Using vertical shaft engine on wood splitter

[tnau664]

I have a homemade splitter so I guess this is the best place to post my question.

I got tired of pulling the rope when my little 5 hp stalled out on my splitter so I added an 18 hp with electric start and vertical shaft, but no mounting holes. At the time I let the pump drop under the mounting plate and it worked fine for several years. I recently hit something that caused my mounting bolts to bend and thus changed my coupler to small pieces.

I've replaced the coupler but before I put it back together I'm looking for some way to raise the pump and possibly add a skid plate. I'm thinking along the lines of using a 1/2 plate with a hole drilled to allow it to go on the motor shaft above the top section of coupler and then bolt the pump directly under the coupler. I can place a side arm to keep the pump from spinning.

Does this sound like a feasible mounting option or do I run a risk of damaging the engine down shaft?

Any help or tips will be greatly appreciated.

TN

[BHD]

A picture would help me (not exactly understanding what your trying to do),

[LD1]

If I understand correctly, you are wanting to make a spacer between the motor and mount out of 1/2" steel. Thus raising the motor 1/2". Personally, I think it is a waste of time to only gain 1/2". I would just protect everything really well. Skid plate and something in front to protect the pump.

Upsizing to that large of a motor, have you considered getting a bigger pump to increase your cycle times and take advantage of that extra HP??

And if not, you could probabally sell that motor, and go back to a horizontal one with electric start for little out of pocket.

[muddstopper]

What I have suggested in the past for verticle shaft engines with no pump mounting holes,is take a piece of plate, (1/4in is more than thick enough), as large as the base of the stock mounting holes for the engine. Bigger than the engine base if you want to use the plate to also mount the engine on your build. Centermark but dont drill until you have marked out all the holes for the engine mounts and shaft. I would also purchase a factory pump mount and mark out the mounting holes for it on the plate, using the original center mark. Then I would drill out all the holes and bolt everything together. Used big hp mower engines are a dime a dozen, but used horizonal shaft engines are hard to come by, and expensive. A vertical shaft engine can be converted for pump mounting pretty cheaply using the method I described and insures proper shaft alignment.

[unixkid]

This is exactly what I need to do for my log splitter. I'm just not completely understanding your solution. Could you diagram it out and or post some pictures showing your idea.

Thanks,
-unixkid

[JohninCT]

This is exactly what I need to do for my log splitter. I'm just not completely understanding your solution. Could you diagram it out and or post some pictures showing your idea.

Thanks,
-unixkid

If your vert shaft engine has mounting holes on the bottom around the shaft you can get something like this to fit directly to it and your hyd pump. If your engine doesn't have holes then you have to mount it to a plate and then bolt the plate to the engine with the engine mounting bolts like muddstopper said above.

Surplus Center - HYD PUMP MOUNT 8-16 HP GAS ENGINE TO SAE A FLANGE

[unixkid]

Ok I think I have it now. I mount a plate to the engine. Then I fasten the mount I purchase from Surplus Center to the plate under the engine. And finally I fasten the pump to the mount. Correct ?

[muddstopper]

Most lawn mower engines have a similar bolt pattern within their respective hp ranges. The smaller engines, around 6.5hp or less have a 8in bolt circle. Larger engines will have a 10in bolt circle. You simply draw the correct size circle on your metal and drill 4 holes, at 90degree angles to each other, along that circle. Using the same center point, you draw the appropriate size circle for your pump mount, mark and drill. Then you bore out the centermark to the correct size to allow your engine shaft to past thru. Bolt it all together and you should have perfect shaft alignment for your shaft coupling.

A good compass and protractor will help in drawing the circle and making the 90degree marks. If you have kids in school, they probably already have these. It also helps if you have a good center punch to mark the holes before drilling. The centerpunch helps prevent the drill bit from walking across the metal when starting the hole.

[jimmysisson]

I read what the OP was trying to do was raise up the engine/pump combo to get more ground clearance. In that case he can replicate the mounting he had but weld a couple legs onto each side and bolt again. It sounds so simple, I conclude I must be wrong, so let's hear from him again. Tnau664?
Jim

[ericher69]

First off it concerns me that the 5hp was stalling because there is obviously no pressure relief valve in the system and if so it is not set correctly!

By tripling the HP you effectively have a recipe for disaster with increased pressures and the risk of injury from a high pressure leak that would cause grave injury to the operator! Ok that's the firefighter in me...

Back to your idea;

Yes mount your engine to existing mount or fabricate a new one then coupler then rigid mount the pump in alignment and put your "skid" plate below the pump to protect it.

Pictures would help clarify your ideas and dilemma.