My Harbor Freight splitter experience

[Gooserider]

I recently purchased a 30 ton Harbor Freight splitter, model 91840. This is the 30 ton, w/ a 9HP Subaru-Robin engine, 16gpm Haldex pump, and a 5" cylinder.

I picked this unit for three main reasons...

1. Price - I paid $1299 for the splitter, plus $87 for shipping to MA (I also had to pay about $40 for 5 gallons of hydraulic oil). This was less than what I could have paid for a Speeco/Huskee from TSC, or various MTD brands from other vendors, mostly with lower ton ratings and / or worse specs on engines, etc. Plus, I would have had to go pick up the unit in our mini-van (no trailer hitch, so can't tow) and unload it when I got home. HF literally put the crate in my garage...

2. Storage footprint - All the locally available units I saw had a trailer tongue with the beam sitting on top, meaning that to store the unit I would need a space the size of the splitter in horizontal mode - say about 3' x 8'. The HF unit uses the beam for the trailer tongue, so when stored with the beam vertical, I need a space not much bigger than the axle and engine - say about 3' by 3', or less than half.

3. Power - I could have gotten the 22 ton version of this unit for $999, but it seemed worth while to get a third more power all the way around for only $300 more - The GF likes to poke fun at us "Boys wanting bigger toys..."

Latest word from a poster on another site and my own searching on the HF site suggests this specific model may have been replaced with a similar unit that has a "Loncin" engine - looks the same otherwise... They still offer a 22 ton version, same chassis, 5hp Robin engine, 11gpm pump, 4" cylinder. The "Loncin" engine looks like a clone of the Robin, but I don't know what it's quality is, otherwise it looks like the same unit.

I've written extensively about it over on ********** in this thread

Bottom line, It's a good unit and I'm happy....

I've had a few minor leaks, most of which I was able to fix by tightening things up. I have one leak from the valve that I'm getting HF to send me a new one under warranty.

The engine is fantastic - EASY pull, one or two pulls to start, runs for hours on a tank of gas... I do wish the engine / pump faced the other way on the splitter - this could be fixed w/ some level of effort, not sure I'd bother.
There is excellent documentation on the engine from the Robin website, and I've been told the engine is a clone of the Honda engines to the point of using the same internal parts.

The lovejoy coupler between the pump and engine wasn't put together properly, and in it's original position the adapter had a down facing opening that made it almost impossible to service. I found it relatively easy to rotate the adapter 90* which makes the coupler easy to see and service.

The biggest ergonomic issue is the operating lever position. I use the splitter in vertical mode only, and find the lever sticks out to the right side of the splitter, which makes it a bit awkward to reach. My friend has a 20 Ton MTD / Yard Machine unit, and his lever comes straight back on the left side of the cylinder which is IMHO a more natural position. When I replace the valve, I will probably try to get the fittings I need to turn the cylinder 180* and reposition the valve - shouldn't be a problem.

The fit between the beam and the tank seems a bit sloppy, but otherwise the fit and build quality looks pretty good. All the metal parts seem appropriately substantial, and the welds look like they are well made (at least as far as one can tell under paint...)

Gooserider

 

[Ole Farmerbuck]

Sounds like you did good.

 

[mga]

not a bad report to read for those contemplating buying one.

 

[046]

sure glad you are having a good experience with your HB splitter. ended up paying $1550 on sale for my 35ton speeco with all fluids ready to split.

feedback sure is spotty with HB... some folks like em... some have all sorts of problems. mostly with leaky rams.

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=78722

1. Price - I paid $1299 for the splitter, plus $87 for shipping to MA (I also had to pay about $40 for 5 gallons of hydraulic oil). This was less than what I could have paid for a Speeco/Huskee from TSC, or various MTD brands from other vendors, mostly with lower ton ratings and / or worse specs on engines, etc.

 

[johncinco]

I am either sending mine back for a full refund, or they are sending me a refund of $500 to replace the entire rail with a piece of steel that will actually hold up. have you looked at the bottom of the rail yet? Its reinforced with fiberglass....? WTF is that? They run and work great, but they attached good parts onto a crappy piece of steel.

 

[ghitch75]

i got a 30 ton....we have split 30 cords with it and haven't had a min's trouble from it...have split up to 42" rounds....and if it don't split it, it will crush it...best 1300 buc's i'v spent....

 

[Gooserider]

I am either sending mine back for a full refund, or they are sending me a refund of $500 to replace the entire rail with a piece of steel that will actually hold up. have you looked at the bottom of the rail yet? Its reinforced with fiberglass....? WTF is that? They run and work great, but they attached good parts onto a crappy piece of steel.

