Conveyors: Types and use.
Seven basic types for firewood. New; Used; Converted use; Chain; Belted; Mechanical drive; hydraulic drive. Pretty much fits every budget as well.
I have a 2008 (I think) 28' Built-Rite hydraulic top drum drive, belted conveyor, originally with a two position hand crank elevating jack.
It's a good conveyor for the most part with some irksome nuances. Honda GX 160 purrs all day at half throttle. Hydraulic drive gives forward and reverse, and stall protection if the pile tops out and belt paddles catch on splits. That's an important feature of hydraulic drive. Top drum drive pulls the belt uphill, vs bottom drum drive pulling the lower portion of the belt to pull the top portion. Maybe that's mutt.
Irksome nuances. The elevation pivot point is a tube in tube hinge to which the axle frame structure is attached, making a triangle of the conveyor, wheel carriage, and, the third leg being the hand crank jack. There are no zerk fitting, grease fittings, on the tube. This seized, the weak point being the jack, which failed. The hinge is not serviceable. The components are all welded. And the fact that most likely this equipment will be used outdoors and subject to years of weather, a few zerks is not unreasonable. Built-Rite replied that it's never been a problem that they have heard of. I was able to break the hinge free, add zerks, replace the hand crank with a cylinder from Built-Rite and valve from Surplus Center. Extremely handy to change elevations hydraulically. When I move the conveyor with the quad, it needs to be completely raised, which pivots the axle forward, reducing the tongue weight as much as possible.
Another mild irk relating to serviceability. The lower rollers, or idler wheels for the lower portion of the belt, are three rollers mounted on a rod. The rollers do not have bearings, and are captured in place on the rod by welded in place washers. One, this causes a lot of needless noise, squeals, and such. Second, and much more aggravating, it's a non serviceable wear part. I replaced three of the rods/rollers this year, and should have done all of them, but I bucked on cost, hoping to find a better alternative replacement with bearings.
I replaced the hydraulic pump this year, as the shaft seal began weeping, making a mess over time. It wasn't a breakdown situation. Built-Rite sent the hydraulic motor. They then sent the pump and a return shipping label for the motor all very prompt, no issues, good service. The pump they use now is different from original, aluminum body, requiring new hoses and fittings to accommodate.
I did replace the hydraulic motor and drum shaft several years ago after tipping the unit over backwards, landing hard on the top drive drum. The drum shaft bent ever so slightly wobbling the hydraulic motor which lead to the hydraulic motor shaft sheering. A combination of operator error and what I consider poor design. I had tipped the conveyor before, maybe three feet, landing gently on the wood pile. This time I had moved the conveyor, and sent a small pile of splits up the conveyor. Not being hitched to anything, and not continuing to split onto the belt, the conveyor tipped. Luckily without any injury to me, the dog, or anyone else. Another expensive lesson learned.
Belted conveyor, which is the only experience I've had. It's great, with one exception noted in a second. The lower drum area needs to be kept clear of debris and wood chips. If they get between the belt and drum they tend to stay trapped there going round and round the drum and sends belt tracking off to one side. I use a SuperSplit so belt tracking is very visible and quickly remedied. Simply reverse belt, which carries the debris up the lower belt, stop the belt and remove the splitter trash. Tracking resumes without adjustment. "Reverse belt direction" Not all conveyors have reverse. The exception is SNOW! The drum packs it to ice which bonds to the drum, and is all but impossible to remove completely due to welded mess guards. It takes all but laying in the snow with some type of flat ended stick to crap the drum, rotate, scape, rotate scrap, just to have it do it thirty minutes later. After the first hour or so, not so much, but initial start up is frustrating. Again, attention to serviceability in the build would be nice. I've yet to modify these guards with hinges and latches as I do not use it in the snow much. I have, but in switching to pallets and bundling, pallets don't work well in snow either.
Hope this gives someone looking at conveyors, new or used, some points to focus on.
Hand crank jack removed, conveyor supported by forklift. Days of penetrating oil and it finally broke loose.
Added grease zerks.
Broken hand crank mounted on lower position. These mounts needed changing to accommodate hydraulic cylinder Built-Rite sent me, I had thought ordering it from them it would just bolt up.
For mounting purposes I went with this block valve(?). It came in dedicated function sections and components to gang it together.
Center holes wear and wheels wobble, no longer running flat. I think there are seven of these.