# Question about hydraulic oil for splitter



## memory (Apr 19, 2011)

We have a MTD Yard Machine 20 ton hydraulic splitter and just have a quick question about the oil. It has a sticker on it that says use hydraulic oil only then goes on to say use 10 weight or dextron II on the same sticker. Isn't dextron a transmission fluid? Is it fine to use the same hydraulic oil that is used in farm tractors? And how often should it be changed? It has never been changed since we had it.


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## jerryw66 (Apr 19, 2011)

Dextron is a hydraulic oil, an automatic transmission used hydraulics to operate it's clutches. Dextron has a lot of detergents and additives that you don't need in a log splitters hyd system. I would just use a lo cost hyd oil that can be found at any local farm supply store. Keep moisture from it and a good filter and the cheap oil will last a long time.


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## TreePointer (Apr 19, 2011)

Here's an excerpt from a Huskee log splitter manual:



> SAE 20 hydraulic oil is recommended when oil is needed. Automatic transmission fluid can be substituted and should be used instead of hydraulic oil when temperatures are below 32&deg;F. Use only clean oil and take care to prevent dirt from entering hydraulic reservoir.



Essentially all hydraulic log splitters operate on the same principles and type of components, so the recommendations should apply to your splitter, too. 

You also can use your judgment and use something close to the recommendations. Example: use 10W-20 hydraulic fluid instead of SAE 20 hydraulic fluid.


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## TreePointer (Apr 19, 2011)

For the log splitter, I won't change hydraulic fluid unless it looks dirty or milky (water contaminated). I do change the hydraulic filter regularly.


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## memory (Apr 19, 2011)

TreePointer said:


> Here's an excerpt from a Huskee log splitter manual:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That excerpt says to use transmission fluid when it is below 32 degrees. And that is when we the splitter gets used the most, in the middle of winter. So should I be using transmission fluid? It looks like it has hydraulic fluid it in now.


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## A. Stanton (Apr 19, 2011)

Last year I bought an Iron and Oak Log Splitter. The dealer filled it with hydraulic fluid from Napa Auto, using the 5-gallon cans. Iron and Oak recommends changing the fluid in their splitters every 100 hours.


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## TreePointer (Apr 19, 2011)

memory said:


> That excerpt says to use transmission fluid when it is below 32 degrees. And that is when we the splitter gets used the most, in the middle of winter. So should I be using transmission fluid? It looks like it has hydraulic fluid it in now.


 
I'm using the 10W-20 that came with the splitter. I've split in temps from 20-90&deg;F, but most of the splitting is done from 40-60&deg;F. With that being said, I couldn't tell you what it's like with 20&deg;F fluid because the splitter is kept in a minimum 55&deg;F garage.


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## A. Stanton (Apr 19, 2011)

Should of shown a pic of my Iron and Oak Splitter. It's a fast cycle model.


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