Troy-Bilt Chipper Shredder Vac Review

After a season of use I go over what works and what could use improvement with this Troy-Bilt CSV. It does make large leaf pick up jobs quite easy. And the results are compost ready.

[@nbpt1000]

A good and comprehensive operational review. I have a similar unit that is branded Yard-Man by MTD. MTD also makes the Troy Bilt, Cub Cadet and Craftsman. My Unit is 21 Years old and it is pretty much the same as your Troy Bilt. The differences are the newer models have the vacuum hose and a newer more efficient OHV engine. The housing and bag are identical. It is harder to pull start because of the heavy cast iron impellar which acts like a very large fly wheel. The good news is you do not have to pull it fast. Just firm and the energy in the fly wheel will turn the engine over many times. Changing the oil is not that bad if you have a suction tool. There are many kinds on the market. Otherwise remove the 3 bolts holding down the chipper chute, tip the machine on the side and drain from the fill tube. After you do it once you will see it is not that bad. Some models come with a leaf blower attachment. I like how the Troy Bilt now comes with larger rear wheels which helps with rolling over uneven turf. My unit has ball bearing wheels and rolls easily.

[@robertknight4672]

I have one with the older Briggs Flathead engine. Oil extractor is the way to go. I think there is on oli drain plug on the underside of the older Briggs but the requires removing more parts under the machine.

[@bigrich6750]

That was a great review that included the real pros and cons. Thanks! I’ve wanted something like this for a while. As a gardener, nothing beats good compost, and shredded leaves greatly speed up the process.

[@uptownsquirrel1846]

I’ve owned one of theses for more the five years and my wife really enjoys it. I recently bought one for myself at a resale store to help her out. My only complaint is the bagger closure hardware fails within two years so treat it gently and check it occasionally. If it fails, you can use a couple of clamps to hold the bag together. Be sure to wear a dust mask and ear protection. It’s loud and makes a whole lot of dust both in operation and dumping the contents of the bag. Also, I suggest wearing eye protection because when you use the chipper, sometimes it will kick back a chip at you with some force. I put my gloved hand over the chute. Don’t try to cram a large stick in to chute because it may get stuck and jam the machine. Then you must take it apart.

[@hugeslacker]

They sell the bag closure twist clasps that you can replace your broken ones with. And I totally recommend ear protection with any small engine. These engines are loud enough to do hearing damage. This listing calls them DOT Common Sense Twist Turn Button 8 mm DOUBLE Stud Murphy Fastener www.ebay.com/itm/DOT-Common-Sense-Twist-Turn-Button-8-mm-DOUBLE-Stud-Murphy-Fastener/223012162178

[@robertknight4672]

I would recommend getting an oil extracter change the oil on this unit. I had I bought the Top Sider oil extractor. I have an older model of the Briggs & Stratton Flathead engine. Oil extractor works great on that.

[@stevenvlahos573]

Great totally honest review. I have one three years old and had to replace the bag 4 times because the tabs on the diaper came lose and lost it. You can’t replace the tabs. The bag costs $180.00 each. The original bag that came with the machine lasted 30 minutes, The tabs broke. Brought the bag bad to the store and they gave me one from another machine. That same day I had noticed oil on the deck. Brought it back to the store, i.had to go to an authorized Troy Built repair shop. Brought the machine to the repair shop, picked it up a few days later, the seal was gone and not covered by Troy Built, cost me $85.00 on a brand new machine that was used 1 hour. I just replaced the pull starter/engine cover, gas tank. This Troy Built replaced by old one that was 22 years old. They redesigned the machine which you can no longer pick up pebbles on your driveway, wet leaves jam like crazy, it’s dirty when you use it and your covered in dust. I expected a much better machine. I can’t wait to get rid of it. I will never buy another Troy Built product. It’s cheaply made and made in China. Piece of shit just like all the Chinese made products today. Doesn’t MTD own Troy Built now?

[@starshipgus8578]

I have a similar curb vacuum, made in the USA and I couldn’t do without it,use it on driveway and curb,if you’re thinking about getting one,do.However I also have the same issue starting,requires full choke to start,then open it fully,great informative video.

