What is everyone's favorite pto driven splitter?

[Old Cane]

I see a few postings but most seem to prefer the hydraulic or self powered models. What is a decent, easily obtainable pto driven splitter?

 

[wampum]

I see a few postings but most seem to prefer the hydraulic or self powered models. What is a decent, easily obtainable pto driven splitter?

Timber wolf makes a good one. Last I heard it was around 1800.00 and up depending on the extras.

 

[Old Cane]

Holy Crap! I guess the hydraulic is popular for a reason then. I figured they would be the cheapest out there.

 

[Highbeam]

Here's my PTO splitter. It was free from a guy too scared to use it.

The economies of scale are in favor of the stand alone hydro splitters. You can always buy one of them and then swap the little gas motor for a PTO connection.

 

[peterc38]

Holy Crap! I guess the hydraulic is popular for a reason then. I figured they would be the cheapest out there.

There also popular for keeping the hours down on ones tractor

 

[Ductape]

If you want a tractor mounted splitter, it would be cheaper to buy a three point splitter that runs off of your tractor's hydraulic system. This would spare you the cost of the pump and tank. Of course....... you need the hydraulic outlets to connect to.

As stated..... putting the hours on a throw-away small engine instead of an expensive tractor engine makes sense to me. Plus...... one thing you lose with most tractor splitters is the two stage hydraulic pump. If there were ever two things that go together, its splitters and two stage pumps. Well..... bewbies and beer maybe go together better, but other than that.........

 

[topofthehil]

highbeam, I'm in agreement with the guy you got the splitter from. I would be too scared to use the screw type splitter as well. by the way, nice tractor. I have a L4400, HST. I put two sets of hydraulics on it at a cost of $1,200. so, if your tractor does not have AUX hydraulics, you may want to reconsider adding remote hyd just to run a splitter.
I am in the process of building a pto driven splitter that has a 22 gpm pump and a 5 x 36 cylinder. it will also have a log lift.
the aux hyds that I added is too slow to run the cylinder. I use the hyd for other attachments not the splitter.

 

[Highbeam]

highbeam, I'm in agreement with the guy you got the splitter from. I would be too scared to use the screw type splitter as well. by the way, nice tractor. I have a L4400, HST. I put two sets of hydraulics on it at a cost of $1,200. so, if your tractor does not have AUX hydraulics, you may want to reconsider adding remote hyd just to run a splitter.
I am in the process of building a pto driven splitter that has a 22 gpm pump and a 5 x 36 cylinder. it will also have a log lift.
the aux hyds that I added is too slow to run the cylinder. I use the hyd for other attachments not the splitter.

The cost of the hydraulic ports is a loser for the splitter. May as well buy a hydr splitter for 1000$. The reason I want the aux hydro ports on the tractor is for a grapple!

If a guy were to buy a 3ph splitter that uses the tractors hydro system, these are about half the price of the stand alones, then you could add a pump, tank, and PTO connection to get a PTO splitter. Tough to say if it would be cheaper than a stand alone.

I much prefer the sound of a quietly gurgling diesel tractor engine 10 feet away then a noisy air cooled gas engine right beside my leg. It's good to run your tractor during the winter if you aren't in snow country. In the winter, they can sometimes set for long periods and accumlate condensation and such. We buy tractors to run and they just sip fuel.

 

[peterc38]

If you are like me, another advantage of the stand alones is you can use the tractor for other stuff if you need to, like moving piles of rounds and logs around, etc if you need to

 

[Old Cane]

I have no interest in a standalone. I think this post has taken a turn. I have a tractor that I use for lots of stuff and this would be one more. I'f I take it out in the woods I don't have to worry about where another set of tires are going over or around stumps. I won't have one more small engine to deal with or another set of tires....and I mean, I'd be towing it with tractor anyway! I'd much rather have a 3-point unit to move. I have plenty of places for hydraulics on the tractor (in fact, on 2 tractors). And as has been said, it's a tractor! It's made to run for hours and hours.

 

[dingeryote]

I have no interest in a standalone. I think this post has taken a turn. I have a tractor that I use for lots of stuff and this would be one more. I'f I take it out in the woods I don't have to worry about where another set of tires are going over or around stumps. I won't have one more small engine to deal with or another set of tires....and I mean, I'd be towing it with tractor anyway! I'd much rather have a 3-point unit to move. I have plenty of places for hydraulics on the tractor (in fact, on 2 tractors). And as has been said, it's a tractor! It's made to run for hours and hours.

Old Cane,

I think you are looking for a splitter with a PTO driven Hydraulic pump, rather than just tapping into the tractors Hydro, right?

Any of the heavy 3 point splitters will work, just replace the QD lines with lines to a PTO sleeve adapted Hydro pump.

I don't like the idea of working the tractors Hydro system on a splitter myself.
Bust something in that regard and it's a HUGE expense involving splitting the tractor and removing the cab in my case.

