log splitter repair

well i went and broke my log splitter today , i just about had all my hickory split ,,snapped the cylinder rod . i guess i`ll have to make a modification and a trip to tractor supply or get one from northern tool.
i guess is back to splitting the old fashion way :jawdrop:
:greenchainsaw:

If it broke out at the end towards the eye, it can be welded, there is always a good welder around, cost a lot less than a new cyl!!!
Andy

Wow...you broke the cyliner rod? What's its diameter? What were you splitting...a crotch or something really tough? Just curious...

how's about a pic?

what brand/model is it?

buy a new cylinder....a bigger one. chances are you bent the one you have anyways and even if welded, if it's not straight or the weld re-ground, it'll always leak.

there have been some great deals on e-bay.

Figure out why it broke before wasting time and money on a repair that could be for naught.

log splitter

:bang: yea i know why it broke :taped: , either it broke at the weld(that`s what it looks like to me )or i had the cylinder a 1/4 inch lower because i had to redesign a few things on it after replacing a old cylinder that went bad .it had a bracket to hold the old cylinder up a 1/4 inch ,,,i guess i`ll make another bracket for my cylinder. it`s a homemade logsplitter with a 14 hp brig
i try to get a pic wensday , i wasen`t splitting a knot or nothing , just a round chunk of s.b. hickory , i belive i just got it in a bind or the weld actually snapped at the push-block. i `ll probally get a new cylinder , and reweld the old one as a back up.

log splitter

looks like i should be able to fix the splitter ,,i think i can weld a coupling onto the nut and the rod after i reweld where it broke. i`ll try that and if that fails then i go to plan b, which i`ll get a 2 stage pump and a larger ram ( atleast i think that`s what i need to make it cycle faster?? right?? )
this won`t happen till next week sometime ,,,but i`ll let ya know when

A pump with a higher GPM rating will decrease the cycle time.

A larger cylinder will run slower than a small one.

Buckeye said:

A pump with a higher GPM rating will decrease the cycle time.

A larger cylinder will run slower than a small one.

Click to expand...

HUH?????????????????????? A higher GPM will flow more, making the cylinder move faster!!!!!!!

Yes, all things equal, a larger cylinder will run slower, but have more tonnage.
Andy

sawinredneck said:

HUH?????????????????????? A higher GPM will flow more, making the cylinder move faster!!!!!!!

Yes, all things equal, a larger cylinder will run slower, but have more tonnage.
Andy

Click to expand...

That's exactly what I said, on both counts.

A bigger pump moves the ram more quickly, thus reducing the time required to run a full cycle.

log splitter

ok then i`ll go wit a larger pump and keep my same size cylinder set up, it`s not the fastest ,and it splits like a ox in heat :censored:
but i`t would be nice to get it to run just a hair faster:greenchainsaw:
i`ll figure something out by next weekend

to increase overall flow, doesn't actuator valve and all hydraulic lines need to be matched in sized?

I've got the same basic issue of wanting a faster cycle time.
mine has a 5in ram, 16gpm driven by 12.5 hp.

can hydraulic pumps be adjusted to put out higher flow?

Buckeye said:

That's exactly what I said, on both counts.

A bigger pump moves the ram more quickly, thus reducing the time required to run a full cycle.

Click to expand...

Terribly sorry about the brain fade! Pain has overridden the brain as of late!!!
Again, sorry about that.
Andy

046 said:

to increase overall flow, doesn't actuator valve and all hydraulic lines need to be matched in sized?

I've got the same basic issue of wanting a faster cycle time.
mine has a 5in ram, 16gpm driven by 12.5 hp.

can hydraulic pumps be adjusted to put out higher flow?

Click to expand...

More pressure, but not more flow. Flow is derived by the displacment of the pump, bigger pump, more flow and more power required to run the flow.
Andy

You can increase the engine rpm to increase flow. The problem with that is more heat, fuel useage, and shorter engine life.

