How To Mount a PTO Wood Chipper to a Tractor

Introduction

I remember being severely disappointed the first time I used a gas-powered wood chipper.

I was 15 and employed at a summer wilderness retreat. One of my jobs was cutting down and chipping scraggly unwanted bushes and trees. Trouble was, our gas-powered chipper choked on anything but the smallest, thinnest branches. Anything bigger than an inch or two in diameter would clog the machine, and had to be cut up and carted away for firewood.

After that, I lost faith in wood chippers for many years. Then I tried a PTO wood chipper for the first time, and everything changed.

PTO (power takeoff) wood chippers harness power from the PTO output shaft at the rear of a tractor to make quick work of unwanted branches and trees. Way more powerful than their portable gas-powered counterparts, they're the perfect implement for a savvy person with a serious amount of wood to chip.

However, PTO chippers can be dangerous. Don't try to use one unless someone with lots of experience shows you how. You also need strength to jam logs into the chipping chute hard enough to get the chipping wheels to engage. Above all, never reach into the chipping chute.

If you don't feel 100% confident about using a PTO wood chipper, it's best to pass off the job to a seasoned professional.

Let's start by learning how to safely mount a PTO wood chipper. Keep reading for a detailed guide to doing just that.