Splitter broke

[husky455rancher]

Hey guys I’ve been away a long while. I got a log truck load delivered and was all ready to go and twenty mins into splitting a line broke off. Now I’m no log splitter guru so I’ll explain it best I can. There’s two lines coming from the tank. One is a 3/4-1” hose that’s just clamped onto the fittings. I assume this is the return then?

the one that broke is a 1/2” pipe that’s welded to the tank. The end of the pipe is threaded into A 90 degree elbow then runs up to the filter. The threads broke off the pipe into the 90 degree elbow.

I tried to retread the pipe but I could not get it started and yes I had the die facing the correct way. Should I cap it off somehow and drill and tap a 1/2” npt into the tank? Is there anyreal pressure on any of these fittings?

any info would be great thanks

 

[kevin j]

Pics?
Just follow the lines. The 1 inch is probably pump suction. The half inch is probably return line form valve, through filter, to tank. It might be 25 psi before the filter, but almost 0 if at the tank.
Can you slip a hose over it? 1/2 NPT is .84 OD pipe.

 

[husky455rancher]

I didn’t take any tonight. I can tomorrow. Could I do something as simple as a plumbing fitting or a piece of hose clamped over the outside of the pipe on the tank then for now at least?

 

[husky455rancher]

Maybe this thing if the hose is a bad idea just till I come up with something Permanent

 

[Huskybill]

Any pics?

A return line you can put a hose over the pipe with double clamps. I built splitters with 1/2” hoses for working pressures, 3/4” for return line and 1” suction. I put a screen filter on the suction line in the tank and a micro filter on the suction hose.

 

[4seasons]

From you tank you should have 2 lines. One line should go to the pump and is most of the time bigger. That is the suction line and it actually sees negative pressure. Any hose that won't collapse and can handle some heat will work there. The only time it will have pressure is when you shut off the splitter and the heat expands the tank. The other line is the return line from the valve. Most of the time it will be where the filter is as well. It will see a little pressure, but no where near splitting force pressure. The only time it will have significant pressure is if the line gets clogged up with something and most the time the filter will blow first.

From your description it sounds like your return line broke. Most likely something hit the elbow while towing and cracked the pipe. A good design will have that pipe penetrate the tank and end near the bottom behind a baffle. Not all splitters are built this way, and most work fine without it going to the bottom with a baffle. That design is to prevent aeration and to help cool the fluid. Many splitters get by by simply dumping the fluid back into the top of the tank.
Your best fix you already tried by retheading the pipe. Be cautious about getting and metal filings in the tank obviously. You may have already drained the tank when the line busted in which case you can use some of your old fluid to flush the tank after you fix it. Did you try grinding a taper edge on the end of the pipe to give the die an easier start?
You could also try flairing the end and using a slip on fit with a hose clamp as a temporary solution. The next best fix would be to weld on a new fitting where it broke.
If there simply isn't enough pipe left to do anything with, first look and feel the inside of the pipe to see if it continues into the tank. If it is just a nipple welded on the outside then you can plug it and drill and tap a new hole. The better option would be to weld a flange or bushing to the tank and the thread a new nipple on. If the old pipe is plumbed into the tank, you can duplicate that design by drilling a hole for the outside diameter of the pipe, insert a nipple so that it ends about an inch from the opposite wall and then weld it in place.

 

[husky455rancher]

I did try tapering the pipe before I tried threading it. I bought some low pressure hydraulic hose to slip over the 1/2” pipe for now till I do something more permanent. This is an old ram splitter I bought off eBay maybe 15 years ago. I just put a new engine in it right before winter. I’ve modified this thing quite a lot to make it a fairly decent splitter. Occasionally I find something it can’t split but it’s rare. I don’t even remember the tonnage.

I’m wondering if the addition of the filter attributed to the pipe breaking. With the weight of the filter and housing along with vibration it probably didn’t do it any favors. The filter has been on for many years. I did all thesemods when I was in my mid 20s and I would do some of them differently if I was to do them now.

It used the frame as a hydraulic tank. It’s way undersized I think it holds just over a gallon!! Way back when I decided to cut a huge slot in the back of the tank and weld a tank I made to the factory tank that held another gallon or so of fluid. I covered it in heat sinks that actually work quite well. It had always super slowly seeped fluid in one corner and I can’t get it to stop leaking. I do like the bushing idea. The splitter is compact. So there isn’t a ton of room to add fittings and whatnot. I suppose if I just removed the filter and just ran a hose I’d probly never have a problem. It never had a filter on it till I put on on it maybe 5 years ago. I split 5-8 cord a year.

 

[kevin j]

Mount the filter on a bracket somewhere and run a short hose from filter to the stub on the tank. Those could be barb and hose clamps, or slip over the pipe stub.