Towing a new splitter

[John_M]

Will be picking up my new Iron and Oak vertical/horizontal splitter by next Tuesday. The dealership is about 45 miles of smooth roads from my home.

The splitter will not fit into the bed of my pickup because the opening under the canopy is 39" and the splitter is 43" at its highest point and cannot be elevated, lowered or otherwise wiggled under the canopy. A friend has an open bed pickup I can borrow and the dealership can easily lift the splitter onto its bed. However, the real dilemna is how to get the splitter out of the pickup when I arrive home. It weighs 775 lbs(+/-). I have a couple of 10' long 2X8 loading ramps but they would probably break under that much weight.

Another option which the dealer uses when moving splitters to shows, etc is to tow it behind my pickup. The hubs, tires and wheels are rated for "high speed" highway use not exceed 35mph. My truck is set up with the necessary hitch, 2" ball, etc. Before towing, I would check tire pressure on the splitter and turn off the fuel lever on the Honda engine.

Would appreciate some recommendations from those who have solved a similar dilemna.

Best wishes,

John_M

 

[savageactor7]

Well John the worm has turned for you ...congrats on the new purchase.

Rent a U haul is what I would do. Or make frequent stops to re-grease the fittings. btw if it doesn't have grease fittings I wouldn't tow it over the road at all.

I could be totally wrong about the bearings if you don't see any zerk fittings I suppose the wheel hub could have a race bearing like a boat trailer. So ask the dealer if there's race bearings in the axle hub then yeah I tow it at under the advised limit.

 

[Hurricane]

I have no experience towing a log splitter. I do have experience with the 2X8 ramps. If you support them in the middle they will not break, you can use other pieces of wood going from the ramp to the ground, or bricks, blocks under the ramp. With 775 lbs your issue will be how to stop it once it starts moving down the ramps.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Will be picking up my new Iron and Oak vertical/horizontal splitter by next Tuesday. The dealership is about 45 miles of smooth roads from my home.

The splitter will not fit into the bed of my pickup because the opening under the canopy is 39" and the splitter is 43" at its highest point and cannot be elevated, lowered or otherwise wiggled under the canopy. A friend has an open bed pickup I can borrow and the dealership can easily lift the splitter onto its bed. However, the real dilemna is how to get the splitter out of the pickup when I arrive home. It weighs 775 lbs(+/-). I have a couple of 10' long 2X8 loading ramps but they would probably break under that much weight.

Another option which the dealer uses when moving splitters to shows, etc is to tow it behind my pickup. The hubs, tires and wheels are rated for "high speed" highway use not exceed 35mph. My truck is set up with the necessary hitch, 2" ball, etc. Before towing, I would check tire pressure on the splitter and turn off the fuel lever on the Honda engine.

Would appreciate some recommendations from those who have solved a similar dilemna.

Best wishes,

John_M

Does the dealer have one of those little 5x8 trailers with a ramp like a lot of the mower shops have?

 

[Shipper50]

I may have made a mistake when I towed my 22 ton Huskee home when I bought it, but it got home ok. I did buy one of those tall flags you see on the back of bicycles when someone wants to be seen. I could see it out the back window or I wouldn't have known it was there.

My tow was around 40 miles and sometimes I got over 50 miles an hour going down some hills, but it made it ok and still works ok 3 years later.

Shipper

 

[colebrookman]

I would just tow it unless you have a friend with a tractor bucket loader to lift it out of a pick up. Getting hurt is not much fun. What ever you decide, if it's filled with hydraulic oil make sure that, as someone on another thread has warned, you close the breather hole in the fill cap or you will be oiling down the road and cars following you. Don't forget the safety chains and either put down your tailgate or just remove it so you can see the splitter. Be safe.
Ed

 

[gzecc]

I would also put it on a small trailer (borrowed or rented). They see you tow it away, it may void some warantee. Buy a used trailer. Your going to need it now, with all the wood your going to bring home!

 

[CowboyAndy]

I would also put it on a small trailer (borrowed or rented). They see you tow it away, it may void some warantee. Buy a used trailer. Your going to need it now, with all the wood your going to bring home!

