Harbor Freight 3-point log splitter

[ayelvington]

Well, I decided to take a chance and bought the HF 3-point splitter for my little Kubota BX-24. I'm going to document how things go so that you folks have something to work from.

I use a quick hitch for most everything, and it buys me an additional 4" of clearance between the cylinder head and the PTO. The down-side is that the support arm doesn't swing into the hook. I'm thinking about replacing the HF arms with chain and shackles to give me the necessary flexibility. Here is a public link to my Facebook album:

Alan Yelvington's Photos - Log splitter | Facebook

Here are a few photos of interest:

Profile of BX-24 with splitter attached:

Unloading the crate from the trailer:

Top arm not meeting the quick hitch hook:

I'm picking up UDT and hoses in the next few days...

 

[ayelvington]

Well, I decided to take a chance and bought the HF 3-point splitter for my little Kubota BX-24. I'm going to document how things go so that you folks have something to work from.

I use a quick hitch for most everything, and it buys me an additional 4" of clearance between the cylinder head and the PTO. The down-side is that the support arm doesn't swing into the hook. I'm thinking about replacing the HF arms with chain and shackles to give me the necessary flexibility. Here is a public link to my Facebook album:

Alan Yelvington's Photos - Log splitter | Facebook



I'm picking up UDT and hoses in the next few days...

 

[radioman]

Thats a bummer that you bent the toplink. however a simple metal strips on each side with a bolt on the other end will work to connect to the top link of the QA. This will allow movement if the splitter hits a object when lowered to move without bending anything else.

 

[savageactor7]

Thanks for the photos Alan I'm looking forward to your review. Does the drive shaft have 2 U joints so you can lower the splitter real low to roll on the big rounds? Oh it's hydro so I guess you can lower it to the ground then.

 

[JIMBO II]

You could replace the two bolts in the upper hook with two pins, to make the hook adjustable up and down as needed for various implements. That's what I've done, I put one in from each direction so the D-handles don't get caught on each other. I believe they are 7/16" Dia. bolts. There is an adapter to replace the upper hook altogether, it's "Y" shaped & pins in where the upper (bent) link attaches. I can probablyget a part #, and costs about $8.50, I couldn't make one for that amount.

Its late & Im tired, what's a UDT ?

 

[ayelvington]

UDT (AKA: Super UDT) is what Kubota calls their hydraulic fluid. The ram drink 1.5 gallons that I'll have to replenish from the sump.

Thanks to all for the great ideas! I'll be sure to post more stuff after I get the top link repaired and the hoses hooked up.

 

[Diamondpilot]

You could replace the two bolts in the upper hook with two pins, to make the hook adjustable up and down as needed for various implements. That's what I've done, I put one in from each direction so the D-handles don't get caught on each other. I believe they are 7/16" Dia. bolts. There is an adapter to replace the upper hook altogether, it's "Y" shaped & pins in where the upper (bent) link attaches. I can probablyget a part #, and costs about $8.50, I couldn't make one for that amount.

Its late & Im tired, what's a UDT ?

That is what I did. I used 2 trailer hitch pins, the smaller size for class 1 & 2 hitches. Had to drill the holes a bit with a 1/2" drill bit. The color looks like a perfect match.

Chris

 

[ayelvington]

Well, I considered my time, talent, resources, and the fact that the barn is freezing, and opted to buy the intended part for my quick-hitch instead of fabricating something that would likely make me a long-term candidate for purgatory based on the amount of cussing involved.

The link adapter can be used instead of the hook, and the local Tractor Supply Company had one for sale! Problem solved!

Adapter is black Y-shaped doer on top of the quick hitch.

I picked up a replacement top link ($50+), and fluid (another $50), and went home to lick my wounds and give it a try. Success!

The splitter fits quite nicely on a BX24 IF (and only IF) you have a quick hitch installed to add the extra clearance from the back end of the tractor. This is not so obvious when the splitter is lowered, but it is VERY obvious when the splitter is raised to a "transport" level. It could go very badly if you did that without the extra clearance.

I'm resting the splitter on cinder blocks for the time being to take the load off of the 3-point when the tractor is shut down. I'll carry wood blocks in the bucket to use when working in the woods.

I'm picking up hoses and quick connects tomorrow and start working on connecting to the tractor remotes. I still have not found a local source for the adapters that I'll need to go from the 1/2" NPT hoses to the 1/4" connectors.

Stay tuned!

 

[Diamondpilot]

I would think 1/4" connectors will really slow down the flow of hydraulic fluid and in turn slow the splitter way down. Choking this off like this may also create a lot of heat in the system so keep a eye on it.

Chris

 

[ayelvington]

I would think 1/4" connectors will really slow down the flow of hydraulic fluid and in turn slow the splitter way down. Choking this off like this may also create a lot of heat in the system so keep a eye on it.

Chris

1/4" fittings and hoses are standard on the BX24. I'm only using the 1/4" connector, but adapting them to 1/2" hoses going to and from the splitter. This would represent no more resistance to flow than the pump to power-beyond jumper at the back of the tractor. I don't expect it to be fast, just faster than me with a maul!

Al

 

[Diamondpilot]

1/4" fittings and hoses are standard on the BX24. I'm only using the 1/4" connector, but adapting them to 1/2" hoses going to and from the splitter. This would represent no more resistance to flow than the pump to power-beyond jumper at the back of the tractor. I don't expect it to be fast, just faster than me with a maul!

Al

Understood. I thought you were choking it down to 1/4". I guess if that is what you have that is what you have.

