Eastonmade splitter tow hitch question

[bubbas765]

Howdy, folks. I have an Eastonmade 5-11 wood splitter. A feature of these is that there is a receiver for the tow hitch at both ends of the splitter, table-end and engine-end. Embarrassingly, I do not understand how the hitch is meant to be secured at the engine-side receiver. I hope another Eastonmade owner can explain this before I break out the cut-off wheel.

On the engine-end receiver, there is a bracket with a captured pin with a spring. A small perpendicular stud lets you lock the pin up out of the receiver hole. The problem is that that stud only allows the pin to protrude through the top hole on the tow hitch. Even if that stud were absent, the spring would prevent you from pushing the pin all the way through the hitch and bottom of receiver. Even if the spring weren’t there the bracket would keep the rather short pin from going all the way. The welded bracket with pin also blocks you from using a normal hitch pin to lock the hitch in place.

I am completely baffled by this. I have no idea what this design is intended for, or how they intend you to secure the tow hitch in place.

thanks, bws

 

[Wood Hound]

Howdy, folks. I have an Eastonmade 5-11 wood splitter. A feature of these is that there is a receiver for the tow hitch at both ends of the splitter, table-end and engine-end. Embarrassingly, I do not understand how the hitch is meant to be secured at the engine-side receiver. I hope another Eastonmade owner can explain this before I break out the cut-off wheel.

On the engine-end receiver, there is a bracket with a captured pin with a spring. A small perpendicular stud lets you lock the pin up out of the receiver hole. The problem is that that stud only allows the pin to protrude through the top hole on the tow hitch. Even if that stud were absent, the spring would prevent you from pushing the pin all the way through the hitch and bottom of receiver. Even if the spring weren’t there the bracket would keep the rather short pin from going all the way. The welded bracket with pin also blocks you from using a normal hitch pin to lock the hitch in place.

I am completely baffled by this. I have no idea what this design is intended for, or how they intend you to secure the tow hitch in place.

thanks, bws

That`s it, the pin only goes thru half of the reciever-if it was me, i would want thru both sides, plus i had an Eastonmade machine and ya can`t pull from the Engine end, unless your pulling with a tractor, around the yard..

 

[bubbas765]

Thanks, around the yard is my intent, or really just maneuvering it away from the pile of split wood. Eastonmade does claim you can pull up to 30mph from the engine end. Perhaps this weird pin is their way of discouraging that. Beats me. I did try contacting the company. By phone, the person sounded like they were underwater in a turbulent sea and I got disconnected. Also tried their contact form (which I find is generally a sign a company really doesn’t want to interact with customers) because there was no email address listed.

The hitch pin they have for the other end is also both odd and lame. Rather than the typical hole or groove for a clip to secure it, it has a swiveling piece of metal. It would be all too easy for the swivel to rotate after you pull the pin halfway through the hitch, and then you’d be screwed. I’ll replace that pin with a normal one.

I love this splitter, but these two things are just weird.