3 pt Log Splitter

[zilla24]

Found a log splitter locally on CL and would appreciate a sanity check on whether my tractor can handle it or not. The splitter is a Speeco 400197 that runs off the tractors remotes, I would like to use it on my Mahindra 3510 gear tractor. From what I can find my tractor is rated at 6.4 GPM? The splitter requires a range of 6-25 GPM. Am I risking damaging the pump on my tractor to run this splitter? Seems like a nice heavy duty unit. Asking price is $450, not sure what they go for? It seems this model has been discontinued from Speeco.

 

[Agvg]

No, you will not damaging the pump, had the pump flow been much higher than the spesification on the splitter you would have built up heat.

 

[LouNY]

No, you won't hurt your tractor,
you will find that the splitting speed is a bit slow as your flow rate is at the low end of the recommended range.

 

[/pine]

Be aware that to get the maximum GPM from the tractor it will likely have to run at maximum safe RPMs...

 

[zilla24]

thank you all, appreciate the feedback. I haven't yet used the remotes on this tractor (its a 2005 with 1300hrs), is it as simple as plugging in the lines and away the splitter goes? Or do I have to engage the flow lever one way or another?

 

[Agvg]

Be aware that to get the maximum GPM from the tractor it will likely have to run at maximum safe RPMs...

Which tractors are designed to do for thousand of hours.

 

[/pine]

Which tractors are designed to do for thousand of hours.

Nobody said they weren't...but it can be quite foolish to burn a maximum amount of fuel on a 35 HP tractor just to split wood...duh!

 

[LouNY]

thank you all, appreciate the feedback. I haven't yet used the remotes on this tractor (its a 2005 with 1300hrs), is it as simple as plugging in the lines and away the splitter goes? Or do I have to engage the flow lever one way or another?

Yes, you will need to plug the hoses from the splitter into the tractor remote,
then if and it should be an open center valve on the splitter,
you will need to put your remote into a full flow mode,
if your valve has a detent which will hold the valve in position your all set,
if not you will need a bungee cord to hold the tractor valve in the on position.

Be aware that which port you connect to on your valve to the splitter can make a difference.
It sounds like you are not familiar with using remote hydraulics.

Many times on a piece of equipment which has it's own control valve it is desirable to only have one line connect to the remotes outlets.
Picking up pressure from the remote when activated and supplying that pressure to the implement valves input port.
With the return from the implement returning directly to the tank (reservoir) of the tractor.
With this type of arrangement it is not possible to reverse feed a remote valve which could possible damage it or cause some motors or operations to run backwards.

When you operate your tractors remote valve in one direction you apply pressure to one port connection and the other port opens for a return to tank,
when the tractors remote is operated in the other direction the port that was a return to tank is now the pressure port and the previous pressure port is now the return to tank.
In the center position neither port is open to return or supply.

 

[zilla24]

Yes, you will need to plug the hoses from the splitter into the tractor remote,
then if and it should be an open center valve on the splitter,
you will need to put your remote into a full flow mode,
if your valve has a detent which will hold the valve in position your all set,
if not you will need a bungee cord to hold the tractor valve in the on position.

Be aware that which port you connect to on your valve to the splitter can make a difference.
It sounds like you are not familiar with using remote hydraulics.

Many times on a piece of equipment which has it's own control valve it is desirable to only have one line connect to the remotes outlets.
Picking up pressure from the remote when activated and supplying that pressure to the implement valves input port.
With the return from the implement returning directly to the tank (reservoir) of the tractor.
With this type of arrangement it is not possible to reverse feed a remote valve which could possible damage it or cause some motors or operations to run backwards.

When you operate your tractors remote valve in one direction you apply pressure to one port connection and the other port opens for a return to tank,
when the tractors remote is operated in the other direction the port that was a return to tank is now the pressure port and the previous pressure port is now the return to tank.
In the center position neither port is open to return or supply.

Your correct I don't have much experience with remote hydraulics, to be honest I've never had the need until now. I apologize in advance for the elementary questions...

My tractor has what I'm assuming is a normally centered remote valve. I will have to check to see if has a detent or not, thinking it does not. If I'm understanding you correctly I would need to figure out which direction on the valve (fwd or backward) activates each port on the rear of the tractor. Once I find that I would then hook up that line and turn the remote valve in that direction?

In another scenario if the splitter was normally centered and the tractor was normally centered (which is what I think to be the case), would one just hook up both lines and operate the splitter from the valve there?

 

[Agvg]

Nobody said they weren't...but it can be quite foolish to burn a maximum amount of fuel on a 35 HP tractor just to split wood...duh!

The horrible noise of 1 cyl gasengine at 3600rpm is a pain, and does the tractor use that more fuel? Have a Mf135 and it runs for a longe time on 10l diesel.

 

[Industrial Toys]

If a hydraulic lever has a detent, it's most often for float position. Larger tractors may have a position to run hydraulic motors. I am guessing that there is a bunjie cord in your future holding the lever in position.

I do think it will be terribly slow. I hope you have an up or side swept exhaust.

 

[LouNY]

Your correct I don't have much experience with remote hydraulics, to be honest I've never had the need until now. I apologize in advance for the elementary questions...

My tractor has what I'm assuming is a normally centered remote valve. I will have to check to see if has a detent or not, thinking it does not. If I'm understanding you correctly I would need to figure out which direction on the valve (fwd or backward) activates each port on the rear of the tractor. Once I find that I would then hook up that line and turn the remote valve in that direction?

In another scenario if the splitter was normally centered and the tractor was normally centered (which is what I think to be the case), would one just hook up both lines and operate the splitter from the valve there?

