I work for a LCO in Lafayette, IN. and our owner asked me write a review of our Stinger Quad-Aer 3600 riding aerator so here it is.
I have ran Turfco XT8 aerators for 2 seasons (we had 3 of them total) before the use of our QA 3600, and you would not believe the difference in machines.
To address the most obvious point to make is there are no chains. I can't say enough how overdue this has been and how big of a deal it is. No chains means I don't baby the machine or make adjustments with chains or wait for the next time something breaks. It's literally built like a skid steer. All direct drive hydraulic lines to and from the drive pumps to the drive motors.
As far as comfort goes, the platform you ride on is very comfortable and helps to absorb and cushion the rough ride that can be expected from something without suspension. Even the aerating head is isolated with hydraulic pressure from the machine so no more getting bucked when finding a rock. It's incredibly smooth. The pad you lean up against is just in the right spot, the controls are soft and easy on your hands. Night and day difference from what I have ran in the past.
They have a control panel switch to run the tines in 3 modes: Off, Normal, and a reverse of the normal…I'll explain. Off is obvious…the unit won't aerate when the tines are off. In the auto mode, you press the foot switch like on the Turfco or Toro machines.Release and it comes back up. In the "Down" mode,the tines are always down, except when you press the foot switch they are up. This is great for large properties and allows you to quickly raise the tines when needed for the irrigation box you saw at the last second or turning.
Which brings me to my next point, the time it takes for the tines to engage and disengage is extremely fast, no more slowing down or stopping every time you need to raise/lower the tines. Not waiting for the tines to go up and down to make zero turns really adds up.
Turning with the tines down is a huge selling point for myself. With past aerators going around tight corners and tree rings was a process of drawing out a square shape while engaging and disengaging the tines during turns to avoid tearing and shredding turf. With this aerator you can go around tight rings with the tines engaged without having to worry about tearing the turf.
The speed at which this machine can move while still pulling deep cores is incredible due to the large engine size and oversize hydraulic drive system. One of the best features is a parking brake that actually works! Even the gas tank is bigger than previous aerators with a 6-gallon capacity saving time filling up or running out on a property.
I have seen some comments and posts concerned about the size of this aerator being a concern. To address this I would like to say that at first the size is something to get used to, but after using the machine for a few hours it is not nearly as intimidating, especially since it is so easy to use/control. Since the machine is wide the area that the tines cover is 36" which is half a foot more than the XT8. I have used this machine on a huge variances in lawn sizes, from lawns as small as 3k sqft lawns all the way to 3 acre lawn. Even on small lawns it is quick and nimble and easy maneuver around most obstacles and still manages to do a decent job on the edges. The wideness and the low center of gravity allow this machine to operate very well on hills and steep inclines. The large square cut tire gives better grip in turf as well. I have aerated through stand water without issue of getting stuck or pulling up mud and turf.
For yards with back gates the size comes into play, but I would suggest Stinger's walk behind aerator (DA2450) which we use for backyard or their smaller 30" ride on aerator available in the spring. Having both the QA3600 and the DA2450 I cannot imagine a more productive, efficient, and easy to use combination whether it be simple Spring/Fall aeration or aeration over seeding. The biggest upside is just the ease of use along with reliability, and the increase of production that goes along with it. Customer service with Stinger has been exceptional for any questions we have had about our machine. I highly recommend this aerator to anyone looking for a new one.
If you haven't seen their phone app check it out. Makes getting parts instant and easy, like ordering your next whatever from Amazon. I assume it works, I have never actually bought something...I haven't needed to yet.
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I have ran Turfco XT8 aerators for 2 seasons (we had 3 of them total) before the use of our QA 3600, and you would not believe the difference in machines.
To address the most obvious point to make is there are no chains. I can't say enough how overdue this has been and how big of a deal it is. No chains means I don't baby the machine or make adjustments with chains or wait for the next time something breaks. It's literally built like a skid steer. All direct drive hydraulic lines to and from the drive pumps to the drive motors.
As far as comfort goes, the platform you ride on is very comfortable and helps to absorb and cushion the rough ride that can be expected from something without suspension. Even the aerating head is isolated with hydraulic pressure from the machine so no more getting bucked when finding a rock. It's incredibly smooth. The pad you lean up against is just in the right spot, the controls are soft and easy on your hands. Night and day difference from what I have ran in the past.
They have a control panel switch to run the tines in 3 modes: Off, Normal, and a reverse of the normal…I'll explain. Off is obvious…the unit won't aerate when the tines are off. In the auto mode, you press the foot switch like on the Turfco or Toro machines.Release and it comes back up. In the "Down" mode,the tines are always down, except when you press the foot switch they are up. This is great for large properties and allows you to quickly raise the tines when needed for the irrigation box you saw at the last second or turning.
Which brings me to my next point, the time it takes for the tines to engage and disengage is extremely fast, no more slowing down or stopping every time you need to raise/lower the tines. Not waiting for the tines to go up and down to make zero turns really adds up.
Turning with the tines down is a huge selling point for myself. With past aerators going around tight corners and tree rings was a process of drawing out a square shape while engaging and disengaging the tines during turns to avoid tearing and shredding turf. With this aerator you can go around tight rings with the tines engaged without having to worry about tearing the turf.
The speed at which this machine can move while still pulling deep cores is incredible due to the large engine size and oversize hydraulic drive system. One of the best features is a parking brake that actually works! Even the gas tank is bigger than previous aerators with a 6-gallon capacity saving time filling up or running out on a property.
I have seen some comments and posts concerned about the size of this aerator being a concern. To address this I would like to say that at first the size is something to get used to, but after using the machine for a few hours it is not nearly as intimidating, especially since it is so easy to use/control. Since the machine is wide the area that the tines cover is 36" which is half a foot more than the XT8. I have used this machine on a huge variances in lawn sizes, from lawns as small as 3k sqft lawns all the way to 3 acre lawn. Even on small lawns it is quick and nimble and easy maneuver around most obstacles and still manages to do a decent job on the edges. The wideness and the low center of gravity allow this machine to operate very well on hills and steep inclines. The large square cut tire gives better grip in turf as well. I have aerated through stand water without issue of getting stuck or pulling up mud and turf.
For yards with back gates the size comes into play, but I would suggest Stinger's walk behind aerator (DA2450) which we use for backyard or their smaller 30" ride on aerator available in the spring. Having both the QA3600 and the DA2450 I cannot imagine a more productive, efficient, and easy to use combination whether it be simple Spring/Fall aeration or aeration over seeding. The biggest upside is just the ease of use along with reliability, and the increase of production that goes along with it. Customer service with Stinger has been exceptional for any questions we have had about our machine. I highly recommend this aerator to anyone looking for a new one.
If you haven't seen their phone app check it out. Makes getting parts instant and easy, like ordering your next whatever from Amazon. I assume it works, I have never actually bought something...I haven't needed to yet.
Nice looking machines