Just about any Hydro pump can be adapted to a PTO sleeve, and then if you have a split range PTO you can match rpms needed without screaming the guts out of a 50+hp tractor.

Hell... I idle mine in the 1000 RPM range, to power the rotovator shaft at 540RPM. Same thing applies to hydro pumps.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[wkpoor]

If you want a tractor mounted splitter, it would be cheaper to buy a three point splitter that runs off of your tractor's hydraulic system. This would spare you the cost of the pump and tank. Of course....... you need the hydraulic outlets to connect to.

As stated..... putting the hours on a throw-away small engine instead of an expensive tractor engine makes sense to me. Plus...... one thing you lose with most tractor splitters is the two stage hydraulic pump. If there were ever two things that go together, its splitters and two stage pumps. Well..... bewbies and beer maybe go together better, but other than that.........

You don't need a 2stage pump when you have plenty of HP. 2stage pumps are for only one reason....small motor to do a big job when the going gets tough. As for putting time on the tractor engine if its a diesel they will outlast a small gas engine 5xs over. I put split with mine and only put about 250hrs a year extra. Not much considering the Deere diesel should last about 7000hrs. And since running a Prince pump is barely noticed it uses practically no more than fuel then a 5.5 Briggs. If you already have the tractor its the way to go IMO.

 

[wampum]

Old Cane I used a 3 point splitter before I bought my stand alone,still have it,If you were closer I would give you a good price on it. It ran off the tractors hydraulics. I considered a PTO drive when I bought my new splitter, Timberwolf had the best one I saw. There are probably cheaper ones out there. The biggest thing about a 3 point hydraulic,is your own tractors hydraulics. I could be wrong and if I am some one correct me,but I think 8 to 10 gallons of flow are the least you want,more is better. My splitter was not real slow,but not near as fast as my new splitter. It did he job,but with my stand alone I use the bucket of the tractors Loader as a table to pick up the large rounds,,to put on the splitter. Then after they are split they go right back on the loader and I put them where I stack them. Also I use the forks on the 3 point to bring out several large logs and cut them right at the splitter,off the back of the forks.

 

[Ductape]

As for putting time on the tractor engine if its a diesel they will outlast a small gas engine 5xs over. I put split with mine and only put about 250hrs a year extra. Not much considering the Deere diesel should last about 7000hrs. And since running a Prince pump is barely noticed it uses practically no more than fuel then a 5.5 Briggs. If you already have the tractor its the way to go IMO.

Exactly my point........... a brand new Honda replacement engine is 219.99 X 5 = $1,100. Or.... we can go times ten = $2,200. How much to re-man a tractor engine? How much down time? To each their own, i reckon.

 

[Old Cane]

Old Cane,

I think you are looking for a splitter with a PTO driven Hydraulic pump, rather than just tapping into the tractors Hydro, right?


Stay safe!
Dingeryote

Well I wasn't but I guess if I look any more I am now. I was hoping somebody had something like the hycrack or hydrocut or whatever those pto splitters are called in the UK. My understanding is they don't sell any over here. Looks like it'd be cheap and easy to use.

I could use my tractor to run the hydraulic splitter but I think I'm going to just get one of those foot powered jobs I wanted to begin with. My wife jumped all over me and said just get a powered one from TSC. Hmmm, I have a twenty thousand dollar tractor, why can't I just use it? Sorry I opened this can-o-worms. I have an axe, probably all I really need.

 

[wkpoor]

Exactly my point........... a brand new Honda replacement engine is 219.99 X 5 = $1,100. Or.... we can go times ten = $2,200. How much to re-man a tractor engine? How much down time? To each their own, i reckon.

There is much more to the story than what has been discussed here so far. A 3pt unit can be much faster than a stand alone mine is 6secs full cycle time which is there regarless of how tough a piece is to split. I have compared side beside a stand alone vs 3pt with exact same beam assembly and the 3pt is 4xs faster in productivity. I can pull a trailer or wagon behind to the woods with the reciever built into the frame. I can put the beam at whatever work height is comportable to me.

 

[johnzski]

C'mon Wkpoor show us a picture of your splitter again . I think that's my favorite pto driven splitter

 

[wkpoor]

Here ya go! One thing I forgot to mention is the build price on a 3pt may not be any cheaper as that Prince pump cost almost double that of an engine on a stand alone unit. I did it for the speed and comfort. Besides I usually need the extra ballast on the tractor anyhow.

 

[Old Cane]

How about we let this thread die? It's not at all what I was asking about. Apparently the only pto driven splitters just use the pto to run the hydraulics. That really has no interest for me. So, thanks all.

 

[topofthehil]

wkpoor, did you build your splitter?
if so, nice job. I like the hitch on the back.
why the quick connects on the pump?
so you use the pump for other attachments?
any problems with them leaking?