Brush Bandit 1390XP Questions!!

ROYCE said:
Yup, ours is the same. Tier 3 142HP Cat.
Click to expand...
I know you were talking about the engines, but from what I saw in the pictures it looks like you have 2 slightly different machines. (As I said earlier, the manufacturers like to confuse us.) It looks like Royce's machine is the older Model 13, built right after they renamed it the Model 15, but still with the 22" drum. Kinda high pitched buzzy sound, right Royce? Whereas Oak Savana has the newer Model 15, with the 30" drum. Much lower pitch growl. Easiest way to tell is the shape of the drum belt cover. Both great machines, but Oak's will eat larger wood easier than Royce's.

That having been said, I think you made a smart choice Royce (Choice Royce!) choosing this over the 1390's. Better machine. Hope it serves you well for years!
 
Jeff said:
I know you were talking about the engines, but from what I saw in the pictures it looks like you have 2 slightly different machines. (As I said earlier, the manufacturers like to confuse us.) It looks like Royce's machine is the older Model 13, built right after they renamed it the Model 15, but still with the 22" drum. Kinda high pitched buzzy sound, right Royce? Whereas Oak Savana has the newer Model 15, with the 30" drum. Much lower pitch growl. Easiest way to tell is the shape of the drum belt cover. Both great machines, but Oak's will eat larger wood easier than Royce's.

That having been said, I think you made a smart choice Royce (Choice Royce!) choosing this over the 1390's. Better machine. Hope it serves you well for years!
Click to expand...

Could be. Mine is loud in the drum area. It is a 2010. So it that about the time they changed things?
 
Jeff said:
I know you were talking about the engines, but from what I saw in the pictures it looks like you have 2 slightly different machines. (As I said earlier, the manufacturers like to confuse us.) It looks like Royce's machine is the older Model 13, built right after they renamed it the Model 15, but still with the 22" drum. Kinda high pitched buzzy sound, right Royce? Whereas Oak Savana has the newer Model 15, with the 30" drum. Much lower pitch growl. Easiest way to tell is the shape of the drum belt cover. Both great machines, but Oak's will eat larger wood easier than Royce's.

That having been said, I think you made a smart choice Royce (Choice Royce!) choosing this over the 1390's. Better machine. Hope it serves you well for years!
Click to expand...

I could see that his cutter drum housing didn't stick up as much as mine thats why I asked if it was a 15RX. I have the 30" drum in mine. The 15rx has a 21" drum and so do the older machines I think. Its still an awesome machine even with the smaller drum. Jeff, I believe Devon introduced us at the TCIA expo. We were standing at the bandit booth by the stumpers. Was good to meet you!
 
@ROYCE I'm not sure when they made the switch, but I believe it was during that time period.

@Oak Savanna Good eye on the cutter drum height. I didn't know the RX had the smaller drum, but it makes sense - thanks for filling me in. I used to run an older Model 13 and yes, it's still an awesome machine. Yes, I was hanging out with Devon on Saturday. Always good to meet Buzzers in the flesh!
 
Ah yes....the good old (not) perkins cat motors...sorry but but don't get me going on those pos's...hope they serve you guys well. Lemme know how well that tier 3 treats ya in about 4 years.
 
craneguy1 said:
Ah yes....the good old (not) perkins cat motors...sorry but but don't get me going on those pos's...hope they serve you guys well. Lemme know how well that tier 3 treats ya in about 4 years.
Click to expand...

