Wedge Bolt Strength

[bruiser 1]

Just was wondering! Getting 28 TON SPEECO splitter ready for Winter, and I was looking at the bolt that attaches my wedge to the ram and I believe it's a Grade 5 Bolt, So my questions are. #1 would it be better to have a Grade 5 bolt than a Grade 8? My theory is when I get into some really KNARLY stuff or a crotch the Grade 5 would shear or break and NOT possibly cause damage to my RAM cylinder( Bolts cheaper than RAM)#2 or Replace Grade 8 and take my chances that it being stronger and plow on through the KNOT,CROTCH, OAK etc, you get the idea.

 

[mga]

shouldn't be that kind of force on the wedge when it's attached to the ram.

i wouldn't worry about it.

 

[PA Plumber]

Wouldn't the bolt only take load when you are trying to get a stuck log off of the wedge?

 

[Ole Farmerbuck]

I think i have sheared 2 bolts.

 

[husky362]

unless your shearing them constantly i would keep it a grade 5

think of them as a safety switch, if your shearing them, your putting alot of load on them ........ will your splitter handle a grade 8 maybe,,,, will it damage something else, like you said,,,,,,,,,,,,, bolts are cheap

get a few spare grade 5 just in case

 

[cityevader]

My harbor freight wedge-on-ram splitter has sheared every bolt i put on it.

But...the last one I left bobbling in place, and it hasn't gone anywhere since.

With it tightened down, much stress is placed on it since the wedge can't "float" and wobble with the grain. With the last broken bolt left as-is acting as a "pin" instead, the wedge wobbles all over within it's 3/4" sideplay against the beam and I haven't touched it since.

 

[drmiller100]

grade 5 is softer.

grade 8 is harder, and more brittle.

if you break bolts every week, then try grade 8. but, if you have grade 8, and break once a month, try grade 5. maybe the vibration of wood popping and banging apart will shatter the grade 8.

in any case, pretty hard to hurt the main shaft of a ram. just run it as is, and fix it if it breaks.

 

[mga]

maybe i should look at one of those, but it seems the brunt of the force against the wedge should be absorbed by the ram....not by the bolts...unless it's a design flaw.(?)

on a splitter with a stationary wedge, the end of the ram rests against the push plate, and a simple pin is all that's needed to hold it in place. in this set-up, there is much more force against the ram and push-plate, yet no pins or bolts are shearing.

with a moving wedge, the back of it should rest against the ram, using the bolts only for mounting purposes. is there a space between the wedge and the end of the ram?

can someone post a picture of the wedge and ram attachment?

 

[2ridgebacks]

grade 5 is softer.

grade 8 is harder, and more brittle.

if you break bolts every week, then try grade 8. but, if you have grade 8, and break once a month, try grade 5. maybe the vibration of wood popping and banging apart will shatter the grade 8.

in any case, pretty hard to hurt the main shaft of a ram. just run it as is, and fix it if it breaks.

+1 on this.

 

[PA Plumber]

maybe i should look at one of those, but it seems the brunt of the force against the wedge should be absorbed by the ram....not by the bolts...unless it's a design flaw.(?)

on a splitter with a stationary wedge, the end of the ram rests against the push plate, and a simple pin is all that's needed to hold it in place. in this set-up, there is much more force against the ram and push-plate, yet no pins or bolts are shearing.

with a moving wedge, the back of it should rest against the ram, using the bolts only for mounting purposes. is there a space between the wedge and the end of the ram?

can someone post a picture of the wedge and ram attachment?

Yep. My splitter was "eating" bolts. Put in a spacer so the ram and the wedge were in contact for the splitting part of the operation. No trouble since.

 

[RAYINTOMBALL]

Keep it at grade 5 . I've sheared 3 bolts on my splitter in the past year on about 20 cords of wood. I look at it as normal maintenance. I keep about 5 bolts and nuts in my tool box and restock when I get down to 2. Good luck and happy splitting.

 

[mga]

Yep. My splitter was "eating" bolts. Put in a spacer so the ram and the wedge were in contact for the splitting part of the operation. No trouble since.

thanks.

doing that was the only logical answer, or fix, to the problem as i understand it. the bolts should not be shearing.