Troy-Bilt 27ton log splitter leak

[Konstantin]

Hello there!
While using a borrowed from my neighbor log splitter (Troy-Bilt 27 ton), a leak has developed at bottom of a main cylinder where a nipple pipe connects to a control valve. The leak is at cylinder side, not the valve side. The largest amounts are leaked during "up" operation. I disconnected a nipple pipe and used blue loctite to re-seat it back in, but it worked only for a couple of minutes and then gradually become a large problem again. I suspect something is really clogged up somewhere and this leak is just a symptom, but I don't know where to start - an oil filter? A control valve? Something else entirely?

Any advice/suggestion would be much appreciated!
Thanks!

 

[cantoo]

Konstantin, a few pictures would help. The cylinders themselves seldom leak at the welded on fitting. It's usually the fittings them selves that leak. Might have to replace the fitting.

 

[muddstopper]

You need a thread sealant, such as https://www.amazon.com/Loctite-37482-Pneumatic-Hydraulic-36-milliliter/dp/B003XZB54O. You can use the teflon tape, as long as you wrap the fitting so that any tape can get in the cyl. If the fitting is a pipe thread, it could have been over tightened which would deform the thread and allowing to leak. If so, buy a new fitting, dont just keep torqueing the old one

 

[NSMaple1]

I couldn't tell where the leak was from your description.

 

[Konstantin]

Main cylinder on the left and control valve on the right.

 

[Konstantin]

It would be good if this was really just a nipple pipe at fault here. A new one is already on its way to me. And I'll try that hydraulic loctite on it instead of regular blue one.

 

[cantoo]

Looks fine to me, just a slow drip.
Yup I think the nipple is the issue and you need a new wrench set. Throw away your adjustable, they make a wrench for every size nut. Make darn sure you get the right size fitting or you will have an expensive problem soon.

 

[JeffHK454]

It would be good if this was really just a nipple pipe at fault here. A new one is already on its way to me. And I'll try that hydraulic loctite on it instead of regular blue one.

If that fitting is tight in that photo it sure looks like it was tapped shallow. Also, make sure you get all that Loctite out..it cures hard and has no sealing properties or the lubracation needed in a interference fit seal. Might even look around on Craigslist/ebay and find a good used tap and fix it before you make it worse by forcing another fitting in a less than great port.

 

[NSMaple1]

So in other words, the control valve is rigidly & directly fastened to the cylinder with this nipple?

That seems like a questionable design to me, putting a lot of stress on the fitting. But maybe it's a common design - anyone know?

 

[JeffHK454]

So in other words, the control valve is rigidly & directly fastened to the cylinder with this nipple?

That seems like a questionable design to me, putting a lot of stress on the fitting. But maybe it's a common design - anyone know?

My SpeeCo is set-up like you've described.... a cheap and simple design but it does put some pulling force on a fitting. I've used that valve as a grab handle a thousand times and it's never leaked so it must be sufficient .

 

[backhoelover]

You need a thread sealant, such as https://www.amazon.com/Loctite-37482-Pneumatic-Hydraulic-36-milliliter/dp/B003XZB54O. You can use the teflon tape, as long as you wrap the fitting so that any tape can get in the cyl. If the fitting is a pipe thread, it could have been over tightened which would deform the thread and allowing to leak. If so, buy a new fitting, dont just keep torqueing the old one

+1

 

[backhoelover]

Looks fine to me, just a slow drip.
Yup I think the nipple is the issue and you need a new wrench set. Throw away your adjustable, they make a wrench for every size nut. Make darn sure you get the right size fitting or you will have an expensive problem soon.

+1

 

[muddstopper]

So in other words, the control valve is rigidly & directly fastened to the cylinder with this nipple?

That seems like a questionable design to me, putting a lot of stress on the fitting. But maybe it's a common design - anyone know?

I have seen that design on a few splitters, and I believe every one of them has a leak there. Think about it, How do you tighten it up. Screw the nipple in the cyl and then screw the valve on the nipple, getting it tight and lining up the lever where you want it. If it was mine, I'd pull out the cutting torch and welder and fab me up a mount for the valve and run a hose to the fitting.

