# My 28 ton speeco log splitter ordeal



## Slt Skier (Jan 18, 2012)

Hello new member to the forum. Thought I would add a post about my new speeco 28 ton splitter. 

First a little background. Purchashed this splitter after doing some research online and in this forum. Seemed like everyone had good things to say about speeco and it would work well for my needs. I am homeowner using wood to heat with and live at lake Tahoe. I figure I burn about 4 cord a year of mostly Doug fir, ponderosa pine, white fir, lodge pole pine and black oak. 

Bought it from omni mnfg and rock was good to deal with. Was initially set on the honda motor but was convinced to go Briggs. Ordered it right after Christmas and it arrived soon after. Put it together and built a cradle that slips around the oil tank to protect the exposed filter. Filled it up and next morning fired it for first time. After letting the engine break in for a few minutes i put in the first log and it gets stopped cold. I had about a cord of oak, some really knotty to spit before the snow comes. Ok I think, that was a big knotty piece maybe I have to noodle it. Get a smaller piece and same thing. Goes in about 1/2" and stops. So I get out a small round I can easily split by hand and it finally makes it through. 

This can't be right so I call rock who gives me speeco's customer service number. Talk with kent who has me do a few field tests. Nothing can be determined so it needs to go to the nearest service center, in Reno. That's going to be a 3 hour round trip and about 125 miles. Great. I ask if there is anything near Sacramento, I go over there often and can combine trips. Looks it up and nearest center is in.....Reno. Great. I have a decent shop and some basic knowledge and Kent says he can send me parts but generally likes the splitters to go to service centers so he does not have to spend money to fix parts if they are not broken. 

So dropped it off on jan 6th and was told should have it in a week. Called last week and was told they had not gotten around to it. I call again today and was told it might be a control valve o-ring, the control valve itself and if that does not fix it speeco will send out a new cylinder. Should be fixed by next week or maybe later depending on what's wrong. At that point I will have to go back down to Reno and pick it up. 

So figure 6 hours of my time and about 80 in gas for a brand new splitter. First storm of the season is coming (finally!) so will not get a chance to use it till spring. 

Just adding to the knowledge on this forum. I don't know if others have had this problem but when I was looking to buy this splitter nothing like this post came up on the forum. I have no idea how common this is just want to share my experience and have this be part of the knowledge base. And just a warning for others looking to buy speeco products in California, you might want to check where the nearest service center is located. That spitter might end up costing you a whole lot in gas.


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## Hansenj11 (Jan 18, 2012)

Take it back and get your money back. I bought a northern tool log splitter 30 ton and have been using it commercially and all that's broken is the control valve. They sent it free shipping forward and back and even offered to fix at a local shop. I have split somewhere in the ball park of 60 cords and there 3o ton has got the commercial Honda GX.


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## lone wolf (Jan 18, 2012)

I bought a northern 30 ton about 14 years ago it is on the second engine but the machine is still strong.Now it has a Honda 13 hp.


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## Slt Skier (Jan 18, 2012)

I looked at the north star splitters from northern tool. When I priced them out the cost of shipping was going to be 550. That's why the speeco was so appealing from omni. I paid 50 for the lift gate service only. You must have gotten a great deal from northern to include free shipping.


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## One Shot Will (Jan 18, 2012)

I bought a North Star (northern tool made in minnesota) I think it is an 18 ton about 3-4 years ago.
Have split about 80 + cord and have only changed oil in the engine.
Have only had two real crotchy elm pieces that it would not split.
Think it was $899 when i bought it.
Picked it up at the store so no shipping charge except 45 mi drive one way and was there anyway.


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## ratso (Jan 18, 2012)

Sorry to hear of your problems. I have always had excellent service from speeco.

I would explain what happened and Speeco should compensate for your time and out of pocket money.


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## Slt Skier (Jan 18, 2012)

ratso said:


> Sorry to hear of your problems. I have always had excellent service from speeco.
> 
> I would explain what happened and Speeco should compensate for your time and out of pocket money.



I called the service center today and was told their was a problem with the machine. So I called speeco and spoke with kent. I asked what he thought was going on as kent was the first person I talked with. 

From the beginning kent wanted to be involved. When I delivered the splitter it was with the instructions that the service center call kent because kent did not want them just to replace the pump. He said they will normally do that right off the bat and will not run a few tests first to make sure that's the problem. He told me it would just cost him money. 

So today I told him I did not want to insult him by asking if he could cover my cost. I did however ask if there was anything he could do for me. I am in need of a cover for the splitter and if he could get it to me for dealer cost. He said that they no longer have the cover and further he would have to ask a manager. I am not trying to be difficult so I just dropped it, thanked him for his time and he thanked me for my patience. Really all I wanted from the beginning is a working splitter.


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## stever (Jan 18, 2012)

I am on the fence looking for a splitter right now, I'm sure there are many others on this site as well. Speeco has some big problems first with the Speedpro and now this.

They may have enjoyed a good reputation in the past but I think that may have gone via Chicom. Just sayin.


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## cantoo (Jan 18, 2012)

I have a speeco 28 ton and haven't had an issue with it. Had it a couple of years now and run alot of different wood thru it. 6 or 8 neighbours have borrowed it and none have had an issue. It sits outside all summer but spends winter inside a shop, always starts easily. Only complaint I have is the small fuel tank but some days I'm pretty happy when it runs dry.


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## Farm Boy (Jan 18, 2012)

It sounds to me like the pump is delivering to much flow under load for the size of engine, and that your system hydraulic relief valve (if equipped) might be set to high. If your 2 stage pump is not unloading the high volume section when the cylinder meets load (the log) and the relief valve is set too high, you are going to stall the engine. When the cylinder starts into the wood, does the cylinder change speeds or does it try to continue to advance at the same rate. A high/low (2 stage) pump should dump its high volume section somewhere around 500 to 800 psi. If you see an acorn nut on your pump, that is the sequence adjustment for unloading pressure for stage 1 (high volume section of the pump) Depending on the manufacturer, they are adjustable between 200 and 800 psi. It is possible a contaminent is caught in there causing it not to function like it should.


