buying a new splitter this weekend. need advice

[kevin j]

wonder if that was some defect? I'd take it back.

One of the advantages of hydraulic power (compared to electric or IC engines) is the ability to stall at a constant known force forever without hurting the hydraulics (other than heat of course.)

Regardless of the wood, the structure should be designed to withstand the maximum cylinder force. If the wood is too tough it should have just stalled out the cylinder at relief setting. If it bent something, that is IMO a sign of poor design or poor manufacturing.

Now of course if it camedesigned for 2500 psi RV settng and it is now cranked up to 3500 psi, that's a different story....


kcj

 

[Andyshine77]

I don't see how the end plate could bend, snap maybe, but bend? I don't know about that.

 

[douglas1]

Just Bought the 35 ton

I just bought the 35 ton spliter a week ago. I got to tell you, it is great! I was a bit bothered with the B&S. but this thing purrs. It will split anything. There are a lot of other better machines out there, but fior the price of $1,649.00 with oil and fluids you really cant go wrong.

I researched for about 2-3 months, and asked a ton of questions on this site. Do a search and find out more info if needed.

 

[FarmerSid]

I don't see how the end plate could bend, snap maybe, but bend? I don't know about that.

Nope! She bent. About an inch out at the top. Nothing was touched to increase pressure or anything. Used it as it was right out of the box.

 

[Andyshine77]

Nope! She bent. About an inch out at the top. Nothing was touched to increase pressure or anything. Used it as it was right out of the box.

If it's so I'd get a replacement, I hear http://speeco.com/ stands by there products, I'd give them a call.

 

[Rich M]

I bought the 22 ton Huskee and it starts/works great. One thing about the 22 is I can roll it around by hand which makes positioning and storing a breeze. That 35 is a beast that would require a vehicle every time you move it. The 27 is heavy too and has a slower cycle time than the 22.

Synthetic oil makes cold starting a breeze (never more than 2 pulls) and doing 12 cord of white oak last winter I never found a piece it wouldn't plow right through. I intentionally placed gnarled crotches in the toughest spots and it would just kick down and go right through them.

If your doing commercial firewood or renting it out the 35 is the one to get otherwise the 22 is a better value for typical homeowner use in my opinion.

 

[triptester]

Huskee is made by Speeco. Speeco makes a model that is a compromise between the 22 and 35 ton Huskee. It is 25 - 28 ton models that has a 4 1/2" bore with a 16 gpm pump and a Honda 8 hp. or Briggs 10.5 hp. These are the fastest models Speeco makes.

 

[460magnum]

Your talking about switching the hydraulic oil to synthetic right? If so what weight?

 

[Zodiac45]

Your talking about switching the hydraulic oil to synthetic right? If so what weight?

Nope don't think he means that. I would think he's talking about the engine oil.

 

[Rich M]

Correct, synthetic motor oil for easy engine starting below 32F.

A few cycles and the hydraulic fluid warms right up, no problems with that in the cold.

 

[RHiller]

I have had the 35 T for two years now and it splits anything I put on it. It is a little hard to start when it is cold. I fixed that by putting a new geared flywheel on it and a starter. Now I just push a botton and start to split.

 

[046]

ya right... I call BS unless we see pic's

here's a pic of said base that bent... a full two inches thick.
sorry but I have a hard time believing that a tiny round bent a 2in thick steel structure.

here's a pic of the tiny rounds mine has been splitting

Nope! She bent. About an inch out at the top. Nothing was touched to increase pressure or anything. Used it as it was right out of the box.

I don't have any pics of the elm or end plate. We straightened it out by chaining the splitter to a large tree. The end plate about 12" from the tree. It was chained below the end plate and put a hydraulic jack between the tree and top of the end plate as the splitter sat it the horizontal position. The end plate straightened back straight by jacking the hydraulic jack. It didn't go easy but we didn't want to use heat as we were afraid of weakening the end plate. I hope the end plate is not weakened now by bending it back cold. It probably won't be but what else do you do.

The elm was frozen and was twisty. It should have spli easier being frozen but it wanted to live up to it's name.

Cheers!

Sid

 

[beerman6]

I have had the 35 T for two years now and it splits anything I put on it. It is a little hard to start when it is cold. I fixed that by putting a new geared flywheel on it and a starter. Now I just push a botton and start to split.

Have any part #'s by chance?

I have a little 200 watt magnetic block heater,that I'll slap on the hyd. tank the night before I'm gonna split,bungee the handle in the down position and it fires on the first pull 90% of the time.

 

[Andyshine77]

My 22t went threw this Hickory without bogging down or bending anything. Like I said, I think the end plate would snap before it would bend.

 

[Vibes]

Buy any splitter with the Honda GX motor. Its the red one. The GC motor is the black one and from what I've been told, is not that good. I have also heard the foreign made Briggs motors are dogs too.

 

[Rich M]

If regular hydraulic oil is giving you trouble in the cold then you should run ATF instead.

 

[FarmerSid]

ya right... I call BS unless we see pic's

here's a pic of said base that bent... a full two inches thick.
sorry but I have a hard time believing that a tiny round bent a 2in thick steel structure.

here's a pic of the tiny rounds mine has been splitting

Well, call BS all you want but the truth is, it bent. Why would I make the story up? The splitter in question is exactly like the one in the pictures you posted as well as your blocks are about the same size of elm that bent it. Maybe a little bigger.

The end plate is not a full 2" thick. It's not a solid 2" piece of cast. It is where you measured but it is a honeycomb type of arrangement on the back. Post a picture of the backside so we all can see what it looks like. The splitter is not near me and would be quite a drive to go take pictures. Wish I had the camera at the time.

 

[046]

no clue why anyone would make something like that up. please factor amount of BS on AS as to why pic's are needed before it's believable.

and yes bottom plate is a full TWO inches thick as proven by pic's. yes bottom is honey combed (pic's already posted showing bottom side). I would think honey comb structure would actually improve and/or maintain structural strength.

by the way.... your's is the first truly negative comment I've seen on Huskee/speeco splitters. and I'm not referring to crappy fenders, jack, tires etc. which has nothing to do with splitter function.

Well, call BS all you want but the truth is, it bent. Why would I make the story up? The splitter in question is exactly like the one in the pictures you posted as well as your blocks are about the same size of elm that bent it. Maybe a little bigger.

The end plate is not a full 2" thick. It's not a solid 2" piece of cast. It is where you measured but it is a honeycomb type of arrangement on the back. Post a picture of the backside so we all can see what it looks like. The splitter is not near me and would be quite a drive to go take pictures. Wish I had the camera at the time.

 

[DanMan1]

Farmersid, it's o.k that you didn't post pic before you fixed it.
Go ahead and post a close-up picture of it now that you fixed it.

 

[beerman6]

I'll have to look,but honestly I dont think mine is cast like that.