 

[NSMaple1]

I have seen that design on a few splitters, and I believe every one of them has a leak there. Think about it, How do you tighten it up. Screw the nipple in the cyl and then screw the valve on the nipple, getting it tight and lining up the lever where you want it. If it was mine, I'd pull out the cutting torch and welder and fab me up a mount for the valve and run a hose to the fitting.

My thoughts as well. Just the stress from the weight of it combined with machine vibes could cause problems - not to mention yanking the lever all day. I guess this is my gained knowledge for the day - had no idea some were built this way.

 

[cantoo]

My Speeco was built the same way and has done 100's of cords and no leaking.
My Dutch father in law had that same rounded bolt/ nut on everything he owned until I came along. When he went to fix something he grabbed the vice grips, a worn out adjustable and an old Estwing hamer. I spent hours welding nuts onto rounded bolts. One time he bought a wood lathe and I asked him why would he waste his money on a wood lathe, Just use the vice grips to round it just like he did to bolt heads. Then I ran and ran.

 

[chipper1]

I have seen that design on a few splitters, and I believe every one of them has a leak there. Think about it, How do you tighten it up. Screw the nipple in the cyl and then screw the valve on the nipple, getting it tight and lining up the lever where you want it. If it was mine, I'd pull out the cutting torch and welder and fab me up a mount for the valve and run a hose to the fitting.

You just line it up and tighten it, it doesn't get much simpler, I like it because it eliminates another hose and it's easy to service if ever needed .
I've sold a lot of these splitters as well as the standard huskee 22 ton with the full I beam and the half beam, the speeco same styles as well as the newer and the county line 22 ton and 25 ton, leaks have been few and far between and mostly from loose fittings, or worn cylinders. Now and then I get ahold of one that has been backed into something or something backed into it and they aren't even leaking. This design I've never had a problem with except I don't prefer the height of the beam, makes my back sore(sure it's just me), that and the cycle time is slower than a 22 ton because the cylinder is a bit larger. I like to fabricate, and mod about everything I get my hands on, and the rest I want to mod, but these I wouldn't mess with as they work great. What I would change is the bend in the arm/lever that actuates the control, it's just not ergonomically correct, why they just keep making them like that I have no idea as they have changed a few other things. Another thing is the pin to tip it vertical should be a quick pull in that cannot be removed which is how many of them are now. The other thing is the terrible design on the leg/pin(the way it pins is what I have a problem with) that supports the front when not hooked to a truck/quad/tractor, it's a bad design and a pain in the butt, I like the design used on the swisher unit's, very easy to use, but that could use a pin that isn't removable as well, but just needs to be pulled and a spring would make it return that would be more apt to break off though. Other than that I've split pretty much anything I need with these consumer splitters and they work great for what they are/the cost.

 

[chipper1]

View attachment 609415

Main cylinder on the left and control valve on the right.

Welcome to AS Knastantin.
Get a picture from back a little further if you could. You should be able to turn the control valve a little more and tighten the fitting up a bit to stop the leak, but the right sealant as muddstopper said will be key to getting the control sitting at the factory location and not twisted.
Please be sure to let us know what the cure ends up being. Many people score the internet trying to find an answer to an issue such as this and hit dead ends as the guys looking for help never post back what the fix was.
Hope you get it fixed right away, the weather is getting nice for splitting now.

 

[Konstantin]

So, a small update - last week I received new nipple pipe, so removed control valve from main cylinder. However, I was not able to unscrew nipple pipe from control valve - it is set so hard that I even broke one of my deep sockets, but damn pipe would not move. I had to set it back with hydraulic loctite advised above. That lasted 2 hours longer than a blue loctite I used before, but now machine is dripping again...

I guess, I'm going to have to visit some machine shop to try to unscrew this.

 

[schmauster]

Too bad you arent closer, welding a nut on it and a big impact gun would prob take it off

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Heat it.

Some of the thread sealant used on fittings gets near impossible to unscrew orherwise.
Not sure the brand.

I normally just use rector 5 or blue pipe tape on npt fittings.