John Deere 2520 & Bearcat 73554 Chipper/Shredder

   / John Deere 2520 & Bearcat 73554 Chipper/Shredder #1  

larry8818

Bronze Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2006
Messages
74
Tractor
John Deere 2520
Here are some pictures of my new Bearcat 73554 Chipper/Shredder mounted on my JD 2520.

This unit is pretty awesome! Very well built, and it works the balls! The shredder and top 360 degree blower discharge I just cannot say enough about.
Like the brochure says, "If your only going to own one clean up machine, the 73554 blah, blah..."

I all I can say is it did everything well, the chipper, the shredder, the discharge shoot. Hydraulic feed is awesome, but twice the money, and once I rid this pile I will never have a sole pile this big again. I'll trim, limb & chip once a year in the fall. I am sure it'll go on quite a few time to take care of the limbs that fall from those seacoast NH warm, humid summer thunderstorms.

With this tractor and machine I will tell you 5" is too much for it. 4" is all I will put through it. The very first thing I put through it was a storm broken 8" pine limb. After a few small chippings, I went up the scale with a 3", 4", & 5" limb. It ate the 3" like no tomorrow, the 4" I had to feed and then hold back. The last 18" of it it ate no problem. The 5" however was a little problem. I had about 48" in lenght and feeding and holding back, until the last 18" I let it go for safety. Well, it ended up bogging down to the rotor not moving, however the tractor did not stall, it just smokes the belt. I shut it down. Cleared it out and started it back up and went back to it. The moral of the story is 5" is either too much for it or the 2520 is not enough PTO HP (20.5) to truly be a 5" chipper. Since the Bearcat machine is rated up to 45 HP, I'd say it is the 2520 that is the weak link here. I'm not complaining, this is my lawnmower (72"mmm) , I just don't want to beat either one of them and 4" is all I'll place in it.

I give both JD & Bearcat thumbs up for a couple of terrific products!
 

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   / John Deere 2520 & Bearcat 73554 Chipper/Shredder #2  
Great looking combo! Chippers are nice to have, but the good ones (like yours) are plenty pricey!

Scott
 
   / John Deere 2520 & Bearcat 73554 Chipper/Shredder #3  
Thats a nice looking shredder.
that old boy looks like it will really chew some wood....;)

Chris...:)
 
   / John Deere 2520 & Bearcat 73554 Chipper/Shredder #4  
I have been considering the same combination. I purchased my 2520 last year. I have been using a stand alone Bearcat 70380 chipper shredder that is supposed to take 3 inch branches but it is a stretch to say it will handle them on a regular basis. It sounds like it (73554) will handle most of what I would have to run through it. Mostly eucalyptus branches, sage brush, chapperal and sumac from So Cal foothills terrain. They are pricey though. I have considered getting the next model down that doesn't have the directional attachment.
 
   / John Deere 2520 & Bearcat 73554 Chipper/Shredder #5  
Larry...... really, four inches and up is firewood anyway !
 
   / John Deere 2520 & Bearcat 73554 Chipper/Shredder #6  
Good looking unit, I am also looking to explore a PTO powerd unit.
 
   / John Deere 2520 & Bearcat 73554 Chipper/Shredder #7  
larry, thats an awesome setup! what hp is your 2520? ive had 3 dealers basically laugh at me for wanting to use the model under yours on my 27hp diesel legacy garden tractor.. It will lift ~600lbs and run 20hp at the pto

I see your machine states it needs 30hp as its minimum, how much does it bog down when feeding in big stuff?

Im looking at the 70554 i think, it has no chute on top and weights like 480lbs not 600+ I was quoted about $3500 though for the model smaller than yours, that sound reasonable?
 
   / John Deere 2520 & Bearcat 73554 Chipper/Shredder #8  
How much did your bearcat cost? I am trying to figure out a budget.

I want one with a feeder system. I had one of those Chinese ones - it didn't last. Bearcat seems to be one of the best. Any issues?

D.
 
   / John Deere 2520 & Bearcat 73554 Chipper/Shredder
  • Thread Starter
#9  
Hello ddivinia,

I live in NH and purchased my Bearcat from a local dealer for $3900. I try to live by the "buy it right the first time" slogan. I've read great reviews about the Jinma and I know it will chip 6" vs. my Bearcat's 5", but the shredder and the top 360 degree discharge of the 73554 makes this the best chipper for my needs under 4k. It was a lot more $ than just a chipper, but the shredder shoot is great for vines and final clean up of leaves and what's left of the pile after your done chipping. Just grab big handful's and throw it in the shredder shoot. I have used it 3 times so far with no issues. This thing is perfect for chipping as you limb.

If your interested in converting it to a quickhitch, check out this link to a post in attachments and you will see how I did mine: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/106599-bearcat-73554-i-match-quick.html

Good luck and I highly recommend the 73554 with top blower so you don't have to keep moving the tractor...this this will shoot chips approximately 70-80 feet if you open the deflector all the way!
 
   / John Deere 2520 & Bearcat 73554 Chipper/Shredder #10  
I had a Jinma - it was a piece of junk. I spent more time working on it than using it. I am considering the Bearcat also. Does the 73554 have a power feed on it? I don't want to have to sit there and feed each limb into it.

D.
 
 
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