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## Slt Skier (Jan 18, 2012)

Farm boy, I don't have the unit right now. I don't have a 3000psi pressure gauge to further test it so off to the shop. At first I thought it was the 2 stage pump not kicking in to the 2nd stage. Kent had me field test it by capping the high pressure line and then trying to start it. Would not fire up so he told me the pump was good. 

When I did have it the wedge would hit the round go in about 1/2" and stop. Really did not seem that it was kicking down to the 2nd stage. No change in the engine noise as it kept running. As far as out of adjustment, it's brand new and should have been adjusted at the factory. I could see some type of contamination fouling up the pump but it must have been from the factory. All i did was add hydro fluid.


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## Slt Skier (Jan 18, 2012)

Cantoo, I think the splitter will run fine once I get it back. I have no doubt it can handle the light work load I will provide for it each summer. I guess my issue is with a new splitter going in for warranty work after 3 rounds and me having to bear the transportation costs. I guess these things don't get tested at the factory. Sure seems like it would improve quality control.


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## Farm Boy (Jan 18, 2012)

You should've heard an audible change in engine sound (less laboring) if it was unloading the 1st stage....I suspect there is an issue with the pump. I'm not certain how Kurt's test would've resolved the pump is ok...the only way I know is to put the pump on a test stand with a needle valve and a flow meter to see if the output changes when it reaches the sequence pressure to unload stage 1. If it continues to displace the combined pump flow of stages 1 & 2 at or beyond the sequence pressure, the pump is faulty.

Sounds like you have similar luck that I do...I hope your issues get resolved very soon.


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## jerrycmorrow (Jan 18, 2012)

sounds to me like you gave up way too early with getting satisfaction for your problem. now that you've tried the easy-going, reticient method and basically been told to pound sand you should think about going back with an attitude that says "i'm not taking no for an answer". also, remember this curt guy isn't necessarily your best friend. they should make you whole on this entire ordeal; they should also be providing you with a means to get your splitting done in the mean time. just saying


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## reaperman (Jan 18, 2012)

In a case like this, there is no excuse why speeco shouldn't have just sent out a brand new splitter and picked up the broken one free of charge. If this unit was purchased at a local store, a simple refund or replacement would have taken place. The rules shouldn't be changed just because shipping is involved. Buying a item like a splitter takes research, time, and hard earned money is plopped down on a product that should deliver out of the box, regardless of name brand. Lots of luclk.


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## Slt Skier (Jan 18, 2012)

I was kind of thinking the same thing. If I would have gone to lowes and got a Troy built I would have returned it and gotten a new unit with minimal hassle and all my wood have been split stacked and covered up for winter. Instead I am still waiting. 

Farm boy, I was thinking along your lines. I dont have the tools you mention so I think the easiest thing would have been for speeco to send me the parts and I could replace them. Kent did not want to do this as it would cost him shipping plus the part and he could not be sure the pump was faulty. 

Anyway, for the sake of finishing this thread, I will post updates as they occur. Just want to get the information out there for anybody who is looking into purchasing a splitter


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## jerrycmorrow (Jan 18, 2012)

you need to read avalancher's thread about his troy-bilt splitter. i think it was troy-bilt but if not it was built the same way as the troy-bilt's they have now.


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## triptester (Jan 19, 2012)

From what you discribed the pump is not the problem. The pump has two sections, the first section has a bypass but the second section does not. The second section pumps fluid all the time. If pressure fails to build in the system the first thing to check for is a missing key in the lovejoy coupling causing slipage between engine and pump.
Next would be a misadjusted relief in the control valve.
Least likely would be a damaged seal in the cylinder.


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## firewood guy (Jan 19, 2012)

*Speeco trash*

Bought a new speeco 35 ton (what a joke) unit last year from Omni. Having said that, Rock is a GREAT guy, but Speeco sucks. Absolutely no fault of Rock's from Omni. Bought the unit w/ the Briggs engine, and after 90 days the engine actually blew up and caught on fire causing lots of damage before the fire could be contained. When I called B&S they had an independant service advisor come out and take a look at the machine, and a report was filed. After many phone calls, B&S stated they could determine what the cause of the failure was and would NOT give any warranty for the engine , much less the damage to the machine. After many attempts to resolve this issue with speeco, the rep there said only that they agreed with B&S in that they could not determine the cause of the failure, and the only remedy that was offered was a $500.00 discount on a new machine. Speeco sucks , the warranty they provide is beyond useless, they use crappy chinese steel, and they should be sued! I will not buy another product from them if they are the only mfg of splitters on the market. Yes, I'm pissed, but I have tried to get this problem resolved , and was left twisting in the wind from both Briggs & Stratton AND Speeco. I have been very patient with them to resolve this problem, and they have NOT come to the plate. I waited a long time to post this comment, giving both companies a chance to "come to the plate" and man-up to their warranty policy. Now it is just time to warn others...


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## Steve NW WI (Jan 19, 2012)

Slt Skier said:


> (snip)
> 
> Bought it from omni mnfg and rock was good to deal with.
> 
> ...





firewood guy said:


> Bought a new speeco 35 ton (what a joke) unit last year from Omni. Having said that, Rock is a GREAT guy, but Speeco sucks. Absolutely no fault of Rock's from Omni.



Omni and this Rock guy seem to get a lot of free PR on here, trouble is he ain't where you are. He IS however your dealer. I suggest you bring the damn thing back to him. Note also, that near as I can tell, he ain't a sponsor here.

If you don't want the hassle of fixing yourself, or dealing with a big corporation trying to get them to fix it, BUY IT FROM A LOCAL DEALER. 

Would ya just buy a car from a far off dealer and call Chevy, Ford or Dodge when there's a problem? For the OP, you have a Speeco dealer about 20 miles from ya. By the time it's said and done, your cost would have probably been less to deal with them, and they'd have handled sending it to the service center (or fixed it there),

S&W Feeds - Distance: 21 miles

2292 South Carson Street

Carson City NV 89701

NOTE THAT I'M NOT TELLING YOU TO BRING IT THERE NOW! Do that and you'll be at the far, slow end of the line, same as the person that buys a Husqvarna at the big box store then expects the full line dealer to treat him like a king when he straight gasses it.