That is ridicules! They are designed to be towable


The 2x10 ramps will hold the weight no problem. I have 8' 2x10 loading ramps I use for my riding mower, and support the weight plus me going into the back of the truck.

If you can swing the $$$ rent a uhaul landscape trailer.

 

[triptester]

Personally I do not recommend towing a splitter for several reasons , first they have no suspension and can tend to bounce violently. Second, they are usually top heavy subject to tipping over from bouncing or sudden moves. Look at the type of rims on the tires if they have a single nut and dust cap in the center ,they are no move than wheel barrow rims. If the rims have at least a 4 bolt pattern they are safer but you still have problems 1 and 2. I believe the Iron and Oak splitters have the better wheels.

Best bet is rent a trailer.

If you decide to tow double check all bolts and fasteners and add a raised flag so you have some idea of what is happening behind you.

Congrats on your purchase hope you enjoy many years of service.

 

[kilbury]

How about a bank or ditch you could back up to? Get the tailgate level with the ground have the splitter loaded with the tongue facing rear, hook on and pull it out of the truck.

 

[LLigetfa]

That is ridicules! They are designed to be towable

Within limits

The hubs, tires and wheels are rated for "high speed" highway use not exceed 35mph.

 

[smokinj]

I have a 2 in. ball mounted in my trailer and another one on the back of the trailer. Carry it on the trailer to where I am going and when the trailer is full I hitch it to the back and run 45 mph on the way home

 

[TreePapa]

When I rent a splitter (most recently it was Iron & Oak) I usually tow it about 3 miles, at under 30 mph w/ my Ferd Ranger. Even at low speed, it bounces like h**l. For 40 miles, I'd endorse the Uhaul idea ... or drive real slow w/ frequent stops.

Peace,
- Sequoia

 

[billb3]

Know any body with a ramp truck for towing cars ?

Is it worth paying someone with a ramp truck for towing cars ?

 

[LLigetfa]

When I bought my splitter I paid the store to deliver it. It arrived still crated and we just slid the crate down some scaffold planks.

 

[gpcollen1]

By canopy do you mean cap on the truck? Why not just take the cap off? It is usually pretty darn easy.

As for the loading ramps - you can double the 2x8 if you do not think they will hold or you could screw a 2x4 to the bottom on its end to give it some more strength.

 

[rdust]

When I bought my 27 ton troy bilt I towed it home about 20 miles. It said it was towable so I towed it, I did follow the 45mph speed limit. I have a trailer and it would have fit in my pick up bed but why deal with that when it's made to be towed!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Yes John, those things are heavy. But don't let that stop you.

1. Towing is okay but with no springs I would not exceed 35 mph and only on very smooth roads.

2. Loading it into buddy's truck is okay too as those 2 x 10's definitely should hold. We've done it with our 2 x 10's with no problem. If you are concerned, that's okay. Just take some of that wood you have cut and place it under the 2 x 10's while unloading.

Just be careful when unloading. Use a come-a-long or at least two strong guys for stopping it from speeding down the ramp. Another way of course is to back into a small ditch so you can unload right onto the ground with little or no planking.

Good luck and congratulations. You'll love that splitter!

 

[Skier76]

775lbs is heavy! I can see muscling it up into the bed, but removing it may be a challenge. Let me rephrase that. Removing it so it doesn't take off on it's own, and smash a perfectly shaped splitter outline in the side of your garage will be the real challenge.

I say find a buddy or someone with a low landscape trailer and use that.

 

[11 Bravo]

Tow the sucker.........just follow the specs for speed.........it's meant to be towed, and put a flag on the back sticking up like mentioned earlier so ya can see it still there

 

[LLigetfa]

...so ya can see it still there

And what happens when you don't see it? Reminds me about a story an old bush pilot told me about night flying a single engine plane...

Q. What happens if your engine quits?

A. I just watch my altimeter. When I get low enough, I turn on my lights and if I like what I see, I put her down.

Q. What if you don't like what you see.

A. Simple, I just turn off the lights.

 

[gunnerpgh]

I have the 27 ton model by Iron and oak. Definitlly has better wheels and bearings. Remember, no springs. tow slow, i.e. under 35 mph. My old splitter which I built and sold had springs and could tow at highway speeds with little bounce, but this one will bounce.