Chipper Wallenstein BXM-32 vs. BXM-42

[MtHam]

I have had a Wallenstein BXM-32 Chipper/Shredder for 5 years which is used regularly for "thin & release" work in my 45 acre forrest, mainly removing Bay Laurel trees from the 35,000 Conifers that were planted 22 years ago after a major wild fire. The Bays trunks are cut for firewood (4" and greater.) The thinner wood is chipped, and leafy material shredded. I have had a problem with the flanges on the rotor (which eject the chipped/shredded material) slowly bending and tearing until they are ineffective and thus the eject tube clogs. Finally had to replace the rotor about 2 years ago, and now the replacement is doing the same. I am considering moving up to the BXM-42, thinking the heavier duty machine will better be able to stand up to the job.

My question is will the Kubota B3030 be able to handle the bigger machine. The PTO is rated at 23hp which was plenty for the BXM-32, never seeming taxed or underpowered. I wouldn't be asking it to do more, just expecting the larger rotor would be stronger and more rugged.

 

[oosik]

I ran my Wally BX42S with my little Ford 1700 - 25 pto hp - for years and never lacked for power. I now have the Wally BX62S and my Kubota. The problem with the BX42S was not power - it was plugging because I chipped green pine trees "in the round". My answer - until I got the bigger Wally - was to thin, gather and stack into piles the green pines and let them dry one year prior to chipping.

I've got to admit - I've never seen the paddles bent like in your picture. I wonder what you are chipping that is so hard to eject that the paddles bend. I'm wondering if the unit actually isn't doing a very good job of chipping and is causing unusual force to be applied to the paddles. Hmmm------

I know that as a unit the BXM42 will be heavier and should be no problem - power wise - for your tractor.

 

[MtHam]

I've got to admit - I've never seen the paddles bent like in your picture. I wonder what you are chipping that is so hard to eject that the paddles bend. I'm wondering if the unit actually isn't doing a very good job of chipping and is causing unusual force to be applied to the paddles. Hmmm------

I know that as a unit the BXM42 will be heavier and should be no problem - power wise - for your tractor.

Thanks for the opinion. It may be the stringy nature of the leafy tops of the Bay that clog the exit, build up, and then put pressure on the paddles.

 

[motocephalic]

I am running the BXM32 now on my L3200 and I am certain that the dealer told me that I could use either or the 32 or the 42. I run my chipper /shredder hard and have seen very little wear, and nothing like the picture. But I think the 42 is quite a bit beefier.

 

[pinetree10]

My JD 2720 has 23HP at the PTO and runs my BX42 with no problem at all. Wallenstein's website calls for 30 - 90 for the BXM 42 and 35 - 40 for the BXs 42, which is interesting because you'd think the larger, more complex chipper/shredder would require a higher number for the minimum PTO HP because of the extra shredder machinery. All I can say for sure is that my relatively small 31HP CUT has been running the 42s chipper for a few years and I haven't come close to drawing it down during use. If I have any complaint at all it's that I wish I had the chipper/shredder because the chute clogs if I get carried away trying to feed shredder-size branches into a machine that wasn't designed to shred. If I could do it over I'd buy the BXM but it's quite a bit bigger and I wanted something compact. I think you'll be fine with what you have.

 

[s219]

My B2920 handled my BX-42 just fine.

 

[Red Mercury]

I just bought a used BXM42 for my B3030. Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to hook it up and give it a try. It was priced reasonably for an acreage guy like myself and it was for sale nearby--so I bought it. It looks too big for my tractor. I could barely lift the BXM42 off of my car hauler with my B3030 & heavy duty pallet forks. Now I am wondering if the B3030 3 point hitch can handle it without breaking something. The B3030 3 point hitch looks "light duty" and the BXM42 is a "heavy duty" machine.

Some of the people who have responded assume that the BXM42 is similar to a BXs42 and shouldn't require more horsepower. I blame Wallenstein for designating two machines with "42" when there are significant differences between them. Here are some of the differences between the two machines.

BXs42
Rotor Weight = 75 lb rotor
Chipper Weight = 475 lbs.
Direct drive 540/1000 RPM PTO (this will be your rotor RPM)
Recommended hp = 35-40 hp

BXM42
Rotor Weight = 175 lb rotor
Chipper Weight = 800 lbs.
Belt drive 540 RPM PTO (this is not your rotor RPM)
Rotor RPM = 1200
Recommended hp = 30-90 hp

The BXM42 will require more horsepower as indicated because of the pulleys and belt drive used to speed up the rotor to 1200 RPM (540/1000 for a BXs42). I think of it like this--it is like a standard transmission in a truck. It takes less horsepower to start the truck moving in 1st gear (slow RPM at the wheels) because of the gear reduction in the transmission than it takes start the truck moving in a higher gear (higher RPM at the wheels). Did you ever drive a standard transmission truck up a steep hill and have to gear down to climb the hill? The engine doesn't have to work as hard when it is "geared down" by the transmission.

 

[Red Mercury]

Thanks for the opinion. It may be the stringy nature of the leafy tops of the Bay that clog the exit, build up, and then put pressure on the paddles.

MtHam--do you run your BXM32 at the full 540 RPM PTO speed? The reason I ask is I looked at a used BXM32 before I purchased my BXM42. One of the paddles on the BXM32 was also bent back and torn. I couldn't figure out why and I assumed that the machine had "eaten a rock" or something. I didn't buy it because I didn't want to fix it (there were other reasons too--"shady" seller). The one thing the seller did tell me is that he never ran it full speed, something like 1600 RPM engine speed on his Kubota. Running a machine like this at 2/3 the rated RPM might cause it to not clear properly and bend the paddles. Just my opinion.

 

[s219]

The lift specs for the 3-pt hitch on a B3030 show it can handle that weight just fine. The 3-pt can lift more than the FEL on most of the Kubota B series (and many other tractors).

 

[bigtiller]

I just bought a used BXM42 for my B3030. Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to hook it up and give it a try. It was priced reasonably for an acreage guy like myself and it was for sale nearby--so I bought it. It looks too big for my tractor. I could barely lift the BXM42 off of my car hauler with my B3030 & heavy duty pallet forks. Now I am wondering if the B3030 3 point hitch can handle it without breaking something. The B3030 3 point hitch looks "light duty" and the BXM42 is a "heavy duty" machine.

Some of the people who have responded assume that the BXM42 is similar to a BXs42 and shouldn't require more horsepower. I blame Wallenstein for designating two machines with "42" when there are significant differences between them. Here are some of the differences between the two machines.

BXs42
Rotor Weight = 75 lb rotor
Chipper Weight = 475 lbs.
Direct drive 540/1000 RPM PTO (this will be your rotor RPM)
Recommended hp = 35-40 hp

BXM42
Rotor Weight = 175 lb rotor
Chipper Weight = 800 lbs.
Belt drive 540 RPM PTO (this is not your rotor RPM)
Rotor RPM = 1200
Recommended hp = 30-90 hp

The BXM42 will require more horsepower as indicated because of the pulleys and belt drive used to speed up the rotor to 1200 RPM (540/1000 for a BXs42). I think of it like this--it is like a standard transmission in a truck. It takes less horsepower to start the truck moving in 1st gear (slow RPM at the wheels) because of the gear reduction in the transmission than it takes start the truck moving in a higher gear (higher RPM at the wheels). Did you ever drive a standard transmission truck up a steep hill and have to gear down to climb the hill? The engine doesn't have to work as hard when it is "geared down" by the transmission.

BXS42 is just a chipper.

BXM42 is a ciipper-shredder.

If you need to deal with a lot of brush, you bought the correct one.