Can ya tell threads like this piss me off? Most of the Speeco and Huskee owners on here say good things about their splitters and have never had a problem. Some have had problems, and were treated well and are happy. Every now and then, someone feels they've been wronged (justly or not, we VERY SELDOM have the full facts to decide either way), and go on a full blown biblical crusade to wipe Speeco off the face of the earth.

DISCLAIMER: I have no vested interest in Speeco, don't own one of their splitters, don't own any Blount stock, and your buddy Rock didn't steal the last beer out of my truck.

This concludes tonight's rant.


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## Slt Skier (Jan 19, 2012)

triptester said:


> From what you discribed the pump is not the problem. The pump has two sections, the first section has a bypass but the second section does not. The second section pumps fluid all the time. If pressure fails to build in the system the first thing to check for is a missing key in the lovejoy coupling causing slipage between engine and pump.
> Next would be a misadjusted relief in the control valve.
> Least likely would be a damaged seal in the cylinder.



I checked the coupling and everything was there. Speeco did not think it was the pump. Makes sense if it works like you describe. Not a whole lot else on these things so either the control valve or cylinder, which should be replaced in that order.


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## Slt Skier (Jan 19, 2012)

Firewood guy, that really sucks. Hope you replace that Briggs with a Honda.


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## Slt Skier (Jan 19, 2012)

Steve nw wi, I hope my post did not come off as a rant. I am simply posting my experience with this splitter and trying to remain neutral in my tone. I am simply letting others know about this so they can make a better, more informed decision in the purchase of a log splitter. Knowledge is inexhaustible. 1700 is a lot of money to me. 

And just for full disclosure, I contacted s&w feed supply in Carson. It was going to be about 200 more for the splitter plus tax of 150. They do not stock any splitters as they are a feed suppy store. They are a speeco dealer for their farm implements. They could have ordered one for me but it was going to take longer to get it than from omni. And s&w is not a service center. So I would pay 350 more, have to drive 45 minutes to Carson to pick it up (mountain roads), and would take about a week longer to get. And if that splitter was broke, there is a chance I would be taking it to Reno for repair. It was easier to have it delivered to my door.


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## reaperman (Jan 19, 2012)

One last comment. Put the matter in dispute with your credit card company if you used a CC on the purchase. Nothing gets attention faster from a retailer if they aren't getting paid.


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## avalancher (Jan 19, 2012)

I bought my 35ton speeco from Rock as well, and he was a good guy to deal with.I have no complaints. But here is the deal. Buying a splitter online or over the phone is much like buying a car from your local dealer.Once you buy it, its yours. A car dealer doesnt care nor does he have a way of dealing with a car once its purchased in the event something goes wrong beyond repairing the defect. You could buy a new truck or car, pull out of the lot, and have the engine seize.Will they give you a new one?Hell no. They will repair the vehicle under warranty.

But buying a splitter you are more or less opening an agreement with the manufacturer that in the event something goes wrong you are to take it to the nearest facility for repair, and it matters not to Speeco that you live out in the sticks.

What I would like to see is Speeco open an agreement with their repair facilities that they would send out a guy in a truck to repair your splitter on site. After all, a splitter is a fairly simple machine with only a few moving parts.It would be a no brainer to send out a guy in truck with a control valve, a few hoses, a pump, a new engine, and a toolbox and he should be able to fix any problem that the unit is displaying.It would save the customer the aggravation of transporting the unit, speed up the repair process, and would probably really make the company stand out in the customer service area.

Yeah, I would be pretty pissed myself if I dropped 2K on a machine and it didnt even work right out of the box, but I reckon that is the chance you take when buying online.It sucks, but its reality.

By the way, dont even think about a Troybilt unless you really want a potential headache on your hands.


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## Slt Skier (Jan 19, 2012)

Avalancher, good point. And I was not really thinking if buying a Troy built. It was just an example of the buy local mentality. It's just in my area, there are not a lot of options to buy from a dealer who stocks splitters. But every time I go into lowes that Troy built is sitting there.


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## avalancher (Jan 19, 2012)

Slt Skier said:


> Avalancher, good point. And I was not really thinking if buying a Troy built. It was just an example of the buy local mentality. It's just in my area, there are not a lot of options to buy from a dealer who stocks splitters. But every time I go into lowes that Troy built is sitting there.




I have the same situation here, not a lot of options when it comes to buying local. We do have a TSC 20 miles from the house, but their customer service is rotten. I bought a Warn winch there, used it twice, and the thing locked up.Back to the store I went with the winch and receipt in hand, and the manager acted like I showed up in a dress and was asking for his daughters hand in marriage. So when it came to a splitter, I opted for the Troybilt from Lowes and two years later regretted my decision when the cylinder split open under pressure, soaked me down with hydraulic fluid, and gave me a good reason to head to the house and change my shorts while wondering how in the hell I left the house with brown hair and came back totally gray along with a permanent nervous twitch every time I hear a loud BANG.

You bought a good machine, Speeco builds some good splitters but you might have gotten one that was assembled by a dyslexic midget whacked out on cheap cough syrup on a Friday afternoon, and things happen. Sucks to have to travel that far to get it fixed, but hopefully they will make it right for you. There is a Speeco rep around here and I will dig up his contact info for you and post it. He has been very good in speeding up things for guys around here, and seems like a good guy to deal with, and possibly may have more clout to make things happen for you.


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## George G (Jan 19, 2012)

This diagram shows what the pump would look like on a complete hydraulic schematic. The unloading valve is on the right side of the print. Lets say we adjusted it to open at 600psi. When the output pressure of the pump reaches 600psi. The unloading valve will open, the Hi-Vol (High-Volume) side of the pump will, at this point, pump it's oil back to the inlet side of the pump. Besides being spring loaded, the check valve will also be forced closed by the Hi-psi (high-pressure) side of the pump. Pressure at the output of the pump will continue to build until the wood splits. We all start dancing in the streets, and it's a joyous time for all. But, if the check valve sticks open, or, if it gets a piece of something stuck under it. The output of the pump will reach 600psi, the unloading valve will open, the Hi-Vol pump will pump its oil though the unloading valve back to the supply side of the pump, the Hi-psi side will pump it's oil though the stuck open check valve, though the unloading valve to the supply side of the pump. The maximum psi will only go to 600psi, the wood won't split, we all go home and cry in our porridge. And thats the story of how the pump works and what might be wrong with the splitter.

