RedNeckGeek
Super Member
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2011
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- 8,746
- Location
- Butte County & Orcutt, California
- Tractor
- Kubota M62, Kubota L3240D HST (SOLD!), Kubota RTV900
This is the second installment of a review of the Ariens 22 ton log splitter I'd recently taken delivery of at Home Depot. Find the other parts by searching in Rural Living for "Ariens 22 Ton Log Splitter Review".
I had a few questions about the new log splitter, so earlier this week I got in touch with tech support at Ariens. I found the number on their web site, and also a link for a chat session, so I started the chat session and then dialed the phone number. The chat tool opened a new browser window and contained a message that I was #3 in the queue of about 10 minutes. I closed that window to concentrate on the phone call. On the phone line, after wading through several voice prompts I was put into another queue with Muzac and annoying voice messages that promised quick connection to a person. Ha! I stayed busy with other tasks at the computer for about 20 minutes before "Tom" picked up the line.
My first question for Tom was about the hydraulic fluid. Tom said that all units shipped with 2.5 gallons in the tank, and didn't know why mine came empty. He verified that Ariens uses ISO 32 hydraulic fluid to fill the tank, but then went on to suggest that I could top it off with ATF. I questioned him on this, as I'd read of problems with foaming when other TBN folks had tried this, but Tom stuck by his guns. Tractor Supply sells a multi weight hydraulic oil rated at 10W-20, and I asked Tom if that oil would be OK to use. He repeated the oils listed in the set up booklet, which didn't include the TSC multi. When asked about tank capacity, Tom replied that it was somewhere between 4 and 4.5 gallons. Next I asked if he had a cross reference for the hydraulic oil filter. After much himming and hawing, all he could come up with is that it's a 25 micron filter with a pressure bypass valve. Then I asked about a cross reference number for the "TORCH" brand spark plug. Tom was really struggling here, muttering to himself as he consulted what was probably several help screens. In the mean time I typed "torch E7RTC" into Google, and was rewarded with a link that listed Autolite 4123, Denso IWF22, and NGK BPR6HS as substitutes. Minutes later Tom responded with the same numbers in the exact same order, and I wonder if he'd eventually found the same page. Still it was good to get confirmation on the numbers from Ariens. I wasn't getting a very much help from Tom, as it didn't seem like he was familiar at all with log splitters in general or the 22 ton version made by Ariens in particular. Not a very productive use of half an hour.
I had a few other phone calls to make, and after they were completed I decided to try again to get the missing hydraulic oil and nut replaced. The first time around the abandoned chat session answered much more quickly than the phone line, so I decided to give that another try. This time "Dave" responded after about 10 minutes. I started off asking for help with the missing hydraulic fluid and 1/2x13 nut on the tow arm. Dave responded that all the splitters were shipped empty. I mentioned that I'd just spoken with Tom on the phone, and had learned that they supposedly shipped with 2.5 gallons. Dave then corrected himself, saying that the "older ones" did ship dry, but that they should have shipped with 2-2.5 gallons, and that I'd still have to add a gallon or two to top it up. Dave then asked if Tom was sending hydraulic fluid, and said that he sat right next to Tom in tech support. I said no, and David then offered to send three gallons. I asked if he knew what type of businesses sold hydraulic fluid, and he suggested Autozone or other auto parts stores. He also suggested I check on line, and I responded that shipping cost on five gallons of oil would probably be high. I thanked him for the Autozone suggestion, and asked again about the missing nut. He said he'd send it along with the oil, and asked if there was anything else I needed. There wasn't so we closed the chat session.
I then pulled out the phone book and looked under "Hydraulic", which is what I probably should have done to begin with. I live in farm country, and several firms were listed as servicing hydraulic equipment. Strangely, only one actually carried ISO 32 hydraulic fluid, but wanted an astonishing twelve dollars a gallon! One shop did suggest a local fuel distributor, one I'd already been purchasing alcohol free gasoline from. They had ISO 32 in bulk for $6.67 a gallon, and I'd save five bux if I brought my own container. The next day I went there only to find that they'd sold out of bulk ISO32 that morning, so I came home with yet another five gallon plastic bucket and five dollars less in my pocket for the privilege. But that'll at least get me going so I can verify that everything's working properly on the splitter, and when the can shows up from Airens I can change out the oil, hopefully getting rid of any chips or debris left over from manufacturing.
With regard to Ariens tech support, I guess the good news is that they do answer the telephone and respond to chat requests, and their people speak easy to understand English. They were more or less helpful, and I now have some assurance that should other issues come up with the splitter that I'll at least have some recourse through Ariens. Hopefully the oil and matching tow bar nut will show up in a week or so. In the mean time I've got mowing to do, but maybe I can find some time over the Memorial Day weekend to play with the splitter. Stay tuned for the next installment...
