John Deere 3038E · PTO WOOD CHIPPERS
The 3038E’s 30 PTO hp is exactly WC46’s published maximum, inside WC68’s range and below WC88’s minimum. That boundary should be preserved: a rounded engine-power figure or the 3038E model name cannot move the tractor into a different PTO class.
By Acreage Equipment · Reviewed November 7, 2026 · Specification research, not a field test
PUT THIS GUIDE TO WORK
See published mismatches and the checks still needed.
BEST MATCHES FOR THE 3038E
13 of 19 pto wood chippers we track pass the published power, hitch and speed screen. Each still has a detail to confirm with the seller.
PTO chipperWoodland Mills
4″ max. chip diameter · 15–30 PTO hp
Confirm the conflicting tractor specifications in your serial-specific manual; official source values differ.
PTO chipperWoodland Mills
6″ max. chip diameter · 20–50 PTO hp
Confirm the conflicting tractor specifications in your serial-specific manual; official source values differ.
PTO chipperWallenstein
5″ max. chip diameter · 30–55 engine hp · current U.S. page (manual table: 40–55 hp for the BX52R)
Confirm the correct attachment and driveline configuration for the tractor’s PTO speed; listed speed options are discrete settings.
PTO chipperFarmer-Helper
4″ published feed-capacity short side, inches · 15–45 PTO hp in current index-linked manual; older/page conflicts retained
Confirm the complete operating weight; a shipping weight cannot establish the attachment load.
PTO chipperFarmry
5″ max. chip diameter · 15–45 engine hp
Confirm the conflicting tractor specifications in your serial-specific manual; official source values differ.
PTO chipperFarmry
5″ max. chip diameter · 15–45 PTO hp
Resolve the conflicting published specifications for the exact model revision.
7 more possible options in the full comparison table.
THE DECISION IN NUMBERS
The official U.S. 2026 specification book and current-linked brochure agree on 30.0 PTO hp. Inclusive range endpoints are retained; operating load and feed expectations remain separate.
Scroll the table sideways on smaller screens.
| Chipper | Published PTO requirement | Result at 30 PTO hp | Retained product weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| WC46 | 15–30 hp; over 20 for full 4 in/full feed | At upper limit; stated full-feed power condition met | 587 lb |
| WC68 | 20–50 hp; over 40 for full 6 in/full feed | Inside range; full-feed power condition not met | 747 lb |
| WC88 | 35 hp minimum; over 60 for full 8 in/full feed | 5 hp below minimum: exclude from power shortlist | 900 lb; operating inclusions unverified |
WC46’s stated 15–30 PTO-hp range includes the 3038E’s published 30.0 value. Preserve that exact limit rather than adding a safety margin the manufacturer did not publish or treating every tractor near 30 hp identically. Confirm the rating and approved implement setup for the actual serial number; an exact endpoint is not a broader power allowance.
WC68 clears the 20 hp minimum, but 30 PTO hp is below its over 40 condition for full six-inch material at full feed speed. Its 747 lb product weight is also 160 lb above WC46’s 587 lb. Compare those different tasks and loads before choosing the larger opening, and obtain the manufacturer’s expected feed settings for the actual material.
Current Deere documents use differing rounded horsepower and HP/PS engine labels. They separately agree on 30.0 PTO hp. WC88 requires at least 35 PTO hp, so an engine figure around 37 hp cannot qualify it. The mismatch is a power finding, independent of whether the hitch could physically connect.
The linked brochure lists 1,356 lb at 24 in behind center link, but its engine designation differs from the current web component and serial applicability is unresolved. Verify the actual hitch/load limit, front ballast and chipper center of gravity. The Woodland Mills infeed systems are self-contained, so optional tractor rear SCVs do not substitute for these carrying and driveline checks.
Wallenstein’s current pages rate the 5-inch BX52RI (30–55 engine hp, Category I). Two hydraulic rollers pull material in at a set rate, and P3 PULSE reverses them when the rotor slows; they need 3–6 gpm from a rear remote or Wallenstein’s PTO-driven power pack. The John Deere 3038E’s 37 engine hp is inside the BX52RI page’s 30–55 but under the 40 that the manual’s table gives for the BX52R, so ask Wallenstein which floor applies to the serial on offer. Its published lift at 24 inches, 1,356 lb, carries the 845-lb BX52RI with 511 lb to spare. Wallenstein lists no price; ask a dealer.
THE SCREEN, WITH ITS LIMITS VISIBLE
No pairing below is manufacturer-confirmed. “Preliminary” still requires implement limits, load center, ballast, hitch geometry and shaft checks.
Initial specification screen only. Scroll the table on small screens. Read the product page for every remaining check.
