Building a wood spliter with a ford 300 6

[NDtreehugger]

I picked up an old ford f150 the truck has a rebuilt engine, so no need for the 300 engine in my shop.

I picked this 300 up in trade for a riding lawn mower thinking I would keep it for the truck, but now it seems it will just sit their and not get used so I was thinking, I may as well make a splitter out of it.

Anyone have any ideas on the parts needed, I know Ill need the pump, hose, valve, tank and all the other stuff.

I’m thinking their should be adapters already available

 

[redheadwoodshed]

You, sir, are a man after my own heart!You will get all sorts of replies about how it won't work because you need a governor to keep the rpm steady and how it will use too much fuel and be too heavy and on and on .
The 300 6 is in my opinion the best engine ever built.Ever. You will have more than enough power.You may even want to run the pump off a belt on the front of the engine.I would use 2 pillow block bearings with a pulley in the middle, coupled to the pump.Most hydraulic pumps can't take a side load on their shaft bearings.Depending on how much $ you want to spend, you could get a really big pump and some hydraulic motors and cylinders.Build a hydro buggy splitter complete with dump bed and maybe even a hydraulic jib crane.Drive it through the woods, cut ,split ,load.Drive it out again, dump. Post pictures.I wish I could post these in my head!

 

[BrokenToys]

You, sir, are a man after my own heart!You will get all sorts of replies about how it won't work because you need a governor to keep the rpm steady and how it will use too much fuel and be too heavy and on and on

Pretty much, all the above is correct. Once you figure out the governor, hanging the fuel tank, radiator, hydro pump to flywheel gearing or direct drive, etc etc etc on this giant contraption you made than you'll have one badass giant engine splitter.
My grandfather had a stick welder he built that was powered off an old 1948 Merc Flathead so believe me, I want to see this when you're done!

[ oh, and Dodge 225 Slant 6 > Ford 300 ]

 

[mikereynolds]

Many years ago, my neighbor built one using a small block Chevy with dragster pipes and it was awesome!

 

[mga]

Many years ago, my neighbor built one using a small block Chevy with dragster pipes and it was awesome!

at 4 bucks a gallon now....how's he doing with it today?

(besides the hearing loss)

 

[Streblerm]

Great engine. I have had them in several trucks. A FI version is powering my wood getter right now.

That being said, it sure would be a lot easier and probably more cost effective long and short term if you sell the 300 and buy an appropriately sized small engine for your splitter. The only problem with that suggestion is there probably isn't much of a market for the 300 since they never seem to go bad. :hmm3grin2orange:

If you decide you need a 300ci log splitter then more power to you. Other than what you mentioned, and as others have said, you will need some sort of governor. There are belt driven ones out there on industrial and farm equipment. Im sure you could craft one on I have also heard of people using aftermarket cruise control as a governor.

 

[AIM]

Although big and bad is always cool. Ya might wanna rethink it. The splitter I use had a nissan engine from some car on it for a couple years. After fighting with the radiator, electric cooling fan, fuel pump, etc. We took it off and put a 16 horse briggs on it.

 

[zogger]

I guess that would be cool if you had tree services dropping off 1,000 lb rounds and wanted to run like a 32 way wedge. It's kinda big and thirsty for just a regular splitter isn't it? A full complete all the bells and whistles processor perhaps, plus a genny to run your neighborhood. I think..the easiest way to turn that into a splitter is drop it in a nice body, sell the truck, go pay cash for a new splitter.

 

[redheadwoodshed]

I vote for the 32 way wedge!

 

[zogger]

I vote for the 32 way wedge!

Ha!

 

[Jim Timber]

You guys are looking at this all wrong...

Don't use it to run hydraulics - use it to run a mechanical splitter! Get a tranny for it, and rig up a big acme screw driven two-way splitting head. Then just run it forward and reverse through the tranny. If you used an auto, you wouldn't even need anything to clutch it, and you'd have torque multiplication for those ugly crotches.

 

[Kevin in Ohio]

They're good for air compressors. Just hook it up to a V8 and let it idle and blast/blow to your hearts content

 

[Mac88]

Don't forget that that 300 is making a fair amount of horsepower at idle. Probably quite a bit more than the 16hp air-cooled does at full throttle. It's easy enough to gear it up to the pumps rated rpm via the belt drive mentioned.

 

[timberfab]

what about ditching a standard, simple log splitter and build a full boat, portable log processor. complete with live deck powered log trough, hydro saw, huge ram and an remote mounted hydraulic conveyor. set the engine, use a ford T-18 trans and a low geared transfer case locked in 4low to run a drive shaft with a large pump or heck, several pumps. scrounge a reservoir and line and valves from a few loaders or excavators to run the beast. you have plenty of power. you can regulate the throttle with a regular throttle cable from a tractor and take the gauges out of the truck for the tach.

sounds fun in a " I'm a retired equipment operator who sold the business to my kid who still makes lots of money and lets me play around in the shop, while i blow my money on making cool toys instead of fishing and buying classic cars" sort of way.

Other wise. part the truck out or sell the engine, buy or scrounge parts to build your own normal splitter.

 

[NDtreehugger]

I love this post

Lots of stuff going on.

The governor is not the issue parts are everywhere even on ebay, the 300 is an industrial engine that has been used for pumps, welders, generators, chippers, concrete pumps, carpet cleaners, and man the list goes on.

I’m looking for a way to mount the pump, after that it’s easy.

 

[GeeVee]

Pretty much, all the above is correct. Once you figure out the governor, hanging the fuel tank, radiator, hydro pump to flywheel gearing or direct drive, etc etc etc on this giant contraption you made than you'll have one badass giant engine splitter.
My grandfather had a stick welder he built that was powered off an old 1948 Merc Flathead so believe me, I want to see this when you're done!

[ oh, and Dodge 225 Slant 6 > Ford 300 ]

You both are selling the Chevy 292 I-6 a little short, aint you?.....

 

[dave_dj1]

Run a PTO single stage pump right off a tranny, find a gear that works good and have at it.
And my vote is for the 225 slant 6 as the all time best motor! :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[NDtreehugger]

I love the slant 6 it’s a great engine BUT.

Were talking 2 different creatures;

The ford 6 has timing gears
The Dodge has a timing chain, granted some had the double roller but still a chain.
Dodge has exhaust crack issues
Ford 300 never had an exhaust crack issues and some came with duel exhaust.

The Dodge was a top end power house
The Ford is a low end toque house; at top end the ford will crack cranks, even though a steel crank fixed that issue.

Dodge 225 has oil starving issues.
Ford 300 no oil issues.

Dodge 225 has ignition moisture problems
Ford 300 nope, good there too.

Dodge was a great engine and could have been much more,

The ford 300 is what it is and is the best in its class,
low fuel consumption low RPM high toque.

My F150 with the 300 will go anywhere put the old truck in 4th cruze at 45, haul wood forever.

I would run a pump off the 435NP but then I need to buy one, another 500bucks.
but the NP435 is another, best in its class, Ford, Dodge and Chevy use it for there heavy duty trucks.

Im thinking Ill get a nice big high volume pump, run it off to the machine shop and have them make a mount to fit the bell housing.

 

[ponyexpress976]

why not leave it in the frame rails? Strip off everything you don't need. Make the bed a hydraulic dumper. Turn it into a wood splitting/gathering buggy.

 

[NDtreehugger]

Im keeping the truck. I have an extra engine that I traded for to have for a replacment.
Its just sitting doing nothing and thats not good for an engine.

Its better to use it then if needed I could pull it off the splitter and put it in the truck, take the one from the truck fix it and put it on the splitter.