Brush Bandit 250xp engine type

[chhonos]

Hey guys,
I am a university student and I run an arborist business during the summer. Last summer I rented a Vermeer BC700, which was a bit small for my needs. I have decided to buy a chipper for this coming summer. After doing some research, I realize that there are several options in the 12" range. One model that has caught my attention is the Bandit 250xp. Now I have found (what I think) are a few great deals! Keep in mind, my original budget for this chipper is about $5000-7000. These are the two chippers that I am currently most interested in:
1997 Bandit 250xp with Ford 4.9 gas engine (6 cylinder). I dont know the horsepower...It has 4700 hours on it. Price: $3500 (after negotiation)

1999 Bandit 250xp with Perkins diesel engine (owner says 98hp). 4900 hours on machine. Price: $5000 (after negotiation)

So I don't know much about the two different engines....
Basically what I am wondering is what you guys would suggest? Am I making a good decision buying either of these two units? I figure at the price....I have some room to repair them if something goes wrong. Id appreciate your input if you have any info that could help!

 

[gorman]

Comparing hp doesn't matter as much as torque. You'll get way more foot pounds on a diesel chipper. Go diesel. Unless you're in Cali.

 

[chhonos]

Comparing hp doesn't matter as much as torque. You'll get way more foot pounds on a diesel chipper. Go diesel. Unless you're in Cali.

So I am aware that the diesel will have more torque than the gas engine. I am pretty sure that either engine on this model will be sufficient for my chipping needs. I am more concerned about the number of hours on the units. I know almost 5000 hours is a lot....so I guess I am more concerned with maintenance and what I will probably need to change on either unit.
Basically, is it a terrible idea to buy a chipper with that many hours on it?

 

[gorman]

For a starter, no it's fine. But a gas engine with 5k hours is gonna have one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel. A Perkins not as much. Start somewhere and work from there. Get it checked out and know things will happen. Things breaking is part of being in this business. You just have to roll with it.

 

[chhonos]

Really? See thats what I was wondering. Cuz I read up on the Ford straight 6 4.9 engine...and some have supposedly run in trucks up to 10,000 hours.
Either way, you would suggest spending the extra $1500 on the one with the Diesel engine. Good to know. Does anyone else have an opinion to share?

 

[chhonos]

Let me clarify....both machines have similar hours on them. With that many hours, most likely several parts will need replacing...bearings, hydrolic hoses etc. But when it comes to the engines....that is more my main concern here. Does everyone agree that between the diesel and gas engines...the diesel would most likely be in much better shape for a machine that age? Cuz the way i see it....assuming that both will need random parts replaced...the engine is the most costly thing to fix. So is it worth spending $1500 less on the gas engine and then have more reserve cash for repairs? OR....spend $1500 more and go with the diesel. Another thing I have read is that a diesel engine will be more costly to repair than a gas engine.

 

[TC262]

If the engine is your consern buy the gasser. They are 120hp but similar in power to the Perkins. Parts and replacements for the engine are cheap tho. Most parts on there (distributer, starter, alternator etc) is probably in stock at your local auto parts house. If the motor bites the bullet you can probably find a junk yard motor for under $300. If one part blows off the Perkins you'll be lucky to get off for under $300. You'll run through more fuel with the gasser tho. The ford 300 strait six is one of the most reliable motors ever made.

 

[matdand]

You can take an oil/coolant sample and send it off for testing, could give you some heads up on what the engines have been through.

What part of Mtl are you from?

 

[imagineero]

The 250 is a real workhorse and a great machine. They retain their value well and last a lot of hours and are reasonably cheap to repair. At high hours things do start to wear out, it's not the engine so much, but definitely go diesel and not the gasser. The 120 turbo perkins is the best option if available. I wouldn't be fussed on having autofeed as I always turn mine off anyway. The things that wear and cost $$$ are the rollers/couplings which flog out ($$$!) the lift cylinder, the clutch, and the disk bearings ($$$!). Thankfully the parts are available at reasonable prices OEM or aftermarket so you can do the work yourself if so inclined but you need tools and knowledge to do so. I'd take a 250XP with 5,000 hours over a BC1000xl with 2,000 hours and I've owned both machines.

 

[gorman]

A turbo on an diesel engine will typically not last as long as a non turbo I've been told. Maybe that's another old wives tale. But overall you should be looking at the whole machine, not just the engine.

I've mentioned this before on this site and I will again. Take time to look at the way the previous owner runs his ship. A sloppy, half assed operation will tell a tale of how that machine was looked after.

 

[chhonos]

You can take an oil/coolant sample and send it off for testing, could give you some heads up on what the engines have been through.

What part of Mtl are you from?

