Picking up Huskee 22-ton next week...saw an old friend today.

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Ed, it is a good thing you checked those oil levels. I doubt anything was hurt so you should be okay and no doubt will love this splitter. Just make sure you use it the right way....vertical.
 
Backwoods Savage said:
Ed, it is a good thing you checked those oil levels. I doubt anything was hurt so you should be okay and no doubt will love this splitter. Just make sure you use it the right way....vertical.

Yelp, checking the fluid was a good idea suggested by fishinpa.

I'm hoping that tomorrow evening after work I can get to know the splitter and give it a good workout...gotta mow grass after work today. The one round I split the other day of some of that barkless oak seemed to be pretty tough. I recall a Fiskars SS bouncing off some of it before I could get a round cracked open...an encounter that helped further convince me to buy the splitter. (I'm still rationalizing the purchase. ;) )

Ed
 
I am rather PO'd right now. Went back out to split some more wood. Maybe a face cord split so far.

Cranked the splitter up and it started making a noise. I shut it down and cranked it again...a little noise, engaged the ram...BIG NOISE...ram quit moving...engine unloaded no action from ram now with round of wood stuck on it. Moving the valve doesn't affect the machine...just a motor running that doesn't act like it's hooked to anything. Coupler bad? I've already called TSC....after my encounter with the low fluids when I picked it up from them and the response from them regarding the low fluids I'm about ready to return it for credit and get something else. Not sure if I trust the mechanics as I'm sure they've discussed what a SOB I am. "A" manager told me when I called them about it that they had just gotten a new one in and if I wanted to swap it for that one. I'm not sure if I want another one or not.

I'm hot and very aggravated at the moment. Like I said...*maybe* a face cord split with it and it's screwed up.<sigh>

Ed
 
Intheswamp said:
I am rather PO'd right now. Went back out to split some more wood. Maybe a face cord split so far.

Cranked the splitter up and it started making a noise. I shut it down and cranked it again...a little noise, engaged the ram...BIG NOISE...ram quit moving...engine unloaded no action from ram now with round of wood stuck on it. Moving the valve doesn't affect the machine...just a motor running that doesn't act like it's hooked to anything. Coupler bad? I've already called TSC....after my encounter with the low fluids when I picked it up from them and the response from them regarding the low fluids I'm about ready to return it for credit and get something else. Not sure if I trust the mechanics as I'm sure they've discussed what a SOB I am. "A" manager told me when I called them about it that they had just gotten a new one in and if I wanted to swap it for that one. I'm not sure if I want another one or not.

I'm hot and very aggravated at the moment. Like I said...*maybe* a face cord split with it and it's screwed up.<sigh>

Ed

I had a problem with my TSC splitter after about a cord however it was Briggs and Stratton engine defect. I took it straight back to TSC traded it on another one and since then have split about 15 cords without a problem.
 
You got a bad luck draw and a bum splitter. Swap it for the other new one and make sure you've still got the 30 day return policy.
 
It is probably a loose love joy connection at the output of motor/ input to pump. Easy fix if thats what it is. Start the motor up and stick your head down by the pump. Engage ram and see if pump shaft is turning or not.
 
Ed, sorry to hear about your problem but please keep in mind this sort of thing can happen to anything mechanical. Simply return it to TSC and they will either replace it or refund your dollars. I have returned several things to them and there have been no questions asked. They replace or refund and that is one reason they are good to deal with on some things.
 
Check your love joy first. If that is the problem it ain't worth the fuel/time to haul it back. 1.5 minutes and an allen wrench will tighten it back up.
 
I don't know my parts very well, so i googled that one to make sure you weren't messing with him a "check your muffler bearings" sort of thing. Found some complaints about this very thing on arboristsite, so i think you might be onto something.
 
images
 
Take it back. One of the connections slipped down the shaft to cause this. Both the lovejoys and the spider need to be replaced.
 
yep thats screwed. Take er back and get another. Poor Q/C right there.
 
wow that sucks!! I was just at tractor supply yesterday looking at the same splitter. Well I guess I will keep looking
 
dr.drew said:
wow that sucks!! I was just at tractor supply yesterday looking at the same splitter. Well I guess I will keep looking

Nothing wrong with the splitter - its the freckled face kid that put it together that was the problem.
 
velvetfoot said:
Is it really broken down to that level?

If your referring to my comment - yep. The failure pictured above was nothing more than the love joy connectors not being properly tightened. Nothing more, nothing less (for the record I don't know if it was a freckled face kid that did it, but somebody screwed up during the assembly).
 
velvetfoot said:
I meant, is the splitter really sent unassembled to that degree?
I'm thinking factory.

I think each mfg has a different packaging theory, but it wouldn't be unusual for an Ace hardware, or other stores to get these machine with the engine unmounted.
 
The huskee that i have splits about 70 truckloads a year for about 4 years now and still going strong. My huskee says universal hydro fluid or dextron autotranny fluid. a wix 51553 is 30 micron, 51552 is 20 micron, and 51551 10 micron i think. plus wix is US made right here in north Carolina. Dr drew these are good splitters for a cost of 999. Just make sure the love joy is tight. Just a simple manufacturing mistake.
 
The 25 ton MTD that I bought from Menards about a month ago was in the crate with all fluids (no gas). I checked all levels and they were fine. After 4 tanks of gas the briggs is finally starting every time and running good. It is nice to be able to go out and just split for an hour when ever I feel like it.
Doug
 
I'm glad most folks got a good machine...unfortunately I can't say the same for myself.

I didn't even know what lovejoy looked like till this unit quick working, unfortunately I found out the hard way. A slight disadvantage is that I don't know how it is supposed to look when it is not torn up.

Looking at the picture it seems that it is the pump coupling that let loose and dropped down. Being as a key fell out and the lovejoy dropped down...did the coupling rub against a spinning part of the pump? In other words, could there be premature wear against the pump housing, seal, mounting bracket, whatever? Would the shaft be compromised any on the pump from scarring?

Looking at the engine's lovejoy, it looks like a spline/key or whatever on the right hand side of the shaft up above the lovejoy. Is that how that is supposed to look? Should it be further down into the lovejoy?

I can turn a wrench and have more intelligence than 99.9% of our elected officials but I don't attest to being a mechanic though I could probably replace all of these parts.

I'm still leaning to swapping it out or refund. With everybody's comments about good service and a good piece of equipment (both before I purchased and in this thread) I could probably go with the swap out. The trick there is that I don't trust the homeboys at this TSC putting together the replacement unit. I'm sure they had no involvement with the lovejoys but the fluid levels being as low as they were and there attitudes doesn't give me a warm, cozy feeling.

For now it's sitting out back with the ram/cylinder extended with a 10-12 inch round locked in it.<sigh> I may be carrying it back (another 42 miles) this evening after work...no lights....do you reckon that round would come dislodged going down the road?

Ed
 
One other thing that I noticed is that it runs out of gas fairly quickly...quicker than if I was cutting grass with a push mower. Looking down into the gas tank it appears there is still an inch or so of gas in it when it runs out. Do ya'lls tank go dry when it runs out of gas?

Ed
 
When its out of gas, it is truly out.

Sounds like I was good when I bought mine unassembled.

Ed, for sure, take that thing back.
 
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