Log splitter

tschwerm · Jan 2, 2012

JST ordered power beyond hydraulic for my 4120. Purchasing a log splitter (3 point hitch version). Strongly considering the unit from Tractor Supply.

Anyone have any comment regarding their unit?

namesray · Jan 2, 2012

the reviews i have read on the tractor supply 3ph wood splitter were mostly good. most stated that worked well for what they had to do= basically just a few cords per year. some said it worked slow but was ok for them. downfalls i read were the leg stands were weak and would bend easy and since it laid perpendicular to the tractor on the 3ph it places the operator awful close to the tractor's one rear tire. i have a split fire 3203 3ph wood splitter and it works great for me. splits in both directions=fast, but can't switch between horizontal or verticle like the tractor supply model can. it is strictly horizontal.

tschwerm · Jan 8, 2012

Picked up the splitter from tractor supply. Anyone out the have one? The stand look a little undersized.

Mudfarmer · Jan 8, 2012

I have a Rankin, which looks about the same as the Country Line which looks about the same as .... all of them. I love (and more importantly my wife loves) to split wood with it. I was, however, quite unimpressed with the rickedly legs that you also complain about. They were in the way when I loaded the tractor on my trailer (dragged the ground and ramps), and the whole logsplitter was topheavy in storage. So I got rid of them (actually they are more impressive removed than when attached). I replaced them with two four by twelves about 18 inches long (being scrap I never really measured them). Every thing is much more stable. I have good ground clearance. I don't have to lift the blocks of wood I am splitting so high. Also, I have no problems using the splitter in the vertical position since between the 3 point lifts and having the foot on the ground it goes no where. My advice is get rid of the legs. Then you have 4 peices of angle iron to make something else out of. Also head off to Harbor Freight and buy two small moving dollies ($8 each on sale). Store the splitter mounted on 4 X 12s on them, makes hooking to the three point and moving around the shop really easy. I unhook at the door and roll the splitter back out of the way in the corner under the hanging bicycles.

Mf

simonds · Jan 8, 2012

Yes, I have a "Splitmaster" from Tractor Supply. I run it on my 4200 JD. I have had it for two years and will recomend it to anyone who needs one for their own use. Yes it is a little slow, but that is ok with me. I don't get in any hurry. It is for my own use. For someone who wants to sell firewood for profit, it would be too slow. Yes the legs are quite flimsy, but that hasen't been a problem. They caught on the ground a couple times and broke a shear bolt. You may want to carry a couple extra shear bolts with you if you are going in some uneven areas. I mostly just drie it out to my stockpile of wood which is all level ground. I set the throttle around 1200 RPMs and have run some quite large and knotty chunks thru it. Nothing has stopped it yet. The first thing I did was to weld up a shelf like rack out of angle iron and bolted it on the tractor side of the splitter, so when I split a chunk I roll the other half on to the rack instead of on the ground. Saves a lot of bending over to pick them up. Split pieces go directly in the back of my JD Gator then off to the house. I am thinking about making fold up legs for it in case I want to take it out into the woods. As for now the legs work fine while it sets on the ground it is very stable from the weight. Yes I really like it a lot and I hope you do to.

tschwerm · Jan 8, 2012

Thanks for the input I think I might also remove the legs. If you have it on the tractor and in the horizontal position isn't the tractor 3 point strong enough to hold up the splitter while you do the work, also if you want to adjust the height of the splitter don't you raise or lower the 3 point?

simonds · Jan 8, 2012

I only have the one hydraulic hookup on the rear of my tractor, which is also the one that operates the 3point hitch. Once I set the splitter down on the ground I have to shut down, release the pressure and hook the hoses to the woodsplitter, then when I'm done splitting I hook them back up to the 3point hitch. You can add more remote hydraulic hookups but I don't know a lot about that stuff. There have been many posts in here on the subject and someday I will do that.

buckeyebrad · Jan 8, 2012

I agree that the legs are a little flimsy. I don't have any pictures but i actually welded a couple of frames around the legs and bolted casters to the bottom one. I shortened the legs by 4 inches so it didn't stick down too far with the casters on. The other frame holds a peice of plywood that works well to hold the chainsaw. When i take the splitter off i can just roll it around wherever i want to store it.
On another note, my Mid mount mower lift hydraulic connections on the back work real well to hook the splitter to. I have to take a "bungy" strap to pull the lift lever to put flow to the splitter.

Mudfarmer · Jan 8, 2012

tschwerm said:
Thanks for the input I think I might also remove the legs. If you have it on the tractor and in the horizontal position isn't the tractor 3 point strong enough to hold up the splitter while you do the work, also if you want to adjust the height of the splitter don't you raise or lower the 3 point?

Depends on the size of block you're splitting. Just holding it up with the three point lets it "swing and spring" a bit. But it would be a simple matter of just putting one of the blocks you are splitting under the 4 x 12 to change height when you are working.
Mf

Mudfarmer · Jan 8, 2012

simonds said:
I only have the one hydraulic hookup on the rear of my tractor, which is also the one that operates the 3point hitch. Once I set the splitter down on the ground I have to shut down, release the pressure and hook the hoses to the woodsplitter, then when I'm done splitting I hook them back up to the 3point hitch. You can add more remote hydraulic hookups but I don't know a lot about that stuff. There have been many posts in here on the subject and someday I will do that.

My JD is set up like that as well. I use the same hydraulic for my toplink as I use for the splitter. Not a problem. When the toplink is disconnected from the hydraulics it holds its length just like a screw-type top link and I can lift the splitter, move the tractor, and set the splitter down again. When I am done with the splitter, I disconnect it and reconnect the toplink.
Mf