Splitters, Potholes, Winching

[Kydan]

The first time and last time I towed my splitter was around 45 miles one way, up to speeds 40 MPH but much much slower speeds with traffic and potholes..Yes it freaked me out ! But never again!. I did a search trying to find some good pics or suggestions on a setup to winching a log splitter on the back of a f150pickup truck or similar. ''Not Much found''.. I'm in need of something practical when you got to load it by yourself. Anyone have a electric remote winch setup or something nice ? O' yea I'm talking about my MTD 25 ton, and anyone else who has a splitter in that category who don't want to tow, and need loading it by their self in the back of pickup truck.

 

[bowtechmadman]

Used snowmobile trailers work well. Deck much lower than bed of an F150, and they tilt. Pick them up used pretty reasonable, change the bearings and your all set. Easy to winch or push up w/ the tilt bed.

 

[darren_nh]

I don't know Ky, USA terrain. I use a hill and 8' 2x8 ramps to load mine. I park the truck down the hill to decrease the angle of the ramps. I can load it alone. I just have to careful not to let it go through the rear window. I hardly ever trailer mine except around the yard or the neighborhood.

 

[ckr74]

An old boat trailer modified might work too. Seen a few of those around.

 

[savageactor7]

Kydan sure you can cable pulley the splitter up ramps. You'll do that 2 or 3 times before calling BS then buy a small utility trailer thinking ... 'this is so great maybe I should have gotten a bigger trailer.'

 

[DanManofStihl]

I pulled my north star spilter around daily when I did tree work I never had a problem just keep the bearings greased really well and I put high speed highway tires on it. The 4.80 by 8 tires on it my spilter probably had 3000 miles on it and I never had a issue. I thought about putting the spilter in the bed of the truck but then where would I put the wood I split?

 

[rcbuehler]

A couple of thoughts

The first time and last time I towed my splitter was around 45 miles one way, up to speeds 40 MPH but much much slower speeds with traffic and potholes..Yes it freaked me out ! But never again!. I did a search trying to find some good pics or suggestions on a setup to winching a log splitter on the back of a f150pickup truck or similar. ''Not Much found''.. I'm in need of something practical when you got to load it by yourself. Anyone have a electric remote winch setup or something nice ? O' yea I'm talking about my MTD 25 ton, and anyone else who has a splitter in that category who don't want to tow, and need loading it by their self in the back of pickup truck.

What is your concern with towing this? I have towed a northern 22 ton with no problems. But I also wasn't going 45 miles. My biggest problem was that I could not see the splitter from the driver's seat once it was hooked up. I was thinking of putting a couple of poles that are used for marking the ends of a snow plow on the splitter, next to the wheels, so that i can see the splitter location.
The next biggest problem that i had was backing it up. Again mostly because i couldn't see it unless i dropped the tailgate. It worked OK getting to the wood but once the bed was loaded with the split pieces it was a pain again.
And don't forget the safety chains........

 

[K7NUT]

What is your concern with towing this?

I have to go with Kyden on this one. I've pulled my friends MTD 25 ton before, just around the hood, never up cutting. I get nervous too, you can't see it, like rc says and I'm afraid of it hopping from a pothole and flipping or who knows what! Let's face it, with how important that piece of machinery is, it stands to reason why one might be apprehensive to tow it alot. I don't know about you's guys, but I can't afford my own splitter yet and if I did have one and ruined it from towing it, I could never forgive myself!

 

[Kydan]

You guy's are not kidding when you say ya can't see that thing going down the road. I had to duct tape a spot flag just to get a glimpse of it being back there. And yes' the first time I hand cable winch it in the back of the truck just to find out that one foot from being in the truck the vertical engine bottom mount pump lack about a 1/4 inch clearance was dragging the ramp. Lucky I didn't damage the pump in a pothole when towing. I'm not usually having to moving it around to want to buy a trailer just to use it at a distance splitting wood for friends a few times a year and not bringing wood back. Has anyone used one of them power in/out portable electric winches they sell on ebay with a crank handle,? I was wondering if there just junk. Masterlock makes one but it's only power in, And does look kind cheap Some claim to have enough power in 150.00 range. I thought also it would be nice to winch my riding mower, and any other junk I could think to drag in the truck, If I could rig it up. Didn't want to buy a real expensive permanent mount, some thief would just borrow it.