Logsplitter Hydraulics

Broken & bent rods on logsplitter cylinders are pretty common. There are many causes, but design of the pusher, and mounting of the cylinder are the usual culprits. The cylinder should be mounted at only 2 points, one on the pusher, and one on the cylinder (usually at the base end with a clevis or cross pin). Avoid the temptation to put a u-bolt or other fastening near the rod-end of the cylinder. When the pusher goes out of line with the cylinder axis, it bends the rod. If you're lucky, it only puts side stress on the cylinder gland and wear on the side of the rod. Unlucky, and the rod buckles. It will always wiggle a little though, so you want a flexible attachment between the rod & the pusher.
The pusher should be WELL guided, so that the cylinder remains in line with the beam regardless of what a knotty chunk might want to do. Longer side guides help. Usually if the flat plate is on the rod end, and the wedge at the end of the beam, there is less side force on the pusher. But this isn't always practical, I know.
As for cylinders, there are cheap cylinders, and there are good cylinders, and they're rarely the same. The new Prince tie-rod cylinders have heat treated rods with nickel-under-chrome plating. They are far stronger than the cheap cylinders being imported from every third world country you can name. Check our web site if you want a good one - CylinderServices.net
As for cycle time, the guys are right about larger pumps & smaller cylinders making faster splitters. I personally think a 4" bore cylinder is all most people need for most splitting. With a 16 GPM 2-stage pump it will make a nice splitter. Larger cylinders put out more force, but you pay for it with slower cycle speed. If you really want 16 GPM though, you'll probably have to go to 3/4" hoses & fittings, and a valve with 3/4" ports. 1/2" lines will work, but if you checked it with a flow meter, you'd probably find you were getting less than 16 GPM. We've got some good deals on 2 stage pumps too.

Good luck getting it back together.

Don the hydraulics guy

CylinderService said:

Broken & bent rods on logsplitter cylinders are pretty common. There are many causes, but design of the pusher, and mounting of the cylinder are the usual culprits. The cylinder should be mounted at only 2 points, one on the pusher, and one on the cylinder (usually at the base end with a clevis or cross pin). Avoid the temptation to put a u-bolt or other fastening near the rod-end of the cylinder. When the pusher goes out of line with the cylinder axis, it bends the rod. If you're lucky, it only puts side stress on the cylinder gland and wear on the side of the rod. Unlucky, and the rod buckles. It will always wiggle a little though, so you want a flexible attachment between the rod & the pusher.
The pusher should be WELL guided, so that the cylinder remains in line with the beam regardless of what a knotty chunk might want to do. Longer side guides help. Usually if the flat plate is on the rod end, and the wedge at the end of the beam, there is less side force on the pusher. But this isn't always practical, I know.
As for cylinders, there are cheap cylinders, and there are good cylinders, and they're rarely the same. The new Prince tie-rod cylinders have heat treated rods with nickel-under-chrome plating. They are far stronger than the cheap cylinders being imported from every third world country you can name. Check our web site if you want a good one - CylinderServices.net
As for cycle time, the guys are right about larger pumps & smaller cylinders making faster splitters. I personally think a 4" bore cylinder is all most people need for most splitting. With a 16 GPM 2-stage pump it will make a nice splitter. Larger cylinders put out more force, but you pay for it with slower cycle speed. If you really want 16 GPM though, you'll probably have to go to 3/4" hoses & fittings, and a valve with 3/4" ports. 1/2" lines will work, but if you checked it with a flow meter, you'd probably find you were getting less than 16 GPM. We've got some good deals on 2 stage pumps too.

Good luck getting it back together.

Don the hydraulics guy

Click to expand...

my 16gpm pump has 1/2" outlet.

Yeah, I know Casey. Ours do too. But running everything else 3/4" will help a lot.

Don

my 16gpm also has 3/4 coming in to actuator valve, but 1/2in steel line going to 6in ram. it's got 12.5hp driving pump with 15 second cycle times.

would cycle times improve if I change out 1/2in steel line to 3/4in?