3 pt spltter

[mncutter]

Just wondering the pros and cons of a 3 pt. Log splitter from everyone that has run one. I have a couple of tractors to run them. They should have fast enough hydraulic pumps also so they shouldn't be to slow.

 

[Marshy]

My 3 pt splitter has its own pto driven pump and oil tank. My pump hose is about 12ft long so that I can set the splitter in one spot to split, but keep my brush mower hooked up. When I want to split I get close enough to hook the pto pump. Advantages are, if I don't have to move my splitter i don't have to hook/unhook from the tractor often. The other advantage is reduced noise with the tractor a little ways away. No way I'd consider a 3pt splitter without tyre pto pump. My little 30 hp compact tractor just doesn't have enough flow through the remotes.

 

[Homemade]

Three point with separate pump works better then using the tractor hydraulics. I’ve ran both. The tractor usually doesn’t have fast enough flow, and the hydraulic valves are never at the ram, where you need them.

Look at the timber wolf tw3.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Al Smith]

The most efficient home built 3 point I've seen used a low speed high volume pump that fit over the PTO shaft .With maybe 30 HP on the shaft it didn't need a two stage pump .
Second to that was a shaft driven PTO pump from a dump truck which is low speed high volume on a John Deere 750 mini tractor .That one was wheel mounted not 3 point ,with a tip up .

 

[Marshy]

I agree. If you are using your remotes on the tractor how do you control the remote? With the lever on the tractor. Maybe they are getting around that some how but that sounds like you have to do plumbing.

P.s. my tractor puts along at 1250 rpm and gets a good cycle time.

 

[Ryan Browne]

I love my three point splitter!

Mine has a big hydraulic tank and it's own pump that's powered by the tractor PTO. I think people running them from tractor remotes either have a type of valve that detents into a continuous flow position, or they use a bungee cord to achieve the same thing. Then there's another valve on the splitter. Personally, I wouldn't consider that type of setup because my tractors don't have a ton of flow.

As far as pros and cons, the cons are that it ties up a tractor (no problem if you have enough tractors), you rack up hours and wear on a more expensive machine than a little air cooled motor, and you may find the resale market more limited, since most people want a standalone unit.

Pros, for me are, a way quieter splitter (HUGE benefit in my opinion), it allowed me to buy a much nicer splitter since I didn't need a motor, axle, tires, etc, it has an adjustable working height, I can drive it wherever I want under it's own power, and the single stage hydraulic pump never slows down. Also, I don't have to maintain another small engine, and I actually view the hours on the tractor as a benefit; my tractors often see lots of on and off type work, so running at medium to high RPM with a variable load is a nice way to get everything warm and remove any condensation. That's what I tell myself anyway.

Anyway, I looked at the Timberwolf TW3, and ended up buying mine from a guy named Chris Wolfe. His product is called Wolfe Ridge MFG. It's a great splitter, and mine came in about half the price of a Timberwolf. He's about an hour and a half from me in Eau Claire WI, Wich saved me about $500 in shipping. I'd definitely recommend looking at his stuff, unless you just want to do a basic three point splitter and run it off remotes. I wanted a splitter with a separate tank, a 36" ram, and an auto cycle valve, so I couldn't just order one of the pre fab units. Here's a picture of mine:
I'm about 45 minutes east of St Paul, if you want to take a closer look or see it in action.

 

[mels]

I dig our 3 pt job. It's a TW-3 run off a '58 Ford 641

I'd think you can find a good used unit off craigslist, though once you've flushed the fluid, new filter, new hoses (if needed) and anything else you want to do to it or upgrade on it you're probably closing in on what it sounds like Ryan gave for his Chris Wolfe custom-built splitter.

Having ran both 3 pt and the tag-along types of splitters, I'm sold on the 3 pt.

*EDIT* One of the nice things which folks don't normally think of is that the conventional tag-along splitter gets "trapped" by the pile of split logs because with most of that style splitter the pieces drop at the tongue end of the frame. With the 3 pt setup, you simply drive away from the pile when you're done.

Maybe not a deal-maker or breaker, but it's another plus in my book for the 3 pt config. over the conventional style splitter.

 

[RD35]

I don't have a 3pt splitter, but I know several who do. One guy I know told me his works great off his tractor hydraulics. I asked what kind of tractor he had. JD4440. So, if your tractor is fairly new and 100+ horsepower.....well then the pump on the tractor may actually be big enough to do the job!!! I still plan to build my own one of these years. Will use a PTO driven pump....because my tractor is a 25hp Kubota. Will likely build me a drive system and use a standard 2-stage gear pump. The Prince PTO pumps just don't have a high enough pressure rating to suit me personally.

