I bent my splitter's toe plate!!

[stihl sawing]

Mark at least yours didn't break!!!!

This is how mine looks after trying to split a tough piece of ash.

And I still have quite a bit to split yet....

Brought it to the welder so I'll keep ya posted on how they fix this fine mess.

It looks like the welds broke on yours. The toe don't appear to be bent.

 

[stihl sawing]

Mark, I sure hope speeco helps you out. They Ought to give you a new one in my opinion.[Which don't count] When you spend that kind of money on a splitter it shouldn't fail like that. Hopefully when they see the pics you send them they will Re-design it where nobody else will go thruogh the frustration that you are right now. If their a reputable company they will do something. I am kinda interested what they are going to do about it as i have one. keep us posted on the progress and thanks for sharing the misfortune and hopefully the positive response from them.

 

[Junkfxr]

I really hate that for you BRM. I would like to know how they get 35 tons out of a 5 inch cylinder with 3000 psi anyway, that only works out to 29.45 tons. If that's all it takes to bend that piece of cast steel, I'd stay away from them in the future. Your best bet for fixing it would be to torch it off and replace it with a piece of 1 1/2 or 2 inch steel plate. Just welding gussets and supports to the already bent and straightened cast steel plate is just a cover up temopary fix, it'll haunt you for a long time, especially since the main beam has been bent on the left side.

 

[tawilson]

Find someone with an oxy acetalene torch, if you don't know anyone go to a repair shop and offer them a few bucks, heat it and bend it back in place. Should be easy enough, just hook a chain from the top of the plate to the head of your ram and pull it back with the splitter, but to reinforce it put a gusset 90' to the flat side, make it look like a "t" when looking at it from the top. Use 1/2(or heavier) x 2 x 8 inch flat material and that will hold more than placing another piece flat on the back of the existing one. I can't believe they would put a cast material there, to easy to break. Cast is very hard and is designed not to bend but the trade off is its very brittle and easy to break.

There is steel in mranum's words of wisdom.

 

[wkpoor]

There is one more design flaw that I have seen twice on the 22ton. If a piece gets stuck real tight and you are retracting it through the gate the force on those uprights can bend the welded angles that guide the wedge foot. I have emailed Speeco recently and got no response. I called them last year about something and got nothing but attitude on the phone. They seem to believe there unit has no flaws. I think over all for the money they have a good unit. They just need to be a little more receptive to customer comments.

 

[mga]

When I look at the pics BRM posted I can sure see how much SpeeCo cut corners building these newer models.

Frame looks like 3/16 welded plate with cast toe plate...my older version has a 1.5" thick solid steel plate and the I-beam is 3/8" flange and 1/2" center.

I have bent two wedges and currently have a bent one on the splitter now but I can guarantee you the toe plate area can't be bent with it's current pump/cylinder combo!

Definitely looks like some design flaws have been found with the newer models and if I was BRM I would let Huskee/SpeeCo know... make sure they know how close you where to getting injured when there inferior design failed!



If your resposable for fixing that I'd cut the whole toe plate off and head down to the scrape yard for a nice hunk of 1.5-2" steel and fab somthing much stronger.



Old style

that's the key right there: make it a safety issue. tell them the log flew out and almost hit you or a helper...just make it a safety issue first BEFORE you make any mods to the splitter.

once you cut or change anything....you're on your own.

 

[triptester]

If attempting to straighten the foot plate DO NOT try to use the wedge to pull back on the plate because most splitters when the wedge is mounted to the ram it is only held in place with a 1/2" bolt.

 

[skid row]

Sorry to see your bent toe plate. If the store where you bought it does not make things right I would do as some other AS members said. Cut the toe off and weld in a 2" thick plate with some anti slip steel strips.

Just my .02 worth.

Hope they make it right for ya......Keep us posted........ Good luck.

 

[Patrick62]

A suggestion

If you end up doing the repairs, think about changing it around.
I prefer a splitter that has the wedge on the end, and the ram with the foot.
Toss in a small outfeed table and you are set.

I will also have to agree that it took a pile of force to bend the sucker. My splitter would have broken as well under such conditions. Thankfully I am not splitting really hard stuff.

-Pat

 

[walexa07]

Looks Like You Have Junk## Tom Trees

+1

Waylan

 

[Scootermsp]

Weld a new plate

If you know a good weldor, you could have the entire footplate cut off with a good size plasma cutter and have an entirely new footplate fabricated from solid 1 1/2 or 1 3/4" plate and welded onto the beam, you might only lose about 1/2" of your beam. I think removing the damaged plate entirely is the way to go. Just be sure the wedge has some clearance. (provided you have no warranty in effect)

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Mark sorry to see your splitter damaged. Do be careful with it......that bent toe combined with another high pressure splitting attempt may launch the chunk of wood quite a distance and hurt somebody.

Yeah, Dan, I hear you. I've got plenty of splitting to do, so this has to be fixed, pronto.

I'm hoping TSC (where I bought it) will do the right thing and just give me a new one.


Til it's fixed or replaced, I'll split any crotch pieces with a saw!

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

that's the key right there: make it a safety issue. tell them the log flew out and almost hit you or a helper...just make it a safety issue first BEFORE you make any mods to the splitter.

No, I'm not going to lie to them. In fact, I may direct their attention to this thread so they can see the exposure this issue is getting.

It IS a safety issue, though. As Dan pointed out, it certainly isn't safe to continue using it.

once you cut or change anything....you're on your own.

Yeah, and I won't touch it until I've got a decision from TSC and/or Speeco on their responsibility in this. If they tell me I'm on my own, I'll sure let everyone know, and then I'll see to fixing the beast.

A new toe plate sounds like the best approach to me, if it has to be repaired.

I won't change the setup because most of my wood is too big to lift. I split in the vertical position almost entirely.

 

[WidowMaker]

Yeah, Dan, I hear you. I've got plenty of splitting to do, so this has to be fixed, pronto.

I'm hoping TSC (where I bought it) will do the right thing and just give me a new one.


Til it's fixed or replaced, I'll split any crotch pieces with a saw!

===

I'm betting they tell you it was operater abuse/misuse. The pressure point is not intended to be out on the toe and off to the side, like that.

 

[046]

WOW... that guy from Canada that reported the first bent 35 ton toe plate was not making it up.

well this makes the first documented failure for speeco splitters.

I'd talk to speeco before doing anything... sure would like to see how speeco handles this warranty issue. steel is warranted for 3 years.

-----------------
http://www.speeco.com/warranty/terms.php

Warranty Terms

Special Products Co. warrants that the equipment manufactured by SpeeCo and delivered hereunder will be free of defects in material and workmanship for a period as outlined below.

1. Three-point linkage: 1 year
2. Hand-held diggers: 1 year
3. Three-point diggers: 3 years
4. Quick Hitch: 3 years
5. Log Splitters
1. Hydraulics: 1 year
2. Engine: 2 year (warranted by engine manufacturer)
3. 15-Ton Splitter Engine 1 year
4. Steel Components: 3 years

Yeah, Dan, I hear you. I've got plenty of splitting to do, so this has to be fixed, pronto.

I'm hoping TSC (where I bought it) will do the right thing and just give me a new one.


Til it's fixed or replaced, I'll split any crotch pieces with a saw!

 

[Andyshine77]

This thread came up at the right time. I was splitting some Hickory with my 22T last week when I noticed the splitting wedge was slightly bent to one side. I called Speeco and told them what happened, they said the steel components have a 3 year warranty, and they would send me a new wedge free of charge. The guy I talked to was very helpful, so I'd give them a call. 1-800-525-8322

BRM. My 22T has split some nasty stuff in it's day. Something to remember is the fact that the 22T has a smaller wedge than the 35T splitter, which maximizes it's power.

Andy.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

Will the wedge from the 22 fit the 35? a smaller wedge might help on the really tough pieces,

Ian

 

[Wood Scrounge]

Yeah, Dan, I hear you. I've got plenty of splitting to do, so this has to be fixed, pronto.

I'm hoping TSC (where I bought it) will do the right thing and just give me a new one.


Til it's fixed or replaced, I'll split any crotch pieces with a saw!

I've worked in the customer service\satisfaction world for 15 years; I have a lot of experience with the big box stores such as TSC. If that thing is less then 2 years old they will replace the entire splitter with little hassle. ~$1600 is not worth an angry customer who buys expensive equipment.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

===

I'm betting they tell you it was operater abuse/misuse. The pressure point is not intended to be out on the toe and off to the side, like that.

BZZZT!

Wrong answer. That plate is intended for holding the wood that's being split. Not all chunks of wood have nice straight sides that can be neatly positioned against the very back of the toe plate. It's made that size for that very reason.

There's no reason a properly designed machine should be able to wreck itself in normal operation.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Good comments on the smaller wedge, guys.

I'll get a letter out to TSC today. I'm not going to go the phone route. A FedEx letter straight to the CEO may be slower, but it will get more attention.