Buying Advice Bear Cat vs. Wallenstein

[The Deerslayer]

Currently researching 3 point wood chippers and hope to go used if possible. As always, I have found a great deal of info here. After searching for so long in the used market to no avail, I now find myself with two potential units (go figure!) One is a Bear Cat 73454 and the other a Wally BX42. The Wally is $700 more and several hours drive to see it. Both appear to be in great shape, so my question is really about benefits/drawbacks between the two. I have heard a great deal of positive feedback on the Wally line, so if anyone has info/experience with the Bear Cat;please bring it on. I intend to use the unit a couple times a year for tree limbs (4 inch max) and saplings to keep the woods edge at bay from the pastures. It will run off my L2250.
Any feedback is welcome as I will need to move fairly quickly. Thanks in advance!

 

[Baby Grand]

I don't own either one, but after using a Patu 4" manual feed chipper, which I like very much, here are some things I'd look for in my next chipper:
1) Bottom of infeed chute almost horizontal - makes getting the butt end of a 4" tree into the blades much easier. Also allows wood to self feed if the blades are kept sharp and the gap is set right.
2) Direct drive - simpler to maintain than belts.
3) Ease of access to blades - this becomes important when the blades get dull.
4) Weight of flywheel - heavier is better.
5) Number of blades on the flywheel x flywheel RPM. This will tell you chip frequency.
6) Are replacement parts easily available?
7) Rotatable outfeed chute - so you can blow the chips directly into a trailer.
8) Size of infeed chute inner opening - bigger is better. For feeding twisty limbs, that is.

 

[tractchores]

I own a wallenstein 42 and looked at the bearcat version before buying. The main deciding factors for me were:
- Kept hearing a ton of positive feedback on the wallenstein from lots of people and any used one got bought immediately, so there's a good demand. Did not hear anything bad about the bearcat, just did not hear anything...
- The bearcat didn't have a chute, I think there was maybe a kit to add one, but that was a huge factor as blowing chips is hugely important. It lets me keep the chipper on the driveway or lawn and blow chips into the woods or into a trailer for use in other places.
- In people I had talked to the wallenstein blade setup seemed to self feed a bit better, so no hydraulic feed was needed and the chute setup to feed branches was MUCH better. In use I really appreciate it now. The 4x10 opening means I virtually never trim branches before feeding them through and the big feed chute is at the perfect working height. The extra wide opening lets you chip lumber (rarely need it for this), but more importantly you just rotate big branches the right way and no trimming is needed. The blades pull in with enough force to collapse most things to fit in the chute without manual intervention.

I don't remember the specs, but check out the flywheel weight on both too, heavier is better in terms of keeping up momentum so you don't bog or stall the tractor. Also I didn't look for it back then, but the wallenstein has a twig breaker, which is just a slot in the housing that the rotating disc pushes through to break up small stuff that won't chip. That really helps with clogs. Not sure if the bearcat has something like this. Older wallensteins don't have it, but I think they put in in around 10 years ago, so anything reasonably modern will have it.

I don't think you can go wrong with either one. Mine is one of my favorite implements and something I use constantly and have had great luck with. My wallenstein was used as well and after 2 years of frequent use I haven't had to do anything other than grease it once in a while.

 

[ruren]

I can't offer a comparison, but I have a BX42 and have been happy with it, it is a well built machine. I run it on my B3030 Kubota and it chips as fast as I can feed it. The only issue I ever have is twisty branches don't always fit without cutting them down, even if they are a lot smaller than 4 inches.

 

[s219]

I have a Wallenstein BX42 as well, and it's been great. I also looked at the Bearcat, and thought it was a fine choice but as tractchores notes, they do not come with a chute stock. I believe when comparing new prices, the Bearcat was going to cost me more.

Both of them are good chippers, and a big step above the cheaper/smaller models I was considering. You definitely get what you pay for with this kind of implement, including heavier flywheels and more cutting blades.

 

[The Deerslayer]

Great feedback so far, which is appreciated. The Bear Cat I am considering actually has the chute, so that is a plus. I am somewhat hesitant because of the belt drive vs. the direct drive with the BX42. The disc weight is heavier on the Bear Cat (140 lbs) vs the BX42(110 lbs)...so that is a plus in the Bear Cat column.

