splitter control valve ?

[JELIII]

My return cylinder control keeps popping before the cylinder returns the whole way. If I hold it in for a little longer and put just a slight amount of side pressure it will hold and retract the whole way otherwise it goes part way and stops- very annoying when you are holding a 50lb log. This is a 20+ year old home built unit I inherited a couple of years ago. The problem has been there since I got it, but I finally can't take it anymore. Any suggestions before I start tearing things apart. Thanks for the help.

 

[triptester]

The detent grooves are probably worn. A possible fix is to remove the handle and rotate the spool 180 degrees. Put the pin back in the handle and it should work. If you still have a problem let us know the brand or post a pic of the valve.

 

[KsWoodsMan]

I thought they were adjustable according to how much pressure was in the system. When the ram hits the end of the return stroke the pressure jumps up and the valve pops back to center. It might be something is causing the ram to hang up on the return stoke, making the pressure higher than anticipated. I'm not saying it's dirty but there might be a few points that require lubrication and have been running dry since the problem started.

My splitter doesn't have automatic return so it's just a guess.

 

[pat_58]

i notice on my home made splitter, that the detent valve pops back to neutral prematurely when the hydraulic oil is still cold after it has just been started, especially in the wintertime. after a few minutes of running and cycling, the oil warms up and it works normally. no problems at all in summer.

 

[mga]

mine started doing that....i just adjusted it and its been fine ever since.

 

[JELIII]

I didn't see anything that looked like it could be adjusted. There is a threaded barrel that holds the plunger in place, removing that didn't seem to get me anywhere. I will take a closer look and get a picture tomorrow if this damn rain ever stops. Thanks for the help.

 

[builder1101]

murphys law..
if it can happen, it will happen.

keep it simple. i use 1 valve. manual forward and backward.

on the note, make sure the ram guide isn't binding. when i built my latest i welded in wear plates, 1/8" thick 16" wide plate running full lenght of the beam, and inside the ram guide, top and bottom (boxes the entire frame for strength). i've only torched it apart once to replace everything, but the beam itself is still like new. once in a great while i'll slobber oil on it to keep it butter smooth, but besides that...

some advice i guess....

for ya.

 

[mga]

I didn't see anything that looked like it could be adjusted. There is a threaded barrel that holds the plunger in place, removing that didn't seem to get me anywhere. I will take a closer look and get a picture tomorrow if this damn rain ever stops. Thanks for the help.

what brand valve is it?

 

[merlynr]

i notice on my home made splitter, that the detent valve pops back to neutral prematurely when the hydraulic oil is still cold after it has just been started, especially in the wintertime. after a few minutes of running and cycling, the oil warms up and it works normally. no problems at all in summer.

Mine does that too, but after a couple of cycles the trouble goes away. Not something I'm gonna work on til it get worse.

 

[jasult]

it takes several minutes of use to get oil warm for valve to kick out.
This happens on heavy equipment as well.