[@libraeotequever3pointoh95]

I've got the Cub Cadet CSV-50. It seems to be the same as your Troy-Built. The only differences are cosmetic (yellow paint vs. red paint, the color of the hose, and the branding labels). Your review is well put together, except for one thing. The oil changes are easy, actually. Simply tip the machine on its' side and the oil will drain out through the dip-stick column. Have a catch-basin ready and the oil will drain directly into the catch-basin. Afterwards you can pour the used oil into an appropriate container for storage and eventual disposal/recycling. As for the difficult starts? When cold? Yes, it is difficult to start. To solve this problem, I've resorted to using "Starting Fluid" sprayed directly onto the air-filter just prior to start-up (open the air-filter cover, spray the starting fluid on the air-filter, close the cover and then start the engine with the choke set to the OFF position). By using starting fluid, I've gotten the machine to start within two or three pulls of the cord. When the engine is already warmed-up from use, I can leave the choke in the "OFF" position and it usually starts up in one or two pulls of the cord. As for the extra effort needed to pull the starting cord, when compared to a lawn-mower of the same engine size? I am guessing the impeller is heavier than a lawn-mower blade. The extra mass simply has more inertia, which requires more effort to overcome. I also think this is why it takes several seconds for the engine to come to a complete stop after the engine's "ON/OFF" switch is turned-off. The rotating mass takes a while to slow-down. Otherwise, just follow the maintenance procedures outlined in the Owner's Manual. They seem to be useful and hardy machines, while operating within their performance envelopes. Thanks for sharing your review video. Best wishes to you. P.S. You're welcome to the leaves in my yard, if you want to commute to New Hampshire to get them. :-)

[@EightiesNut]

This was extremely helpful, Thank you... I just purchased the self-propelled model and I sold my Billy Goat. The Billy Goat was just to big and bulky.

[@wb6162]

Good review! I just took delivery of mine today. I got the self propelled model and the engine seems a little different but otherwise identical. I installed the hose system and then removed it and hung it on the wall. I don't think I'm every using it and it seems like it will be awkward and in the way. The quality is kind of crappy. The bracket for the hose was installed upside down so I had to fix that. One of the spring clips was missing for the handle and one of the plastic wing nuts is stripped so I'm going to the hardware store to upgrade that. If I can avoid calling their call center and trying to communicate with those idiots I will! It started on the 2nd pull and yes, a big puff of blue smoke. I think it's a pretty decent unit, probably not a great value for the $799 I paid but hopefully it will be better than raking.

[@eddiesalinas5191]

Hi Mark; I have a better model and it works pretty good. As for starting, It is a bit hard, but it takes 1 pull to get it going. I have an 11 horse and I have the rear wheel drive in which makes it a whole lot better. I really like this and wish that they would come out with an auto start type! Ok, well for those hard places, I don't use the hose, I just use the blower to blow the leaves onto the runway. Overall, I give this machine a straight 7 out of 10! Thanks for the viseo.... Eddie

[@Dcook85]

Got the yard man 4.5 hp version of this for $50 at a yard sale. Best $50 I've ever spent.

[@ccdogpark]

Are you sure it is only 4.5 HP ? I would like to upgrade my 6.0 HP Craftsman lawn vacuum because it isn't powerful enough to pick up acorns. WRZ 2022-10-02

[@williambrady7135]

I empty the bag and reshred the contents for a finer compost ingredient.

[@chrisbaudeg3233]

Execellent. fair and detailed review with attention to issues when using in the field. THANK YOU!

[@southbridgeforestHOA]

I used to mess around with trying to make my own compost. Found out local leaves companies will dump 10 yards of shreeded leaves for free, also found out local golf club gives away free leaf compost that has been sitting for over a year. doesn't make sense to buy your own vacuum!

[@algorel4763]

Good review. It seems the good engineers at MTD have all retired. Lol

[@michigandon]

Home Depot's website is showing this machine as being not currently available, but the Craftsman version at Lowes is. Hmm.

[@TimMacPA]

Good video. Gave me a lot of info as I scope out a used one on CL.

[@justinadams7551]

Avoid this product. Only worked for one season. Tried everything to figure out why it stopped running: oil change, fuel change, carb clean, air filter, spark plug, safety switch, etc. nothing got it running again. Since it was under warranty, the inly option i was given was a refund. Warranty department said they have had a lot of problems with this model.

[@RCPSU4]

After seeing the price of that model CSV alone, it's worth having the Flex attachment for less money (provided one already has a Flex) at least in my mind.

[@stevetreehots3583]

Nice review!

[@YardworkWithJohn]

I really don't understand why these things cost twice (or more) as much as a comparable mower when they have essentially all of the same components, just in a slightly different configuration.

[@RA-tc1xq]

Exactly! I was going to buy an Ego lawn mower/mulcher on sale for $500 but someone said that it does not do a good job of vacuuming up the leaves.

[@southbridgeforestHOA]

economies of scale. for every 500 mowers sold only one leaf vacuum is sold.