Guess I don't know how to add the picture

View attachment 218445


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## freemind (Jan 19, 2012)

Kevin Greer is his name Avalancher.


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## cantoo (Jan 19, 2012)

Sometimes the cheapest price isn't the best deal in the end. I bought the cheapest one I could find and took a chance. So far it's working good and when it does go boom, I will get the welder out and patch it up or buy and replace whatever needs replaced. I very seldom buy anything for warranty, never have and never expect warranty to mean much. I look stuff over , read reviews and look it over before I buy it. Unfortunately most of this type of stuff you can't try it before you buy it. Hopefully it works new out of the box but if it doesn't you better be prepared to scream loud right away. The squeeky wheel gets the grease.


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## avalancher (Jan 19, 2012)

freemind said:


> Kevin Greer is his name Avalancher.




Thanks for that, I have been scratching my head for the last hour trying to remember his name.

OP, give this a try....

Kevin Greer is a Speeco rep, and he hangs out here once in awhile. His email address is [email protected], you can call him at 800-525-8322 ext. 1147, and his AS username is
kgreer. Here is his profile, send him a PM or an email and I am sure he can help you out

http://www.arboristsite.com/member.php?u=29444


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## firewood guy (Jan 20, 2012)

Slt Skier said:


> Firewood guy, that really sucks. Hope you replace that Briggs with a Honda.



Funnier than that, We put a Harbor Freight import engine on the thing, replaced all the hydraulic lines, hyd filter assy, of course the hyd fluid, had to replace one of the tires cause it melted. Between the down time and the cost to fix that POS it's about $600.00 in parts alone, and Speeco thought it was OK to just ignore there warranty policy?? That is one company that I'd like to see go BK cause they don't give a rats ass after they make there cash.


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## Slt Skier (Jan 20, 2012)

George g, thanks for the diagram and the description. Really helps to bring it all together. 

Avalancher, I can't imagine what that would have been like. I was at lowes today and took a good look at the Troy built. Does not seem like a quality machine. 

Firewood guy, some of that harbor freight stuff is not that bad, as long as you don't mind beefing it up and turning a few non pittsburgh wrenches. 

Cantoo, never been much one to be the squeaky wheel but I think in this case it might of helped


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## firewood guy (Jan 20, 2012)

avalancher said:


> Thanks for that, I have been scratching my head for the last hour trying to remember his name.
> 
> OP, give this a try....
> 
> ...



Yup, spoke with Mr. Kevin Greer @ Speeco, He's the one that offered a $500.00 discount on a new machine instead of honoring the companies so-called warranty. They are trash in my opinion. Hope to see them sued, will probably do it myself in small claims. If anybody spends money on a machine with a "Two-year warranty" and it blows up within 90 days, would't you be PO'd too if the company said "Too bad, so sad?"


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## Slt Skier (Jan 20, 2012)

So just to finish this out, I got a call this morning to come and pick up the splitter. So I head down and pick it up. Talk with the mechanic and he says speeco sent them a new control valve. So he R&R'd that and the splitter worked. Got back home and had a couple hours before a storm rolled in so got after it. Had about 1/4 cord of oak crotches, knots and butts to split and stack before I get shut down for winter. The speeco only had trouble with one piece that I was able to back out of and hit again with success. It worked as advertised. The engine is a little loud and it is thirsty for fuel. There is still a leak at the pump that needs to be fixed. But aside from that I am happy with the performance. There is no way I could have spit some of these rounds by hand, I tried. I think this machine will work out for me. It is put away for winter now and I will get some more time with it this spring. Hope this thread helps out someone looking for a splitter. I would definitely recommend getting one, so much easier than a maul and a wedge. I just don't know yet if I would recommend this one.


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## Slt Skier (Jan 20, 2012)

Firewood guy, that really sucks. Seems like customer service should be about servicing the customer. My experience with speeco service has not been as bad as yours, but I would not call it good.....


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## firewood guy (Jan 20, 2012)

Hansenj11 said:


> Take it back and get your money back. I bought a northern tool log splitter 30 ton and have been using it commercially and all that's broken is the control valve. They sent it free shipping forward and back and even offered to fix at a local shop. I have split somewhere in the ball park of 60 cords and there 3o ton has got the commercial Honda GX.



We have the Northern "37 ton" splitter , and we have had problems with the unit. However , Northerns customer service and warranty support is just as advertised, and they really keep to their promise of customer satisfaction. Yes, we had some down-time due to repairs, but Northern's warranty policy is just as advertised, maybe Speeco should take notes!! Thanks to all @ Northern for being so attentive to customers issues.. have been a customer since the " Northern Hydraulics" days, and will be as long as they continue to provide honest parts @ honest prices and stand behind what they sell.


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## EXCALIBER (Jan 20, 2012)

Avalancher I think you need to read what you write sometimes. I like most of your stories but seem to find this one a little off. Perhaps I am missing something though. Buying a splitter online or over the phone is much like buying a car from your local dealer.Once you buy it, its yours. A car dealer doesnt care nor does he have a way of dealing with a car once its purchased in the event something goes wrong beyond repairing the defect. You could buy a new truck or car, pull out of the lot, and have the engine seize.Will they give you a new one?Hell no. They will repair the vehicle under warranty.

But buying a splitter you are more or less opening an agreement with the manufacturer that in the event something goes wrong you are to take it to the nearest facility for repair, and it matters not to Speeco that you live out in the sticks.

I have the same situation here, not a lot of options when it comes to buying local. We do have a TSC 20 miles from the house, but their customer service is rotten. I bought a Warn winch there, used it twice, and the thing locked up.Back to the store I went with the winch and receipt in hand, and the manager acted like I showed up in a dress and was asking for his daughters hand in marriage.

