
I bought one of these to deal with a large amount of brush at a house I bought in August of 2006. After about 2 weeks work, this chipper literally came apart.
Who I bought it from isn't at issue here, but, I took it back and they gave me a new one.
I used it maybe twice and then fall and winter set in and I didn't use it again until this spring (2007). The same issue arose. The problem is with its engineering. The machine uses blades that are attached by roll pins to do the chipping. The roll pins are kept in place with steel clamps that are probably inserted mechanically at the factory.
If debris, which is inevitable--it is, after all, a chipper--hits the side of the clamp, the clamp comes loose and flys off. These clamps usually fly into the discharge chute with no problem.
Then the real issue begins. Without the clamp, the roll pin that keeps the blade in place is spun out of its hole by the centripetal force. Once the pin has come loose, the blade comes loose, and it jams/destroys the entire chipping mechanism. Luckily, we caught this flaw on the "second machine" (the first machine self-destructed, but I was lucky and it did so before the warranty expired).
This is obviously an engineering flaw in the design--otherwise the clamps would not be needed in the first place. And who would design a cutter that used a roll pin in a situation that would immediately indicate the roll pin would be subjected to centrepidal forces, and thereby pushed out of its position of securing the blades.
Obviously the engineers who designed this did not graduate at the top of their class. I'm surprised they passed engineering school exams to begin with.
This piece of equipment has soured me on Troy-Bilt equipment entirely. It is an expensive piece of equipment that should naturally be expected to operate within its defined tolerances and not dangerously come apart at the seams because of obvious design flaws a high-school shop student could figure out.
These people have not done their quality control and should not be trusted. Don't buy this piece of equipment.
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Troy-Bilt CS 4265 205cc Briggs & Stratton 850 Series Gas-Powered 2-Way Feed Chipper ShredderProduct Description: A powerful 205cc 850 Series Briggs & StrattonOHV engine makes quick work of chipping and shredding branches, leaves and clippings. Feed material into the large, drop-in steel hopper or chipper chute and 12 steel flails and cast iron screen turn leaves, sticks and other light debris into fertilizing mulch and compost. 5-bushel collection bag capacity. Includes 9in. x 2in. semi-pneumatic steel wheels, 1-gallon capacity fuel tank and safety goggles. U.S.A. Engine: Briggs & Stratton, Engine Type: OHV, Walk or Pull: Pull, Chipper: Yes, Shredder: Yes, Displacement (cc): 205, Bagger Volume (bushels): 5, Fuel Capacity (gal.): 1, Tire Size (in.): 9 x 2 pneumatic steel
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