I had a 2004 BC1400XL with a 122hp CAT 3054 engine which is a perkins or "perkipillar" I believe . That machine had 2500 HARD HOURS on it and was still going strong when I sold it. The vermeer part of the chipper was nothing but problems but in 2500 hours I didn't do a single thing to that CAT except change fluid and filters. Thats why I chose a CAT again in the new machine. A friend of mine had major issues with a tier 4 engine in a brand new chipper he bought so when I was offerer a tier 3 I took it.
 
craneguy1 said:
Ah yes....the good old (not) perkins cat motors...sorry but but don't get me going on those pos's...hope they serve you guys well. Lemme know how well that tier 3 treats ya in about 4 years.
Click to expand...
Mines a 2003 model 13, Perkins 125 hp, that motor so far like Jesse said are strong and pretty reliable, it actually out chipped and chipped stronger then the new 1390 I had for a week in July with the JD140. It was a nice chipper also, just saying!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
craneguy1 said:
Ah yes....the good old (not) perkins cat motors...sorry but but don't get me going on those pos's...hope they serve you guys well. Lemme know how well that tier 3 treats ya in about 4 years.
Click to expand...

I have found that when you maintain them, and pay really good attention to things, almost all the engines are pretty good. Everyone told me years ago to avoid the deutz engines. They are junk and will give me TONS of problems. Well I ran one for years with no problems. BUT, I maintain them. I send them into a diesel mechanic and get EVERYTHING changed when its time to change the oil. All new fluids and filters. Costs 600 dollars. But when a machine is responsible for making your tons of money you have no problem spending the money on it.
Now, I understand sometimes that you get a lemon. I can't speak for that. I have just found that proper maintenance to the manufactures specifications has worked wonders for me in whatever machine I have bought. Except my ford f550 with a 6.0...whole nother story
 
ROYCE said:
I have found that when you maintain them, and pay really good attention to things, almost all the engines are pretty good. Everyone told me years ago to avoid the deutz engines. They are junk and will give me TONS of problems. Well I ran one for years with no problems. BUT, I maintain them. I send them into a diesel mechanic and get EVERYTHING changed when its time to change the oil. All new fluids and filters. Costs 600 dollars. But when a machine is responsible for making your tons of money you have no problem spending the money on it.
Now, I understand sometimes that you get a lemon. I can't speak for that. I have just found that proper maintenance to the manufactures specifications has worked wonders for me in whatever machine I have bought. Except my ford f550 with a 6.0...whole nother story
Click to expand...

Exactly! I change oil in trucks, chippers, skid steers every 200 hours sometimes around 150 hours if we are chipping or working in dusty conditions. I change all other filters as needed or as per the maintenance schedule in the manual. We have a diesel tank at the shop and every time it gets filled I dump a full bottle of Howes Lubricator diesel treatment in no matter what time of year it is. Every morning we pull all the dipsticks and check levels before we fire things up and while a couple guys are sharpening saws I always have one guy pull the air filters on the chippers and blow them out. I have a whole shelf at the shop with air, oil and fuel filters for every truck, chipper and skid steer, pails of oil etc. We have grease guns in every truck and chipper so there is no excuses. Like you said, if you take care of a machine it will take care of you! CAT engines have been good to me so I am not worried about it. A buddy of mine always says "if you have a problem just throw some money at it and it will go away!". This is the business where you have to spend $12000 to make $10000 right?!
 
Last edited:
Funny thing about our issues with the tier 2 "perkipillar"....now in need of a FOURTH injection pump...number 3 being replaced with less than 2 weeks left on the warranty...lower end had to be rebuilt after the crank pulley came off and sheered the teeth off the crank....7k there. That was the final straw. Oh yeah...had been fighting keeping the bolts that keep the crank pulley locked in place in place...they busted off inside the crank on 2 previous occasions...the 2nd time the tech recomended replacing the crank...which wouldve been nice because the motor was still within the warrant period. All work was done by ohio cat...the only people that knew anything about that motor...it was also impossible to start in the colder winter months without having the block heater plugged in. Oil changes were done at 200 hour intervals instead of the recommended 500...knives changed every other week....its been sitting since our new jd 173 showed up....not a problem yet....going on 1800 hours.
 
eastsidetimber said:
Royce - wheres that video we were promised?? (Chipping big wood, winch action, being fed with the mini skid etc) Make it happen!
Click to expand...

I stuffed that chipper with a dead pine today with the log truck. The whole time I was thinking about the video. Just left the go-pro at home. I will make it happen. You have my word.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New threads New posts

Back
Top Bottom