3pt log splitter

cazzhrdwd · Mar 17, 2014

What do you guys think about putting a log splitter on my SMTA. Pros, cons or any suggestion of a good 3pt splitter.

Dave_Id · Mar 17, 2014

I bought one from Northern Hydraulics. Very good
unit. However I have no idea how it would work on
on your SMTA. I had mine mounted on a more modern
MF253

cazzhrdwd · Mar 17, 2014

Do you think the one you have is slow?
Which one did you buy?

I've heard that could be a problem, the RPM's would have to be kept up.

I'd like it to be somewhat fast with low RPM's

David G · Mar 17, 2014

I would expect it to perform slowly. The splitters typically have a two stage pump at several GPM.

Mike Van · Mar 18, 2014

I can split wood all day on a few quarts of gasoline with a 5 hp
Briggs. Why would you want to run a full sized tractor and get
worse results? The 11 gpm and 2500 psi from a two stage pump
can"t be matched with any older tractor.

gtractorfan · Mar 18, 2014

I think it would work fine if you used a separate pump with a jackshaft running off a bigger sprocket from the pto so it could run at about idle. For the trouble might as well use a small engine and 2 stage pump.

Dave_Id · Mar 18, 2014

The one I had I purchased in the mid 90's. If I
remember right, my tractor hydraulics were 7 gallons
per minute. It was diesel. We could split about a
cord per hour. Certainly not as efficient a 6 hp BS
with a 20 gpm pump.

Sparky70 · Mar 18, 2014

My 300 has split tons of wood with a 3 pt log splitter for 20 years or so, no problems. I have a rear hydraulic connection and it works fast enough for me. Easy to transport around the place and I run some off idle.

mkirsch · Mar 18, 2014

Will it work? Yes.

Will it split nice dry straight-grained logs? Yes.

Long story short it will get the job done as long as you are not concerned about speed.

If you want to split a lot of wood in a short time, then it will not make you happy.

If you have to split lots of snarly chunks of wood with knots and crotches, then it will not make you happy.

If you want to run the tractor at an idle, then it will not make you happy.

Hayfarmer · Mar 18, 2014

I have a splitter I run on my SMTA. It has 2 small wheels instead of 3 point because I converted it from engine splitter. I have split a lot of wood with it and it is fast enough for me and will go through some pretty tough knots.

Anonymous-0 · Mar 18, 2014

I think you'll be very disappointed with the M's
live hyd system.

Wide open for not too much GPM will burn a lot of
gas and the noise

I converted my gas log spliter to electric with a
big electric motor and it works great - nice and
quiet

mkirsch · Mar 18, 2014

(quoted from post at 08:48:26 03/18/14) I have a splitter I run on my SMTA. It has 2 small wheels instead of 3 point because I converted it from engine splitter. I have split a lot of wood with it and it is fast enough for me and will go through some pretty tough knots.

I can't stress this enough: Your opinion of the performance will depend on your wants and expectations.

Engine-driven splitters run 20-30GPM and 2500-3000PSI, just for comparison.

In any event, it will be easier than swinging a maul, and depending on the wood, faster too.

Younger guys will want to get the job done ASAP, and will probably not be happy with how fast the splitter cycles on 1250PSI and 12GPM.

Older guys can't necessarily move as fast and don't have the stamina, so a fast cycle time on the splitter is not a priority. They're perfectly happy with 1250PSI and 12GPM. Gives them time to roll the next log up, and take a breather. In fact I know someone who runs a log splitter with a Farmall Cub at 3.5GPM, and is perfectly happy.

Also your definition of knotty/snarly wood varies. I've come across many pieces of wood that stalled a 4" hydraulic cylinder being driven at 3000PSI.

Personally, I would go batty waiting for the splitter to cycle on an MTA's hydraulic system if I had much wood to do.

cazzhrdwd · Apr 26, 2014

I finally got the splitter put on. I was quite surprised about the speed. I've run several splitters on wheels and I saw no difference in the speed. As the tractor ran at an idle, I got down to the last gnarly pieces. It went through the first one and stopped dead on the next. I bump up the throttle to halfway and it went right through. The next one stopped it so I turned it up to full throttle. It seemed very hard on the splitter and I believed it would have broken it had I continued at that RPM.

It is an old Poulan splitter that I picked up for a 100 bucks. Its called a PLS.26.TM

I fully expected this thing to crawl and have no power, what do you think?

3pt log splitter

cazzhrdwd

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Dave_Id

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cazzhrdwd

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David G

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Mike Van

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gtractorfan

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Dave_Id

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Sparky70

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mkirsch

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Hayfarmer

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Anonymous-0

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mkirsch

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cazzhrdwd

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