3-Point Hitch 3Pt Hitch Log Splitter

[dlearyfun]

This is a stab in the dark but I am hoping someone out there might have experience with using a hydraulic log splitter on a Mahindra. I am hoping maybe on a model 4110. Any experience, good or bad would be helpful. There are many brands and prices seem to range over a sizable area. I expect I will be felling, cutting and splitting 7 or 8 cords or more a year. I have done some research already and opinion seems about even on using tractor hydraulics versus buying a splitter with its own motor. One of my original justifications for buying my tractor was the ability of using the tractor to do many jobs instead of buying a bunch of seperate machines. For this reason, I am leaning heavily on the side of 3 pt hitch splitter.

 

[SPYDERLK]

You will pay as much or more for a decent 3ph splitter as you would for an equal capacity standalone. The standalone will have a speed advantage because they use 2 stage pumps that sense pressure and shift to a lower GPH delivery when you encounter a tuf log, but delivery hi gpm otherwise. They work very well and they dont tie up your tractor. The only disadvantage is youve got another engine to look after - stabilized gas should be used just before letting it sit idle over the summer to prevent the carburetor from gumming up.
larry

 

[Worthington]

I use one quite often, its about as fast as the standalone ones. We sell them for around 900 at my store.

 

[Slacker]

I've got a Northern Fool 3 pt model. It's worked fine so far. My tractor hydraulics power it fine. I like being able to adjust how high up I want it.
It does lower my turning radius by a good margin, but no more than the backhoe does. I like mine, glad I didn't get the standalone. Takes up too much space, tires to go flat, another small engine to maintain etc.


BTW, I grew up in Embden, ME, not far from Monson. Is there still a big rock quarry in Monson?

 

[ToadHill]

I like the stand alone type, I've had both but with the stand alone I can roll the chunks into the tractor bucket , lift the bucket to a hight that allows me to just swing the piece onto the splitter and toss the split pieces into the other end of the bucket. Then dump the split pieces into my truck for transport.

It saves a lot of morning back problems for these old bones.

 

[dlearyfun]

Just wanted to thank all of you who offered advice. Much appreciated. I have learned to depend on this forum as my dealer is worthless and Mahindra could offer no help the one time I contacted them. I remember the old saw "Ask the man who owns one" It works.
Slacker, if slate is rock and I believe it is, then the answer to your question is YES. There is a slate quarry here in Monson. Used to be a dozen of them. Slate is very prevalent in the area. You see it along the roads near town. My kitchen sink is made of slate. My barn is filled with slate. Slate everywhere.

 

[Mustangous]

I use one quite often, its about as fast as the standalone ones. We sell them for around 900 at my store.

any more details?

 

[WilliamBos]

any more details?

You can get a WX 310 for just under $900. We have one, but have yet to use it. Will soon tho'.

WX300 Series Wood Splitters - Wallenstein

Will

 

[Mustangous]

You can get a WX 310 for just under $900. We have one, but have yet to use it. Will soon tho'.

WX300 Series Wood Splitters - Wallenstein

Will

wow... wouldnt that(a 3pt)be the same price for a stand alone unit with a pump and a gasoline motor?

 

[WilliamBos]

no, the ones I have seen are almost double that. And we also want to try and eliminate our older gas stuff as it wears out, so this worked out great.

Will

 

[SPYDERLK]

no, the ones I have seen are almost double that. And we also want to try and eliminate our older gas stuff as it wears out, so this worked out great.

Will

No, for twice that you get much more. That $900 3pt unit has a 4" cyl - - about 15ton capacity on tractor pressure. Standalone, for twice you get a 37ton unit with a 16gpm 2 stage pump and 9HP Honda engine and 14 sec cycle time with its 5" cyl. Or, for $1300 you can get a 22ton unit, Honda engine doing 13 sec times with a 4" cyl. Both are Horiz or vert use and have wheels and car hitch for ball towing. Standalone is a win win since it doesnt tie up your tractor.
larry

 

[WilliamBos]

No, for twice that you get much more. That $900 3pt unit has a 4" cyl - - about 15ton capacity on tractor pressure. Standalone, for twice you get a 37ton unit with a 16gpm 2 stage pump and 9HP Honda engine and 14 sec cycle time with its 5" cyl. Or, for $1300 you can get a 22ton unit, Honda engine doing 13 sec times with a 4" cyl. Both are Horiz or vert use and have wheels and car hitch for ball towing. Standalone is a win win since it doesnt tie up your tractor.
larry

The WX310 is a 16/20 ton model. Works better for us because we do NOT want or need an extra gas engine, getting away from that, one fuel source - Diesel. The only exception will be a generator.

The advantage of the 3pt is it can be hauled into the bush with out hassle. No worries of tying up a tractor since the 1523 is not our only one.

And storing it when not in use is so easy since it is so compact.

To each their own

Will

 

[SPYDERLK]

The WX310 is a 16/20 ton model. Works better for us because we do NOT want or need an extra gas engine, getting away from that, one fuel source - Diesel. The only exception will be a generator.

The advantage of the 3pt is it can be hauled into the bush with out hassle. No worries of tying up a tractor since the 1523 is not our only one.

And storing it when not in use is so easy since it is so compact.

