Towable splitter?

[Laroo]

Hey all, been researching splitters, and was just wondering if there was a brand/model out there that you can hook on and go? I know that they are all "towable" for the most part, but if you ever want to exceed school zone speeds you are out of luck. Does anybody make a splitter that can be safely towed at highway speeds, or will I need to build it myself, or just load it on a trailer? I know this subject has probably been discussed before, but hey at least I'm not asking what brand and at what ratio of used oil is best to pour on my woodpile.:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[KiwiBro]

To be honest I don't think the speeds make much difference.

Even if you pushed the splitter yourself, you'll still outrun the tree.

You're Welcome.

But yes, I'm also keen to see what highway towable options are out there as I need to convert a super split to tow it around legally.

 

[Locust Cutter]

Only the really expensive ones... Built-rite, Timber-Wolf, etc... I'm sure there are others. I haven't seen any UNDER $4700.00 though... A Super-Split and a single axle 6x12 trailer (new) are less than that combined...:yoyo:

 

[Mac88]

Or a home built one, with "towability" designed into the project.

 

[Swamp Yankee]

Have to check the manual but.

When I got my Timberwolf TW-2HD the dealer told me when towing to keep speeds under 45 mph. I've never had the need to exceed that recommendation, but considering there is no suspension and cost to repair or replace if it flips and gets dragged I can live with that speed limit. When towing a splitter, you cannot see what the heck is going on back there so i prefer to err on the side of caution.

As to towing a Super Split over the road, when I called the company and inquired the owner , I believe his name was Paul, straight out told me to forget it. The SS is so top heavy it's like trying to tow a portable cement mixer. Those were his exact words, not mine. The DR model was not even offered with any kind of option for towing. I can say for a fact that when my friend trailered his DR over to my landing to test it out, moving it over the uneven terrain / logging road 150 ft from the pavement was an absolute nightmare. It tipped over twice and I finally had to go home get my tractor. and jury rig it into the bucket and carry it in and out. In short, by the time we got the DR to the wood I could have easily processed at least a cord or cord and a half through my T'Wolf.

Don't know if this helps, but it's my experience.

Take Care

 

[JRepairsK70e]

my american cls has 13" wheels and tires ,and tows quite nicely at highway speeds . I check /and repack wheel bearings before any trips over 75 miles . A very well built machine .JK

 

[A.E. Metal Werx]

That's really a good subject. I build all my splitters for good highway manners (speeds up to and at times over 70-75). But with that being said that makes the splitter a little hard to maneuver in the timber and behind a mower- utv (high tung height).

 

[mikey517]

What do you consider highway speed; 55 mph? I just purchased the Ariens 27 ton splitter and towed it home on a highway. I kept the speed around 45-50 mph for the 25 mile trip with no problems.

But, like Swamp Yankee said, you can't really see behind you (not like towing a boat), so slow is better anyway (and I - being a devoute chicken - dropped the tailgate so I could keep an eye on it.)

 

[D&B Mack]

Only the really expensive ones... Built-rite, Timber-Wolf, etc... I'm sure there are others. I haven't seen any UNDER $4700.00 though... A Super-Split and a single axle 6x12 trailer (new) are less than that combined...:yoyo:

:agree2:

Buy a huskee splitter $1k to $1,800 and a 5'x10' for $900-$1k and you will still be less than one of the high end splitters that comes with a highway undercarriage.

 

[ponyexpress976]

Even with the "commercial" production units a certain phrase comes to mind..."just because you can, DOES NOT mean that you should". I have a TW-6 and the only time I ever towed it a long distance was to get it home. It has the large highway tires but since it has no suspension, I felt every pebble it rolled over on the way home. Ever since, it's been a "trailer queen" hitchin a ride. While the -6 isn't nearly as bad as some of the other models out there, log splitters have way to high a center of gravity to be towed safely...all it takes is one "oh crap, that's the turn I need to take" moment and you'll be picking pieces of splitter out of the ditch on the far side of the road.

