# Hydraulic Fluid For a Roper Log Splitter?



## Bowsaw Outlaw (Feb 22, 2010)

I just bought a Roper Log Splitter II yesterday and I don't know what kind of hydraulic fluid to run in it. I doesn't say what kind on it anywhere and the I.d. tag on it say's it was made in 1980. It looks and runs like a new one but I would like to change out all the oils and fluids on it. The problem is I can't find any information on it anywhere and I don't know how much difference there is in hydraulic fluids and I don't want to mess anything up. 

I am hoping that some one on here may be familiar with these splitters or ones like them and can give me some suggestions on a fluid that might work.


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## treeslayer (Feb 22, 2010)

transmission fluid. type F I believe. 

Best bet would be reg old hydraulic fluid sold at NAPA and almost all major tractor stores.


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## treemandan (Feb 22, 2010)

I was surprised to find the good old ten-dublya- thirty is used in a lot of skid steers and such. Its what my Dingo( the loader) calls for.


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## treeslayer (Feb 22, 2010)

the reality is any oil pressurized is going to act as a hydraulic fluid, mixing them would be the downfall.


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## pdqdl (Feb 22, 2010)

A 1980's variety of log splitter will use plain old hydraulic oil. Anticipate low pressure/high wear in the pump. The same will be true of the hydraulic cylinder.

If you want to step up a bit in pressure & wear resistance; put tractor hydraulic transmission fluid in it. It has more protection elements for high pressure steel on steel wear, and it doesn't cost that much more.

If money is no object, put in transmission fluid. It is almost the best stuff you can buy, but cost per gallon is considerably higher. Also, it makes a bigger mess when you spill red, rather than clear.


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## Bowsaw Outlaw (Feb 23, 2010)

Thanks so much for the advice guys. I 'm going to try the red stuff we use in the tractors. I pulled some out of the splitter with an eye dropper late yesterday and it and the tractor hydraulic fluid feel about like the same thing. Thank Y'all.


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## Kogafortwo (Feb 24, 2010)

ATF was recommended in the last splitter I worked on, it was a Task Force brand.


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## Bowsaw Outlaw (Feb 25, 2010)

Thanks Kogafortwo, I'll check some ATF out and see how colse it is, and see if it has detergents in it. From what I have read in the past few days on it, detergent fluids and oils tend to foam in hydraulic equipment and cause lots of problems. I know most engine oil does, but I'm not sure if transmission fluid does. Until now I've never thought to look........


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## Kogafortwo (Feb 25, 2010)

Mr. Bowsaw said:


> Thanks Kogafortwo, I'll check some ATF out and see how colse it is, and see if it has detergents in it. From what I have read in the past few days on it, detergent fluids and oils tend to foam in hydraulic equipment and cause lots of problems. I know most engine oil does, but I'm not sure if transmission fluid does. Until now I've never thought to look........



I don't think ATF has detergents because it doesn't have to deal with combustion byproducts that blow by the compression rings on the engine. Tranny fluid's biggest job besides lubrication is to transfer heat, which is what the hydraulic oil does.

If you can find a manual for your pump, I would go with whatever they recommend.


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## pdqdl (Feb 26, 2010)

The majority of ingredients in hydraulic oil are to preserve both the metal surfaces and to resist breakdown of the oil. Cheaper oil has fewer additives.

I had an Alamo flail mowing system on one of my tractors that specified ATF. It was using a very expensive nine piston "wobble plate" hydraulic pump from Cessna. The whole system ran at 4000 PSI, and ran from 1992 until 2006 on the original pump and hydraulic motor. _I really don't think that any amount of foaming was ever a problem_. All automatic transmissions that use ATF are just glorified hydraulic systems that have sensitive components that run many hours between service intervals.

So they give them the best oil possible: ATF




This concern over the presence of detergent sounds like an ancient argument left over from the days of Briggs & Stratton engines and 30 weight non-detergent engine oil. It just doesn't apply to this situation.


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## isaaccarlson (Feb 26, 2010)

*I use AW32 Tractor hydraulic fluid.*

Works great and flows nicely. I use it in my John Deere M also. Not too spendy at about $7/gal.


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