cityevader
ArboristSite Operative
NOTE: In the last week, the exact model that I have is no longer for sale online, picture below slightly different being horizontal only model, and mine has the Robin Subaru 9hp, not the "incon" engine pictured.
The following review will seem biased negatively because, well, I feel negatively about it!
The first quality indicator was during assembly. The wheel bearing races were tack welded in three spots to the rim itself. No long hauls for this! The spindles were "machined" freehand by a blind person. Seriously. Not a single-diameter-end-to-end turning, rather, many many lips and diameter changes. The wheels had to be hammered extensively to bottom out, and even then were not against the shoulder, merely wedged on. No towing for real with this!
Minor issue but a pain. The retaining "hitch pin" holes fit poorly, takes much effort to align, and then the pins are too short/holes drilled 90 degrees off, so there is only 1/4" worth of depth were you're able to actually slide in the hairpin clip. Easy fix to drill new hairpin hole. Not so easy for the mounting holes for pins.
I continued anyway. First issue I noted was at the ram-mounted valve. Bent/cracked leaking, couldn't tell which part, so ordered new union, valve, and steel line to extend port on ram. Union was 8 weeks away, so bought one out of pocket. Got the new valve and 5 lines(invoice showed 1 line only). Installed union and valve, but the new lines were all 1/2" too short, every one of them. Had to re-use old line at a very skewed angle with the flair barely contacting, but it didn't immediately leak.
The lay-out is my number one complaint. With my ankle against the axle, my calf is against the very hot pump, and I'm still reaching off-balanced just to reach the valve. Very dangerous, constant tripping over the machine and tires. And it's so low (I'm 5'11") my back hurts terribly within 10 minutes. Put the wheels under car ramps to gain 10" and now perfect. Planning to relocate valve closer to end of ram onto the "release cage" that knocks off stuck wood when cyl retracted (requiring all new plumbing).
Number two complaint from burning calf on pump, and with A.S. feedback, I find it gets way too hot. The ram temp(multiple thermometers) hits 180*F after 45 minutes of splitting).
An hour into use...what's that smell? Oil? Na, couldn't be. Nooo, it IS. Almost a minute elapsed before shutting her down. The engine oil drain plug had fallen out (unsure if ran long enough for long-term damage). Discovered that even though item description said equipped with low-oil shutdown, it wasn't. I had merely assuming that the dangling wires were for electric start or battery charging or something, not for "optional" level switch.
After a another hour of use the return line at the valve blew off, very rapidly coating my new woodpile completely with Mercon V. I deal with hose clamps evryday at work (mechanic) and understand proper torquing, but apparantly not adequate. Overtorqued all clamps, no longer blows off.
Constant hot wind from engine (fan within recoil starter area?) blows directly over engine onto user. Great for winter, but terrible rest of the year, plus sawdust blown into eyes isn't fun.
More leaks, every NPT fitting leaks, even after additional disassembly-clean-reassembly with PTFE liquid sealer.
The final straw, after putting about 7 cords through it, was one of the two mounting ears on the back of the ram broke off at the weld. Impossible to have enough pressure on the return stroke/tension action to break that, so I assume it is from non-perpendicular holes for mounting pin? Or perhaps from the wedge rocking, as there is about 3/4" side-to-side freeplay off wedge on the beam.
One good thing however: price... $1400 delivered. And if you call Harbor Freight they respond. I say I've got overheating problems and it could be a cylinder or a pump, and they say, well if you think it could be those we'll get new ones out to you. Plus, don't have to return ship the old part.
I ordered ram and pump on Friday, they're closed for the weekend, and now I'm debating on asking for an entirely new unit...however, not seeing it on their website (same item unchanged for probably a decade, as a friend got identical one nearly that long ago) has me worried that they'll no longer have it. And do I really want another one? I can't afford another grand for a better one. If only it didn't leak or overheat, I can eventually modify many many things to get it more user friendly, but MUCH work involved. (Moving beam 1.5feet farther away from engine yet maintaining pivot point for vertical use. Relocating engine to reduce wind effect. Relocating valve closer to user. Adding a tank to increase hydraulic capacity from 8 gallons to maybe 16 or 20. Welding on proper spindles for proper hubs for strength and higher speed towing.
