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O/T: log splitter advice

T

tjdub

Member
My dad has a shop-built log splitter with a 5.5HP honda. It works great, but the only problem is that when it's cold outside it's a bear to get started since there's no way to disengage the hydraulic pump. Well, you CAN disengage the pump, but in involves using an Allen wrench and splitting apart the coupler that connects the engine to the pump, but that's not much fun. Even then, you have to turn the engine off to reattach the coupler so it still starts hard even if the motor is warm.

Is there some type of clutch that I could buy to put between the motor in the pump? I've looked around, but haven't seen anything. You would think a lot of people have this problem.

Thanks.
 
There's gotta be someplace where you can buy just a simple over center single disc clutch. I'd check with a good small engine shop. One of those with 50 or so old lawnmowers and such sitting all around the outside of the building and the roof sagging. Somebody like that should be able to come up with something.
 
I know this doesn't answer your question, but I have the same set-up on my splitter and the only thing I have figured out so far is if it is below 10 degrees, I have to put it in the garage and warm it up overnight. If I need to split in the timber, this doesn't help me at all and I have to wait 'till it warms up some, but I can still load the logs that aren't too big to pick up and split at home if I have to. Luckily, this situation rarely happens if I plan ahead, but sometimes plans have a way of getting changed for me.
 
> I have to put it in the garage and warm it up overnight.

I don't have a heated garage, so what I've been doing is hooking up a length of flexible duct tube from the exhaust of my truck and putting the other end on the hyrdraulic pump for a while. It works, but it takes a while.
 
That might just work. It might be tricky to find one that triggers at the correct RPM though. I was hoping to find something i could just move a lever manually to engage.
 
I made my pump belt driven to the motor. With an idler pulley on the belt thats held with a spring and lever, I can disengage belt tension and start the engine, once the engine is running and ready, I can engage the belt and start turning the hydraulic pump. used parts from an old riding mower that had a belt type clutch drive.

using a lighter weight oil would help also. Mine has low viscosity hydraulic fluid from John Deere in it, which deere uses in many of there hydro transaxles year round.
 
Seems like I read that most of the little splitter pumps are designed to be in-line driven. If you put a side pull on the shaft it might shorten the life of the pump?
 
An electric clutch like is used on the mule drive mowers on John Deere 316/318 mowers would work. Might take some farmyard engineering to mount it.
 
in addition to the lighter weight oil...It has a "relief" valve? Back it out all the way when you try to start it and screw it in when it is warmed up...takes the load off the engine when starting...Charles
 
Yes. You have to have a pump that specifies it can have side loading. Most hyd. pumps are inline coupled. Using ATF or 10 weight oil would be a big help. At idle, the pump isn't doing much. Log splitters are usually open center so loosening the relief valve would do anything. Dave
 
The last one I bought new had a Briggs on it, and the owners manual for the motor said to use 5w-30 full synthetic oil in cold temperatures. Never had any trouble starting it and it set outside all of the time. Sold it about 3 years ago and it is still running very well.
 
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