Are you talking about the Harbor Freight splitter, or some other brand??? My splitter certainly looks like a VERY substantial peice of steel I-beam... I haven't actually slapped a tape on it, but it is at least 6" wide on the flanges, and the same or more on the web, and at least 3/8" thick... The base plate looks like about 1" thick plate, and the welds holding it on look good (though it's hard to tell under the paint...) It has passed at least one or two rounds of the full pressure test of putting a round under it sideways and running the ram into it until the hydraulic pressure relief pops - No problem...

A friend has had several MTD 20 ton machines that have gotten lots of use, and has broken the foot off every one - I broke one myself, and we both agreed it was a case of really CRAPPY welds - now fixed and reinforced by a local welder...

Back to my machine, I contacted HF about the leaky valve, they are supposedly sending me a new valve under warranty, no problem, no argument, no charge...

When it comes in I may play with trying to reposition the cylinder to put the operating lever in a more comfortable location - looks like I'll just need to rotate the cylinder in the clevis 180* and put a couple elbows on the valve so that it's in front / on top of the cylinder to the right, with the lever pointing straight forward.

Gooserider

 

[LarryTheCableGuy]

I have the 30 ton also. I got it about a year and a half ago, no problems other than a very small amount of leakage on the ram - not near enough to worry about.

All of the welds look great. It came with a 1 7/8" coupler that I changed to a 2" and I have considered rotating the engine 90 degrees.

I always split vertical. I have loaned it to several friends & neighbors and don't really worry about it too much.

There is no fiberglass reinforcing on my beam - I'm not sure what happened to the splitter that John got but that sounds messed up.

.

 

[johncinco]

I had the Harbor Freight, #96907. 30 Ton, with log lift, and 4 way split.

Yellow freight came and picked it up. I am getting a full refund, including the shipping. I am out the fluids, but I split a lot of wood with it so I call that a wash. I would have loved to keep it and continue using it, but itwas completely unusable. I wish I had layed a level on it and snapped a few pics before it was picked up but it was one day after the call that they showed up to pick it up. It looked like the rolling sands of the beach!

The fiberglass filler is on the inside of the beam. Runs along the length of the seams and out the 3" to the edges of the horizontal sides.

I had the 4 way splitter repaired first. The welds were only one bead, non penetrating. Came apart the first day I used it.

I had wanted to keep it, and have them give me the $500 to have it rebuilt. I was going to use all the decent parts and put it all on a good solid rail. At first they said yes, but backed out of that offer the next day.

 

[Nailsbeats]

Harbor Freight is solid junk as a general rule.

 

[Mike Van]

I wonder if they don't 'sub out' parts, etc for these? As some seem to get a good one, others a real lemon? And maybe the quality control person [ha ha] needs thicker glasses?

 

[cityevader]

I wonder if they don't 'sub out' parts, etc for these? As some seem to get a good one, others a real lemon? And maybe the quality control person [ha ha] needs thicker glasses?

They are "subbed out" to China...really, literally, China folks far worse off than us "assemble and weld" these units for, i dunno, maybe 20 hours a day for $8 of labor... So while most components are homegrown, the assembly is not.

My 9 horse 30 ton Harbor Freight unit would be a masterpiece if I had a higher power welder with gas shield, and a bit of scrap metal and channel, and I-beam.... for brackets, expanded tank, and raised-beam-height that was also lengthened well past the axle/engine, which was also flipped 180 degrees to keep everything out of the way...

Whew!
If only I had the patience to scrounge up individual components and proper welding gear for cheap to make "my" splitter.

 

[johncinco]

Ha ha , I saw your other thread about buying a 4 way from them. I wish I had taken pics of mine all split apart. I would ask a local welding shop if they can make ya one for the $80 or less first, before buying one. It literally had ONE bead of weld holding the 2 sides together. No penetration at all. I figured I would stay out of the other thread, since I made it kinda obvious of my feelings already, but since ya stopped in here I'll say it again!

To the tune of "If I had a Hammer"

If I had a welder, I'd build you a splitter, I'd make it perfect in every waay, and you could split your wood all daaaaaaaaaaaay!

 

[cityevader]

I have the smallest Craftsman "80 amp" flux core mig welder.

Can't make a clean weld to save my life. Doesn't stick to thick stuff, blows through thin stuff.

I have made a couple decent beads with a couple 1/4" pieces, but that was luck. I can't weld to save my life.

Why couldn't I be on some reality TV show where my co-worker's life depends on my welding?

 

[LarryTheCableGuy]

I wonder if they don't 'sub out' parts, etc for these? As some seem to get a good one, others a real lemon? And maybe the quality control person [ha ha] needs thicker glasses?

