How to Check and Tighten Brush Chipper Belt Tension

Performing proper maintenance on your equipment will extend the life of your chipper, and keep it running at its best. Here’s how to check and tighten the tension on your brush chipper’s belts:

The Tools you will Need for Checking and Tightening Brush Chipper Belt Tension Include:
• 9/16”, 15/16”, and 1 1/8” wrenches
• 9/16”, 15/16”, and 1 1/8” sockets with ratchets
• Belt tension tester (Morbark part #29841-099)
• Lock-out Tag-out

Before you Begin
Before performing any maintenance, always make sure you are wearing proper personal protection equipment, including a hard hat, OSHA-approved safety goggles, earplugs, and steel-toed work boots. Make sure clothing is close to the body and not loose. Proper fitting gloves are also recommended.

It is recommended to check the tension of your brush chipper’s belts every 40 hours of run time to prevent the belts from overheating. Overheating of the belts can lead to them stretching out over time and burning out. Before getting started, always make sure you perform the lock-out tag-out procedure before working on your chipper. Serious injury or death could occur if someone accidentally starts the engine while maintenance is being performed.

Getting Started
To begin, locate the access door on the belt shield, and open it with a 9/16” wrench. Insert the belt tension tester to check if the belts need adjustment. If belts are determined to be loose, follow the next set of procedures to tighten them.

How to Tighten the Brush Chipper Belt
To tighten the brush chipper belt, first, loosen the engine slide rail bolts with a 15/16” wrench or socket. Mark the backside of the engine rails so you’re able to keep the engine square with the chip receive. Failure to do so can cause the belts to wear out prematurely or possibly come off during chipping operation.

Rechecking Tension
Next, loosen the double nut on the adjusters with a 1 1/8” wrench and begin to tighten the adjuster bolts. Be sure to move the engine equally to prevent binding of the engine rails. After tightening, recheck the belt tension. If the belts still need adjusting, repeat the process over again.

Finishing Up
Once the belts reach the proper tension, rotate the belts and recheck the tension. If the belts test ok, torque the slide rail bolts and jam nuts to proper spec.

Finally, close the access door, bolt it down, and remove the lock-out tag-out. Your chipper is now ready for operation. Happy chipping!