[@outboundterrain6454]

Thanks for the review Mark. The vid was great.

[@wildbill23c]

Yes, I think just about everyone of those chipper/vacs are built by MTD (Troy Bilt, Cub-Cadet, etc). Its a bit hard to start, for one you are trying to spin a pretty heavy flywheel attached to the engine shaft while at the same time trying to start it LOL. This is something they really should try and redesign, some sort of a clutch system like a weed eater, chainsaw, or many larger sized belt driven chipper/shredder units have. During starting the clutch is disengaged until engine RPM comes up to a certain speed then the clutch engages.

[@hugeslacker]

I have the cub cadget version and it starts right away, with choke. As long as you give it some choke it'll start on the 1st or 2nd pull. I added a fuel shut off valve so it usually takes 2 pulls to get the fuel going and then start. when its warm, one pull and it starts but the engine does need choke to start.

[@robertknight4672]

Yeah that design definitely is pretty outdated. It always starts on the second Pull. Once in awhile I will get lucky and it'll start on the 1st.

[@daves9355]

I'm concerned every video i see on this product the amount of leaves being scooped up are waaaaay less than a typical lawn in the fall. Makes me wonder if it's effective on a ton of leaves.

[@wellingtoncamarena1155]

I just picked one of these ho and maybe it's based off my terrain. But I seem to get terrible suction out of the bottom and the hose. The hole slot for the branches is extremely inconvenient, it's nice to have but it deserves to be much bigger given this thing costs a good chunk of cash. The installation and quick start guide are basically non existent . I love Troy built as a brand but I feel like this SHOULD be good at one thing vs the usability of "both options. I will admit I love having fresh mulch 🤑

[@cpotter1565]

How does it work for sucking up pine needles?

[@nateb4543]

It sure would be cool if there was something you could strap onto a mower that would make it function closer to this. Maybe include a special blade

[@libraeotequever3pointoh95]

But, to be fair, the Chipper/Shredder/Vacuum provides more suction and has a larger bag than most lawn-mowers. Also, it can chip small branches, which a lawn-mower is not designed to do.

[@nbpt1000]

@@libraeotequever3pointoh95 The closer you will get in a lawn mower to vacuum leaves is the Toro Super Recycler. But it will not work as good as this dedicated lawn vacuum.

[@kefwals8722]

@@nbpt1000 I put skirting around my recycler it sucks up everything

[@mlreeds]

Very helpful and honest. Thank you!

[@ericagape67]

Why didn’t the manufacturer put an electric ignition on this HARD to start $600 machine?

[@kentrockwoodtyler8798]

Thank you for this review. I bought an older model on Facebook Marketplace. I have sweet gum trees, and if anyone knows what a P.I.T.A. sweet gum balls are, they can feel my agony. You think this would pick them up? My used one doesn't. It doesn't have the adjustable wheels like this model. And I agree, it makes excellent mulch. I have raised garden beds....I just toss that right in there, mix it up with composted manure, compost or top soil, and by next spring, it's eaten up.

[@skyfrog69]

Mine doesn't pick up gumballs or acorns, but it does a good job on the leaves.

[@kefwals8722]

@@skyfrog69 have you guys tried attaching some sort of skirting to the sides isolating the suction draft. I would think that might help with acorns and such.

[@Midwestmodifiedtoys]

Thanks for being honest

[@alanfletcher3912]

Hey thanks buddy! Very helpful

[@JS-bp3up]

Anyone know the difference between the 060 and 060b? It's a $100 more for the B and it's not self-propelled.

[@harveykortman]

Will it pick up acorns? I have a million of them under my huge live oak

[@Call_Me_Dragon]

Same question 🙋🏽‍♂️

[@Twister051]

Wow. Very good review. Quite detailed. Thanks! Question: are the shredder impellers metal or plastic? I'd like to use this to clean my street gutters which always collect sand, grit and dirt each week. Plastic impellers would get destroyed much faster than metal impellers, hence my question. Pls advise. Thanks!

[@DIYMark]

Both the impeller and flails are metal. Take a look at the video again at :39 you get a good look at both. Hope this helps!

[@ivanrebolledo3791]

wy should I use this vacuum instead of my pushmower to mow and pickup the leaves?

[@daryldaryl887]

Is there a better one in this price bracket?

[@georgerrumph4989]

Great review. I'm at a stand still between Troy-Bilt and the Billy Goat?

[@terryfennell3331]

Great review Thanks

[@tribulationprepper787]

REGARDING STARBUCKS... Those free coffee grounds are about all that those overpriced baristas are worth. Thank you for the honest Troy Built appraisal.

