your Kubota KX057!!

So how much does your ripper weigh, about??

I see that the shank is about 1" thick, but how long is the shank??...from point up to the mounting plate??

And in your video, you ripping pine trees out of what looks like sandy-clay is pretty impressive, but those pines look pretty shallow rooted compared to the old apple & elm I tangle with in hard glacial till. Still...

 

[StumpyWally]

My coupler is OEM Case-New Holland. At least the tag says it's a CNH. But, it's really a JRB. This is my ripper. A pic of it anyway. Did I ever post more pics of my thumb? If not, here they are.

You're obviously proud of your thumb you made, & you should be, it looks great, & you did post pics of it before.

You didn't actually say your coupler is a pin-grabber, but that's what it looks like in the picture, & I guess that would be consistent with it being a OEM Case-NH. The pic of your ripper seems to show std. pin-on hangers. Thanks for the info...

 

[lumberjack]

I don't know the weight, 150-175 is my guess. I can load it by hand into my dump trailer if I must. It's a 24" ripper.


Most of those pines' tap root broke off in the ground. On the bigger trees the tap root can be over 10' long.

Here's a couple from this month:

 

[StumpyWally]

Well, it's been over 2 weeks since I asked my "normal" dealer for a quote on a Werk-Brau ripper for my 2005 NH EH80 CS (kobelco sk80cs), & no response. So, I contacted my local Andersen Equipment dealer (they are the largest volume Werk-Brau dealer in my area), and I got a quote in one day!! $1,670 + $150 shipping for a W-B ripper, model WBR2, 24" long x 2" shank, with Esco Ultralok U20 pick-style tooth, with a KLAC coupler size F attach plate, total weight about 410 lbs, 3 to 4 wks delivery.

Their next largest size (model WBRT2, 30" long x 2.5" shank) weighs about 625 lbs & is too big.

I'll probably give my "normal" dealer a call to see if he forgot me, or wants to beat that quote, before I pull the trigger.

It's a far cry from $5,000 that Shimmy1 predicted, & at that price not worth screwing around with a SEC that I'd have to modify with a KLAC attach plate.

 

[JDOFMEMI]

$1600 for a name brand like W-B, that is a no brainer.

Can't wait to see it in action.

 

[Shimmy1]

Well, it's been over 2 weeks since I asked my "normal" dealer for a quote on a Werk-Brau ripper for my 2005 NH EH80 CS (kobelco sk80cs), & no response. So, I contacted my local Andersen Equipment dealer (they are the largest volume Werk-Brau dealer in my area), and I got a quote in one day!! $1,670 + $150 shipping for a W-B ripper, model WBR2, 24" long x 2" shank, with Esco Ultralok U20 pick-style tooth, with a KLAC coupler size F attach plate, total weight about 410 lbs, 3 to 4 wks delivery.

Their next largest size (model WBRT2, 30" long x 2.5" shank) weighs about 625 lbs & is too big.

I'll probably give my "normal" dealer a call to see if he forgot me, or wants to beat that quote, before I pull the trigger.

It's a far cry from $5,000 that Shimmy1 predicted, & at that price not worth screwing around with a SEC that I'd have to modify with a KLAC attach plate.

Glad I was wrong. Wonder who is buying the iron I was quoted?

 

[maddog]

StumpyWally; just a heads up on Carroll equipment, be VERY careful when dealing with them. I won't get into a whole rant on this thread, just wanted to write IF(big IF) you decide to do any business with them watch your back and make sure you check out whatever you're looking at with a fine tooth comb.

 

[StumpyWally]

StumpyWally; just a heads up on Carroll equipment, be VERY careful when dealing with them. I won't get into a whole rant on this thread, just wanted to write IF(big IF) you decide to do any business with them watch your back and make sure you check out whatever you're looking at with a fine tooth comb.

Thanks...I've heard the same thing, so yet another reason I wasn't excited about trying to buy a SEC ripper from them.

 

[StumpyWally]

My "normal" dealer could not/would not match Anderson Equipment's price for the W-B ripper that I mentioned earlier, so we agreed as friends that I would order it from Anderson. Which I have done.

Just had an afterthought...I have a lift eye welded on the back of all my buckets, very handy, so why not also on the ripper?? Any thoughts?? Anybody have one on their ripper??

 

[lumberjack]

You'll want to make sure the weld profile isn't in a wear area.

 

[JDOFMEMI]

It is handy to have on the ripper. Just be sure to put it out of harms way. You can use it to load up the ripper for travel as well as lifting when it is attached.

 

[Shimmy1]

StumpyWally; just a heads up on Carroll equipment, be VERY careful when dealing with them. I won't get into a whole rant on this thread, just wanted to write IF(big IF) you decide to do any business with them watch your back and make sure you check out whatever you're looking at with a fine tooth comb.

I know it's acceptable to describe personal experiences about businesses on here. Mine was just fine. Bought $7800 worth of attachments over the phone. Lined up shipping with Uship. Everything showed up like it was supposed to, and was what it was supposed to be. Maybe I'll have a bad experience someday with SEC, but to date I have nothing negative to say. For the price, even if I were to get a bad one, I'd probably even give it a second chance. Just my 2¢.