ATF put in splitter

[Woodsplitter67]

Last year was a challenge sometimes getting the splitter started in the colder weather. I enjoy splitting in the cold.. teens and twenties is good gor me. This issue being that the AW32 is like molasses and the splitter is tough to start.
I have 2 splitters both DHT one a 22 ton and a 27 ton with the 4 way wedge.. Last month I served both splitters and the 22 ton which I used the most got the AW32 taken out and ATF put in with a filter change. I did a little splitting a few weeks back and everything went fine, it ran great.
So yesterday it was the first morning that was in the upper 20s and My son and I were working in the yard and I decided to see if there was a difference in it starting. One pull and the 22 ton started right up, it felt like when I was pulling it, it was still 80 degrees out. The 27 ton was still sitting right next to it and had the AW 32, and pulling to start it, you could feel the drag fron the oil, its definitely a harder start.
For you guys in a colder climate or guys who like to split when its cold, its worth swapping out to an ATF.. BTW I did check with my local hydrologics guy who works on my equipment, and he said that making the switch will be fine.. no damage will occur..

 

[brenndatomu]

AW32 and ATF are both considered 10wt...but I think ATF has slightly better cold weather characteristics...I wouldn't expect a night and day difference though

 

[Woodsplitter67]

AW32 and ATF are both considered 10wt...but I think ATF has slightly better cold weather characteristics...I wouldn't expect a night and day difference though

I can say absolutely.. night and day.. you can feel the difference in one splitter vs the other.. they are side by side.. absolutely no guess work on this one..

 

[CentralVAWoodHeat]

I definitely run ATF in my Husqvarna Splitter and it always starts and runs perfectly.

 

[Isaac Carlson]

I had regular hydraulic oil in mine for years and it was a bear to pull over when cold. I swapped it for atf and it would spin right over. Now with the electric motor on it, it just starts when I plug it in, lol.

Atf is amazing.

 

[salecker]

ATF is a good choice
Before synthetics that is what i ran in my snowmobile chain cases,as it would stay fluid in colder temps.
I mix ATF with AW32 in my 950 because the site glass has been sanblasted.The ATF gives it enough color to see it through the glass.
I have it in my splitter and synthetic in the Honda,i can start it to about -20C without any issues