Thread: Harbor Freight 22 ton 9hp splitter

Anyone have this one? Greyhound ITEM # 66663

9 HP, 24 Ton Log Splitter



It's on sale right now for $749 and with the 20% off coupon that makes it 599.80 plus the freight which puts it right back at 749 with tax out the door for me.

I could not pull any specs other than it has a 9hp greyhound engine with an 11gpm pump. there is no reference to what cylinder size, etc... just wondering if it was comparable to the rental I had this year which had a 4hp gx motor on it. Seems like a lot of hp for an 11 gpm pump.

yeah, something doesnt seem right pairing a 9 hp motor with an 11gpm pump. Kinda like putting a sbc v8 in a vw beetle...it can be done but why?

Not a bad price I downloaded the manual it looks like it is a 5" cyl. It also says in a few places it will split 25"long but only 8" diameter???? I don't split that small (owb). The reviews the only one says he split 20" dia. no problem. I would like to see one in person before I pulled the trigger. 9hp should spin a 16gpm w/o problems. They(chinese) may be looking out for our well being because a 16 gpm pump would be faster

I'm a firm believer in the old adage "you get what you pay for".

Oh, and this one, too: "Caveat Emptor".

My 25 ton Speeco has a 10.5hp briggs with a 16gpm pump and a hydraulic oil cap of 31 quarts. I don't see where they could be holding much oil in the grayhound. It seems like a bad pinch point where the wedge retracts into the stripper.

I have had the 30T ( 5" cylinder)version for a number of years. I am not complaining as I beat it up pretty good running some 10-20 cord a year There are a couple of weak points in it. the wedge guides are a 3 piece design which constantly get knocked out of alignment. The Hydro system has a lot of restrictions in it , the fittings at the cylinder and valve are all right angle items and are only about 3/8 id. Creates a lot of friction in the fluid so the unit gets too hot. The tank is about 4 gallons which is small for the 11 gallon pump also the return line and the fill/breather ports are on the same plane causes air to be entrained in the fluid ( more heat build up, also reduces tonnage and leads to premature pump failure). The cylinder end cap on the wedge end sometimes becomes loose, have to keep an eye on that and re-tighten when needed.
Ok so after all that, after 10 years on mine I am still using the same cylinder, pump, love joy, Motor ( mine is a briggs). I bent the foot plate, and the beam and the twisted up the flanges of the beam ( not all at the same time) I made my own beam and wedge assembly last year. Removed all the orginal couplings and replaced them with High flow 45 deg. units and replaced the steel line to cylinder with a hose. My valve was causing grief about this point also, I replaced with a prince unit rather messing with it ( unknown origin) I added a small aux tank above the main to correct the air entrainment. It now runs at the proper temp all day and has split some 30 cord this year. Good reports on that greyhound motor ( honda knock-off). At 750 about the same price as other 20-22T units on sale generally available locally and that gives you some where to go for Warranty issues, not going to get much help in that area with HF.

Addressing the issue of 8" max diameter, I was splitting 20" green Elm when I bent the foot plate. The forces caused by the round at the top of the foot plate were more than it could withstand. That plate is 2" thick. the welds held but at the same time I sprung the beam, the first time. Not a particular fault of the unit as any thing built in this style will be subject to the same deformation forces ( I have repaired a few for others)

Found a few posts on Greyhound engines and log splitters.

Greyhound engines - Homesteading Today

Are Greyhound small gas engines a good engine? I see they are s... at IMshopping

Harbor Freight Log Splitter Review - TractorByNet.com

Hearth.com | Wood Stoves, Fireplace, Pellet Stoves, Gas Stoves and More - Forums!

Don <><

Looks like im putting the old ryobi lectro splitter on craigslist... ordered it... now on to figure out what the weaknesses are before they get out of hand...

Originally Posted by nvrs

Looks like im putting the old ryobi lectro splitter on craigslist... ordered it... now on to figure out what the weaknesses are before they get out of hand...

I've been using a little Ryobi Electric splitter for 7 years to split 10 cords a year. I got a little "system" set up. Built a table for the splitter and another table to hold the rounds. I can do about a face cord an hour working alone.

I sure hope you'll post a full and complete review of your new splitter here for your wood buddies to drool over. You might wanna consider the extended warranty HF offers, just in case.

I belong to HF's "Inside Track Club". I haven't bought much, but what I have bought works and hasn't given me any problems. Not that they don't have some junk. Here's any interesting thread: HF tools that don't suck - WeldingWeb™ - Welding forum for pros and enthusiasts

Don <><

Is it really made in china.......

Originally Posted by nvrs

Anyone have this one? Greyhound ITEM # 66663

9 HP, 24 Ton Log Splitter



It's on sale right now for $749 and with the 20% off coupon that makes it $599.80 plus the freight which puts it right back at $749 with tax out the door for me.

I could not pull any specs other than it has a 9 hp greyhound engine with an 11 gpm pump. there is no reference to what cylinder size, etc... just wondering if it was comparable to the rental I had this year which had a 4hp gx motor on it. Seems like a lot of hp for an 11 gpm pump.

Price is hard to believe, so you have some spare change for repairs and enhancements.

It does swing vertically, right? If so, that's a huge plus. If you run it horizontally, note that a big log will split in half and fall on the hoses. So, consider a simple shield to protect them and the engine.

The 11 gpm pump can be replaced for a few coins if it runs slowly. The engine is oversized, but that's OK. Run it at about half speed. I assume it's a 2-stage pump. If so, then overall, this machine is a steal at $750. Enjoy yourself. You have power galore. I might pick one up myself. HF amazes me sometimes.

Do you have to disconnect the splitter from your vehicle to flip the beam up? Also, it seems you need a hitch that is high off the ground.

I read the entire thread on the hearth website and it looks as though a common weakness on the older models is the nut on the end of the piston in the cylinder coming loose causing the cylinder to leak and potentially causing unintended extension of the ram. Total disassembly of the cylinder is necessary to inspect this nut. Other than that complaints seemed confined to minor fluid leaks. It looks as though HF customer service is on the ball and willing to send parts to fix the machine if necessary.

I looked at these splitters pretty hard before I bought my Huskee. If this price was available then, I probably would have a HF one. Good luck with your purchase and I hope to hear back from you as far as how you like it.

FYI

As of 12/16/11, I couldn't find the Greyhound 24 ton splitter at the HF website. Got a "404 Not Found" error. It was there a few days ago. They only show the 30 ton model now. This could mean something (like problems with the 24 ton model), or it could mean nothing (just out of stock).

Don <><