I went back to my local TSC to see if the 2nd SpeedPro machine they built wobbled as badly as the first I saw. It was much better. I was ready to take it. I really want a kenetic splitter that I can tow. But then... The salesman said they had the original machine setup in front with logs for demoing, so I asked to check it out (I only saw it split boards on my first visit).
He went through some small pieces no problem and then tried a larger round (no knots). It didn't make it through...:msp_confused: retry... retry... and again - nope :censored:. It obviously wasn't giving it a full kick and so he shut it off and opened up the flywheel cover. What he found was that the rod that attaches to the handle to engage the ram was bent a little bit and had shortened its length by about 1/4". This made the system more sensitive to log resistance so it was now disengaging earlier than designed.
I guess it bent either from pushing down too hard, by holding down the handle (not letting it release at the end of a split) or maybe this part is just not as sturdy as it needs to be for long-term use. Whatever the reason, it made me hesitate and hold off on the purchase. I noticed on the SS, that the engagement rod is pulled up, so this part probably would not bend. The DR machine has a lever system with a couple hinges - I'm not sure how well that design will fair.
It was interesting to see "under the hood". One thing I noticed was that the wheels had drill holes on one side, so an attempt was made to balance the wheel in the factory. As I mentioned earlier, this unit was very poorly balanced, so hopefully they are getting better at this procedure with practice.