 

[mncutter]

Thanks for the replies. You guys brought up some good points that I never thought about before. I would use a 60 hp tractor with an add pto pump. That might not work as well as I thought. I'm not sure the gpm it is rated for.guessing around 16. Just might look at the ones with them allready on the splitter.

 

[mels]

Hey, don't turn your nose at the pump that hangs on the pto, that's what these timber wolf splitters use (Prince pump) and I just now got back from splitting a heckuva pile with my little old 1958 Ford 641 which probably is only half or a little more than half of that 60hp you're looking to use, and that Prince pump cycles this cylinder plenty fast - faster than I can keep it fed!

I imagine Ryan would tell you the same thing.

 

[Ryan Browne]

Hey, don't turn your nose at the pump that hangs on the pto, that's what these timber wolf splitters use (Prince pump) and I just now got back from splitting a heckuva pile with my little old 1958 Ford 641 which probably is only half or a little more than half of that 60hp you're looking to use, and that Prince pump cycles this cylinder plenty fast - faster than I can keep it fed!

I imagine Ryan would tell you the same thing.

Absolutely!! Obviously it adds cost compared to running it off the remotes, but I'm able to run my splitter on my 29 HP New Holland, with only 24 HP at the PTO. I have to dial back the max pressure relief setting from where my Kubota can run it, but that splitter will push almost anything through the 4-way at 1800psi. It's a 5" cylinder, by the way. And yeah, it's fast!

 

[Milkman31]

Mine started out as a 3pt. After thinking it over I put it on a trailer but you could still use it on a tractor lol!

 

[RD35]

Hey mncutter don't get me wrong about the Prince pto pumps. They are awesome pumps and work really well. They do have a lower max PSI rating but this is easily overcome with a larger hydraulic cylinder. That's what all the splitter manufacturers do to get the splitting force up to where it needs to be on these pto powered 3 pt hitch splitters. Since my tractor is so small, I need a lighter weight splitter. So I want to build one using a 16gpm 2-stage pump and 4-1/2" cylinder that runs at 3500psi max relief. Will produce close to 28 tons of splitting force with reasonable speed and still be light enough that my little Kubota can carry it. I just need to figure out who makes a gearbox to convert my 540 rpm pto to 3600 rpm to run the pump I'm wanting to use.
If I had a larger tractor, I would definitely be looking at the TW-3 Timberwolfe and the Wolfe Ridge. Very nice splitters for sure!!!

 

[mncutter]

So my add on pump also has a tank that holds 5 to 6 gallons of hydraulic fluid. It's on the fender of the tractor. Works twice as fast as the tractor regular hydraulics. Would that be enough to get by or would you get with the pump on the splitter? I split 10 cord a year so it's not going to get a lot of use.

 

[mncutter]

I just want to do it right the 1st time.

 

[Ryan Browne]

So my add on pump also has a tank that holds 5 to 6 gallons of hydraulic fluid. It's on the fender of the tractor. Works twice as fast as the tractor regular hydraulics. Would that be enough to get by or would you get with the pump on the splitter? I split 10 cord a year so it's not going to get a lot of use.

What kind of pressure does that pump make?

 

[merc_man]

My BIL has a splitfire. Since it splits both ways you almost need three people to run it cause its so fast. His dad runs the controll lever and quick as him and I can get wood on it its ready for another.

Sent from my SM-J320W8 using Tapatalk

 

[mncutter]

I'm not sure of the pressure. It looks like the hydraulics was added on for a loader but they set it up to the back of the tractor so it would have more remotes. I will take a look to see if it had any specs written on it. All I know is that it raises an implement twice as fast as the hydraulics that were standard on the tractor.

 

[Ryan Browne]

The reason I ask is because depending on the pressure, you might be able to make something work pretty well from that pump. The prince PTO pumps are pretty low pressure (2250 or 2500 psi IIRC), so you kinda need a bigger cylinder to make your splitting force. If you had enough pressure to use a 4.5" or even 4" cylinder, you could probably get decent cycle times. In that case, just buying one of the three point models online for under $1000 would probably do you just fine, especially for 10 cords a year.

 

[Al Smith]

Lots of talk about cycle time .Do 2 or 3 seconds really matter ?My home built has an 11 HP Briggs, 16 GPM two stage pump and a 5" cylinder .The transfer is set right at 1000 PSI ,relief set low at 2500 PSI .It seldom shifts to high pressure .It will cycle faster than I can feed it and I don't run the engine much above 2/3 throttle .
I might add that big cylinder is a Parker-Hannifin super duty rated right on the tag at 4500 PSI .It had spent it's life of at least 40 years as a clamp cylinder on a large piece of industrial machinery in the manufacture of automotive engines .It's doubtful I will ever wear it out on a log splitter .