The fundamental design of engine-driven woodchippers has remained essentially unchanged over the years. However, advancements have increased the power output of these machines. This power is transmitted to the cutting drum via a belt-drive system, which must accommodate increasingly high tension levels as power increases.
The drum and Power Take-off (PTO) bearings support tension from the belts. In the legacy-style PTO units, two bearings are used: one in the flywheel, the pilot bearing, and one in the nose of the PTO, the main bearing. The drawback with this design is that the pilot bearing is small and, in most cases, cannot be greased.
The WPT Power Pilotless® series of PTOs features a dual main bearing design. Both bearings have independent grease passages, and the size of the rear bearing is increased for a more significant load. This allows the Pilotless® to withstand up to 70 percent more belt tension than the competition.
What does that mean? Longer bearing life. Increased uptime. More work done.
This is exactly why a major chipper manufacturer in South Africa chose the Pilotless® Mechanical PTO for its engine-driven wood chippers.
South African landscapes differ from the typical North American backyard. Chippers in this region are designed to mulch an assortment of materials, including palm leaves, bamboo, wood, sugar cane, and even irrigation pipes.
Emphasis is also placed on creating strong designs that can withstand severe use with minimal maintenance. The Pilotless PTO lends itself well to this model, with increased time between maintenance intervals. In addition, Heavy-Duty Friction material upgrades are available for the toughest jobs.
For more information on the WPT Pilotless® Mechanical PTO, contact WPT Power today.
Written By: Jeremy D Bodine, Senior Sales Engineer