 

[A.E. Metal Werx]

Even with the "commercial" production units a certain phrase comes to mind..."just because you can, DOES NOT mean that you should". I have a TW-6 and the only time I ever towed it a long distance was to get it home. It has the large highway tires but since it has no suspension, I felt every pebble it rolled over on the way home. Ever since, it's been a "trailer queen" hitchin a ride. While the -6 isn't nearly as bad as some of the other models out there, log splitters have way to high a center of gravity to be towed safely...all it takes is one "oh crap, that's the turn I need to take" moment and you'll be picking pieces of splitter out of the ditch on the far side of the road.

I mostly agree with all your points. One thing to consider is the design, most splitters out there are very top heavy by design. With that being said i have seen a few builds on here that the design with the center of gravity low, you can tell they have done there research and spend a good amount of time into the build. I have no worries at all when it comes to towing my splitters but there designed with towing in mind.

 

[WidowMaker]

There are many, many threads here about splitter builds, towing, horz vs verticle, use the search.
We mounted ours, a Speeco 35 ton, on a set of rails mounted into a Toyota pick box. It slides out on the rails, can be used in horz or verticle position. Since building a log lift in has not been used in the verticle position. It can be set up for use by one person, or in my case, old man with a bad back, 1/2 a person, in about 3 or 4 minutes..search for splitter or log lift under my name you'll find it along with pictures...

===
Its a 100 mile round trip for us to get to the woods so it has to move at hiway speeds, which it does without any problems at all and the extra room in the trailer carries all our tools, gear and saws...works great...

 

[ponyexpress976]

I mostly agree with all your points. One thing to consider is the design, most splitters out there are very top heavy by design. With that being said i have seen a few builds on here that the design with the center of gravity low, you can tell they have done there research and spend a good amount of time into the build. I have no worries at all when it comes to towing my splitters but there designed with towing in mind.

There are definitely trade offs and compromises in every design aspect. I'd gladly spend a little more if my splitter had some torsion axles under it....if the wife ever backs over it again.... Beam height being in a comfortable position to work all day can make it very top heavy. Wide stance of the tires makes it tough to manuever etc.

 

[leon]

towing wood splitters is big no no

Even with the "commercial" production units a certain phrase comes to mind..."just because you can, DOES NOT mean that you should". I have a TW-6 and the only time I ever towed it a long distance was to get it home. It has the large highway tires but since it has no suspension, I felt every pebble it rolled over on the way home. Ever since, it's been a "trailer queen" hitchin a ride. While the -6 isn't nearly as bad as some of the other models out there, log splitters have way to high a center of gravity to be towed safely...all it takes is one "oh crap, that's the turn I need to take" moment and you'll be picking pieces of splitter out of the ditch on the far side of the road.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

I agree with pony express976 about this issue entirely as log splitters
are top heavy and my Timberwolf behaves the same way being towed.


I have a two ton dump trailer witha landscape gate/ramp with heavy D ring anchors in the floor
to transport it and the tractors wherever I need to take them.

 

[stihl023/5]

Never have towed mine except to and from the shed. And I wont loan it so not a problem. I built it for towing though.:msp_unsure:

 

[half]

towable splitters

Most of the new zealand made ones are road legal with lights, springs ect and have good towing manners,70 mph no problem. but most of the chinese ones would be a horror story, little wheels, narrow track, top heavy, no springs. 30 mph would be scarey, on tarmac


http://www.brentsmithtrailers.co.nz/log-splitters.html

 

[Mac88]

Most of the new zealand made ones are road legal with lights, springs ect and have good towing manners,70 mph no problem. but most of the chinese ones would be a horror story, little wheels, narrow track, top heavy, no springs. 30 mph would be scarey, on tarmac


Log Splitters - Brent Smith Trailers

That 14 hp horizontal looks amazingly like the 35 year old relic sitting in my back yard, built on a pop-up camper chassis. It used to be road-able, but we do all our splitting at home now.

 

[WidowMaker]

Those are great looking splitters, but the horzinal unit still looks top heavy to me, specially for some of our off camber, rutted rough mountian roads...