Converting a gas powered hydraulic log splitter to PTO powered

[fuhrmanfarm]

Hello all:

I have a 24 ton tow behind hydraulic log splitter with a busted engine. I want to run the splitter off my tractor's PTO. MY tractor is a 1981 Yanmar 240D. It has 20 horsepower at the PTO. 540 RPM.

Is this possible? Is it stupid? Should I just put a new engine on the splitter?

I am open to suggetions.

Thanks,

Jason

 

[crazyal]

Welcome. Can you be more specific? Are you wanting to use the PTO to drive a pump on the splitter and use the hydraulic oil in the splitter's reservoir? Did you want to use your tractor's hydraulic pump and oil? Were you thinking of towing it or are you thinking of converting it to work with your 3pt hitch? It would be easier to just replace the motor. If you didn't want to spend a lot you could just get a Honda rip off from Harbor freight. If you're looking for a fun project then the extra money spent to convert it.

If you are thinking of a fun challenge I would convert the splitter to run off of your tractor's hydraulics and mount it to your front loader. Having a quick attach loader would make this much easier but by doing so you could just sit in the seat and curl the loader down so you could split large rounds where they lay on the ground. Then curl it back up, adjust it to the height that's comfortable for you to work at and finish splitting the wood to the size you want. It would require a little thought process to have two different spool valves to control the cylinder (one on the splitter itself and the other the loader control lever).

My guess is that your splitter has an 11 gpm two speed pump. If you use your tractor's hydraulics you would want it to be close in flow otherwise the splitter would be slow.

 

[wcampbell47]

First thing I would consider is if the pump drive shaft is in line with the tractor PTO. You know like a 3 point mower. If it is in line then investigate how you would connect a PTO drive shaft to the pump drive shaft.

If it is not in line I would go to plan B.

 

[TnAndy]

Buy yourself a new Honda engine. Silly to tie up the tractor and use 20hp (@likely high rpm) to do what a separate gas engine will do on half that HP.

My current splitter was a 3 pt hitch version I ran off the hydraulics of a Yanmar 220D originally (not a PTO pump). What I found was I need to move wood right along with splitting, and using the tractor with that scorpion tail out the back wasn't handy. In addition, the hydraulics on a tractor (especially a small one) simply are NOT the same, or enough, as the 16gpm, dual stage pump I have on the splitter now (converted it to a stand alone splitter).

 

[LD1]

You cannot easily connect the pump it ahs now to the PTO. The blown engine was likely spinning that pump 3000-3500rpm. Spinning it 540 off the PTO is going to make it about 6 times slower.

You can get a gearbox to speed up the output, but that will likely cost what a new motor will and then you have to get a driveshaft and worry about angles and such.

Option 2 would be to get a PTO pump and plumb it in. But PTO pumps will cost as much as a motor also.

Option 3 would be run it off the tractors hydraulics. But that will also make it slow as I doubt your tractor has much flow. AND will cost as much as a motor if you dont have remotes already.

So I think the best option is gonna be to replace the motor.

 

[PILOON]

My DIY splitter is tractor system hydraulically driven as I had the output available.
Handy side is that it is 3 pt mounted, down side is speed. Power is awesome but slow.

For the price of today's clone motors I think a replacement is probably the way to go as basically you are looking at a straight foreword bolt in replacement vs whole lot of fitting and adjusting and extra parts time and dollars.

Fact is I am thinking of converting my 3-pt over to direct powered.

 

[4570Man]

I would just replace the engine with a Honda. If you do use your tractor I would use a bigger pump that makes good use of the available power. I personally don't want a splitter on the back of my tractor. I have rear remotes on the tractor that produce higher GPM and higher PSI than the splitter pump, but the tractor is just to handy for moving wood around while we are splitting. I would like to put the splitter on the B7100, but it is quite a project.

 

[pappy60]

A friend just replaced his splitter motor with one from HF for 99.95 + tax...
Works great... bolted right up, etc... was no hassle to put on...

 

[BHD]

a pto shaft will cost one nearly as much a clone motor,

and the new lower speed pump (or step up pulleys bearings and jack shaft) will cost about the cost of a name brand clone and the two together would cost about what a Honda would cost,

then one would have PTO shaft that I think would add a new area to the danger /safety aspect, of the machine, just building a suitable guard would cost nearly the cost of a chap clone engine,

Unless you have all parts on hand, I would suggest replacing the engine, with either a clone or a Honda, or other brand you trust,

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I read this start up procedure on the clone engines and as the thread went most who did this method had very few problems with there clone engines,

fill with oil, run for 5 mins, drain and refill with oil, run for 15 mins, drain and refill with fresh oil, run for an hour, drain and refill and then follow with manufactures recommendations,

Those on the thread I read said they had reduced there start up failures to nearly 0.

probably not a bad idea for any new engine without a filter,

 

[Rio_Grande]

Do as you wish,, but on my 7,000.00 50 hp tractor I have to have running at 540 rpm which is about 1500 rpm on my tractor. If that motor wears out sitting there idling for hours it cost about 2,000.00 to rebuild.
A chi Honda cost 99.00 a shot. When it blows up I will lay out another 99.00 and go again. The theory of a 3 point splitter is fine and it does work. I have done it, but fiscally it is a non starter.

Having said that you can plumb right off your rear hydro if you have it and put in a detent valve just be sure you don't reverse the hoses as some are one directional.