I had a few questions about the new log splitter, so earlier this week I got in touch with tech support at Ariens. I found the number on their web site, and also a link for a chat session, so I started the chat session and then dialed the phone number. The chat tool opened a new browser window and contained a message that I was #3 in the queue of about 10 minutes. I closed that window to concentrate on the phone call. On the phone line, after wading through several voice prompts I was put into another queue with Muzac and annoying voice messages that promised quick connection to a person. Ha! I stayed busy with other tasks at the computer for about 20 minutes before "Tom" picked up the line.
My first question for Tom was about the hydraulic fluid. Tom said that all units shipped with 2.5 gallons in the tank, and didn't know why mine came empty. He verified that Ariens uses ISO 32 hydraulic fluid to fill the tank, but then went on to suggest that I could top it off with ATF. I questioned him on this, as I'd read of problems with foaming when other TBN folks had tried this, but Tom stuck by his guns. Tractor Supply sells a multi weight hydraulic oil rated at 10W-20, and I asked Tom if that oil would be OK to use. He repeated the oils listed in the set up booklet, which didn't include the TSC multi. When asked about tank capacity, Tom replied that it was somewhere between 4 and 4.5 gallons. Next I asked if he had a cross reference for the hydraulic oil filter. After much himming and hawing, all he could come up with is that it's a 25 micron filter with a pressure bypass valve. Then I asked about a cross reference number for the "TORCH" brand spark plug. Tom was really struggling here, muttering to himself as he consulted what was probably several help screens. In the mean time I typed "torch E7RTC" into Google, and was rewarded with a link that listed Autolite 4123, Denso IWF22, and NGK BPR6HS as substitutes. Minutes later Tom responded with the same numbers in the exact same order, and I wonder if he'd eventually found the same page. Still it was good to get confirmation on the numbers from Ariens. I wasn't getting a very much help from Tom, as it didn't seem like he was familiar at all with log splitters in general or the 22 ton version made by Ariens in particular. Not a very productive use of half an hour.
I had a few other phone calls to make, and after they were completed I decided to try again to get the missing hydraulic oil and nut replaced. The first time around the abandoned chat session answered much more quickly than the phone line, so I decided to give that another try. This time "Dave" responded after about 10 minutes. I started off asking for help with the missing hydraulic fluid and 1/2x13 nut on the tow arm. Dave responded that all the splitters were shipped empty. I mentioned that I'd just spoken with Tom on the phone, and had learned that they supposedly shipped with 2.5 gallons. Dave then corrected himself, saying that the "older ones" did ship dry, but that they should have shipped with 2-2.5 gallons, and that I'd still have to add a gallon or two to top it up. Dave then asked if Tom was sending hydraulic fluid, and said that he sat right next to Tom in tech support. I said no, and David then offered to send three gallons. I asked if he knew what type of businesses sold hydraulic fluid, and he suggested Autozone or other auto parts stores. He also suggested I check on line, and I responded that shipping cost on five gallons of oil would probably be high. I thanked him for the Autozone suggestion, and asked again about the missing nut. He said he'd send it along with the oil, and asked if there was anything else I needed. There wasn't so we closed the chat session.
I then pulled out the phone book and looked under "Hydraulic", which is what I probably should have done to begin with. I live in farm country, and several firms were listed as servicing hydraulic equipment. Strangely, only one actually carried ISO 32 hydraulic fluid, but wanted an astonishing twelve dollars a gallon! One shop did suggest a local fuel distributor, one I'd already been purchasing alcohol free gasoline from. They had ISO 32 in bulk for $6.67 a gallon, and I'd save five bux if I brought my own container. The next day I went there only to find that they'd sold out of bulk ISO32 that morning, so I came home with yet another five gallon plastic bucket and five dollars less in my pocket for the privilege. But that'll at least get me going so I can verify that everything's working properly on the splitter, and when the can shows up from Airens I can change out the oil, hopefully getting rid of any chips or debris left over from manufacturing.
With regard to Ariens tech support, I guess the good news is that they do answer the telephone and respond to chat requests, and their people speak easy to understand English. They were more or less helpful, and I now have some assurance that should other issues come up with the splitter that I'll at least have some recourse through Ariens. Hopefully the oil and matching tow bar nut will show up in a week or so. In the mean time I've got mowing to do, but maybe I can find some time over the Memorial Day weekend to play with the splitter. Stay tuned for the next installment...
