Troybuilt Chipper / Shredder

[Mr. Peet]

Wife and I were out for a relaxed Saturday afternoon tree removal stroll when our little yard unit became tired and rested its weary piston arm through the crankcase. It had lost RPM and sounded odd, thought maybe a piece of wood was jammed, shut it off and checked oil, as I had run it low once last year. Oil was fine. Started back up easy, a few minutes later was back to RPM and ran fine for 10 minutes before crapping out.

My unit has the 8.00 Briggs & Stratton 205cc horizontal shaft. Only see the 9.50 208cc as replacement or the 1150 255cc. The 9.50 runs about $285-$300. The 1150 is $300, but for the 1" diameter shaft, the 1150 with 3/4" shaft runs $520-$550. Does anyone have the 1150 model, is it worth upgrading that much...?...Picture below is very similar to our model but smaller engine than the 410-420 with the 8.00 B&S.

Thoughts....

@woodtickgreg

 

[2feathers Creative Making]

Ebay has 3/4 inch troybilt rated Briggs motors with 1150 category motors. Around 359. Cant link you to it

 

[FLQuacker]

Harbor Freight Predator brand.
301cc 1" shaft $249

 

[2feathers Creative Making]

Harbor Freight Predator brand.
301cc 1" shaft $249

I believe he is after a 3/4 inch shaft

 

[woodtickgreg]

Why not just short block the motor you have. It would be a new crank, bearings, rod, piston, cam and valve train. You just swap your head, carb, flywheel and shroud over. I have done many short blocks and it basically gives you a new engine for less money.

 

[sprucegum]

Briggs used to be a fine company. Now days not so much. We have generators and pumps that came from harbor freight that have many hours on them with zero problems. I have a Hudson sawmill with a 23 hp Briggs vanguard on it that has been a constant problem. Honda engines are just a few bucks more than Briggs. My mill is ready for a replacement motor and I'm not sure if I will go with Honda or preditor. One thing for sure it won't be another vanguard, there's a reason they are in bankruptcy.

 

[Mr. Peet]

Why not just short block the motor you have. It would be a new crank, bearings, rod, piston, cam and valve train. You just swap your head, carb, flywheel and shroud over. I have done many short blocks and it basically gives you a new engine for less money.

I'll need to look, but think the rings let loose to start, so the head would be shot as well. Only reason thinking B&S, the height of the drive shaft....the machine base is fixed, can shim up, not down. Many of the B&S have a diagram with offset stats to see if the bolting pattern and shaft height work before making purchase.

 

[woodtickgreg]

I did not realize that your Briggs was an ohv model.
If I was to replace the engine it would be with a Honda, pricey but the best. You can get one specked out to your crank shaft diameter. The harbor freight predator engine is a Chinese copy of a Honda. The big difference between the 2 is the ability to get parts for one. Easy with a Honda, not so easy with a predator. But for what the predators cost you can run it until it breaks and then just buy another one.

 

[sprucegum]

I did not realize that your Briggs was an ohv model.
If I was to replace the engine it would be with a Honda, pricey but the best. You can get one specked out to your crank shaft diameter. The harbor freight predator engine is a Chinese copy of a Honda. The big difference between the 2 is the ability to get parts for one. Easy with a Honda, not so easy with a predator. But for what the predators cost you can run it until it breaks and then just buy another one.

That's kinda where I am with my mill do I buy a Honda or 2 preditors on sale. Leaning toward the Honda because I have had thoughts of selling the mill and getting a nicer one. New Honda engine is a big selling point.

 

[FLQuacker]

They make any Predator part you want and is a available. We kart raced for years on the Briggs flatheads. There was a shift to the "clones" (Honda) when they said the FH's were being phased out and parts would become scarce, and costs at the time going thru the roof. $1500 for a race ready 5 (block size) hp briggs. Clones would save the karting world....$1200 last one i bought.

 

[Mr. Peet]

So I had a wheel lock up on my wood splitter while towing. Drug it a mile or three, ground the rubber to the rim, made a little tiny flat spot on one side of the rim. Pulled the other hub cap to check that side....turns out, my Tractor Supply Countyline wood splitter came without spacers. The cotter pins were not placed through the castle nut wing slots. They had a single washer against the bearing, then the nut, then 1/4" of space between the nut and the cotter pin.

I broke down the Troybuilt chipper / shredder today. It has a tapered shaft engine, another $250 above the $300 I had hoped. Tired, rain days are coming, I'll get to it later.

 

[2feathers Creative Making]

Can you not just get a new 25 dollar pulley instead of that expensive motor?

 

[Mr. Peet]

Can you not just get a new 25 dollar pulley instead of that expensive motor?

Sorry Frank, not following your thought. The piston arm broke and a portion blew through the crankcase. So the engine is wiped.

 

[2feathers Creative Making]

Straight shaft engine with a new pulley instead of tapered shaft engine.

 

[Mr. Peet]

Straight shaft engine with a new pulley instead of tapered shaft engine.

Follow you now. The stock shaft is flat then tapers to receive the impeller cutting head, shown not to scale.

I could have a sleeve milled to match the taper, or order the right crankshaft and split a new engine and change it out, but looks cheaper to just order the right engine and wait.

 

[woodtickgreg]

Ever gave any thought to just getting a new chipper? Maybe a better one?

 

[Mr. Peet]

Ever gave any thought to just getting a new chipper? Maybe a better one?

Sure have, however, I know how this one works, it is compact and small enough to store indoors, and light enough wife and daughter can both handle it. I see the same basic model for $1,000, and have been thinking of it. I also found a used one 30 some miles away for $400 and have inquired, just waiting on their response.

 

[Mr. Peet]

So found a few more replacement engines, all about $540, some free shipping, some not. Looked at a used one last week. It came home with me for $375. The guy used it to mulch leaves and small sticks. Said it got about an hour or 3 use every year. Said his biggest issue was siphoning the gas out each fall as he never seemed to use a full tank during the year. It has set for 3 years since his borough now offers spring and fall yard debris removal for free.

It looks nearly the same as the one pictured above but has the 8.5 engine, lacks the bag and the the tow bar. I never had the bag, and rarely found any times it might be useful. I have a tow bar, so hope it works out.