Smaller Engine than OEM on Wood Splitter?

[Woodtroll]

Hello folks,

I'm looking for a decent used wood splitter and the search is frustrating locally. I'm going to look at one later this week that is in my price range but an hours' drive away. Right now I have only photos to go by since there are no labels/decals left on it, except for the engine which the seller says is a 5 HP. I'm certain this is an MTD manufactured splitter, and I think from the cylinder size and extra metal on top of the beam (the square tubing) that it's a 31-ton model.



This splitter should have a two-stage 16 GPM pump and 8 HP engine. I don't need/want something this big, but the price may be right if I offer cash. If the engine is indeed smaller than factory (5 HP vs. 8), am I correct that the cycle time in the pump's first stage will still be what it should be when it's not in the wood, but the splitting force and time spent in the second stage will be lower/slower? I can live with that for now, and can put an 8 HP Predator on it later if I need to as long as the no-load travel speed is still good for now.

Anyone recognize this engine, by chance, assuming it is a 5?

Thanks!

 

[Woodwackr]

Hello folks,

I'm looking for a decent used wood splitter and the search is frustrating locally. I'm going to look at one later this week that is in my price range but an hours' drive away. Right now I have only photos to go by since there are no labels/decals left on it, except for the engine which the seller says is a 5 HP. I'm certain this is an MTD manufactured splitter, and I think from the cylinder size and extra metal on top of the beam (the square tubing) that it's a 31-ton model.

View attachment 445874

This splitter should have a two-stage 16 GPM pump and 8 HP engine. I don't need/want something this big, but the price may be right if I offer cash. If the engine is indeed smaller than factory (5 HP vs. 8), am I correct that the cycle time in the pump's first stage will still be what it should be when it's not in the wood, but the splitting force and time spent in the second stage will be lower/slower? I can live with that for now, and can put an 8 HP Predator on it later if I need to as long as the no-load travel speed is still good for now.

Anyone recognize this engine, by chance, assuming it is a 5?

Thanks!

Bigger is better, imo.

 

[Woodtroll]

Bigger is better, imo.

Unless it’s slower, too. Just depends on what size splitter you need and how much time you have, I guess. Thank you for chipping in, I appreciate your advice.

 

[Woodwackr]

Unless it’s slower, too. Just depends on what size splitter you need and how much time you have, I guess. Thank you for chipping in, I appreciate your advice.

I have a 30yr old, no-name splitter, it has split whatever was thrown on it from dry oak to petrified Eucalyptus. I think it came with an 8h Brigs, originally, we put an 11h something on it once that motor died and then replaced that with the current 8h Honda that has been going at least 10 yrs. 5” ram but I don’t know the tonnage

 

[Woodtroll]

Knotty, gnarled oak is the worst I have to deal with. No eucalyptus here. I’ve heard it’s a real bear!

 

[Homemade]

Hello folks,

I'm looking for a decent used wood splitter and the search is frustrating locally. I'm going to look at one later this week that is in my price range but an hours' drive away. Right now I have only photos to go by since there are no labels/decals left on it, except for the engine which the seller says is a 5 HP. I'm certain this is an MTD manufactured splitter, and I think from the cylinder size and extra metal on top of the beam (the square tubing) that it's a 31-ton model.

View attachment 445874

This splitter should have a two-stage 16 GPM pump and 8 HP engine. I don't need/want something this big, but the price may be right if I offer cash. If the engine is indeed smaller than factory (5 HP vs. 8), am I correct that the cycle time in the pump's first stage will still be what it should be when it's not in the wood, but the splitting force and time spent in the second stage will be lower/slower? I can live with that for now, and can put an 8 HP Predator on it later if I need to as long as the no-load travel speed is still good for now.

Anyone recognize this engine, by chance, assuming it is a 5?

Thanks!

You theoretically wont be any slower because the engine would be turning the same rpm and will move the same amount of oil in each rpm regardless of horsepower.
But, in practicality, the second stage will most likely be slower because your bogging the engine down farther with the less horsepower.

If you wish to keep the 5hp on it, you’ll have to lower the pressure of the relief from 2800ish to 2000 or you’ll be conking out the engine every time you put a heavy load on it.

You can have speed or pressure in hydraulics, but if you want both, you’ll need horsepower.

 

[Al Smith]

Actually you should be able to adjust the pump transfer flow from lower pressure to higher pressure less flow .In that situation it just will be a tad bit slower .So unless you are trying to win a race or have bragging rights like so many others like to do it won't make a difference .

 

[Al Smith]

I might further add most factory set transfer pressure is around 900 PSI

 

[Woodtroll]

Thanks, everyone, I appreciate the information. I've found a nice Dirty Hands splitter for a good price, so I'm going to pass on the one in the original post. I would have prefered the wedge plate to be clamped to the beam like the one above, rather than in a trough like the Dirty Hands (and most other newer splitters), but we'll see how it goes. Maybe it won't collect as much trash as I think it will.

On any account, thanks for the education!

 

[Al Smith]

To comment on the Dirty Hand machine I worked on one last summer .Who ever had it totally screwed it up .They lost some parts from the valve,the detent didn't work and the transfer pressure was off the wall .Welds were cracked all over the place .BTW the Chinese are the worst welders in the world . Surplus Center Hydraulics had a raft of those control valves they must have bought in a job lot situation they sold cheap .Once repaired it did a good job,10 HP Briggs engine 5 inch cylinder .The one thing I didn't like was the postion of the control valve being on one side of the cylinder making it unsafe to operate from the opposite side .

 

[Al Smith]

I just looked it up and Surplus Center in Lincoln Ne still has 130 of those Speeco valves in stock.$59.95.They had around 400-500 at one time .