New SpeeCo Splitters!

[RCR 3 EVER]

Exhaust gases

When I saw these new splitters at TSC I wondered why they pointed the exhaust right where the operator will be standing. The small deflector may be able to direct it the operators feet, head, or backside - and maybe even the beam - but it still is headed right where you will be standing when running the controls or lifting logs.

You are right, on our year old TSC splitter 27 ton the exhaust aims right at the operator/helper. This weekend I was wondering why I had such a splitting headache after splitting wood for an hour. When I went out to split more wood the next day I realized the error of the splitter. :jawdrop:

Does anyone have any suggestions to help or do I just need a mask along with my goggles and ear protection.

 

[oneoldbanjo]

You are right, on our year old TSC splitter 27 ton the exhaust aims right at the operator/helper. This weekend I was wondering why I had such a splitting headache after splitting wood for an hour. When I went out to split more wood the next day I realized the error of the splitter. :jawdrop:

Does anyone have any suggestions to help or do I just need a mask along with my goggles and ear protection.

When I saw this muffler arrangement the only thing I thought you could do is to install a pipe that would carry the exhaust to the backside of the engine. If you remove the little deflector and installed a pipe with bends that could be clamped or welded to the muffler outlet and run away from the operator I certainly think it would help. I don't know what they were thinking when they decided the engine should be right where the operator will be standing, especially when it came to pointing the exhaust toward the operator. Back in the old days the blocks where threaded and you could remove the muffler and install black iron pipe to run your own exhaust and install a threaded muffler that had a pipe thread inlet - I don't know if the new engines have those threaded outlets under the factor muffler.

 

[Wet1]

When I saw this muffler arrangement the only thing I thought you could do is to install a pipe that would carry the exhaust to the backside of the engine. If you remove the little deflector and installed a pipe with bends that could be clamped or welded to the muffler outlet and run away from the operator I certainly think it would help. I don't know what they were thinking when they decided the engine should be right where the operator will be standing, especially when it came to pointing the exhaust toward the operator. Back in the old days the blocks where threaded and you could remove the muffler and install black iron pipe to run your own exhaust and install a threaded muffler that had a pipe thread inlet - I don't know if the new engines have those threaded outlets under the factor muffler.

I don't think they are threaded these days, at least I haven't noticed if they are. Most have a stud on either side of the port.

 

[KsWoodsMan]

Some older Briggs small engines had both, threaded bolt holes and threaded exhaust port for a screw in muffler. I havent broke into any of the newones to know. With luck that hasnt changed.

 

[RCR 3 EVER]

Before we do any welding or mechanical changes though we will just have to suffer through the extended warranty. I am sure any changes we make would void the warranty.

 

[oneoldbanjo]

Before I suffered through being poisoned by Carbon Monoxide....I would think I would complain to Speeco/TSC and see how they are going to correct this terrible flaw.

In the meantime you could also change the muffler by just building a clamp on pipe that went over the existing muffler outlet to redirect the flow away from you. If you had a warranty issue you could just take the extra piece off the muffler.

 

[Zodiac45]

Before I suffered through being poisoned by Carbon Monoxide....I would think I would complain to Speeco/TSC and see how they are going to correct this terrible flaw.

In the meantime you could also change the muffler by just building a clamp on pipe that went over the existing muffler outlet to redirect the flow away from you. If you had a warranty issue you could just take the extra piece off the muffler.

+1 That's what I'd doo too. Fab up a pipe and clamp it over the exhaust or at least a deflector. I have a tiller that blows in face and it's a pain (headache) and makes me dizzy after a while.

 

[triptester]

The exhaust on the Speeco splitters I looked at this last weekend had a small deflector over the exhaust port that could be rotated. I also noticed that they are using MTE brand pumps instead of Haldex/Barnes.

 

[oneoldbanjo]

The one I looked at had the little deflector as shown in the picture in the original post. You can rotate the deflector up and blow the exhaust in your face, rotate it toward the beam and have the exhaust stopped by the beam, rotate it down and have it blow on the hydraulic reservoir, or rotate it away from the beam and have it blow onto your waist. It just looks like a really bad design to me......I can't imagine what they were thinking.....this is not the first splitter they ever built and they should know better than this.

 

[RCR 3 EVER]

Before I suffered through being poisoned by Carbon Monoxide....I would think I would complain to Speeco/TSC and see how they are going to correct this terrible flaw.

In the meantime you could also change the muffler by just building a clamp on pipe that went over the existing muffler outlet to redirect the flow away from you. If you had a warranty issue you could just take the extra piece off the muffler.

Great idea, Thanks for the tip. We will have to try a temporary fix as you suggested since we get headaches right now,even while working outside.

 

[triptester]

Unfortunately in the last couple of years Spec/Huskee have been making changes to their splitters to cut cost. Some of the changes I have noticed are the cast steel foot plate which is cheaper to produce and weighs less but doesn't seem to hold up as well as the solid plate. They have now switched from Barnes pumps to MTE pumps which used to found only on the very bottom line brands of splitters. They now use standard lawn mower engines rather than spec. engines which leads to the exhaust problem.

 

[stihl only]

Unfortunately in the last couple of years Spec/Huskee have been making changes to their splitters to cut cost. Some of the changes I have noticed are the cast steel foot plate which is cheaper to produce and weighs less but doesn't seem to hold up as well as the solid plate. They have now switched from Barnes pumps to MTE pumps which used to found only on the very bottom line brands of splitters. They now use standard lawn mower engines rather than spec. engines which leads to the exhaust problem.

Yep, they all come out of China these days. There are some good quality splitters out there, but no one seems to want to spend the money. The box stores have set a standard for low prices and the quality goes down the tubes.