Nova Tractor/Victory Tractor BX52 Chipper experience

[B CTN]

Just received a BX52 Chipper from Nova Tractor in Texas. Delivered in a cage made of angle iron welded and bolted together. Took 30 minutes to unpack.

Problems with the BX52:
The chipper is advertized as a CAT 1 implement. Unfortunately the spacing on the lower connections was too narrow for my Land Pride QH10 CAT 1 quick hitch (about 1 1/8" too tight). This required me to remove my quick hitch to connect the chipper taking more time than it should have.

The video of how to attach the chute does not provide enough information to attach successfully. The video contains no audio instructions and only a couple of words on screen. Still waiting on help with proper installation.

The Chipper had a paint rub on the top where the chute had rubbed during transit.

It has been 24 hours since my first email asking for help with my concerns. I have spoken with the sales representative twice and left two voice messages. I have contacted the Tech support person and received one message that did not address the concerns I have with assemble, connectiona and now performance.

Finally got the chipper into the woods and ran three branches through it only to have the chute clog up. Stopped the chipper, turned off the tractor, removed the chute, dug out the clog. This happened four times and I only got to chip about 20 branches. Not sure what is going on. I am hoping to find a way to avoid clogging in the future. I have asked for help from Nova Tractor/Victory tractor personnel but they have not responded.

The BX52 may be a good implement but at this time and with NO SUPPORT from anyone at Nova Tractor/Victory Tractor I would recommend you research other chippers and make an informed decision.

 

[mrmikey]

Finally got the chipper into the woods and ran three branches through it only to have the chute clog up

I know when using a chipper green softwood plugs up in no time. I found that interspersing hardwood branches with softwood helps a lot........Mike

 

[oosik]

I've had two chippers. First was a Wallenstein BX42S with my Ford1700. Now - a Wallenstein BX62S with my Kubota M6040. I chip only green Ponderosa pines. Cut them off at ground level - chip them whole. I had minor plugging problems with the BX42S. Solved by felling - dragging to pile - chip the following year. Let them dry for a year.

With the BX62S - I've not had any plugging problems. More tractor Hp - higher air flow - larger discharge chute.

I thin my pine stands almost every spring. 800 to 1000 small pines.

 

[Jchonline]

Just received a BX52 Chipper from Nova Tractor in Texas. Delivered in a cage made of angle iron welded and bolted together. Took 30 minutes to unpack.

Problems with the BX52:
The chipper is advertized as a CAT 1 implement. Unfortunately the spacing on the lower connections was too narrow for my Land Pride QH10 CAT 1 quick hitch (about 1 1/8" too tight). This required me to remove my quick hitch to connect the chipper taking more time than it should have.

The video of how to attach the chute does not provide enough information to attach successfully. The video contains no audio instructions and only a couple of words on screen. Still waiting on help with proper installation.

The Chipper had a paint rub on the top where the chute had rubbed during transit.

It has been 24 hours since my first email asking for help with my concerns. I have spoken with the sales representative twice and left two voice messages. I have contacted the Tech support person and received one message that did not address the concerns I have with assemble, connectiona and now performance.

Finally got the chipper into the woods and ran three branches through it only to have the chute clog up. Stopped the chipper, turned off the tractor, removed the chute, dug out the clog. This happened four times and I only got to chip about 20 branches. Not sure what is going on. I am hoping to find a way to avoid clogging in the future. I have asked for help from Nova Tractor/Victory tractor personnel but they have not responded.

The BX52 may be a good implement but at this time and with NO SUPPORT from anyone at Nova Tractor/Victory Tractor I would recommend you research other chippers and make an informed decision.

Hydraulic chute control is just about necessary unless you love wasting time perfecting every branch put in or unclogging. To help here just make sure the branches you are putting in dont have any of their own branches sticking out to the sides at open angles. This makes it hard for the chute roller to pull on the branch.

Who cares about the paint smudge…it will get banged up anyway.
CAT1 doesnt mean It will work with your particular brand of QH. THere are hundreds on the market, and NO standard for their dimensions. If it works on your 3PT then that is all you can hope for.

 

[K5lwq]

Also Nova Tractor and Victory are not the same company. I have had great support from Victory out of California. Both are importers and may even use the same factory but different folks.

 

[Sid Post]

Wallenstein is where I would go for a chipper. I used one my L4600 for 3 days and ended up with a chip pile about 8'x8'x20'. That thing was a beast on the fallen limbs after a winter ice storm.