Yes most likely both your tractors remote and the log splitter are open center valves.
Yes you could hook up the two lines from the spliter to the tractors two remote ports for it's valve.
Then using a bungee to hold your tractors remote on, your splitter valve should now operate.
The only issue is that it is easily possible to supply pressure to the log splitters valve return to tank which would be reverse flow,
which could damage the log splitters valve.

The splitters that I have used when you moved the splitter valve to retract the ram
it had a detent so you could release the lever and the ram would continue to retract till it reached the end of it's travel at
which time the vavle would kick free of the detent and return to center,
after putting your new log on the splitter you would move the control valve handle to extend the ram and drive the splitter head
through the piece of wood as soon as you release the valve handle it would center and the cylinder would cease traveling,
you would start the retract mode and repeat till done.

 

[zilla24]

I found the manual for the splitter online, control of the valve appears to operate exactly as you have described it Lou. There is also a note in there detailing how imperative it is to make sure the pressure line (from tractor) is hooked up to the inlet side of the valve.

Now it seems the biggest challenge for me to determine which remote is activated when I push the lever forward or back, I'm going to have to break out the manual for that.

 

[Industrial Toys]

No harm to be done. Trial and error.

 

[ericm979]

Open center is the usual on CUTS, and on splitters.

You want to fix the tractor remote lever in place and operate the splitter using the splitter's valve. Having to go back to the tractor to operate the valve will make splitting a real pain. Also most splitter valves detent on the return stroke so you don't have to sit there holding while retracting the ram and can go stack your new splits or fetch a new round.

With a 4x24 cylinder (according to the manual) and 6.5 gpm a full stroke (splitting direction) will take about 12 seconds. The return stroke will be somewhat faster but still slow. If it's got a 1.5" rod the cycle time will be about 22 seconds. That's considered long. You'll be waiting a lot.

Your typical low-mid range homeowner standalone splitter has a two speed pump with a high speed around 16 gpm. The two speed pump automatically shifts to low speed under heavy load. For my splitter that's only the toughest logs. It's cycle time on a 4.5x24 cylinder is about 14 seconds which is still a bit long. I often am spending time waiting for the next stroke and often short stroke it since I'm splitting 16" rounds.

You might think oh 8 seconds that's nothing. But add that up for the hundreds of splits that make up a cord and it'll be something. Of course it depends on how fast you move. If you move slow then the long cycle time might not be a problem. If you're reasonably quick and have a normal amount of (im)patience it will probably be frustrating.

A standalone splitter often makes higher peak hydraulic pressures than a tractor, which translates into more splitting force for those tough logs.

Even though it will be close to "full throttle" the tractor won't be consuming as much fuel as if you were really working it. Since the power demand will be low the governor will add enough fuel to overcome the engine's internal resistance to running that rpm and then add what's needed to pump 6.5 gpm at the pressure that's required, which won't be much.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have found that on tractors with modest GPM hydraulics, the increase in RPM (and noise) usually doesn't justify the marginal increase in RAM speed. It is what it is.

 

[zilla24]

Thanks everyone, I really am learning a lot I appreciate the insight. I like the idea of the 3pt splitter as it can move around with me where I'm cutting and I also like the idea of not maintaining another gas engine.

I intend to look at the manual for direction, if that does not produce satisfactory results is there an easy method to test direction at the tractor?

 

[LouNY]

I found the manual for the splitter online, control of the valve appears to operate exactly as you have described it Lou. There is also a note in there detailing how imperative it is to make sure the pressure line (from tractor) is hooked up to the inlet side of the valve.

Now it seems the biggest challenge for me to determine which remote is activated when I push the lever forward or back, I'm going to have to break out the manual for that.

To me the easiest way would be to look at the splitter and find the correct line to supply the splitter with and mark it well,
then I would remove what ever fitting is on the return line.
Securely tie that line to something substantial and into a bucket,
At the tractor connect the line feeding the splitter into one of your remotes ports,
briefly and gently operate the tractors remote lever in one direction,
if you get flow into the bucket you have the operation for the port you selected and the way you moved the operating lever,
if no flow move the operating lever in the other direction and now you should have flow into the bucket.
(all this is assuming you only have one rear remote on your tractor).
Once you have determined which way to operate your tractors remote to get flow you have to decide if that is the operational method
you desire. If you would rather move the tractors control lever in the other direction for your splitter (it may be easier to bungee it)
then move the splitters supply line to the other tractor port and verify that you get flow with the desire operation.
Mark those connections so as to be able to remember them.
Reconnect your quick coupler to the return line and connect to the open port.

Good luck,
it's some what confusing to write things out that would be so much simpler to just do.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have never damaged a splitter plugging it in backwards and I'm sure I have done that. It only takes a second to determine if it's right. In neutral, oil is just flowing from one hose to another anyway.

Do yourself a favour and mark one outlet and hose end with a colored zip tie once you figure it out.

 

[ptsg]

I run a splitter of the remotes on my tractor. It has a 80 mm or 3 1/8" bore. It's not the faster thing in the world, neither the slowest one. Works at a very decent speed for my needs.

I run the tractor at around 1500 RPMs, which puts out around 5.3 GPM. The thing that doesn't make it so slow, is that I just use a regular valve on it. No auto return features, so I don't have to fully stroke it, each time I put a log on it. I retract just what I need for the next log.

I too hate having another engine making noise and wasting fuel, specially with the gas at $7.46/gal over here versus the diesel at around $5.7/gal.

Usually, I split wood about 3 or 4 times a year, so this setup works well for me. Then again, what works for some, might not work for someone else.

For the price you're getting it, I wouldn't think twice.