Today i finally made the plunge and went to TSC to purchase a huskee 22 ton splitter. They had one in stock but it was not assembled so they told me they would assemble it and give me a call when its done. I went home and an hour later i got a call it was ready. Got there the guy started it up and it it ran good. I asked him if all the fluids were filled and he said "yep". Took it home check the motor oil and it was right on the full mark. So i figured the hydraulic fluid was also filled also and did not check it. I ran it for about 20 mins splitting some nasty oak, walnut, and locust crotchs that I had set aside to be split with a splitter. It split them great and blasted right though them. Then i gathered up some pieces of sugar maple that i wanted to split down smaller and got to the last piece went forward to split got though the piece and went to retract the ram and i heard a nasty sound and the ram would not retract. I shut it down and let it sit for a min, started it and it did the same thing. Great i was thinking. I checked the hydraulic fluid and it was just on the end of stick :grrr: 
hh: . I looked around some more and found hydraulic fluid leaking from the return line on the valve, filter, and the drain plug. The drain plug was very loose i turned it a full turn until it got tight. So I don't know if it leaked out that much fluid or if it was never filled. I was using the splitter in the grass and was not able to find the fluid that might have leaked out.
It does not end there every single hose clamp was loose and the one wheel was installed backwards so the bearing was exposed and no axle seal was protecting it. And the dust cap on the wheel was dented in very badly.
So i called up TSC they said to bring it back. It is still there and i am going to pick it up in the morning. He said he would give me a brand new one but they don't have any more in stock and i would have to wait a week. They are giving me 15 percent off.
Do you think there is any damage that was done from it running low in fluid? Should i be concerned about any long term effects from this mishap? I would rather not wait a week but if it is going to be better in the long run i certainly will.
I really hope this is not a sign of things to come with this thing
!
hh: . I looked around some more and found hydraulic fluid leaking from the return line on the valve, filter, and the drain plug. The drain plug was very loose i turned it a full turn until it got tight. So I don't know if it leaked out that much fluid or if it was never filled. I was using the splitter in the grass and was not able to find the fluid that might have leaked out. It does not end there every single hose clamp was loose and the one wheel was installed backwards so the bearing was exposed and no axle seal was protecting it. And the dust cap on the wheel was dented in very badly.
So i called up TSC they said to bring it back. It is still there and i am going to pick it up in the morning. He said he would give me a brand new one but they don't have any more in stock and i would have to wait a week. They are giving me 15 percent off.
Do you think there is any damage that was done from it running low in fluid? Should i be concerned about any long term effects from this mishap? I would rather not wait a week but if it is going to be better in the long run i certainly will.
I really hope this is not a sign of things to come with this thing
!
