Northern Tool splitter owners

[reaperman]

Yesterday I had a hyd hose spring a leak on my NT 22 ton splitter. Its the hose that runs from the hand control to the rear of the cylinder. It started to leak around the crimp which is closest to the cylinder, after a nasty piece of elm got the best of it.

Since the splitter is still under warranty, I called NT to ask if a hose was covered. They said they were. The rep asked me to pull out my owners manual to get serial # etc. Then she had me open to the page that had the breakdown of all the splitters parts. Then she asked if my splitter had a hyd filter unit on the bottom of the tank, I said yes. She said thats where your problem is. I said ?????. She explained that the check valve in the filter housing is a "weak" spot on the splitter and the whole filter housing should be removed because it puts too much back pressure on the suction line, and thats why the SUCTION line blew. I remarked, "I never told you which hose blew yet", and the suction hose wasnt the blown hose. She claimed she just figured that blown hose was the suction line. I told her that about 2 weeks ago, the suction line did spring a leak where it slips over the nipple. Which it did, but I simple cut off about 2" and hose clamped it back on. She said I should completely remove the hyd filter and housing on the splitter. I said I would loose all of my fluid once I remove the housing assembly.

Long story short. She said they would replace the leaky hyd hose, send out a new suction hose, 5 gallons of hyd fluid, and a new control that I could put on if I wanted. I dont know what the control has to do with it, but I wasnt going to argue if they want to send me free spare parts. Everything should be here by TOMORROW, except the hyd fluid which will take a couple of days.

Apparently the new NT splitters come without hyd filters now, which I noticed this year after visiting the local store. I just figured they were just trying to save $$$ by not including one with the splitter. But it looks like they were causing trouble. Just a heads up to anyone with a 22, 30, or 37 ton model.

 

[xcr440]

Nice to hear they are standing behind there product

 

[kevin j]

Is she referring to a SUCTION filter?
If so, I'd agree. They spec'd a filter too small, the bypass setting was too restrictive, and it cavitates the pump. It would not blow up a suction hose, it would collapse it. Especially, as on the ones I have seen, the hose is fabric braid or clear soft nylon and not an actual suction hose. Suction hose has a single large diameter spiral wire molded into the rubber to keep it from collapsing under vacuum. Pressure hose that can take 100 psi or more outward can collapse inward with a fraction of a psi vacuum.

If referring to return filter, she is reading the prepared script from the bs department.
-If the bypass check is bad, it should never come into play unless the filter is in bypass.
-It won't go into bypass unless it is too small. It is only too small if they cheaped out.
-Back pressure on return line would have nothing to do with the suction hose.

So, assuming she referred to suction filter, I would remove it. They are problems. Running without a strainer has points to debate for or against, but you should be fine. However I would NOT just pitch the filter and run with no filter at all. Yes, many will chime in how many years they have split with no filter, or using waste oil, or whatever, but any hydraulic system should have filtration. If the head has the correct bypass valve, or if it has the ones that can be set to various application pressures, mount it in the return line, change to 10 micron can, and you are done.
Better yet, call the same lady back and ask them to send you a spin on return filter with your stuff. Since they are recommending removing a suction filter, which leaves you with no filtration, they should provide a return filter. By volunteering that you do the plumbing and change the routings, I would think they would toss in the $20 filter assembly.

Nice to hear they are making it right. Not nice to here that she knew right away the likely failure. Means it is happening to many of them……

k

 

[thejdman04]

Nice to hear a company standing behind their products.

 

[reaperman]

Is she referring to a SUCTION filter?
If so, I'd agree. They spec'd a filter too small, the bypass setting was too restrictive, and it cavitates the pump. It would not blow up a suction hose, it would collapse it. Especially, as on the ones I have seen, the hose is fabric braid or clear soft nylon and not an actual suction hose. Suction hose has a single large diameter spiral wire molded into the rubber to keep it from collapsing under vacuum. Pressure hose that can take 100 psi or more outward can collapse inward with a fraction of a psi vacuum.

If referring to return filter, she is reading the prepared script from the bs department.
-If the bypass check is bad, it should never come into play unless the filter is in bypass.
-It won't go into bypass unless it is too small. It is only too small if they cheaped out.
-Back pressure on return line would have nothing to do with the suction hose.

