GA Groundcare

3 hours ago, openspaceman said:

I can see that for the V8, it was always difficult to get the dwell angle right enough for the coil to recover and give a fat spark. In my case I like bog standard, it would be different if it were a regular drive.

 

Does the new ecu sit in the distributor or does there have to be a crankshaft position sensor added?

I have 2x Ford coilpacks mounted on the front of the engine, a blank where the distributor was, crank sensor & trigger wheel on the pulley and the ECU is inside the car.

On 23/06/2025 at 21:25, openspaceman said:

My wife is dreading my going out in her MGBGT, last two times she has had to tow me home, first time in 2023 the coil jumped out of its casing, it took me a while to fix but it was running fine by the end of the summer till I decided to gun it in 2nd, 4500 revs and the bob weights blew the distributor apart. Only  took it out again this week after treating it to a new battery.

Sounds like it needs converting to coilpack and ecu! I did my Rover V8 and transformed it.

On 16/06/2025 at 17:43, Gordon S said:

Hi all,

 

I have a Timberwolf TW125 and am struggling with an issue.

 

The in feed rollers started to pause for a long time (5-10 seconds) while the stress control took over. It would then start to take material again.

 

Now the rollers start to roll once the machine is started but immediately stop once material is fed. The engine sounds fine and the revs are high. The switches work but it feels like rollers lack power/force to feed. 

 

If anyone has any ideas of where to start it would be appreciated.

 

many thanks

 

Gordon

Sounds like the O rings have failed on the pressure relief valve. Locate your hydraulic valve block with the solenoid coils and remove the PRV. Think its like a 22mm spanner from memory.

Also, get a volt meter and check to see if you still have 12v on the forward hirchsmann plug when the rollers are stopping.

As others have said, check your drive belts. Both flywheel and hydraulic pump. The hydraulic pump belt on the old TW125 are quite fiddly to tension.

47 minutes ago, Conner said:

Had something similar on a 150. The splines had worn in the roller coupling. Turned due to friction when not loaded but stopped when loaded. Took a little bit of finding. 

You would only get one roller stopping unless both splines were shot at the same time. Quite common those splines going, largely the reason they moved to replaceable couplings. As you say, can take a bit of finding the first time. Next time you know where to dive into straight away

New ECO 135TT we delivered last week. 

4 videos attached below. Works well for a 5" petrol chipper.

Been following on Facebook. That's a fair time. He'll need to start getting the car up to spec shortly to go sub 10?!

With a small machine like a TW150, probably better going electric winch like a Warn EVO 8S. We fit loads of them on tracked chippers. You then have the ability to use it to bring timber to the machine plus help in soft ground for tracking. 

I don't know specifically on a TW150, however most 6" chippers will produce about 15 or so litres per minute from the feed roller hydraulic pump. Pressure isn't that great on engine gear driven hydraulic pumps on the Kubota V1505's as its possible to break the driveline. On the diesel GreenMech's the pressure got dropped to 2,000 psi from memory with gear driven hydraulic pump. I don't foresee how TW would of been able to run any higher pressure without breakage.

Whereas belt driven hydraulic pumps can run more like 2800-3000 PSI no problem.

On the forward/reverse hydraulic valve block, usually mounted on the hopper. Should be an easy spot.

EVO 165D has 250kg more metal in it than the TW230. Heavier duty chassis, heavy gauge and wide infeed hopper plus a larger, heavier flywheel. Hydraulic flow valve for the rollers as standard, override of the stop bar, plus electric throttle control. 

Generally if its brash/timber a chipper will be more suitable. If it is proper green waste a shredder will be better. You can put some green waste through a chipper, best mixed up with some brash. Leafy material will often come out a chipper looking largely the same as it went in.  

We have a Jo Beau M500 available for sale. 2023 with 50 hours on. £6,500 + VAT

Good shout on the rotor shaft.

In the past 12 months, we've probably done a good 75 flywheel jobs at a guess on various makes, if not more. We have 5 chippers in our workshop currently without flywheels fitted.

Almost every customer books in as "just bearings". Very rarely it is just bearings alone.

We wrote a buying guide a few years ago. Attached here.

SafeTrak 19-28 MK2 buying guide.pdf

Bearings are cheap on those. £100 would cover the parts bill. Bearings and consumables. 4 hours labour at £70 + VAT would be £240 + VAT. Should see it done for sub £500 including a blade sharpen and new blade screws.

It isn't uncommon for the bearings to be turning on the housing, so it could need the bearing housing, the belts could well be cracked, the anvils already turned so needing replacement. Fan blades on the discharge side need checking thoroughly for any cracking. This could easily double the bill.

Without inspecting the machine its just a blind guess.

We look after loads of TimberWolf TW125's and done countless flywheel bearings.

As Pete says, 4 hours is about right. Hopper off, unbolt hydraulic motors, lift roller box off, remove flywheel belts, remove front pulley, remove flywheel housing backplate and rear bearing housing. Unbolt front bearing housing and lift out flywheel. It's the perfect time to turn the anvils on the flywheel back plate and roller box.

You could rush the job and do it in probably 2-3 hours.

We have just part exchanged an M500, 2023 with 50 hours on the clock. £6,500 + VAT.

Peugeot 205 Rallye here... 2.1 16v engine, individual throttle bodies, dry sump engine, 230hp, 750kg, full trackday spec. Owned for 19 years!

15 hours ago, markieg31 said:

Enquired about a new chipper today and was offered the higher hp petrol engine or a lower power diesel.

 

Now having had many older 35hp Kubota engines they are tried and tested. Looking at HP isn't the whole picture as torque specs may be more helpful for comparison. 

I am inclined to go with the diesel with the hope to twerk the power back up at a later date. 

 

I have used a couple of machines with the brigs and Stratton and have been impressed but I wonder how long they will last. Will they make over 2000 hours?

 

Has anyone had experience with higher hours on a petrol chipper engine? 

What chipper did you enquire about?

Carefully cut the bearings off with a grinder. No point spending loads of time removing bearings in one piece that are knackered.

If you've "modified" the taper lock bush, chuck that in the bin with the old bearings also.

Check the drum is true, no cracking on either the drum or the housing. Refit your new bearings, new taper lock bush and jobs a good un. Set the blade - anvil gap with the setting tool provided by GreenMech. Double check the anvil - blade gap on both blades rather than just one. 

Should be about 2 hours work in total.

Mason Wood Chippers are probably your best shout.

Classic Pete Bags

4 hours ago, Squaredy said:

It is probably worth a reminder that he also employees 3500 people in the UK in research and development etc; mainly at his Wiltshire academy, which has a very good reputation for it's apprenticeship scheme which has a starting salary of something like £23,000.  

 

I am proud that I employ one and a half people in my business...

We are in Wiltshire and yes, Dyson has a good name for local employment.

On 30/10/2024 at 15:38, stabjw said:

Hi does anyone know of anywhere that does used chipper radiators or does anyone have a used one off a green mech arborist 150.

we have a split it ours so need a replacement or any ideas how to mend it.

thanks

We have a used rad here. If you can email some photos of yours i will see if it is the same.

[email protected]

Its certainly important to have a few tricks up your sleeve!