So you are saying he shouldn't expect his dealer to take care of the problem, and he should just haul it to Speeco repair facility right? Yeah, but then you buy something, it breaks and you expect the dealer who sold it to you to fix the problem, even though your warranty is with warn the manufacturer? Maybe I am just reading this wrong (its been known to happen), but seems to me instead of going back to tsc you should have contacted warn and drove/shipped the winch to a repair facility? Right? I am also betting you didn't spend $1700 on the winch either, and yet wanted a replacement right? Or do I just have things all turned around?


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## EXCALIBER (Jan 20, 2012)

Steve NW WI said:


> Omni and this Rock guy seem to get a lot of free PR on here, trouble is he ain't where you are. He IS however your dealer. I suggest you bring the damn thing back to him. Note also, that near as I can tell, he ain't a sponsor here.
> 
> If you don't want the hassle of fixing yourself, or dealing with a big corporation trying to get them to fix it, BUY IT FROM A LOCAL DEALER.
> 
> ...



Several problems with your thinking steve, and my opinion you are out of line. First off yes buy local when possible, but you can buy a car from say ford and have it repaired anywhere. I don't see too many people buy cars local then move hundreds of miles away, and then drive back to the original car dealer to have a problem looked at or fixed, just not going to happen. Now there is also no guarantee that buying local will be a cure-all fix all. I bought a car local and got the run-around from my local dealer after I had problems with it. After a fair amount of time I contacted the company (Ford, GM, etc and no, they are not sponsers here either) I bought it from and they offered to fix the problem, as it should have been fixed to start with. After all that is why you buy a name brand anything right? So you will have some company standing behind you in case you need them, as they should care about their reputation. Oh as a side note they did pay towing, car rental, and extended the warranty and I will buy from them again in the future. They stood behind their product. 

Now, second, if say I did buy a husqvarna from a big box store and took it to my full line dealer for repair, would I expect them to treat me like a king? No, I would however expect to be treated with the same respect as every other customer. They are a dealer and that is their job. They should be happy I bought a husqvarna and not a junk stihl, (oh I don't think neither one of them is a sponser either, so guess we shouldn't be shamefully mentioning their names and giving free PR) so in the future they can win me over with customer service and fair treatment. Perhaps if they would treat their customers like this they would find they would end up with a much larger customer base to draw from, as most would buy from them first in the future. 

Third as you said, we seldom have the full facts to decide either way, and yet you have decided that the op is clearly in the wrong? I think there are three stories to everything, his, theirs, and the truth. Very seldom do all match or even come close. So I ask this question what possible reason would the op have for running down speeco, what could he gain? Seems to me he may have gotten a bad run of things and if speeco rep was contacted and did nothing then speeco has a problem and he is doing us, and speeco a favor of raising a red flag. Speeco may be a great company and treat 99 percent of its customers great, I have no Idea, but if it lets 1 percent of its customers down I would say there is a problem, and they should be happy to have some light shed on that problem. After all how would you feel if you were the one percent getting the raw deal but everyone else was happy?


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## Slt Skier (Jan 21, 2012)

Excalibur, I understand there being 3 sides to every story. I have tried to be as impartial as possible. I would welcome speeco or omni to to confirm or refute my statements. Speeco did fix the problem as I pointed out in my above post and the splitter now works as advertised. I have posted what I have had to do and to spend to get it to work as it should have, out of the box. 

Too all, I relied on this forum for gathering information when I was researching wood splitters. There is a lot of knowledge and experience among its members and stored on its servers. All I am trying to do is provide more information. Right now there is someone contemplating spending a large (to me) amont of money on a new splitter and they are using this site. I know this because that was me a month ago. The more information they have before they make that purchase the better the outcome will be.


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## freemind (Jan 21, 2012)

> Now, second, if say I did buy a husqvarna from a big box store and took it to my full line dealer for repair, would I expect them to treat me like a king? No, I would however expect to be treated with the same respect as every other customer. They are a dealer and that is their job.



Wrong on several levels.....

One, if the dealer didn't sell you the saw, they didn't make ANY money on the saw. Warrenty repairs don't net the dealer the same money as a customer walking in for a repair. It is kin to your doctor giving the insurance company a discount as opposed to a cash paying customer. 
Secondly, the shops around me record your serial number in the saw. If you bought it from them, you get priority service. If not, back of the line for you. Don't like it? Fix it yourself then.

The dealers JOB, is to make money, like any other business. If you aren't buying from me, you aren't making me money. Why should I care about warrenty work on the saw you bought somewhere else for 10 or 20 bucks less? I wouldn't be making much on the repair end.


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## Gologit (Jan 21, 2012)

Slt Skier said:


> Excalibur, I understand there being 3 sides to every story. I have tried to be as impartial as possible. I would welcome speeco or omni to to confirm or refute my statements. Speeco did fix the problem as I pointed out in my above post and the splitter now works as advertised. I have posted what I have had to do and to spend to get it to work as it should have, out of the box.
> 
> Too all, I relied on this forum for gathering information when I was researching wood splitters. There is a lot of knowledge and experience among its members and stored on its servers. All I am trying to do is provide more information. Right now there is someone contemplating spending a large (to me) amont of money on a new splitter and they are using this site. I know this because that was me a month ago. The more information they have before they make that purchase the better the outcome will be.



Well said.


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## REJ2 (Jan 21, 2012)

Very good thread, I never could have remained as polite and civil as the OP after all he went thru. I can understand mechanical objects failing at any time as well as the next guy, but a manufacturer should have a policy in place to ensure the purchaser is not put out and inconvenienced as the OP here was especially on a brand new unit. Whether that is allowing their sellers, dealers, to offer a "loaner" or exchange is up to them. But to put a purchaser thru this is unbelievable. I myself am looking to buy a splitter, these reviews are of importance to me. Ive read many a good thing about Speeco but it only takes one bad review to alter my thought process. Thank you Slt Skier for your first hand review from start to finish.


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## EXCALIBER (Jan 21, 2012)

freemind said:


> Wrong on several levels.....
> 
> One, if the dealer didn't sell you the saw, they didn't make ANY money on the saw. Warrenty repairs don't net the dealer the same money as a customer walking in for a repair. It is kin to your doctor giving the insurance company a discount as opposed to a cash paying customer.
> Secondly, the shops around me record your serial number in the saw. If you bought it from them, you get priority service. If not, back of the line for you. Don't like it? Fix it yourself then.
> ...



