Morbark Previews New BVR & TW Series Brush Chippers At TCI Expo In St. Louis

Morbark recently displayed a broad assortment of brush chippers and other tree care machinery at the TCI Expo in St. Louis, Missouri. The company showcased its new, modular BVR line of hand-fed brush chippers, which will replace Morbark’s long-running Eeger Beever family in 2024 with delivery beginning in February. The manufacturer also turned a spotlight on some 6- and 8-inch (152- and 203-millimeter) brush chippers from Timberwolf in the U.K., which Morbark will market in the U.S. as the new TW series starting in Q1 2024.

Morbark BVR Brush Chippers

Morbark engineered the new BVR family of brush chippers with an updated, modular design that is easy to use and maintain. The lineup comprises models BVR 10, BVR 13, BVR 16, BVR 19, and BVR 22 with chipping capacities of 12 to 20 in. (305 to 508 mm).

"The BVR line of brush chippers showcases Morbark's commitment to innovation and customer-driven solutions," says Brad Boehler, Morbark president and CEO. “This modular, elegant design is more streamlined and provides easily accessible maintenance and simplified operating experience for our customers, ultimately leading to less downtime and higher productivity.”

The new BVR line incorporates several features for better, safer performance. Morbark's centrifugal ZeroClutch seeks to remove operator error from the job, as it will not engage if the discharge chute is clogged or there is material lodged between the feed wheel and drum. This can prevent drive belt damage and burned clutch discs, Morbark says. The ZeroClutch also requires less maintenance with no lubrication points.

Another improvement is a reverse-style pivot assembly that contours the radius of the drum and reduces “dead” space between the drum and feed wheel. The result is greater down-pressure and effectiveness at chipping tough materials.

Other noteworthy BVR features include a control panel more conveniently located at the infeed; a side-load anvil; a 360-degree manual swivel discharge chute with several locking positions; and a 3-position electronic control bar with dual safety pull cables.

Morbark TW Brush Chippers

The Morbark booth at the show also featured several Timberwolf chipper models that Morbark will distribute as its new TW series. One is the TW 280HB Hybrid, which can process more than 7 tons (6.4 metric tons) of material per hour. The unique hybrid generates a peak power level of 62 horsepower (46 kilowatts) but the emissions of just a 25-HP (18.6-kW) engine.

"Balancing performance and emissions were a challenge that could not be met by simply dialing down engine sizes,” says Timberwolf Sales and Marketing Director Guy Marshlain. “Therefore, our journey towards net zero began with the decision for Timberwolf to lead its own hybrid powertrain development program. The TW 280HB Hybrid is simply the first step in using our technical expertise to meet the sustainability challenges of the future. There is certainly more to follow."

Other new TW models at TCI Expo included the TW 280PHB, an 8-in. (280- by 210-mm) gasoline-powered chipper with an extra-wide feed funnel, and the TW 230VTR tracked model with a 6-in. (230- by 160-mm) feed opening and a choice of a gasoline or diesel engine. The TW 230VTR’s WolfTrack variable-width track system can reduce the machine’s width to just 31.9 in. (810 mm) to travel into and operate in close quarters.

Source: Morbark