Speeco...Lovejoy...kaboom...

[wdchuck]

Went out to take advantage of the relatively dry conditions to fill an order for tomorrow morning and 20mins into splitting there was this frightening sound and accompanying vibration so I killed the engine in case it was a piston issue or something but upon pulling the handle it didn't seem to be that so I started it up again and the motor ran smooth but no action from the hydraulics so I shut it down again and sure enough the lovejoy was a mess.

So, what I need now is a lovejoy coupler and just how soon can I get it when credit-card based options are out.

Like an auction we do cash or good check.

Anyone have viable information or options to offer?

 

[ponyexpress976]

take it down to TSC...they usually have a few different sizes in stock

 

[Deereman76]

Any good Bearing store should have it. as well as tractor Supply, Rural King.

 

[Fifelaker]

Grainger,TSC,Hydrulic supply house.

 

[wdchuck]

Talked to a guy in the child pickup lane at school who said to talk to one of the bus drivers who said there was an industrial supply house next to the bus depot so I stopped in with shaft sizes and $24 later I was out the door. Good thing I keep some singles for tipping.

The guy gave me a two engine halves and said to bring back the one that didn't fit best. Ya gotta love it when a deal can be done simple.



Thanks for the replies, I'll put them to good use in the future.

 

[Whitespider]

Just a little tid-bit of information related to this thread…

My Splitter doesn’t use a Lovejoy coupler; it uses a much simpler affair.
On the engine crankshaft and pump driveshaft are aluminum alloy things with a 1 ¼ inch square drive tit sticking out from them. A simple piece of 1 ¼ inch square steel tubing, about 4-5 inches long connects the two by slipping over the square drive tits. The square tube has a few thousandths end play from drive to driven, just enough to make up for any tiny misalignment. Works like a charm and I’ve never had a problem in 25 years.

 

[MN Ripper]

Out of curiosity how old is your Speeco?

 

[Wife'nHubby]

I was going to say check with Grainger on Watertown Rd., Pewaukee - I purchased lovejoy parts there previously. Otter Sales in Burlington is another good place to get various replacement parts - Otter is where I got my cylinder repaired. TSC in Mukwonago I know does not have lovejoy parts - or at least they did not about 2 yrs. ago.

Sounds like you got it fixed - good to hear.

Shari

 

[indiansprings]

I go thru a love joy set up a year. They just wear out, of course our splitters get run dang near every day from Sept to around March 1st. You would think they would be made out of harder material.
I'm thinking about heating the next set I get up to the point were they are red hot and then quenching them in oil to see if tempering them will make them last any longer. I like the set up on swisher splitters were it is set up with pulleys and a belt. It lets you start up the engine without the pump being engaged.

 

[Fifelaker]

If you are going through 1 a year can you step up a size ? There is a co. here in Fife lake that makes couplings. pm me if you want info.

 

[wdchuck]

Out of curiosity how old is your Speeco?

7yrs or so.
These last two years it has been seeing considerably more use so wear parts will be doing just that.

 

[1project2many]

It may not be possible to modify your system but when I built my splitter I used a belt and pulleys so I wouldn't have to worry about the LJ coupler. As whitespider pointed out, there are other alternatives if you want to make changes.

 

[mostrowski]

I had the same thing happen this Saturday on a 22 ton huskee that is two months old and has seen maybee 4-6 hours of use. The nearest TSC claimed to have lovejoy couplings in stock, however after driving 20 minutes across town, the sizes needed were out of stock. The store employees were no help with regard to warranty, just said I'd have to call Huskee. Later that day I had my brother take the broken coupling along with the receipt from the splitter purchase to the TSC where he lives. They had the correct sizes on the shelf and exchanged the part at no cost. TSC said it has been a common problem recently and that they ought issue a recall on that part.

The original coupling looked to have been made from a poor quality metal compared to the ones sold individually at tsc.

 

[wdchuck]

Unlike fuzly and his splitter failure due to 'not tight enough' set screws on the coupler my problem now is the darn things are so tight they won't budge.

Is there a thread locker on them?

I've tried 1/8" allen wrench but its just a smidge too loose, or maybe a 3.5mm is needed but my sets go from 3 to 4 with no size in between.


The only option left is a grinder wheel to cut the couplers off but the heat transfer might have an effect on the shafts.

What a conundrum.

 

[jerseydevil]

3/16? Never heard of a 3.5 mm. Doubt a cutting wheel would heat the shafts much. I'd drill them out. But I've swapped a million love joys and never needed a specialty Allen. Try another 3/8 maybe.

 

[HD2010]

I go thru a love joy set up a year. They just wear out, of course our splitters get run dang near every day from Sept to around March 1st. You would think they would be made out of harder material.
I'm thinking about heating the next set I get up to the point were they are red hot and then quenching them in oil to see if tempering them will make them last any longer. I like the set up on swisher splitters were it is set up with pulleys and a belt. It lets you start up the engine without the pump being engaged.

There should be a rubber element between the 2 coupling halves. The couplings should not see metal to metal contact. I have not seen a Lovejoy coupling set up without an element.

 

[wdchuck]

It took a while of grinding but they are both off. The coupling half on the pump was a bugger due to clearance from the pump flange. The engine side was easy peasy regarding clearance so I just cut a slot until the key was showing and the coupling half about fell off.

Removing the engine was an unexpected step but the set screws just weren't budging so easy access was mandatory.

I'll get some new keystock tomorrow and get it all back together. The phone was ringing saturday and today so I need to get orders filled pronto.

The logstock is 3yr girdled locust plus 3 years on a pile a foot off the ground in the full sun and wind so even 20"dia logs are so dry in the middle the wood is brown when split open.
Wish I could get another thirty or forty cords worth but nobody I've called is in it right now.

 

[wdchuck]

Well, the coupler is in but now the splitter is slowing down within half an inch of starting to split straight soft maple. Whatever is causing this may have been the problem that ate my first coupler.

The splitter has been operating just fine up to this point.

Hydraulic filter and oil were changed in august.

I haven't done anything to the machine except use it for what it is intended.

 

[Ol' Brian]

I've had 2 lovejoy couplers fail on my Brave splitter. After the first failure, I just took the parts to the store, matched them up with new, and put it back together. After the 2nd failure, I got smart, and educated myself on the LJ coupler ratings... and I found out that the OEM LJ coupler was woefully small for the application it was in!! But, when manufacturers are pinching every penny till it screams... that's what you get! It only has to last to the end of the warranty period, right? The money saved from the majority will more than cover the warranty claims for the heavy users that do have a problem within the warranty period.

I replaced my LJ coupling with the biggest one that would fit inside the cast aluminum pump mount... which if I remember correctly is still one size too small for the application... so we'll see how long it lasts.

And, if you can get the BLUE spider, get it. They're almost twice as tough as the black if I remember right.

Best thing you can do is inspect the spider frequently. If you see part of it missing, change it out PRONTO! That will save you having to buy a whole new coupling and from hearing that unnerving sound that a Lovejoy taking it's last few turns makes:wink2:

 

[Ol' Brian]

Actually, the BEST thing you can do is get the proper size Lovejoy... it should last nearly forever. The Lovejoy on my Dad's HEAVILY used 36 year old Speeco 20 ton splitter is still all original... but the splitter is on it's 4th engine, and 2nd pump!! But if you can't use the proper size LJ coupler, for whatever reason, most likely for the same reason I can't... inspect your Spiders!!