I think that is probably the case, minus the quality control. I think that I got the one good Chinese welder to do mine. Long Wong "Jesse James" LOL

Whoo Hoo!

I totally agree with Nailsbeats - everything else that they sell is junk. I really lucked out with the splitter. Now I wish that they would stop sending me catalogs!

.

 

[Gooserider]

I have the smallest Craftsman "80 amp" flux core mig welder.

Can't make a clean weld to save my life. Doesn't stick to thick stuff, blows through thin stuff.

I have made a couple decent beads with a couple 1/4" pieces, but that was luck. I can't weld to save my life.

Why couldn't I be on some reality TV show where my co-worker's life depends on my welding?

Practice, practice, practice... However I'd also not that Craftsman isn't the best choice in welders (or much else for that matter these days) - just like we tell people to get a pro-grade saw, a pro-grade welder helps as well (I have a 250Amp Lincoln...) I've also never tried flux core wire, but I've heard that using solid wire w/ gas is much easier and does a better job. I know that I have relatively little trouble getting good beads on stuff with my rig... Trick is balancing the voltage / current with the wire speed.

Gooserider
(Who often runs around in a sidecar rig that I designed and built myself...)

 

[blades]

HB 30t, 8 years of use, First use unit blew off return line filter- figured I did not screw it on right. Second use after correction of filter ( same afternoon blew the filter bypass valve in 1/2, correction was to get a 1" port filter assembly from Northern tool (they had the 1/2" port model on mine) Wrote to Hb listing all this never heard a word back.
Got into a piece of elm blew the ram mount off - bad welds repaired ( I have a small machine shop) also I have bent the 2" plate at the end of the beam as well as the beam so I am just about at the time to rebuild. control valve is leaking and when it gets hot won't kick back to neutral. Briggs motor no issues there pump has been fine. Ram fine no leaks and it has been hot enough that you do not want to lean on it. Hydro tank too small. lost count of # of cords split. For the $900 I spent at purchase I am not really complaining as friends have more expensive units and have had problems also. When I do the rebuild I will beef up the weak areas and make it a 2 & 4-way interchangeable split. Would like to add a log lift though. any one have some plans sketches for this? The guys at the retailers get a tad edgy when you start pulling out a tape measure and a sketch pad.

 

[Gooserider]

More update...

Again I've got more pictures and details on the Hearth thread I mentioned earlier, but I've done some mods on the unit that have made it better...

1. I had a slight valve leak, apparently from the plug in the end opposite the spool, along with lots of other leaks, most of which were just needing to tighten things up. Called HF, and they sent a new valve, no questions asked. I just put that on, as part of the mods - it now leaks from the cap next to the spool, but not as much.

2. The big change was to flip the cylinder over in the mounts so that the ports are on the left, instead of the right, and replacing the straight connector between the lower port and the valve with a 90* elbow - net result was to move the valve lever from sticking out sideways to the right of the cylinder to sticking straight back on the left, which I find FAR easier to operate.

I did have to make a bunch of other changes to the plumbing to make this work, as the hoses were to short, and the fittings didn't work. Since the valve just rotated 90*, I was able to keep the pressure line to the upper cylinder port unchanged. I had to replace the 90* on the valve return fitting with a 45* (to clear the cylinder) and a straight hose barb. On the tank / filter end, I had to put a 90* elbow between the tank and filter to re-aim the filter, and a straight hosebarb instead of a 90* to make the low pressure line work. The high pressure line required a bunch of (expen$ive ) fittings cobbled together to make it connect on the valve end, and it was still short so I added a tee and 3,000psi pressure guage on the pump end.

3. Having a pressure guage on the machine is interesting. Once warmed up, it seems that moving the cylinder up or down takes 1-200lbs, and most logs go at under 500. The really gnarly stuff gets up to 1500 or so, but I seldom see more. However holding the lever down at either end of travel over-ranges the guage before the pressure relief pops, and the upstroke detent goes over 1500 before it kicks out - I need to find a valve manual to see how to adjust both.

4. I used a drill and some metal stamps to put length marks along the beam every 2" from 12" to 22" - this is a handy way to measure splits as you go, possibly to sort by size, or just to reject the ones that got cut to long.

5. Since my typical round is about 18", I'd like to have an easily adjustable way to do an early automatic stop on the upstroke, so that I wouldn't have to wait for the ram to come back down. My log ejector sticks out about 3" past the piston, so I'd thought of drilling a series of holes in it, and putting a bolt through so that the top of the wedge would hit the bolt and kick out the upstroke detent early... Didn't work, turned a 1/2" bolt into a :censored: pretzel...

Gooserider