How many chipper hours is to many?

Abdullah · Jun 12, 2020

I am looking at buying my first chipper and am not sure how many hours is to many. Someone told me that after 5000 there only good for a boat anchor.

Reach · Jun 12, 2020

There is no fixed number, it all comes down to how the chipper was maintained. We have one with 6100 hours on it, original engine has never been rebuilt. Only a few real repairs, feed wheel motors and bearings have been changed and some other minor parts, but that’s about all. It has some stress cracks that need welding soon, and a new coat of paint wouldn’t hurt, but other than that it’s in excellent condition. It still runs every day, and runs hard.

Chaplain242 · Jun 12, 2020

Also depends on how treated. Smashing hardwoods all day with dull blades will take a toll. Seen some wickedly cracked drums before, indicating just how effective work hardening of metal, corrosion, and vibration can be at wearing the machine

MA Arborist · Jun 13, 2020

It depends on the chipper and who used it. Also, some engines have better longevity than others.
I had at least 6000 on my old bandit. Had a John Deere non-turbo. It always ran the same since day one and didn’t use oil.

Wear and tear on the machine itself is a problem with high hour machines.
Ie. cracked metal, fatigue, worn disc Or drum etc.

Sfoppema · Jun 13, 2020

Have an 1890 with unknown hours. Mechanic with many years of bandit experience says at least 6k hours. Maybe 10. Thing crushes it. Motor still has good compression. Looks like it got the piss beaten out of it and there were several extremely Micky moused repairs etc that we discovered after purchasing which leads me to believe it was mistreated throughout its life. Still crushes it every day.