Yes what you say is true they will not make as much money on this warranty work, however that is a very short termed view of things. What about the future sales, where they stand to make way more money by not treating you like a second rate customer. I mean if you go to a restaurant and order your food, after ten minutes someone else (a daily regular) comes and orders the same food, under you idea you want the server to serve him your food because he is regular and you can wait right? How likely are you to revisit this restaurant? Probably not going to be on your best restaurant list. Treat your customers right and they will return and spend more money with you. Quite frankly most dealers around me locally have you mentality towards customer service and that is why they do not get anyone taking their saws in to them anymore, and why they decided to buy at a big box store instead of a full service shop...either place doesn't serve their needs so what's the difference. Most the repairs around here people do themselves and I help them get the parts. If they can't fix it they take it to Cheyenne or Denver several hours away just to get treated fairly.


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## freemind (Jan 21, 2012)

EXCALIBER said:


> Yes what you say is true they will not make as much money on this warranty work, however that is a very short termed view of things. What about the future sales, where they stand to make way more money by not treating you like a second rate customer. I mean if you go to a restaurant and order your food, after ten minutes someone else (a daily regular) comes and orders the same food, under you idea you want the server to serve him your food because he is regular and you can wait right? How likely are you to revisit this restaurant? Probably not going to be on your best restaurant list. Treat your customers right and they will return and spend more money with you. Quite frankly most dealers around me locally have you mentality towards customer service and that is why they do not get anyone taking their saws in to them anymore, and why they decided to buy at a big box store instead of a full service shop...either place doesn't serve their needs so what's the difference. Most the repairs around here people do themselves and I help them get the parts. If they can't fix it they take it to Cheyenne or Denver several hours away just to get treated fairly.



You are looking at his a little backwards. The customer bought a saw from a competitor. to save a few bucks, not a substantial sum. The customer didn't bother to think, that Home Depot doesn't service jack. So when it breaks, like ALL mechanical things tend to do, where are they gonna get it serviced? Well that saw shop can't survive on warrenty repairs. It doesn't pay. That same customer, will likely buy all his oil and premix oil, chains, ect. from Home depot. So WHY should the saw shop put themselves out for a guy that is only coming there to get something he can't at Home Depot? Those loyal customer pay the businss owners expenses. Not the guy that runs in once a year for a chain, or to get his home depot cheapy saw fixed. 

It boils down to money, like it does in EVERY business. If you aren't spending your money there, you can't have the expectation that they are gonna bend over backwords for you. Lots of people nowadays, have no problems with wasting people's time with no intention of spending any money there.


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## ijon (Jan 21, 2012)

I just had my cylinder rebuilt, it was twenty-three years old. It was not going into second stage. It ended up being a broken piston in the cylinder letting the oil bypass.


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## howellhandmade (Jan 21, 2012)

freemind said:


> Wrong on several levels.....
> 
> One, if the dealer didn't sell you the saw, they didn't make ANY money on the saw. Warrenty repairs don't net the dealer the same money as a customer walking in for a repair. It is kin to your doctor giving the insurance company a discount as opposed to a cash paying customer.
> Secondly, the shops around me record your serial number in the saw. If you bought it from them, you get priority service. If not, back of the line for you. Don't like it? Fix it yourself then.
> ...



It's all in the attitude. A dealer can have whatever kind of attitude he wants, but I think "Why should I care?" is a little short-sighted.

I understand that a Husqvarna (for instance, substitute Speeco or whatever) dealer makes less money on a warranty repair as opposed to a regular repair, and I understand how he can be frustrated with Husky's practice of selling saws in box stores where the sales staff is not knowledgeable and then expecting the small dealer (who is not given the opportunity to compete on price with the box store for the sale) to take care of problems, some of which perhaps could have been prevented by a little education at the point of sale.

However, presumably there is some benefit to being a Husqvarna dealer, and warranty work is part of the package. If it didn't make any money at all, or if the mix of income from sales/service/parts didn't balance out, Husqvarna wouldn't have any dealers. It can't all be cherries all the time, and business isn't just money. I work hard for what I make, and I think I'm reasonably sensitive to the other guy's need to make a living, too. But I prefer to spend money with people who seem fair and communicative. When I buy item X from store Y, and bring it for service to business Z for service as per the manufacturer's instruction, and instead of getting decent service I am punished for buying item X at store Y rather than Z, I won't be back, probably not to brand X and certainly not to business Z. A dealer who sneers that I'm not making him money may be right in a very limited sense at a certain point in time, but in the manufacturer/dealer/consumer triangle, I'm the one WITH the money.

If it's possible for a dealer to let me know that warranty work is important to him, but not more important than the existing backlog of customers waiting for their machines and that I'd like to leave it he'll take it in turn but he'd understand if I want to take it somewhere else that might have a shorter wait, we're cool. I may be glad to have found him, been unaware that he even existed before now, and I'll probably be willing to spend an extra $20 on the next thing I buy to have him on my side.


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## ijon (Jan 21, 2012)

reaperman said:


> One last comment. Put the matter in dispute with your credit card company if you used a CC on the purchase. Nothing gets attention faster from a retailer if they aren't getting paid.


That works. I did that with a bad backhoe one time.


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## ptabaka (Jan 22, 2012)

*splitter*

i hate to say it but you could got a tw bulitright iorn oak all good mach you get what you pay for good luck dont ever buy cheap you pay 2 times i know well


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## avalancher (Jan 23, 2012)

EXCALIBER said:


> Avalancher I think you need to read what you write sometimes. I like most of your stories but seem to find this one a little off. Perhaps I am missing something though. Buying a splitter online or over the phone is much like buying a car from your local dealer.Once you buy it, its yours. A car dealer doesnt care nor does he have a way of dealing with a car once its purchased in the event something goes wrong beyond repairing the defect. You could buy a new truck or car, pull out of the lot, and have the engine seize.Will they give you a new one?Hell no. They will repair the vehicle under warranty.
> 
> But buying a splitter you are more or less opening an agreement with the manufacturer that in the event something goes wrong you are to take it to the nearest facility for repair, and it matters not to Speeco that you live out in the sticks.
> 
> ...