Overall, I'd give it a 3 out of 10 score.
The following review will seem biased negatively because, well, I feel negatively about it!
The first quality indicator was during assembly. The wheel bearing races were tack welded in three spots to the rim itself. No long hauls for this! The spindles were "machined" freehand by a blind person. Seriously. Not a single-diameter-end-to-end turning, rather, many many lips and diameter changes. The wheels had to be hammered extensively to bottom out, and even then were not against the shoulder, merely wedged on. No towing for real with this!
Minor issue but a pain. The retaining "hitch pin" holes fit poorly, takes much effort to align, and then the pins are too short/holes drilled 90 degrees off, so there is only 1/4" worth of depth were you're able to actually slide in the hairpin clip. Easy fix to drill new hairpin hole. Not so easy for the mounting holes for pins.
I continued anyway. First issue I noted was at the ram-mounted valve. Bent/cracked leaking, couldn't tell which part, so ordered new union, valve, and steel line to extend port on ram. Union was 8 weeks away, so bought one out of pocket. Got the new valve and 5 lines(invoice showed 1 line only). Installed union and valve, but the new lines were all 1/2" too short, every one of them. Had to re-use old line at a very skewed angle with the flair barely contacting, but it didn't immediately leak.
The lay-out is my number one complaint. With my ankle against the axle, my calf is against the very hot pump, and I'm still reaching off-balanced just to reach the valve. Very dangerous, constant tripping over the machine and tires. And it's so low (I'm 5'11") my back hurts terribly within 10 minutes. Put the wheels under car ramps to gain 10" and now perfect. Planning to relocate valve closer to end of ram onto the "release cage" that knocks off stuck wood when cyl retracted (requiring all new plumbing).
Number two complaint from burning calf on pump, and with A.S. feedback, I find it gets way too hot. The ram temp(multiple thermometers) hits 180*F after 45 minutes of splitting).
An hour into use...what's that smell? Oil? Na, couldn't be. Nooo, it IS. Almost a minute elapsed before shutting her down. The engine oil drain plug had fallen out (unsure if ran long enough for long-term damage). Discovered that even though item description said equipped with low-oil shutdown, it wasn't. I had merely assuming that the dangling wires were for electric start or battery charging or something, not for "optional" level switch.
After a another hour of use the return line at the valve blew off, very rapidly coating my new woodpile completely with Mercon V. I deal with hose clamps evryday at work (mechanic) and understand proper torquing, but apparantly not adequate. Overtorqued all clamps, no longer blows off.
Constant hot wind from engine (fan within recoil starter area?) blows directly over engine onto user. Great for winter, but terrible rest of the year, plus sawdust blown into eyes isn't fun.
More leaks, every NPT fitting leaks, even after additional disassembly-clean-reassembly with PTFE liquid sealer.
The final straw, after putting about 7 cords through it, was one of the two mounting ears on the back of the ram broke off at the weld. Impossible to have enough pressure on the return stroke/tension action to break that, so I assume it is from non-perpendicular holes for mounting pin? Or perhaps from the wedge rocking, as there is about 3/4" side-to-side freeplay off wedge on the beam.
One good thing however: price... $1400 delivered. And if you call Harbor Freight they respond. I say I've got overheating problems and it could be a cylinder or a pump, and they say, well if you think it could be those we'll get new ones out to you. Plus, don't have to return ship the old part.
I ordered ram and pump on Friday, they're closed for the weekend, and now I'm debating on asking for an entirely new unit...however, not seeing it on their website (same item unchanged for probably a decade, as a friend got identical one nearly that long ago) has me worried that they'll no longer have it. And do I really want another one? I can't afford another grand for a better one. If only it didn't leak or overheat, I can eventually modify many many things to get it more user friendly, but MUCH work involved. (Moving beam 1.5feet farther away from engine yet maintaining pivot point for vertical use. Relocating engine to reduce wind effect. Relocating valve closer to user. Adding a tank to increase hydraulic capacity from 8 gallons to maybe 16 or 20. Welding on proper spindles for proper hubs for strength and higher speed towing.
Overall, I'd give it a 3 out of 10 score.
