Gardenscape

The MK3, 4 and 5 are all tanks. They all suffer from rust though and you will rarely find one in the UK in good condition. Expect to spend more money and time fighting rust with yearly maintenance, but I like looking after mine. They are so simply built, strong and reliable. I can tell you though, undoing bolts and replacing parts is a total nightmare because of rusted bolts and nuts. I have a lower ball joint to replace on mine and it's a damn nasty job! Worth checking out the HPOC forums for more advice about hilux's.

Must have a bad machine, but you let your machine go out with wiring like that it just doesn't look good. It get hot behind that engine so its pretty obvious the wires need boxing in.

The Jo Beau M400 is a great machine and it also comes with the Honda GX630, but I have had problems with the M400 since getting it from new. The engine is spot on, no issues at all, but the design of the machine is shit (made in belgium). It has many design flaws that make maintenance tedious. Issues I have had in 140hrs of work. - Cabling that links the depress safety buttons comes loose, nothing is boxed in to protect them. The cables melted from the engine heat and began shorting the engine. No end of hassle with this. - Drum bearing grease nipple easily snapped after a few weeks. - To change a simple fuse on the engine, I had to remove a wheel, the belts and slide the whole engine across to get access. Should be a 5 min job to change a fuse. - The chute bolt tightener is made from plastic and cracks after about a week, so I ended up fabricating a metal one. - Many bolts come loose so expect to keep an eye out and locktite them. I don't think they do it in the factory. - When you fold over the hopper the weight of the hopper actually rests on the engine, causing the oil filler cap to crack with repetitive use. - If you run the chipper on a trailer connected to the tow bar and like to shoot into a truck, a lot of the chip falls onto the engine below as the chute doesn't extend long enough over the engine. Each time I have to disconnect the trailer and and angle it as a workaround. Despite the amateurish design it chips well. The Honda is a big selling point for me in any bit of kit and it's the best thing it has going for it. I wouldn't buy another until they fixed all of the flaws they have. Sending out the machine with the shocking wiring it has is a complete joke and I did flag it up with @GlobalNewark

Same issues here with Hellberg ear defenders and the screws working loose. A design fault they need to fix. I find myself having to whack each ear defender to get it into the close position.

With a fork takes 5 mins. For that size chipbox it doesn't make sense spending the money to convert it. I've got used to forking it out by now. If and when she retires, I just undo the 4 bolts and take the whole box off in one. Simple as that.

Thanks dude!

Truck has had no lift at all, just big tires!

Maintenance is part of the job. That is included in the price you give for a job. The last business I worked for before setting up my own, they were jokers with maintenance. Did nothing and looked like a bunch a cowboys. Pretty much every job we went to there were issues with the equipment, slowing the job down and frustrating the team. Why the fuck would you go to a job without razor sharp chains and saws that run efficiently. Even turning up to the first job in the morning and sharpening your chains just looks bad from a customers point of view. Thing is most outfits run like this and I think its a joke. I'm happy to take less money and put time aside to keep my equipment well looked after so it lasts.

So many ways of looking at this but totally don't stress about it. Customers are very complicated people. Some don't mind paying the money and some do. I've priced and got a few jobs recently and on the journey home I sometimes feel guilty that I have overpriced the job, but then I remember all of the times I have underpriced jobs in the past. Eventually it balances itself out. If you are snowed under with work, then it shouldn't be an issue to lose out on the job, but if you have the days available to fill I'd rather the money be in my bank than someone else's, as long as your covering your cost and making a bit of profit.

Thanks dude. Will be in touch when you get back after 27th.

Hi Ben, that would be great. Can I call you to discuss please?

Hi folks, got some leylandiis to take down in a few weeks, probably to much for my setup to handle in the timescale I would like, so is anyone available to hire for a day with a chipper and tipper? Hope you can help. Thanks, Dan.

Hi folks, looking for a Derby based groundy to keep on top of things when I'm up in the tree. It's a bonus if you can climb to as I can work on the ground if required. All of our work is domestic. Certificates required: CS30, 31 Preferred: CS30, 31 + 38, 39 I'd like someone with a good work ethic and personality. Please message me your rates and availability if interested. Thanks, Dan.

Husky Technicals, second that.

Why take card payments when most people these days do online banking or pay cash.

I got to agree with what has already been said. Also those figures just don't stack up for me. 40k profit on 70k seems very unrealistic to me. Any business like this, especially if you are working alone and are the face of the business, you are the business. People buy into you. Sell all your equipment and forget about the rest.

I bought a brand new pair of Stihl Advance GTX from ebay for £120 a few weeks ago. At that price it was a no brainer. Look awesome and feel very comfortable. Time will tell how long they last.

Hi Robbo, yes, I got it sorted and the job went well. I ended up getting one from machine mart. Only used it twice, but been a life saver on both jobs.

no, that wasn't me dude

There is said to be more stress but so far so good. Time will tell. The truck is much more balanced though, especially when its loaded with chip.

It hasn't had its MOT yet with the spacers on, but what others do is add some temporary DIY rubber flares, then take them off once its passed. The old L200 has a great shape and look awesome modded. Get the biggest tyres you can fit!

Richard, why is it not worth it? Materials cost me about £150 and it pays for itself. It's not a tipper, but it takes me 5 minutes from full to empty with a fork. I can't justify it for the sake of 5 minutes forking out chip. Donnk, funny you should say that because I've pulled up next to cops a few times now and never been pulled since I've had them on. Most cops don't even know the law themselves, until the time comes, if it ever does, I will be leaving the fender flares off. There will always be Mr Plod driving around.

No dude, left them in. Just got some durable seat covers for protection and hang my climbing kit and rope from the handles above. I do carry passengers no and then.

Cooper stt pro 285/75/16

Get a Hilux.