I live in TMR

 

[chhonos]

Thanks for the responses guys. So here is what I have decided. It seems that both machines I am looking at should easily run for quite a while longer. After looking into it more....the diesel is 98hp and the gasser is 120hp. Both will have similar torque and perform similarly. I will obviously look over the machines to check for other parts that are broken or may need replacing...but assuming they are both in similar condition, i will probably go with the gasser. At $1500 less, the engine is easier to fix and find parts for. It gives me an extra $1500 to play with.

 

[mattfr12]

the gas is easily repairable and cheaper i just have a hard time buying gas chippers. Fuel consumption, longevity of machine, and resale. the value will be alot greater if you fix up and ever need to sell the diesel. Enough fixing up possibly doubling your money. Alot of tree guys look right past the gas chippers anymore.

Most new ones are gas now due to emmision laws the value of the used diesels keeps climbing.

 

[CalTreeEquip]

Your good either way. Check out the rest of the chipper though. That is so cheap it makes me question.

 

[chhonos]

Hey guys thanks again for the responses. I ended up buying the gas chipper. I had it checked out at the dealer. All I had to do regular maintenance and change the ignition switch! It runs great and all the bearings are good!
So now that I have this machine...I have two more questions for you guys.
If I want to give it a paint job....but dont feel like spending the cash to sand blast it and do the works...do u guys have a paint that you can recommend? The chipper was painted over by the previous owner (black). It looks like he used a rust paint or something....anyways its peeling pretty badly. I was thinking of just scraping off the second coat of paint and then painting it with an industrial enamel primer and then metal paint. Any suggestions?
Secondly...the unit doesn't have auto feed. I know that I could get by without the auto feed....but I am concerned because I am not the one using the chipper 80% of the time (my groundsman is). So if he messes up and the chipper jams....it could cost an easy $300-$400 to unjam (according to the dealer)...not to mention a day of work lost...plus the potential damage to the machine. So I have decided that its probably worth installing the auto feed...just to avoid any potential problem. My question is: do I go through the dealer or not?
There is a guy on youtube who is selling his "auto feed plus" unit. Supposedly bandit used to use his... He said it would cost me $800 and I could install it myself.
The dealer wants $1800 (installed). I asked the dealer about the old auto feed plus units and they said they weren't the greatest and that they had problems with moisture etc....and that it wouldn't be worth my savings to get that in the long run. Does anyone have an opinion on this?
Thanks

 

[CalTreeEquip]

Don't bother with the auto feed. Your Gman will figure out how to use it as will you. I have seen some pretty jammed up units but nothing I could not unjam with a little work. Auto feeds tend to need replacing every couple hundred hours anyway so most often guys just go without just like the old days.
Paint is best done by someone who knows what they are doing. You can save money by doing a lot of the prep yourself. I use a hot pressure washer to blast off everything I can and sometime break out the rotor sander with 50 grit to save buy painter time. Take off the tanks and covers for a better job.

 

[gorman]

Don't bother exposing yourself to that epoxy enamel stuff. Unless you have the protective suit and gear it's not worth it. You won't do anywhere near as good a job as a paint shop

 

[chhonos]

Hey, so really??? I shouldn't bother with the auto feed? My logic was that it would save me from any accident my groundsman might make....
I mean....I can get the "auto feed plus" unit online...for like $210. Then have to buy the hoses and valves. I can probably install it myself. So it would maybe cost $500. Still not worth doing at that price?

 

[CalTreeEquip]

Run it for a while and see for yourself.
Maybe you'r constantly putting in real big stuff but you still need to stand there and watch it. Its really not safe or wise to walk away while its feeding.
Last time I check the price on an auto feed controller is was $500.

 

[BC WetCoast]

I have run a Bandit 250 with countless newbie groundies, many of whom, it was their first day on the job. With only a two person crew, there was not much opportunity to babysit. Tell your groundie to keep his hand on the reversing bar while he chips, so he can manually reverse it until he figures out what it will and won't take. He needs to watch to make sure that there are chips coming out before he puts more stuff in. A common mistake new people have is thinking that stuffing more debris in the chipper will force the plug through.

I don't know about your chipper, but the best thing we have on ours is a trap door on the side of the chute. If you get a plug in the chute, you can open the trap door and clean it out a lot easier than without one.

Yes, we plugged it a few times, but WTF $3-400 to unjam the chipper and a lost day's production, has that dealer ever run a machine?

The absolute worst plugging I've seen, we couldn't move the wheel with a crow bar, we had to hook a chain to the Hiab to move the wheel and loosen the debris. Still only took us about 3 hrs to unclog.

Even having to raise the feed rollers, climb into the throat to cut out a wedged-in block only took us about an hour.