 

[oosik]

Yes - I've found my Wallenstein is a superior product. They no longer make the BX62S. It's now BX32S - BX52S - BX72S - etc. Mine is like the BX72S but with a heavier rotor. I've had my BX62S for nine years. Thin my pine stands every spring. This means I've chipped approximately 8500 to 9000 small pines. The chipper blades are still razor sharp and have yet to need to be rotated. This is, in a large part, due to the soft pine and I take pains to not drag any of the trees thru any dirt or mud.

If you are looking for a permanent investment, this is a great chipper - Wallenstein will more than fit your needs.

 

[Brewsky]

B CTN, For what it is worth and perhaps confirming some of the others' comments,

I have had the BX52 for about 18 months. I connected directly to the 3 point arms so I can't comment on the quick hitch problem and I also did a lot of head scratching on the chute assembly. I can only suggest whatever patience you can muster!

My chipper arrived in the angle iron frame with no damage. I would be suspicious of the manhandling cargo sometimes receives by trucking companies.

I experienced similar problems with clogging and as others have suggested, I mixed larger branches in with the light ones. Generally, I have found the chipper not to be effective with branches less than 1/2" diameter, especially green ones and just route those to a later burning.

I have had only one occasion to contact Nova for support by email. I received a response and answer in about 1-1/2 days.

I've found the chipper to be a good, strong unit. My only complaint is after about a dozen hour of use it almost refused to accept material and after the knives were reversed, improved operation. I replaced the knives with new at about another 12 hours of use. I will admit I have thrown old, hard and probably dirty limbs through it and should accept much of the fault. I was surprised by the visual lack of dulling of the replaced knives. I also messed up my frame of reference by renting a big self-feeder to clear a lot of slash from some major tree thinning next to my house. The BX52 can't compare.

For the price, I think the BX52 is a good chipper for the occasional cleanup and does a pretty good job with some care and maintenance, no more, no less. I hope your experience is good.

 

[Jack Yuan]

Just received a BX52 Chipper from Nova Tractor in Texas. Delivered in a cage made of angle iron welded and bolted together. Took 30 minutes to unpack.

Problems with the BX52:
The chipper is advertized as a CAT 1 implement. Unfortunately the spacing on the lower connections was too narrow for my Land Pride QH10 CAT 1 quick hitch (about 1 1/8" too tight). This required me to remove my quick hitch to connect the chipper taking more time than it should have.

The video of how to attach the chute does not provide enough information to attach successfully. The video contains no audio instructions and only a couple of words on screen. Still waiting on help with proper installation.

The Chipper had a paint rub on the top where the chute had rubbed during transit.

It has been 24 hours since my first email asking for help with my concerns. I have spoken with the sales representative twice and left two voice messages. I have contacted the Tech support person and received one message that did not address the concerns I have with assemble, connectiona and now performance.

Finally got the chipper into the woods and ran three branches through it only to have the chute clog up. Stopped the chipper, turned off the tractor, removed the chute, dug out the clog. This happened four times and I only got to chip about 20 branches. Not sure what is going on. I am hoping to find a way to avoid clogging in the future. I have asked for help from Nova Tractor/Victory tractor personnel but they have not responded.

The BX52 may be a good implement but at this time and with NO SUPPORT from anyone at Nova Tractor/Victory Tractor I would recommend you research other chippers and make an informed decision.

Hi, we got your information, we are sending you new longer pins to solve this issue on quick hitch connection. There is no strict standard on the market for quick hitch, different brand quick hitch has tiny size difference, that's why we write the detail size information on the site.

About the chute clog up, the chipper has different performance on different wood. I guess you were chipping things like willow? Anyway, to avoid clog up chute, I suggest you feed some real big wood(less branch) after feed "difficult" wood, the chipped real wood pieces will help to blow out the green stuff like leaves, tiny branches, etc.

Another suggestion is that let the wood be dry enough before chip them.

 

[oosik]

When I had the Wallenstein BX42S I did experience clogging/plugging. It was primarily due to the high pitch/sap content of the newly cut pines, smaller discharge chute, lower tractor HP and lower air flow. I tried putting dry wood thru the chipper to clear it. Some times it worked - most times not. Hydraulic feed input would NOT have solved this problem. The problem was DISCHARGE - not input. Allowing the cut pines to dry for a year solved the problem.

Upgrading to a larger tractor and the bigger Wally BX62S has been another way to correct this condition.

Chipping any type material with a high sap/pitch/water content is a tough nut.