There is a difference here, and here it is. I returned the winch back to TSC because clearly stated in their literature and on a sign nailed to the wall that they have a "no questions asked" return policy for the first 30 days as long as you have a receipt. I asked for nothing more. But, when I returned the winch, the manager attempted to direct me to Warn for repairs which I would have agreed to if that had been the store policy on the wall. But, as in the case of a local auto dealer, they have no such warranty that I am aware of.If you are unhappy with your new car or truck, or it broke down, they dont have an "instant exchange" policy, they repair the unit that you bought.

I dont know what Speeco has for a return policy, never have I pursued it. I know that Omni probably doesnt have any kind of "30 day return policy" because in reality they never see your splitter. When you buy one from them, they turn the order into Speeco who then ships it out.

But like I said, if you buy local, they may have a 30,60, or 90 day policy if you are unhappy, it breaks down, etc. And if they do, then sometimes, and I mean sometimes, it pays to shop local. But it all boils down to one thing. How much of a risk are you willing to take buying online, what is their return policy to the store, not the manufacturer, and is it worth it to you to ship it back.


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## logbutcher (Jan 23, 2012)

Middle of winter and we have rain. Indoors paperwork, prep for a program next week, and plain lazy.

Return, warranty, repair, even liability policies are all over the business map. It's up to us as buyer to choose where we purchase: bricks or online.

That TSC "Return Policy" should have been honored; you needed to either go up the chain (CEO level), or make some aggressive yet firm noise with that manager. The few QC or return problems we had that were not handled politely in store, were easily solved by Registered/Return Receipt mail telling ( not asking) the CEO of the firm what we needed to be done, when (time frame ), and what would be done if the request was ignored; common legal way to get something done, fast. No anger, no rudeness, no argita on any side.

Example here for me is the no B.S. warranty, customer service, return policy ( "6 Month Trial" of any product ), parts availability, and known quality of DR machines. Sure, I'll pay a little more for the splitter we'll get, but those customer-oriented qualities attract many. Dealers in our region will sell DR, but without any "trial" return, just warranty repair. Another example is my local Stihl/Husky dealer. You will pay slightly more for their machines, but when you need instructions on a repair they'll take the time with you WHETHER OR NOT YOU BOUGHT THE MACHINE FROM THEM. I buy consumables such as chains from them always. It's plain good business for both buyer and seller.


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## obee1kubota (Feb 3, 2012)

*Wow wish I had seen this sooner!*

This is Rock from OMNI MFG LLC.

First off I would like to apologize to SLT Skier for his problems. What previous posters have said about buying online and thus foregoing service from the dealer you bought from is spot on. I try to compensate for that inconvenience with excellent pre and post sale service and very competitive pricing.

Most of my customers and I have experienced the reliability and performance of a machine priced hundreds if not thousands of dollars of dollars more than the Speeco. Another often overlooked benefit of the Speeco is it's excellent resale value, if you can find an owner willing to part with one. Let's face it though it is not a Builtrite, Timberwolf or Spliteze and the price tag reflects that.

That being said there have been and will continue to be problems with any brand of splitter including Speeco. The proof in the pudding is how the issues are dealt with. I try to make sure the customer gets the most efficient and effective warranty service possible even though I am an "internet dealer". I assume my customers will attest to that fact and comments here and on our website seems to back that up. I have sold over 200 Speeco splitters in the last 3 years. In that time I have had the following problems reported.

1. firewood guy's explosion.
2. two customers had significant damage during transport.
3. one customer had his engine (B&S) seize after minimal use.
4. one customer lost compression after initial warmup (B&S).
5. two customers had problems mounting the wheels and tire because of oversized axles
6. one customer had a broken lovejoy connector.
7. The valve mentioned in this post

note:It might appear that B&S builds an inferior engine. We sell 10-15 splitters with the Briggs engines for every one Honda. That means there are many more opportunities for failures and if the numbers were equal I think there would not be such a disparity. I love Honda engines but for the $500 added cost you could use up the Briggs and then buy a new Honda for the same total investment.

That's it. 9 problems 200+ splitters. (Unless some customers had problems and did not contact me.) With the exception of firewood guy all the the issues were corrected free and in a fairly timely manner. Some within days.

I will not sell a product that does not produce satisfied customers. It makes no business sense to do so. I do not consider negative comments about me or Speeco on this site as rants. We are all here to share buying, performance, quality and service experiences with our fellow users. 

Regarding the OP and the problems he had consider this. Speeco sells hundreds of splitters annually, using parts from many suppliers. The offending valve on his splitter was a $120 part on a $1700 splitter. The splitters cannot be transported with all fluids and there fore cannot be tested at the factory. This would normally be done by the "local" dealer and if the OP had purchased from a brick and mortar dealer his problem may have been avoided. As I previously stated we try to offset this inconvenience with other services (we pride ourselves on our thorough product knowledge) and a pricing structure that is very competitive. Even after the travel expenses the OP incurred he spent less than the local purchase price would have been. The inconvenience of the down time and expense of the repair is unfortunate. I wonder how many servicing centers for any other splitter manufacturer were any closer. Speeco has one of the most extensive list of service centers in the country. Thank goodness the vast majority of users have not needed them.

I would like to reiterate I think the OP has been extremely reasonable with his comments and I personally appreciate users like him whether they bought from me or not. To demonstrate this appreciation *I will supply the requested cover to him at no cost*.

I am ready and willing to help any Speeco owner in any way I can. My contact info is on our website.

Thank you for your time and attention


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## Jkebxjunke (Feb 3, 2012)

Slt Skier said:


> So just to finish this out, I got a call this morning to come and pick up the splitter. So I head down and pick it up. Talk with the mechanic and he says speeco sent them a new control valve. So he R&R'd that and the splitter worked. Got back home and had a couple hours before a storm rolled in so got after it. Had about 1/4 cord of oak crotches, knots and butts to split and stack before I get shut down for winter. The speeco only had trouble with one piece that I was able to back out of and hit again with success. It worked as advertised. The engine is a little loud and it is thirsty for fuel. There is still a leak at the pump that needs to be fixed. But aside from that I am happy with the performance. There is no way I could have spit some of these rounds by hand, I tried. I think this machine will work out for me. It is put away for winter now and I will get some more time with it this spring. Hope this thread helps out someone looking for a splitter. I would definitely recommend getting one, so much easier than a maul and a wedge. I just don't know yet if I would recommend this one.



they should have fixed the leak too while they had it. 