 

[jwfirebird]

you could do like i did for my wheeler, weld the winch mounting bracket to a trailer hitch and get some 2in. inside diameter square stock and make a mount for the truck. 5/8 hitch pin. run wires up to were the winch is going to be and get wing nuts to mount the wires to the winch. now you can run another set of wires to the back and use the winch there too. and you can lock it up when not in use.

 

[Dan_IN_MN]

Didn't want to buy a real expensive permanent mount, some thief would just borrow it.

Isn't part of borrowing bringing it back?

 

[rcbuehler]

My apology.

I have to go with Kyden on this one. I've pulled my friends MTD 25 ton before, just around the hood, never up cutting. I get nervous too, you can't see it, like rc says and I'm afraid of it hopping from a pothole and flipping or who knows what! Let's face it, with how important that piece of machinery is, it stands to reason why one might be apprehensive to tow it alot. I don't know about you's guys, but I can't afford my own splitter yet and if I did have one and ruined it from towing it, I could never forgive myself!

Sorry. I didn't mean this to sound like I was questioning his desire to not tow it. I was just wondering what his concerns were. My biggest problem is visibility of it behind the vehicle.

 

[046]

towing your splitter at high speeds is generally not a good idea... there's been too many documented cases of folks flipping splitter and destroying it.

the exception is splitters designed to be towed at speeds... these generally have full sized tires, suspension and costs $6k+. backing up is a pita... but not as bad as destroying your brand new splitter. like someone from a recent post did.

 

[371groundie]

heres a redneck idea. if you have a good point of attachment in the front of the bed, hook a chain to that and the ram on your splitter. now start the splitter and move the ram so that it pushes itself into the truck. block it up, reset the chain shorter and run the ram again.

kinda like a poor mans comealong. remember, do what you can, with what you have, where you are.

 

[WetBehindtheEar]

I did it...

I borrowed my buddy's splitter and towed it down the highway - carefully. I got to the off ramp 2 miles from home and made the left-hand turn CAREFULLY... then the guy behind me starts honking and I hear "SCRCCHHHCHCHCH" coming from behind me....

oh... sh*t... I just bought my good freind a new splitter.

I felt (still feel) like a total jack-azz. The guy trusted me with his stuff because he knows I treat it better than he does, and this is what happens.

I broke the control handle off - plus bent up a bunch of plumbing.

It's like I got invited to a party and then defecated in the front yard.

Most of the Northern Tool/Home Depot/Farm&Fleet (made by MTD) models have un-sprung axles and VERY narrow wheel spacing. Narrow spacing, high center of gravity and couple of bumps over expansion joints can have one of these things hopping back and forth without any trouble.

 

[046]

YIKES!!!!

I borrowed my buddy's splitter and towed it down the highway - carefully. I got to the off ramp 2 miles from home and made the left-hand turn CAREFULLY... then the guy behind me starts honking and I hear "SCRCCHHHCHCHCH" coming from behind me....

oh... sh*t... I just bought my good freind a new splitter.

I felt (still feel) like a total jack-azz. The guy trusted me with his stuff because he knows I treat it better than he does, and this is what happens.

I broke the control handle off - plus bent up a bunch of plumbing.

It's like I got invited to a party and then defecated in the front yard.

Most of the Northern Tool/Home Depot/Farm&Fleet (made by MTD) models have un-sprung axles and VERY narrow wheel spacing. Narrow spacing, high center of gravity and couple of bumps over expansion joints can have one of these things hopping back and forth without any trouble.

 

[pickwood]

Backing the splitter was a pain until I made a plywood box with a 3' high side that slips over the splitting plate. I added some reflectors on the rear for night travel and it makes it alot easier to back up.

 

[Kydan]

heres a redneck idea. if you have a good point of attachment in the front of the bed, hook a chain to that and the ram on your splitter. now start the splitter and move the ram so that it pushes itself into the truck. block it up, reset the chain shorter and run the ram again.

kinda like a poor mans comealong. remember, do what you can, with what you have, where you are.

Believe it or not, I thought of that and it probably would work, It's good knowing I'm not alone thinking of redneck ideal's... Lol