Chris

 

[jinman]

1/4" fittings and hoses are standard on the BX24. I'm only using the 1/4" connector, but adapting them to 1/2" hoses going to and from the splitter. This would represent no more resistance to flow than the pump to power-beyond jumper at the back of the tractor. I don't expect it to be fast, just faster than me with a maul!

Al

Al, you might find adapters and fittings from Surplus Center are easier to find than searching locally. You can find everything there and a few days later they come rolling up in a UPS truck. I bought my 1/2" hoses and fittings for my HF log splitter at TSC because I didn't need to adapt anything and TSC is close. If I needed anything more, I'd have ordered it from Surplus Center. I think the prices at Surplus Center are likely to save you enough to cover the cost of shipping.

 

[ayelvington]

Jim et al,

I got my hoses and disconnects Tuesday from TSC using a 15% off discount. I ran up to my local tractor dealer and picked up the adaptors and an elbow. It's a whopping 19F out, but I'm heading to the barn to light the heater and start putting this puppy together. I'll keep my camera under my coat so that battery doesn't die, and I'll try to stop and take a photo every now and then.

Al

 

[ayelvington]

It's ALIVE!

The splitter is working just fine with a few items to share.

1. The 1/4" disconnects that I got from TSC are not the same that Kubota uses. Go figure. You can see from the close shot that their geometry is different. Kubota disconnects cost me about $34 and a trip to the dealer. BTW, Mike at the parts counter at Southern Tier Trailer is great! He knows his parts and has been great helping me finish this project.

2. I made sure that the hoses were long enough to reach even if I didn't want to mount the splitter to the 3-point. I used a 5' hose for the feed line, and a 6' hose for the return. The makes them pretty even since the feed hose on the tractor is about a foot long. You can see the details in the attached photos.

3. Add make-up UDT to the hydraulic system is a pain. I moved the splitter cylinder 4" at a time and topped off the tank. Strange things have happened, but all the hydraulics are working fine. Strange includes an apparent over-fill of the system that I let bleed out the fill hole, and a foamy nature to the UDT that dissipated after the engine had been shut down for a while. You can see the milky look of the fluid in the drain pan...

It was about 20F in the barn while I was doing this. The engine was warmed to full operating temp (with help from a block heater), and I cycled the splitter several times (with wood to chew on). I'll go out again tomorrow and see what's happening with the foam and fluid level.

Any pointers on how to check for and remove air from the system would be appreciate. I'll also be posting video on YouTube that I'll provide a link to later.

Al

 

[ayelvington]

Video just posted to YouTube for your viewing pleasure!

YouTube - Harbor Freight 3-point log splitter attached to a Kubota BX-24

So, now the test is to see how well it stands up to me bouncing through the woods and feeding it frozen elm!

 

[Diamondpilot]

I did the same thing with the hydo fluid when I first installed my 3 point splitter. After I thought about it I figured out what I had done:

On the extend side of the cylinder lets say it holds 1 gallon of fluid.

On the retract side of the cylinder it holds about 1/3 less because of the piston rod taking up volume.

The foaming will leave once all the air is worked out. Just use the splitter for 20 minutes and let the fluid get good and warm. Then retract the ram all the way on the splitter and place your 3 point full down along with the FEL if attached, shut the tractor down and check the level. I would do this every 20 minutes for the first hour of use then by that time it should settle down and hold steady.

Chris

 

[CHDinCT]

ON the Quick Connects, Kubota uses the ISO-7241-1b version for the BX series - found that out when I added my 3PH log splitter. I think they use more standard versions in the larger machines.

For future reference, you can order them here for a reasonable price. My original QCs are made by Snap Tite.

ISO 7241-1B Hydraulic Quick Disconnects

Nice job on the 3PH log splitter.

 

[nh DRAGON]

If you make the hydro hoses a little longer you could split wood in front of the FEL and make things as easy as a stand alone splitter.

 

[ayelvington]

Thank you! It's pretty frosty lately, but I'll give this a try after I plow the driveway and get the tractor really warmed up. I might even throw a blanket over the cylinder to help baby warm up.

Many thanks,

A

I did the same thing with the hydo fluid when I first installed my 3 point splitter. After I thought about it I figured out what I had done:

On the extend side of the cylinder lets say it holds 1 gallon of fluid.

On the retract side of the cylinder it holds about 1/3 less because of the piston rod taking up volume.

The foaming will leave once all the air is worked out. Just use the splitter for 20 minutes and let the fluid get good and warm. Then retract the ram all the way on the splitter and place your 3 point full down along with the FEL if attached, shut the tractor down and check the level. I would do this every 20 minutes for the first hour of use then by that time it should settle down and hold steady.

Chris

 

[ayelvington]

Excellent! My neighbor has a BX also, so he'll be glad to know these parts and the source. Thanks, Al

I did the same thing with the hydo fluid when I first installed my 3 point splitter. After I thought about it I figured out what I had done:

On the extend side of the cylinder lets say it holds 1 gallon of fluid.

On the retract side of the cylinder it holds about 1/3 less because of the piston rod taking up volume.

The foaming will leave once all the air is worked out. Just use the splitter for 20 minutes and let the fluid get good and warm. Then retract the ram all the way on the splitter and place your 3 point full down along with the FEL if attached, shut the tractor down and check the level. I would do this every 20 minutes for the first hour of use then by that time it should settle down and hold steady.

Chris

ON the Quick Connects, Kubota uses the ISO-7241-1b version for the BX series - found that out when I added my 3PH log splitter. I think they use more standard versions in the larger machines.

For future reference, you can order them here for a reasonable price. My original QCs are made by Snap Tite.

ISO 7241-1B Hydraulic Quick Disconnects

Nice job on the 3PH log splitter.