| Attachment | Hydrostatic · 2 ranges · 4WD · open station/ROPS30 PTO hp |
|---|---|
| Farmry WCAP5 →412 lb · Net weight WITH PTO shaft, manual Rev1.5 p20 | Needs specification reviewConfirm the conflicting tractor specifications in your serial-specific manual; official source values differ. |
| Farmry WCAP5 PRO →386 lb · Product weight, current manual Rev1.4 p13; whether PTO shaft is included in this weight is not stated | Needs specification reviewResolve the conflicting published specifications for the exact model revision. |
| Woodland Mills WC46 →587 lb · Product weight, 2024 operator manual Rev C p9 | Needs specification reviewConfirm the conflicting tractor specifications in your serial-specific manual; official source values differ. |
| Woodland Mills WC68 →747 lb · Product weight, 2024 operator manual Rev C p9 | Needs specification reviewConfirm the conflicting tractor specifications in your serial-specific manual; official source values differ. |
| Woodland Mills TFG55 PTO →346 lb · Product weight, Rev B manual p9 | Needs specification reviewResolve the conflicting published specifications for the exact model revision. |
| Woodland Mills WC88 →900 lb · Product weight: 900 lb in current linked 2022 Rev C manual, printed p9; shipping weight is 1,054 lb. The manual does not explicitly identify whether quoted product weight includes the PTO shaft or filled hydraulic oil. | Published mismatch30 PTO hp is below the 35 hp minimum. |
| WoodMaxx WM-8H →Operating weight unconfirmed · Operating weight is unverified in the current official product page and linked manual. The page lists 990 lb SHIPPING weight; do not use it as operating weight. Confirm weight with PTO shaft and a filled hydraulic tank. | Needs specification reviewConfirm the complete operating weight; a shipping weight cannot establish the attachment load. |
| WoodMaxx WM-8M →775 lb · Product page states 775 lb total weight on the three-point hitch; shaft/fluid inclusion is not explicit. Shipping sections conflict at 950 versus 990 lb. Confirm the delivered operating assembly and shipping revision. | Needs specification reviewResolve the conflicting published specifications for the exact model revision. |
| WoodMaxx MX-8800 →Operating weight unconfirmed · Complete operating weight is unverified. Current Rev D manual (printed p45 / pdf p46, technical specifications) states approximately 772 lb DRY weight; page separately states 1,004 lb SHIPPING weight. Shaft inclusion in dry weight is not explicit. Do not substitute either figure for a confirmed shaft/oil-inclusive operating load. | Needs specification reviewConfirm the complete operating weight; a shipping weight cannot establish the attachment load. |
| WoodMaxx MX-9900 →Operating weight unconfirmed · Complete operating weight is unverified. Current Rev C manual (printed p42 / pdf p43, technical specifications) states approximately 816 lb DRY weight; page separately states 1,048 lb SHIPPING weight. Shaft inclusion in dry weight is not explicit. Do not substitute either figure for a confirmed shaft/oil-inclusive operating load. | Needs specification reviewConfirm the complete operating weight; a shipping weight cannot establish the attachment load. |
| Farmer-Helper FH-BX42 →Operating weight unconfirmed · Complete operating weight is unverified. Current index-linked manual p2 lists 430 lb net and 450 lb shipping. Current product/series pages instead list 423 lb net and 458 lb shipping. Net-weight shaft/assembly inclusions are unstated; none is substituted for a verified operating load. | Needs specification reviewConfirm the complete operating weight; a shipping weight cannot establish the attachment load. |
| Farmer-Helper FH-BX62S →Operating weight unconfirmed · Complete operating weight is unverified. Current index-linked manual p2: 830 lb net / 860 lb shipping. Current series page: 835 lb net / 915 lb gross. Product page calls 835 lb both total and gross; older product-linked manual p38 gives 797 lb net / 850 lb gross. Shaft/assembly inclusions are unstated, so no reference is used as operating weight. | Needs specification reviewConfirm the complete operating weight; a shipping weight cannot establish the attachment load. |
| Wallenstein BX36S →Operating weight unconfirmed · Official page Total Weight and Jan-2025 manual Weight: 395 lb. Neither states whether the supplied shaft and all operating equipment are included; complete operating and separate shipping weights remain unverified. | Published mismatch37 engine hp exceeds the published 30 hp range. |
| Wallenstein BX52S →Operating weight unconfirmed · Official page Total Weight and Jan-2025 manual Weight: 505 lb. Neither states whether the supplied shaft and all operating equipment are included; complete operating and separate shipping weights remain unverified. | Needs specification reviewConfirm the correct attachment and driveline configuration for the tractor’s PTO speed; listed speed options are discrete settings. |
| Wallenstein BX72S →Operating weight unconfirmed · Current official page Total Weight and Jan-2025 manual Weight: 728 lb. Neither defines complete shaft-inclusive operating mass or a separate shipping weight. Confirm the assembled operating load; do not relabel 728 lb as dry or shipping weight. | Published mismatch37 engine hp is below the 50 hp minimum. |
| Wallenstein BX102S →1143 lb · Total Weight 1143 lb (519 kg) on the current page and in the Jan-2025 BX-S manual. Neither says whether the PTO shaft is included; confirm the assembled operating load. | Published mismatch37 engine hp is below the 80 hp minimum. |
| Wallenstein BX52RI →845 lb · Total weight 845 lb on the current page and operating weight 845 lb in the BXR manual §10.1. Neither says whether the PTO shaft is included. | Needs specification reviewConfirm the correct attachment and driveline configuration for the tractor’s PTO speed; listed speed options are discrete settings. |
| Wallenstein BX72RI →1300 lb · Total weight 1,300 lb on the current page and operating weight 1,300 lb in the BXR manual §10.1. Neither says whether the PTO shaft is included. | Published mismatch37 engine hp is below the 45 hp minimum. |
| Wallenstein BX102RI →1950 lb · Total weight 1,950 lb on the current page and operating weight 1,950 lb in the BXR manual §10.1. Neither says whether the PTO shaft is included. | Published mismatch37 engine hp is below the 75 hp minimum. |
Should I buy the WC46 or WC68 when my compact tractor is near 20 PTO hp?
Read the guide →FIELD GUIDETake the complete setup, not just a horsepower number, to the manufacturer.
Read the guide →FOLLOW THE NUMBERS
Research record reviewed November 7, 2026. Confirm the current manual and the exact revision supplied with your machine.