5" chipper/shredder with garden tractor power

Craig Clayton · Mar 10, 2010

Gentlemen
I own a 5"chipper that I have used for many hours but wish to power it by a garden tractor. I plan to use it 2 hours distant and do not want to move the Kubota.The JD has 19.5 HP engine vertical shaft and the mower belt pulley will accept a B belt. The belt is called a green belt ( high flex) at 127 " long. The chipper had the pto pulley unbolted and the idlers bolted on. The first set of wheels have been beefed up. Chipper runs at 2000rpm input at 20 HP.The tractor is brought up to the chipper and turned off and belt jumped up on to the pulleys and restarted and an adjustment screw slowly moves the tractor back 1" as you raise the speed to full engine 3400 rpm . As I know the sound of the chipper I ran a trial sample through it in my shop ( big mess ). The tractor can also sneak into a backyard with the chipper in tow. I have the belt running through( 2 ) 5" V belt idlers and (2 ) 4" back idlers with guide fingers made from the same 5/16 round steel that holder industrial dirty laundry bags. The idlers run at angles that I used a steel wedge to adjust. If there are any questions I will try to respond.
Craig Clayton

Baby Grand · Mar 11, 2010

Sweet! That's a clean design.
Is the angled PTO wheel assembly design on the tractor you own?
How does the (gas?) engine hold up to the chipper load?

jeffinsgf · Mar 11, 2010

Nice. I have the same chipper, and have wanted to use it with my JD 455, which has 540 rpm PTO, but not enough lift or range on the 3 point to pick it up and move it. However, making a set of wheels for it might just make it work!

EDITED TO ADD:

I would highly recommend you get the blower attachment for your Goossen/Bush Hog. It makes a completely different experience out of using the machine.

Craig Clayton · Mar 11, 2010

Dear Baby Grand
The internet ate the first repy attempt. The 540 pto is standard and is a bolt on assembly. 30 minutes and it is off, leaving the chipper for my custom power arrangement.
The JD 19.5 is a Briggs ( OK ) . I plan to trailer the chipper 100 miles away for the summer where the JD will be. I have several days of limb and brush trimming at 1 1/2 " size all green stuff. The Kubota I need at home to run the 10 acres. The Bush Hog was made to accept a 20HP Honda belt drive idler take. My method is slower to hook up but I can tow the chipper any place I can drive a JD. There was a movie about I man who crossed a state on a garden tractor to visit his brother.
Craig Clayton

Craig Clayton · Mar 11, 2010

Dear jeffinsgf
The net dropped me again. The first wheels were too small and too far to the rear causing 70- 80 tongue weight. For your needs I would use 13" car tires and space the tires wider for field use. I found 6" ground clearance in transit fine. Use a 2" pipe for the drawbar and stay near 5 ' long as the chipper is very heavy on the pto side. Make the the swinging wheels frame strong I used 3" channel iron. My spindles are 4 bolt road grade with 1 1/4 " shaft in new 1 1/4 " hydraulic cylinder weld on pin end ( $12.00 each ) cdn. Make the wheel assembly quick off as to not get in your way. The chipper is like picking a frig straight up.
Have fun
Craig Clayton

Stampeder · Mar 20, 2010

Craig:

This is a sweet!!! I'm really interested in the pulley set up you used on your JD lawn tractor. Is this a kit or did you make the mounts and belt guides yourself? I have the LT190 with a 25 hp engine and I would like to repurpose it for other uses and this one is a great candidate to start with.:thumbsup:
I'd like to see more picture of how you bent the 5/16 rods for the belt guides as well.:licking:

Great work!!
Glenn.

Craig Clayton · Mar 22, 2010

Dear Stampeder
I went and remeasured the laundry stands and they are 3/8" steel to be exact. Making the guide fingers only seems had at first. I cold bent all pieces but hot bend would have been easier. I used a metal coat hanger to start my template and when it looked right I paralled up the 3/8" rod and maked the bend points with marker pen.
The back idler pulleys are I think are 5/8" bore and they are adjustable with washers and double nuts. I used beam clamp wedges to cause the tip to get the correct angle, I also made a 40 degree wedge for 1 of back idlers. The V belt idlers both sit on a fixed angle. I removed the tractor muffler cover to come out the front.
The belt that I tried at first was a ( B ) belt industrial at 125" and it would almost stay on. at one point I called it Heinz 57 because it flew off 57 times. I went and bought a B belt at 127" green grade and it stayed on. But it was not trust worthy, so when I added the 2 back idler it became very steady.
My tensioner maintains the push and pull action as the chipper is brought up to speed. Because of the interia in the chipper I slow it down with the throttle to idle then slack the tensioner right off.
This is the only pictures of the chipper, as the tractor is all back together for shipping out to the other site.
Craig Clayton

bontai_Joe · Mar 30, 2010

I am impressed that you came up with this and that you are using a Deere LA tractor. The ingenius part is you are not using the hydro tranny to drive this, but the motor itself. The only possible weak point might be the PTO clutch as I don't know what kind of start up load this chipper has, but I could very well be wrong about that. Overall, I give you an A+ for the end result, for ingeniuity, and for problem solving the drive system.

Craig Clayton · Mar 30, 2010

Dear bontai Joe
On the Deere I am driving straight off the same pulley that powers the mower deck. When the mower is on the belt is toward the rear. When I power the chipper the belt is around the same pulley except it exits to the front. The clutch action is by tightening the belt by pushing the tractor back less than 1". This concept is the same as the old flat belt pulley driving threshing machines. The V belt is running at a much higher surface feet per minute and it also has a twist like the old flat belts. The chipper project was done so I can use my chipper at a remote location without moving the Kubota. I used a smaller chipper for an afternoon and it was maybe 5 HP and we figured we worked harder feeding it than it was worth. My 5" chipper I know very well as I have spent many hours feeding it.
Craig Clayton