To each their own

Will

I note that yesterday you hadnt even used it yet. Im sure there are some benefits.
larry

 

[wkpoor]

I don't have any experience with a splitter on a Mahindra but I have a ton of experience using 3pt splitters otherwise. If they are powered by a PTO pump they are the best splitters IMO. Most power and speed by far. My unit has a cycle time under 7secs and power like no stand alone ever thought of. Also since it is single stage that speed is there all the time. Who ever said single stage is slow got it backwards. The fuel burn is no more than a small Briggs as the engine is running just above idle no load.If needed it can go vertical. This splitter was timed against the same unit powered by a Briggs 5.5 and it is 4x's faster. If you factor the second stage slow down that frequently occurs with the Briggs powered unit it could easily be over 5x's faster. Then add in the convenience factor of always having a comfortable working height. Its a no brainer go PTO.

 

[WilliamBos]

Who is that made by? Could you post some more pics please?

That's awesome.

I don't have any experience with a splitter on a Mahindra but I have a ton of experience using 3pt splitters otherwise. If they are powered by a PTO pump they are the best splitters IMO. Most power and speed by far. My unit has a cycle time under 7secs and power like no stand alone ever thought of. Also since it is single stage that speed is there all the time. Who ever said single stage is slow got it backwards. The fuel burn is no more than a small Briggs as the engine is running just above idle no load.If needed it can go vertical. This splitter was timed against the same unit powered by a Briggs 5.5 and it is 4x's faster. If you factor the second stage slow down that frequently occurs with the Briggs powered unit it could easily be over 5x's faster. Then add in the convenience factor of always having a comfortable working height. Its a no brainer go PTO.

 

[LAWALLSTRACTOR]

I agree that is a nice piece of equipment. What brand is it and how many GPM does the pump put out?
Thanks in advance.

 

[wkpoor]

The beam and cylinder are off a TSC unit. The rest is made by a local fab shop and the pump is Prince 21GPM. You don't need a 2stage pump with 60HP to power it and 2stage only slows down the operation. Also I really don't think the Deere uses any more fuel than a small Briggs. This has proven to be a fantastic setup.....if you have a tractor.

 

[SPYDERLK]

The beam and cylinder are off a TSC unit. The rest is made by a local fab shop and the pump is Prince 21GPM. You don't need a 2stage pump with 60HP to power it and 2stage only slows down the operation. Also I really don't think the Deere uses any more fuel than a small Briggs. This has proven to be a fantastic setup.....if you have a tractor.

That is a nice custom build. By no means a small investment in relation to a higher capability off shelf standalone, while tying up your tractor and requiring a big engine to grunt thru safe lower speed use off engine peak .. and 30HP for a tuf log at the dangerously fast cycle time you quote.

You have it backward about hi HP being required for 2 stage. The hi pressure shift to a lower displacement makes 9HP ample for high capacity [~ 40ton] splitters with a 5" cyl while still maintaining good ram speed on 99%+ of splits because they dont even need to shift. Your exaggeration amounts to misinformation in my book.
larry

 

[wkpoor]

My information comes from side beside comparison of stand alone driven units. I perfectly understand the 2 stage concept with lower HP utilizing lower pressure and speed for the majority of splits. The reality is any 2 stage unit spend more time shuttling than you realize and every time it does is time lost in the split. Here again I have ran my unit right beside the stand alone with exact same cylinder setup in the same pile of wood and this unit will blow it away and it perfectly safe. You can adjust throttle for what ever speed is comfortable for the operator. I also know what the #'s say on paper but there are other factors at work here as I have had this splitter on my Allis CA and it does well but not as good as the Deere with its much greater torque at the PTO. This thing will blast through with amazing power and speed no matter how tough the wood. Those that have split with me will valch for it.

 

[SPYDERLK]

My information comes from side beside comparison of stand alone driven units. I perfectly understand the 2 stage concept with lower HP utilizing lower pressure and speed for the majority of splits. The reality is any 2 stage unit spend more time shuttling than you realize and every time it does is time lost in the split. Here again I have ran my unit right beside the stand alone with exact same cylinder setup in the same pile of wood and this unit will blow it away and it perfectly safe. You can adjust throttle for what ever speed is comfortable for the operator. I also know what the #'s say on paper but there are other factors at work here as I have had this splitter on my Allis CA and it does well but not as good as the Deere with its much greater torque at the PTO. This thing will blast through with amazing power and speed no matter how tough the wood. Those that have split with me will valch for it.

You are comparing a 5HP splitter side by side with a 30HP driven by an engine even bigger than that. In order to get fast cycle times the 5HP, like yours, uses a 4" cyl. But since it is only little engine it has to use a 2 stage pump - and, since it is so little, the stage shift point has to be set fairly low. Since mine, a 4", shifts very rarely [a few times per hour of splitting and remains shifted only briefly], Im guessing the one you compared to is set a bit lower than necessary for the engine. Still, standalones are usually set at 3000 psi relief - 500 or more above most tractors. So the standalone can buckle down and split a tuffer piece of wood. Moving up to the ~10HP splitters - these use bigger pumps and 5" cyls and give about the same 13sec cycle as the 5HP. [If they used 4" cyls theyd be zipping along like yours does.] With the 5" cyl they would virtually never shift stage unless using the 4way wedge option they are able to propel since they have ~38T force available.

My 4" 18T [@ 3000PSI] has split everything I encountered in the last 30yrs. About once a year I encounter something that doesnt split on the 1st try. Yours should be about the same. Just faster.
larry