 

[s219]

I suppose belt drive is one more thing to worry about on the Bearcat. I know you said $700 difference, but what are the actual prices on the units, and what are their ages?

 

[econometrics]

I've already chimed in on the other thread, but I will again...

Wallenstein.

I went with them because of the direct drive, like others have mentioned. I just wouldn't want a belt drive when I can get one that goes straight from my PTO to my chipper - like the Wallenstein.

Also, as I mentioned on the other thread, the Wallenstein has a lower chute height - which, IMO, will make things much easier on you, and will end up with less "brushslap" to the face. :thumbsup:

 

[tractchores]

I haven't not used a belt drive chipper, but preferred to go with a direct drive with a sheer pin. My reasoning was that I wanted something as simple and bullet proof as possible and for me the belt is not only another thing that can break, but also another dangerous item to get caught up in (I'm sure they're well housed). There are definitely pros for belts, like the ability to slip. I have definitely stalled my tractor with too big of a branch, but on the other hand in a belt drive I would have burnt the belt and hopefully noticed / shut down / disengaged the PTO before it was destroyed. I have not sheered the pin on the wallenstein, probably because I'm not at the max HP for it.

If I had more HP I'd probably rather slip a belt then bust a sheer pin though.

 

[The Deerslayer]

Well, I pulled the trigger on the Bear Cat and picked it up yesterday. Got it attached today and tried it out and it seems to be an extremely well built attachment and it turned out to be a pretty good deal. Here are the obligatory pictures, and thanks to all who gave their thoughts.

 

[tractchores]

Looks great congrats!

 

[Bob77064]

Congrats

 

[tractorman]

We just took in a beautiful, and like new, Valby 3 point chipper. It's listed on our website Woodbury Tractor Company, LLC

 

[Gittyup]

I have a belt drive chipper/shredder, and I think the belt has some advantages. Several times mine has gotten clogged. When it happens the belt slips and you have time to disengage the PTO before the belt is permanently damaged. I've done it several times and the belts are still working fine. If direct drive, relying on the just he shear pin, the pin would break and you'd be down for several minutes to replace assuming you had one. The belt is better protection for the gears/pto than a shear pin too. Shear pins sometimes won't fail soon enough.

Water under the bridge now for the OP, but I prefer the chippers that have a big shredder and hopper. Hoppers process brush much faster. They usually cost more, and the chipper blades are more trouble to change, but a brush hopper that'll take up to 1-1/4" branches in large bunches is far more useful for me. I can still process big branches in the chipper, but most of my cuttings are woody bush trimmings, not tree limbs.

 

[rmorey]

This fall, we went to a farm auction just outside of town. There was a Bearcat 5" chipper/shredder. It ended up being the last item auctioned off. By this time, there were only 3 of us left. I got it for $550. It had sat out for several years, but everything turns. This spring I'll take it apart, clean it up and sharpen the blades. Should be ok. :thumbsup:

 

[The Deerslayer]

I have a belt drive chipper/shredder, and I think the belt has some advantages. Several times mine has gotten clogged. When it happens the belt slips and you have time to disengage the PTO before the belt is permanently damaged. I've done it several times and the belts are still working fine. If direct drive, relying on the just he shear pin, the pin would break and you'd be down for several minutes to replace assuming you had one. The belt is better protection for the gears/pto than a shear pin too. Shear pins sometimes won't fail soon enough.

Water under the bridge now for the OP, but I prefer the chippers that have a big shredder and hopper. Hoppers process brush much faster. They usually cost more, and the chipper blades are more trouble to change, but a brush hopper that'll take up to 1-1/4" branches in large bunches is far more useful for me. I can still process big branches in the chipper, but most of my cuttings are woody bush trimmings, not tree limbs.

Starting to feel a bit better about the belt drive after taking it apart and using the chipper....your additional comments also helped. The belts appear to be in excellent condition and I figured I could buy a ton of belts with the money I saved buying this one! I also liked the heavier fly wheel (140 lbs) as well as the overall weight of the unit (600 lbs) being more than the Wally. I'm sure I would have been happy with either, but I now have a few more bucks in my pocket......and that's a good thing.:thumbsup: