Need advice hydraulic fluid change wood splitter

[ValleyForge]

The frame is oil reservoir and cap has a hole in top, I put a bolt in the top hole to close it so hydraulic fluid doesn't leak when I move the splitter. do I need to keep that open when it's running as a vent ? There wasn't anything in there when I got it.

It looks well built….seeing the size of the hydraulic oil tank, I would drain the cylinder.

let us know how it performs!!!

 

[ericm979]

Yes it needs a vent. Also there should be some air space in the tank above the oil level. Oil expands when it heats up. If there is not enough air space the oil will come out the breather. The beam looks small to begin with and leaving space will mean even less oil. You may end up wanting more oil capacity.

 

[Knot2fast]

So I went and got AW32 , Changed the fluid And filter. I have an enormous ash tree that was standing dead for a year and a 1/2 at least that just got cut down in my yard so I put the splitter to the test with some of that wood.I'm very impressed with how the splitter Worked. It was able to cut big sections of crotchwood, With narly interwoven grain. Anything that it didn't split Was cut right through Across The grain.
The only issue with the machine itself is I've got a small leak on the front of the ram I get a drop every other pass the push block Makes. None of the hydraulic lines Got hot just Slightly warm to the touch

 

[ValleyForge]

So I went and got AW32 , Changed the fluid And filter. I have an enormous ash tree that was standing dead for a year and a 1/2 at least that just got cut down in my yard so I put the splitter to the test with some of that wood.I'm very impressed with how the splitter Worked. It was able to cut big sections of crotchwood, With narly interwoven grain. Anything that it didn't split Was cut right through Across The grain.
The only issue with the machine itself is I've got a small leak on the front of the ram I get a drop every other pass the push block Makes. None of the hydraulic lines Got hot just Slightly warm to the touch

Cylinder seal is going bad…judging how old it looks, it owes no one nothing…it doesn’t look too bad, but it will only get worse over time (months/years). Wrap a rag around it for now and start reassaching the seal or someone to rebuild it. Finding the correct seal kit is the hard part, putting it in isn’t difficult.