Troy-Bilt LS27(T) Splitter..

[Jay H]

By any chance, do any of you have stored the owner's manual for this? When I bought this splitter from Lowes, they were out of manuals and they were going to get TB to send me one. I don't feel like waiting and want to know if there is anything that needs to be done before I start the thing and use it. It appears to be fairly obvious the controls and stuff but I want to check the oil and hydraulic fluid before I go splitting with it.. hopefully the checks will be obvious but I haven't looked yet.

If anybody has the manual available on a PDF form or whatever, that would be good. I've checked TB's website and just found out they ask for a serial number too, in addition to the model number so I don't know it at the top of my head now that I'm at work.

Jay

 

[begreen]

Have you checked Troy-Bilt's website?

http://manuals.mtdproducts.com/mtd/public/list.jsp?BrandCode=10001

 

[Jay H]

I’ve checked TB’s website and just found out they ask for a serial number too, in addition to the model number so I don’t know it at the top of my head now that I’m at work.

thanks anyway though!

Jay

 

[johnsopi]

You had a new toy all weekend and did not try it out. I don't think I could make it more then 1 hour.

 

[begreen]

I’ve checked TB’s website and just found out they ask for a serial number too, in addition to the model number so I don’t know it at the top of my head now that I’m at work.

thanks anyway though!

Jay

What, you haven't memorized the splitter's serial number? Shame on you .

 

[Jay H]

I’ve checked TB’s website and just found out they ask for a serial number too, in addition to the model number so I don’t know it at the top of my head now that I’m at work.

thanks anyway though!

Jay

What, you haven't memorized the splitter's serial number? Shame on you .

After writing down the serial number.... it's 11 characters and a mixture of numbers and letters...oh my!

I am never home on weekends, I'm always out hiking in the catskills, the ADKs, or the rest of new england or out kayaking somewhere... And now when I'm not doing the above, have been bucking wood like a beaver and now soon I will be splitting wood thanks to the IRS.

Jay

 

[Fubar411]

Is it a good splitter?

 

[Jay H]

Well, so far so good, split about 2 cords of mixed hardwoods, oaks and maples, some 36" wide. It has split all but the most nastiest of twisted knotty wood and even then, it isn't too bad to simply rotate the round and split it elsewhere. It seems to split better with the knot at the bottom versus the top. The hardest thing for me is rolling the logs and getting it onto the base which is a good 5" thick. I have to kind of hold up the log and then activate the lever and then let go when the wedge meets the log. On the really heavy rounds, I move the wedge to just above the log, then I have to lift the log and get the lever on because I don't have a helper to move the lever. I haven't tried the splitter in the horizontal position yet but if you read other users, it's been reported that the log cradle isn't too strong. Moving it from horizontal to verticle is a bit tough when solo, you have to move the locking pin open and then use your shoulder and move the whole assembly up around the axle. The Honda engine is great, very easy to start and easy to operate, I am just wondering about oil change, not sure if there is a drain plug but the manual seems to suggest you have to tilt the thing and drain it via the fill hole, which seems not possible when mounted to the splitter so changing oil may require a siphon or manual/automatic oil pump and a long/skinny funnel to add oil. Also, the wedge seems to get loose easily but that's easily adjusted.

Overall, happy with it so far...

Jay

 

[velvetfoot]

So you have it out in the open in the vertical postion?
I'm still cutting rounds on my pile. With my electric saw no less.
(The electric is working but seems slow. Are you using yours?)
Changing splitter modes is not that easy.

 

[Jay H]

I never really intended to cut my monster hardwoods with my Makita although I did almost one full 24"ish maple before I got my Husq. 359 so since then, I haven't really used my Makita that much. I was using it just to mark up the logs in 16" lengths but I don't think I'm going to do that much longer. Most of the logs I have left are beyond what I think my Makita with it's 16" bar will like even and the 359 with the 20" is much faster and easier for me.

As far as changing modes on the LS27T, from Verticle to Horizontal isn't bad I was having a hard time initially trying to go from Hor. to Vert by myself until I found out you can take the spring loaded rod and keep it open by pushing it to one side. I was about to try to remove the spring because it is impossible to lift the splitter by myself and hold that pin open at the same time. Even with the pin open, I find I have to straddle the base and use my shoulder on the hydraulic to lift the thing (kind of like a dead-lift) and I find that the welded slot that the pin goes through will wedge itself onto the base. I would hit that with maybe WD-40 or lube each time you go from Vert to Horizontal so it is easier to remove the next time.

Jay

 

[velvetfoot]

I have the same experience with inserting the pin in mine, but I haven't done it this year yet.
I think the electric saw is probably a lot quieter, but it is pretty slow.

 

[Jay H]

I have the same experience with inserting the pin in mine, but I haven't done it this year yet.
I think the electric saw is probably a lot quieter, but it is pretty slow.

I leave my splitter where my log pile is so for the most part I was simply covering the entire unit with a tarp but my tarp that I was using was fairly small so when I finished splitting 2 cords, I would return the splitter to horizontal and then tarp it, but when I was working on the 2 cords, I left it in the vert position knowing that it was easier to do so that way. Now I have a much larger tarp and can cover it completely when in vertical so now I intend to do that when it's not rolled away and stored in my shed.

Jay

 

[velvetfoot]

Are you considering using it horizontally?
My splitter does not have a cradle, and I do have some big pieces which must be split vertically, but I am wondering which will be worse on my back.
There's a lot of stooping going on with the vertical position as well as all that bucking.
On the other hand, horizontal requires a lot of lifting: those ice tongs mentioned previously by Eric might be useful.

 

[Jay H]

Nope, without the use of some kind of prebuilt ram, most of my rounds I have been bucking have been in the 25"+ range with lengths of 16-20" so there is no way little ole me is going to lift any of them by myself so I have not tried the splitter in horizontal position. Plus, the placement of the lever is fairly convenient in the vert position, I just sit in front of the wedge and right hand operate the lever. It doesn't spit out flying splits as much in vert as it did using my electric splitter in horizontal.

Jay

 

[velvetfoot]

Thanks Jay.

 

[triptester]

When changing from horizontal to vertical position extend the ram all the way .This will help shift about 20 pounds past the pivot point.