[@jackdraper2849]

My interest in this product is for vacuuming up sticks not leaves. I wanted to ask if it will do that ? -- I'm not talking about putting each stick in that slot and it grinding that up. -- I'm asking if you push the mower along as if you were cutting your grass and whether it will suck up the sticks and grind them as you go along ?

[@DIYMark]

Hi Jack. I would say most likely not. I'm not sure of the size of stick you're trying to pick up but even small ones are challenging. Leave work great because they have so much surface area to weight. Sticks not so much. I know several people have reached out to me about acorns, which is a similar dilemma. Sorry wish the news was better.

[@jackdraper2849]

Thank you Mark for your reply and info. -- I didn't want to make a purchase and then it not do what I wanted. So thanks for giving me the info .

[@siryarwammowray3445]

This is a good machine but the vacuum hose clogs and splits easily in the cold ive had one for years

[@Pookasita]

My only complaint with my 6 year old model is that felt bag. Leaves stay stuck inside when you empty the bag. And worst of all, the clasps wear out quickly. Replacement bag is around $250!!! Almost half the price of the whole yard vac.. Anyone come up with a way to close the bag after losing a clasp or two? Giant safety pin?

[@cnn94001]

honest review! thanks!

[@Anamnesis]

I understand these things are designed for leaves, acorns, or sticks, but does the front vacuum head have enough suction in the lowest position to pick up things like small rocks, bits of asphalt, or mulch chips up off the grass? This kind of stuff has a lot more mass and run of the mill 12A impeller vacuums don't have enough power to pull them off the ground.

[@DIYMark]

This unit does not have enough suction for most small rocks. Which is probably a good thing because all material is pushed through the mulching flail and they would likely do some damage. When it does pick up a rock or two it clanks and ricochet around and makes me wince when it does.

[@Broncort1]

I’m curious how it will handle acorns and pine needles.

[@skyfrog69]

It won't. My yard is full of white oaks and pines. It will pick up all of the oak leaves, but it leaves the acorns and will only pick up pine needles if they're very dry and mixed in with larger leaves. I have had mine for three years and I feel like it was a worthwhile investment, but it doesn't do all of the work for you.

[@jnicksnewstart]

I bought a Cadet and ended up taking it back. It did not pick up or shred any better than my lawn mower. As a matter of fact, it didn't work as well as the lawn mower.

[@Bornchiller123]

Clearly an MTD designed machine. Mostly the same as Yard-Man Yard Vac 55 just different engine and metal cover for the impeller vs plastic cover on the yard man. Else it's the same machine. Used ones usually go for a hundred bucks.

[@danielelebash3781]

Is there another brand/version that you would rate higher? To pickup leaves and debris would an electric mower with mulching blade and bag work better. I do not see any new models of chipper shredder vacs out their so it makes me wonder on the usefulness of the product. Thanks.

[@DIYMark]

Dan I don't have too much experience with alternatives. Rented a couple in the past and they had their challenges as well. I don't think a mulching blade on the mower would get it done. Just don't have the pickup power that a fan impeller gives you with a yard vac. But I like the idea of using an electric over a gas powered machine. But haven't seen a specialized version of a push yard vac yet.

[@toofine9]

someone is selling one for 115..im about to jump on it

[@ShowMeStateS.W.Mo.]

Will it pick up gumballs?

[@stevenclark4176]

I have a much older model that doesn’t shred leaves the way it used to. Any ideas or tips to get it back to where it used to be?

[@nbpt1000]

Check that the flails are working as they should. They are removable. Check your manual. Also check the engine RPM.

[@RA-tc1xq]

Thanks for a great video. I am in the exact same shoes as yours - To make leaf compost. So I bought a Sunjoe Blower/Vac/Bag but after 8 bag fulls got tired of it albeit $70 was worth it. Now am looking for a better way. Was going to purchase a chipper/shredder combo from Troy-bilt but doubt it will help. Did you find the TB Shredder Vac, the absolute best way to get a large amount of compostable leaves or have you stumbled on a better way? I'm about to pick one up from a guy who is selling it for $400 after using it 1 day.

[@DIYMark]

Hmmm. $400 for nearly brand new seems like a decent deal. As you know the compost challenge is two fold. Collection & shredding. This machine does an OK job at both. This year I got lucky and the caught the park maintenance guys raking up the leaves and they happily gave them to me. But I still need to shred them to speed up the compost. For shredding only I think one of those stand alone hopper shredders would work way better.

