Wood Splitting Question??

jodebg · Apr 5, 2014

I normally split my firewood during the cold months
with my 25 ton MTD wood splitter.

My splitter usually goes through all the wood without
much difficulty in the cold months.

I am now splitting some hickory that
has been stacked for 2 years.
This is my first time splitting hickory, and I am having trouble
splitting a lot of the hickory rings-won't push through.

Either the splitter is not running correctly, the hickory is
super tuff to split, or the warmer temperature is making
a difference???

One of the reasons I am asking is that I just had a new
head gasket installed along with a new valve seat and the
carb was cleaned and rebuilt.

Kubotafan · Apr 5, 2014

I cannot give details on hickory, but wood will split best when there is some frost in it. I split my winter wood with an axe and maul and wedge for quite a few years. If I could split in the morning after a cold night it would split far easier than in the afternoon after the temperatures warmed up the frost was out of the wood. I now have a splitfire wood splitter that runs off the tractor hydraulics and don't see much difference with how the wood splits regardless of temperature. If there is a lot of sap in it you don't have the wood spitting at you when the wedge hits it if it is frosty.

vtsnowedin · Apr 5, 2014

Can you hear the relief valve open when the hickory block stops the pistons progress? If not then the trouble is in the engine or pump. If the relief valve is opening just like it should at the end of the pistons stroke then it is not the splitter but just tougher wood then you have piston and pump for. Also does the engine rev when it comes under load? If not the governor on the carburetor may not have been put right when you had it worked on.

LD1 · Apr 5, 2014

25 tons could be a bit misleading.

It could either be a 4" cylinder or 4.5" cylinder. Neither of which will actually make 25 tons. The 4" cylinders make ~19tons @ 3000psi and are usually rated ~22T. A 4.5" cylinder will make ~24 tons and are usually overrated in the 28ton range.

Either way, either one should have no issues with hickory if you are making 3000psi. Perhaps and occasional crotch piece could hang you up, but that would be rare. Winter or summer shouldnt matter on a modern splitter running right.

And I doubt the engine has anything to do with it. As long as it is running and not stalling, you should be making pressure.

It could be the pump isnt kicking into low. Or a pressure relief is stuck. OR just a worn out system. For ~$25 for a gauge, a tee, and a few fittings, I'd put a pressure gauge in the system and see whats going on.

Gordon Gould · Apr 5, 2014

Hickory can be really realy tough. The pump generates the splitting pressure not the motor. So as long as your rebuilt motor is turning the pump then the motor is not your problem it is the tough wood.
Wood will split a lot easier with a maul in the winter because the shock of the blow has a shattering effect. With a splitter that applies steady pressure being frozen doesn't help as much

gwdixon · Apr 5, 2014

Not familiar with the MTD specifices but have you changed the hydraulic oil and filter in a while? Doing that might get some results.

Baby Grand · Apr 5, 2014

Hickory and Elm in warmer weather is why I gave up on the maul and got a splitter. Still, you should be able to split straight grained wood in warm weather - it will probably require a longer stroke to separate all the stringy fibers.

2458n · Apr 5, 2014

Hickory and Elm Are stringy and tuff splitting. Your axe handle may well have been made of hickory. Get the gauge and you can quickly tell if the pump is still putting out the pressure. That ten degree wood sure impresses the grandkids. Big ash splits great with a axe.

jodebg · Apr 6, 2014

Spent some time on this yesterday and solved the problem.
Torqued the pressure adjusting screw a small amount and the wedge pushes right through.
Thanks for all of your help.