Optional Chipper Discharge Screens

[Pavel314]

I bought a used Troy-Bilt 5 hp chipper/shredder from a friend. It came with the standard discharge screen with 3/4" holes. This chips a bit too fine so I was thinking of getting one of the optional screens with larger holes. The parts catalogue which came with the unit offers screens with 1" holes,

1-3/4" holes, and a bar grate discharge screen which is just a series of horizontal bars across the opening.

Has anyone had experience with these optional screen sizes? Any opinions on their value? The bar grate version seems interesting; what sort of discharge do you get from that?

I checked the Troy-Bilt website but they only seem to be selling one model there. I guess I'll have to call them to see what's up.

Thanks for any input.

Paul

[Tom Miller]

The "real" Troy-Bilt company went out of business several years ago. MTD bought most of the product line, but not the Troy-Bilt chippers. Now, however, they apparently have a small line of chippers called Troy-Bilt, but I don't know if they are the same design or quality as the original Troy-Bilt ones. The Troy-Bilt designs were quite well made -- overengineered really. You may have a more recent one from the MTD era, I don't know.

The reason I know all this is because I unknowingly bought a 10hp chipper from a Troy-Bilt retail distributor right before the main company closed the doors. Like you, I found the 3/4" screens made chips way too small for any useful mulch. They would make good compost, but not mulch. They wouldn't last long as mulch for one thing.

After much searching of the Internet, I was able to find two regional distributors of Troy-Bilt parts that still had the screens left. I bought one of the 1 3/4" screens and one of the bar grate screens. The

1 3/4" screen is a lot better for mulch than the 3/4" screen. The chips are at least useable.

The bar grate is good for leaves, tall grass and for damp materials. The grate makes good mulch. However, the mulch is not uniform -- big chunks of wood and smaller ones, so if that's an issue don't use it. I mostly use the grate.

On my machine, the screen or grate is only an issue when you put small branches, twigs, and leaves into the main hopper for shredding. When you use the chipper chute for 3"-4" branches, the chips are all uniform and small (about 1").

I don't recall the name of the place I got the screens, so cannot help you there. Try the Troy-Bilt site first for a phone number to call, and call them with your model number in hand. Then, if no luck, email a few parts distributors on the web and see what they might still have on hand.

Hope this is helpful.

[Pavel314]

Thanks, Tom, that's just what I wanted to know. I must have an older machine because the part numbers from my catalogue don't match anything on their website. I'll check with distributors.

pli

[Tom Miller]

I'd try Troy-Bilt/MTD first. No telling what they might have left over from the original sale. I'll look around and see if I can find the name of the place I bought mine, although it was several years ago.

Tom

[Pavel314]

I called the dealer who originally sold the chipper/shredder to see if they had any screens in stock. He didn't but called his parts distributor who told him that the Murray company had bought the Troy-Bilt chipper/shredder line. It took less than a week to get delivery of the 1.75" and bar-grate screens. The cost was about $150 for the two of them, plus $4 shipping, plus state tax.

We hope to try them out this weekend; I'll post a report on the results when we do.

Tom, thanks for your suggestions.

Paul

[Tom Miller]

It's helpful to know who bought the chipper line, and I'll save this info for my own reference in the future. Thanks for the follow up posting, Paul. Glad I could be of help.

Tom Miller