[@rajaiyer79]

@@DIYMark Doesn't this shred 8:1 ratio? Granted that the stand alones would do it between 12-15:1 but that seems hardly a good reason for the inconvenience of shredding it a second time.

[@DIYMark]

@@rajaiyer79 Yes it does compact 8:1, which is adequate for sure. But what I wasn't clear about is this machine isn't really set up to handle leaves that are already piled (i.e. when the maint guys gave me their raked leaves. The hose takes to long and gets clogged easily with big piles. The hopper style might be better for this. But for collection and shred at the same time this guy works well. Especially at this price point.

[@rajaiyer79]

@@DIYMark Good point.

[@RA-tc1xq]

@@DIYMark Thank you both. Today on FB, I see someone selling it for $250 without the hose. Don't know how old it is, but wondering if its worth a gamble if operational.

[@Frank-ug9ng]

Is there a ( newer ) better model that will vacuum and mulch Pine Needles?

[@robertknight4672]

That would be nice. Mine will pick up pine needles off paid rent but they stay intact in the bag.

[@onebadn8]

I'm in NC and looking at this primarily for picking up gumballs that have fallen out of sweet gum trees. I have many in my front and back yards. It would obviously help w fall leaf removal too. But curious your thoughts on picking up gumballs if you have an opinion to offer.

[@DIYMark]

Hey Nathan. I had to google a sweet gum tree....so not too familiar. But this machine most likely would have some trouble (looking at the pictures of gumballs). The vacuum is strong but items need to have lots of surface area and light weight to get picked up well. You're not the first to ask about similar problems. Lots of people looking for acorn and tree nut solution.

[@skyfrog69]

I'm in Arkansas and we have those damn sweet gums here, too. I have had this vacuum for three years. It does a great job on leaves, but you can forget about using it for gumballs. It won't even pick up the small pine cones that I'm sure you have as well. I suspect the designers purposely limited the suction to prevent small rocks from being vacuumed and damaging the impeller, at least that's my guess. It will save you a lot of raking and bending over to pick up piles of leaves, but it's not going to eliminate all of the work. I hope this helps.

[@nbpt1000]

@@skyfrog69 all true. The lower you place the nozzle the better the suction. If you lower too much it may catch on the grass. It is a trade off.

[@Twister051]

Another question: Is there a throttle on this specific engine? I looked today at the Cub Cadet version of this CSV and there was NO throttle control. Weird.

[@DIYMark]

No throttle. It runs at a fixed speed to create enough vacuum to pick up debris.

[@hugeslacker]

Very few small engines have throttle control these days, but you can probably fit a honda clone carb with throttle control. I have a cub cadet and I would love throttle adjustment. There are times that I want to rake an area or step away from the machine for a second but don't want to turn it off and don't want to waste the gas running it at full rpm. I don't know why they eliminated throttle adjustment from small engines. It's probably a California law thing.

[@jonboyer4058]

Billy goat is one of the better vacuums. But you will pay almost double for it

[@socomon69]

will these vacuum up lawn clippings?

[@DIYMark]

Absolutely. If they are dry. Works especially well on clippings that are on the sidewalk

[@socomon69]

@@DIYMark thank you.

[@mrrobvs]

How does it do with acorns?

[@DIYMark]

I don't have any first hand experience with picking up acorns, but I suspect it would struggle.

[@PilotVBall]

Looks like the typical Made in the USA design failure.

[@noahgamingvideos1584]

that shit looks the extact same as rover 4cm Chipper Shredder Vacuum

[@toddhandy8516]

I’m not for all that pulling and it don’t start right away!👎🏾

[@Matt-1992]

Hate to tell you that engine made china don't let them lie to you it a copy of a Kohler engine made by zongchin in china they ship here put together call it made in America

[@RaulCastroAtlanta]

I've had this 4 days so far and I am not impressed with it at all. Vacuum/suction is horrible and controls are cheaply made. The choke lever which is badly placed broke on the very first try. American made alright! So disappointed with this POS.

[@lionlegacy6652]

I had one. Its complete garbage.

[@marchelle66]

great idea...really it is cool, but ill just continue to use my old fashioned lawnmower and kill 2 birds with 1 stone.

[@slpip4365]

Waste your money. You should get a Honda engine mulcher mower with a self propel can do a better and easier job.

[@RA-tc1xq]

Does a mulcher mower pick up dry/damp fall leaves?

[@siryarwammowray3445]

Good machine hose is junk

[@radioboy75]

Interesting that he stole the leaves from the local park. Well, at least he admitted it on KZbin.

[@davidpeters4944]

Would not by a troy built anything it is garbage