Briggs are loud engines.. compared to Honda


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## Jkebxjunke (Feb 3, 2012)

avalancher said:


> There is a difference here, and here it is. I returned the winch back to TSC because clearly stated in their literature and on a sign nailed to the wall that they have a "no questions asked" return policy for the first 30 days as long as you have a receipt. I asked for nothing more. But, when I returned the winch, the manager attempted to direct me to Warn for repairs which I would have agreed to if that had been the store policy on the wall. But, as in the case of a local auto dealer, they have no such warranty that I am aware of.If you are unhappy with your new car or truck, or it broke down, they dont have an "instant exchange" policy, they repair the unit that you bought.
> 
> I dont know what Speeco has for a return policy, never have I pursued it. I know that Omni probably doesnt have any kind of "30 day return policy" because in reality they never see your splitter. When you buy one from them, they turn the order into Speeco who then ships it out.
> 
> But like I said, if you buy local, they may have a 30,60, or 90 day policy if you are unhappy, it breaks down, etc. And if they do, then sometimes, and I mean sometimes, it pays to shop local. But it all boils down to one thing. How much of a risk are you willing to take buying online, what is their return policy to the store, not the manufacturer, and is it worth it to you to ship it back.




I also had an issue with TSC return policy.. I bought a GPI fuel transfer pump.. and after 10 months it started locking up... contacted TSC store... I have to call the warranty people ( one time I actually bought the extended warranty) GPI has a 2 year warranty... explained that it was still under mfg warranty .. all I got was call this number... so I did.. they took my info and would get back to me where to take it for repairs... within 5 days... they called back.. no place to take it... so they refunded my $349.00 .. ok .. so I went and bought a set of replacement gears for $30... what the hay.. they worked... then 5 months later... it is doing the same... so I write to GPI... asking if there was an issue with these pumps... told them my ordeal.. he responded back with what was the ser number and date code on it.. sent that back... he sent me a new pump set... ( hose and all ) all he wanted back was the head unit.. told me to keep the rest for my trouble... when I go the new unit it had a much better hook plate for putting a lock through to actually secure the nozzle ... ask if I could buy a upgrade to my older same model Diesel pump... he sent me one no charge. 
Now he also told me that they have a "2 year over the counter " warranty with TSC and they SHOULD have taken my defective pump back and gave me a new one no hassle or problems.


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## Slt Skier (Feb 3, 2012)

Rock, thank you.


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## firewood guy (Feb 4, 2012)

Jkebxjunke said:


> I also had an issue with TSC return policy.. I bought a GPI fuel transfer pump.. and after 10 months it started locking up... contacted TSC store... I have to call the warranty people ( one time I actually bought the extended warranty) GPI has a 2 year warranty... explained that it was still under mfg warranty .. all I got was call this number... so I did.. they took my info and would get back to me where to take it for repairs... within 5 days... they called back.. no place to take it... so they refunded my $349.00 .. ok .. so I went and bought a set of replacement gears for $30... what the hay.. they worked... then 5 months later... it is doing the same... so I write to GPI... asking if there was an issue with these pumps... told them my ordeal.. he responded back with what was the ser number and date code on it.. sent that back... he sent me a new pump set... ( hose and all ) all he wanted back was the head unit.. told me to keep the rest for my trouble... when I go the new unit it had a much better hook plate for putting a lock through to actually secure the nozzle ... ask if I could buy a upgrade to my older same model Diesel pump... he sent me one no charge.
> Now he also told me that they have a "2 year over the counter " warranty with TSC and they SHOULD have taken my defective pump back and gave me a new one no hassle or problems.



That is over and beyond warranty performance! Great that they came through for you. Wish I could say the same about Speeco......still NO responce. Oh well, I guess I got screwed so put it back in service after lots of time and expense.


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## Steve NW WI (Feb 4, 2012)

Rock. welcome to AS (although it appears you've been here for a year)!

Might I suggest an AS sponsorship?

I get down on "online superstores" because I'm lucky enough to have very good brick and mortar stores local to me. I understand that Bum Fark Egypt Idaho (sorry Potatoheads, I'm pickin on ya here) might not have the same options I have. Heck, I have 3 John Deere dealers within 30 miles, some guys out west drive 100+ miles to their closest dealer.

We would like to see more from you here, both of what you have to offer and what problems you've seen and the cure for them.

I'd like to meet ya one day, and you're less than 2 hours from me. I hope you stick around, and become one of the fixtures here.


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## dangerbob (Mar 21, 2013)

Jus purchased a 22 ton speeco, from a company on ebay. When I arrived I noticed that It looked like it had been sitting for a while. Both the hydraulic fluid and the engine oil (6.5hp chinese motor) were milky and odd smelling. I was under the impression the machine would be empty of fluids, so I already had new juice waiting. I drained and changed hyro and motor oil, before starting. I also went over the whole machine and checked for loose bolts, etc.... I have given up on ever believing anything is shipped ready to run, you should too Check everything. The machine fired right up and I have probably split about a cord and a half so far. The machine works flawlessly, so far. No complaints.


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## WidowMaker (Mar 21, 2013)

We have 35 ton Speeco with B/S 9 hp that was purchased some 8 or 10 years ago, prior to the change in the beam and end plate. It has split 30 to 50 cords a year since purchase and we have had not one single problem with it and has split everything we have thrown at it. Mostly our PNW Piney Wood,up to about 50" in dia, as well as apple and cherry orchard wood and some chinese elm....
Since purchase I have added a hydraulic lift, and catch table, just made a 4 way wedge based on Kevins "Catterspliter" build and the entire unit has been mounted on rails in a toyota P/U box for hiway transportability. Works great, pictures have been posted, search under my user name if interested...
Would I buy one of the current prodution units????????, they don't look as sturdy as the earlier units...jmho


Glad you got your unit going


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