So, assuming she referred to suction filter, I would remove it. They are problems. Running without a strainer has points to debate for or against, but you should be fine. However I would NOT just pitch the filter and run with no filter at all. Yes, many will chime in how many years they have split with no filter, or using waste oil, or whatever, but any hydraulic system should have filtration. If the head has the correct bypass valve, or if it has the ones that can be set to various application pressures, mount it in the return line, change to 10 micron can, and you are done.
Better yet, call the same lady back and ask them to send you a spin on return filter with your stuff. Since they are recommending removing a suction filter, which leaves you with no filtration, they should provide a return filter. By volunteering that you do the plumbing and change the routings, I would think they would toss in the $20 filter assembly.

Nice to hear they are making it right. Not nice to here that she knew right away the likely failure. Means it is happening to many of them……

k

The filter is on the return or suction line. Like you described above, the suction line has the spiral wire running through it. She was rattling on and I wasnt paying close attention to what she was saying. But she was telling a story of a guy who blew out his filter, so he put on a actual hyd filter, not a automotive filter like she said was on the unit. And then he blew out his housing, so he attached a better valve or housing and then he BLEW THE BACK OF HIS CYLINDER OUT. She lost me there, because if the back of a cylinder blows out before a hyd filter/housing , hoses, do, well, let your imagination run with that one. But none of the NT splitters come standard with a filter anymore. Perhaps, NT lost a lawsuit and the filter was somehow to blame, and now they simply avoid them.

 

[kevin j]

return or suction are different locations. suction, bad location. Return line, essential location.

I think she is full of BS. filters don't blow cylinders, nor valves, and auto filters have different threads. she is only reciting what she was taught in the sales meeting I guess.....
most of the posters on AS know more about the splitters than the sales people at the shops. that is a good thing.

anyway, sounds like at least they furnish parts and that is a good thing too.

k

 

[mga]

return or suction are different locations. suction, bad location. Return line, essential location.

I think she is full of BS. filters don't blow cylinders, nor valves, and auto filters have different threads. she is only reciting what she was taught in the sales meeting I guess.....
most of the posters on AS know more about the splitters than the sales people at the shops. that is a good thing.

anyway, sounds like at least they furnish parts and that is a good thing too.

k

i agree that filters should ONLY be on the RETURN line. we've had that discussion here many times and to this day, some people still say to put them on the suction lines because "that's the way my splitter was built".

apparently they have had numerous issues with the suction lines failing because of the filters, which is why she brought that up immediately. kudos for NT for standing behind their product and willing to make adjustments.

so....back to lesson number one: always put a filter on the RETURN line.

 

[blackdoggy]

A strainer on the suction side is a good idea though.

 

[GlennG]

I have the 37 ton NT splitter. I have had a few problems and each time NT has shipped replacement parts free. Even long after my warranty expired. NT customer service rocks. I can not knock NT, for me they have always made it right, even long after the sale.

 

[pickwood]

I have the 30 ton unit- had one small prob with the pivot pin and NT took care of the problem right away. The splitter is a works great-maybe one day I'll buy a split right or timberwolf. Mine has a filter too- works fine and is located on the return side- I think its a good idea to have one on the hydraulic system, but I did notice the new splitters at NT do not have a filter on them.

 

[mga]

A strainer on the suction side is a good idea though.

only if you can easily get to it. you also need to have a way to monitor it for clogging. a clogged strainer can cause more damage than not having one.

i'll guess that 99% of log splitters don't have one. since there are no open areas on the hydraulic system, you shouldn't be getting any foreign materials in your fluid.

it may sound like a good idea, but my vote is against it.

 

[KD57]

When did they start building them without the filters? I have a fairly recent 30T, bought late last year or early this year, and it doesn't have a filter. It does have the new black return hose, instead of the older clear cheapo one.

 

[reaperman]

When did they start building them without the filters? I have a fairly recent 30T, bought late last year or early this year, and it doesn't have a filter. It does have the new black return hose, instead of the older clear cheapo one.

According to the lady at customer support, it sounds like they quit with the filters about the time you bought your splitter. Again I noticed this at the local NT this past fall, and figured they were trying to save $$$.

Maybe those of you who have a NT splitter with the filter may want to contact NT support ( 1-800-270-0810) and ask why they think it isnt a wise idea to run with a filter anymore.

I was incorrect in my first post mentioning the suction line, it is the return line, the lady said they were having troubles blowing because of the filter. If there is a sticky check valve in the the filter housing, wouldnt this cause a back up of pressure and blow the return hose? When I had my return line spring a leak, the ram was fully extended and I held it there too long trying to get a the last little bit of wood split. Then the leak was more like a pin-hole, right by the nipple the hose slides over.