PTO vs Engine Driven Log Splitters

[KnightFire]

I'm trying to find a log splitter and have been going over which would be better, a PTO driven splitter or one that has it's own motor.

The PTO would be nice, but I would have to drag the tractor out every time I wanted to split wood. However, the motor unit would be easier to use, but then I would have to worry about maintaining yet another motor, lol.

What other pros and cons am I not thinking of??? Can anyone point out a nice model? I know I want one that cuts both horizontally and vertically.

Thanks fellas!

 

[rodm1]

I don't have any idea. If I had the same question I would head over to http://www.ytmag.com/implment/wwwboard1.html.

 

[eschoendorff]

It really depends on what kinda of tractor you have.... and how much wood you have to split. For smaller jobs, it seems that a dedicated unit with its own engine might be easier to manage and store, as well as use. Probably would use less fuel than a tractor too...

Oops.. didn't notice the Deere 2520. Those things are actually pretty good on fuel, aren't they????

 

[nissan_crawler]

Personally, as long as you didn't need to use it anywhere else, I would go with a pto driven one, since there's much less bs to go wrong.

 

[KnightFire]

It really depends on what kinda of tractor you have.... and how much wood you have to split. For smaller jobs, it seems that a dedicated unit with its own engine might be easier to manage and store, as well as use. Probably would use less fuel than a tractor too...

Oops.. didn't notice the Deere 2520. Those things are actually pretty good on fuel, aren't they????

Actually yes, the 2520 literally SIPS diesel, I was amazed how little it drank, even after all day use.

I usually cut about 3-4 cords of wood per year, I'm still clearing out the down/dead trees that have fallen on our property and this is the 2nd winter we've been here, so I have quite a bit left to do and using a maul/sledge hammer/wedge is starting to get old.

The ONLY reason I like the idea of using a motor driven splitter is because I could leave it in place, fire it up and get to work...w/the PTO I'll have to bring the tractor out, hook up the splitter, take the whole unit to the splitting area, then get to to work.

However, in my heart I think nissan_crawler is right, with PTO units far less can go wrong...and are much easier to maintain...ugh!

So far I'm giving the Timberwolf line a serious look...anyone suggest something else?

 

[Uncle Buck]

I can not help with what brand you should buy, but I think the PTO type would almost be a no brainer. The benefits would far outweigh the inconvenience factor. Perhaps you could adjust the way you split such as splitting 2 cords at a time instead of 1 to compensate for the inconvenience of hooking up the tractor additional times. Clear benefits would be no additional gas engine to keep up with. The tractor is going to be able to supply much more power than most tow behinds ever could. Also, given the economy you might be able to find a PTO splitter used for much less money and possibly not as much competition looking for the PTO version as opposed to the smaller tow behind rigs.

 

[Uncle Buck]

The ONLY reason I like the idea of using a motor driven splitter is because I could leave it in place, fire it up and get to work...w/the PTO I'll have to bring the tractor out, hook up the splitter, take the whole unit to the splitting area, then get to to work.

If you have a bigger truck with a dump bed you could drive it and toss the cut wood in the bed and drive it back and dump the load instead of bringing the splitter to the wood. Just a thought, though it does seem like more work to me. (I mean my idea above)

 

[Lyaec350]

On the other hand, if you've already got a fleet of small engines, what is 1 more to maintain... really all they need is draining the fuel and the carb, squirting some oil in the plug hole and making sure mice don't make nests in them...

 

[nissan_crawler]

One more engine to change oil on every year, one more carb to rebuild when it gums up. One more recoil starter to fix when the rope breaks, one more engine to rebuild when something goes wrong, one more engine to winterize, etc.

Log splitters don't come with good engines (that I've ever seen), and then you're dealing with an expensive rebuild or replacement. If it has a Brakes & Scatters, I would avoid it like the plague. If it had an old Wisconsin on it, that would be a different story.

I would stick to a pto driven one.

 

[ossaguy]

The Timberwolf brand splitters we sell are super nice.The nice GX series Honda engines are the most reliable engines out there.Using Stabil in the fuel and just doing simple oil changes and servicing the air filter is likely the only maintenance that it'll require.If you ever need to sell it,I'd bet that it would be way easier to sell the engine driven one.It's got more than enough power for the ram.

 

[IDASHO]

Id MUCH rather have a nice lil' Honda OHC motor on a tow-behind splitter then have to drag a tractor out every time I want to split wood.

Wait, that's what i have!

 

[Northstar9126]

The tractor mounted splitter that I believe you are refering to is not PTO driven. The only type of tractor mounted splitter that I have ever seen is powered off of the hydraulic system of the tractor. You need what Deere calls "Power Beyond" rear hydraulic lines to hook the splitter up to.

 

[nissan_crawler]

Actually, many ARE pto driven, and he does NOT need the onboard hydraulics.

 

[Mr. Welsh]

I'm not sure which I'd prefer if it were my decision. What's the price difference?

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I'm not sure which I'd prefer if it were my decision. What's the price difference?

Alot. The ones I just looked at on the internet are nearly double the price of a 3 pt hitch splitter that uses tractor hydraulics. This is because the splitter has to be equipped with a reservoir and the PTO driven pump. Also, most two behind splitters you buy are vertical/horizontal, while many 3 pt hitch units are horizontal only. Again, the vertical/horiz combo models are rather pricey for a tractor.

Most people park the splitter under a shed and leave it there, splitting and piling up wood right there. A PTO splitter would be nice for heavy duty work, but darn inconvenient to use.

Charles

 

[bushhawg73]

If you buy a splitter that operates off the tractor hydraulics you will have to make sure that there is a remote hook up on the back of the tractor. Some small tractors do not have remote hook ups therefore a remote hook up would need to be added. That is an extra cost to figure in. Even so I believe that the tractor driven model is better. A lot less to go wrong. If you want ease of use just set up the splitter and build a area for it to split wood. I know that gas driven model is portable but then you have to load and move all the wood that you split. My opnion is that it would be easier to drag the long wood to the splitter with the tractor, cut, split and stack in one location.

 

[nissan_crawler]

Again, there are many pto driven log splitters with the pump and tank on the splitter, no aux hydraulics needed.