Which reliable 6'' chipper 10k - 15k budget

[GA Groundcare]

Used kit is thin on the ground currently due to long manufacturing lead times. 
 

How come you’re looking at an 8” tracked machine now over a 6” road tow. 
Repair and running costs are very different between the two. 

[monkeybusiness]

A 1928 Safetrak is probably the single most useful chipper ever built - get one and you’ll wonder how you managed as a business before.

However, they are heavy (not far off 2 tonnes) and obviously also need a trailer. You won’t confuse one of these with a 750kg machine when towing it about/trying to push the loaded trailer into a garage etc...

They are a lot more complicated than the 1928 roadtow - that’s not to say they aren’t reliable (I’ve got one from 2005 with way over 3000hrs on it) but you need to stay on top of the maintenance. Parts are dear, but you shouldn’t need many if you start with a good machine and look after it. 

[Mick Dempsey]

23 hours ago, GA Groundcare said:

Used kit is thin on the ground currently due to long manufacturing lead times. 
 

How come you’re looking at an 8” tracked machine now over a 6” road tow. 
Repair and running costs are very different between the two. 

I was under the impression that certain manufacturers had huge stocks of trade-ins sitting around.

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

It’s been an interesting thread. 
 

So far as I can tell, there’s only 1 brand that has company and dealer contributions to the thread. 
 

You can read a LOT into that - IMHO. 
 

(I’m 3 years in with a GM ArbTrak 150)

[Mark J]

Years ago it seemed like everyone (apart from mogs and schliesing) was rocking timberwolf 150's. 
Greenmech make decent chippers, we got a green 150 when the orange one died. It was an excellent piece of kit.
You will probably make more money by putting your staff through a trailer ticket and buying an 8"+ chipper than you will with a 6" chipper.

 

Edited April 2, 2021 by Mark J

[Floclimber]

Now proud owner of the spanking new ST6 P.  Looking for recomendations on a decent tracking device and if there is much difference between them?

[HuntingHicap]

Congrats on the purchase, brilliant bits of kit. The new feed rollers are good as well.

[IronMike]

1 hour ago, Floclimber said:

Now proud owner of the spanking new ST6 P.  Looking for recomendations on a decent tracking device and if there is much difference between them?

Speak to the boys at Abax. Mention you’ve come to them through Arbtalk (and me recommending them too!) and you’ll get a good deal. So far I’m happy with mine.

[Paddy1000111]

5 hours ago, Floclimber said:

Now proud owner of the spanking new ST6 P.  Looking for recomendations on a decent tracking device and if there is much difference between them?

I use automatics m-track. Have a look on YouTube and watch their videos where they go out and recover kit. They use the same units regardless of size but there's two options, small battery and big battery (go for big). Installation takes about 10 seconds. They will find a excavator attachment inside a shipping container or a moped in a tower block storage room. I 100% trust them and whenever I have called them they pick up. I can't suggest them high enough. Loads of companies that sell trackers with good reviews but not many that will actually get off their arse to track stuff down. They chased a tracking unit to France the other week to find out it was discovered by the theives and attached to another vehicle but they still posted the video and they were open about it. 

 

Good choice on the st6p btw. Forst customer service is spot on in my experience so far. Sent them an email saying there was an issue with the wiring on the trailer light plug and received an email saying "parts on their way" and they were on my doorstep by 9am. Can't fault them