Countyline 40 ton splitter, 8 month review.

[Upstatewoodchuc]

Hey guys, long time no visit. I figured since I always enjoyed people taking the time to follow up on a thread that I would do the same. Earlier in the year I had a dilemma on how to up my wood production dealing with large piles of ugly tree service wood, at the time I had an old Didier mfg. Wood splitter with a slip on 4 way wedge I made and work table on it. I ended up going to the infamous big box store and pulling the trigger on a 40 ton vertical/horizontal splitter that was on sale because it made the most sense for my needs at the time. So here we are, 8 months and roughly ~70 cords in on the thing. 


The good: I have never owned a Kohler but im very impressed with how easily this 14hp unit starts in all different temp ranges, super big thumbs up there, flawless so far. The hydraulic power of 40 tons is also pretty dang impressive even if it may not be an honest 40 tons, its the most powerful wood splitter I've used outside of a tree service setting.the ram is huge for a homeowner splitter. I also like that the splitter has a large hydraulic reservoir with a spin on filter for maintenance because when youre making a splitter work in ugly knotty 36" rounds they get nice and hot. The ram has a good cycle time, 9.5 seconds and auto return keeps production flowing.

The bad: this thing drinks gas at an alarming rate, my ford 8n brushogging high growth doesn't even drink fuel like this. This thing will empty its 2 gallonish tank in the time my 6.5hp chonda powered didier splitter drinks .4 of a gallon.... if the splitter is on, you best be splitting wood, no letting it idle while you get sidetracked. The beam is also not a true I beam, its a manufactured type with a channel that the wedge slides in. This did not occur to as a problem because I'd never been around a splitter this new, it however is. When youre horizontal the tray acts as a catch all for debris and as the wedge moves back and forth it basically sands itself apart. The majority of this things life has been used in vertical position to break up big stuff for the 4 way splitter and when you get into big knotty spiral grained stuff, it makes the wedge get forced sideways in the channel and gall into the body of the manufactured beam. Mine has pretty significant wear in there and the upper part of the channel and bottom of the wedge plate are bent now. The splitter also does not have a big enough foot plate at the end of the beam to split against. I ended up welding a big oval plate I torched out of 1/2" plate steel to the existing foot so that pieces don't get kicked off or need to be held upright on the plate when splitting vertically. The work table that hangs off the side of the beam is also very whimpy and will break off at some point.

Overall: knowing what I know now, I may not have bought this splitter. Given, I can't complain because I'm sure its meant for a guy doing 10 cord a year and I basically put it through 7 years use in 8 months. That being said, my didier was from 1978 and the beam was not deformed like this one. I'd say this is an awesome homeowner splitter, and if you're gonna use it for production you just have to treat it like an expendable, its not a forever machine. The splitter has paid for itself and im going to continue to use it to break up stuff where 40 tons is necessary and probably replace my didier splitter with something like a supersplit or eastonmade axis that is quick on stuff small enough to be lifted by hand. 

[doc henderson]

thanks upstate. what is the diameter of the cylinder/ram, and PSI if you know it.  

[Upstatewoodchuc]

Doc i believe the cylinder is a 5" with a 2inch shaft, also i think the pump is 3000psi, not sure where the relief is det though.

[Upstatewoodchuc]

Scratch that, just checked, 25gpm pump at 3800psi

[doc henderson]

most valves and pumps do not go to 3800# but if yours does, you are correct, that is 74,575 psi.  if it is at 3k, then 58,875 psi.  should do anything you choose to do.  thanks.

[Southside]

That's a huge pump, no wonder it's drinking gas. 

[Spike60]

That's a good review. Especially the fact that you put 8 months of time on it to form those opinions. The hair trigger nature of the internet has many folks doing reviews the day after they buy something. Good or bad, they often don't know what they are talking about.

What's the displacement on that Kohler engine? Most of the 5 HP range engines are around 208 cc in size, and they all sip fuel. Your engine must be bigger at 14 hp, but it does seem to be awful thirsty.

[Upstatewoodchuc]

Thanks spike, you really don't know about anything until you get seat time. And the website says the motor is 429cc's, also takes just under 10 gallons of hydraulic oil, no wonder its such a boat anchor to move around, *DanG near 800lbs filled with fluids.

[chet]

My brother has the same splitter. For the money he spent, he is not very impressed either. Although his does not use an over amount of fuel as you mentioned with yours. A call to Kohler may be in order.

[mike_belben]

I have a different brand of modded box store splitter with the same beam except now they seem to have a H brace behind the foot plate.

3800psi is 4 wire hose territory.  And its only 25gpm in high range at like 900 psi.. A 14hp would shut off if the 2 stage pump didnt downshift to low flow.


I bet the hoses and fittings are just too small.  25gpm wants a 3/4 to 1 inch hose or youre gonna see a lot of heating.  The rod on that ram isnt too big but you might see a benefit in a dump valve.  Both temp speed and fuel. A really big rod size pretty much requires a dump valve.


Id have said maybe youve got the carb settings outta wack but if it starts good leave it.  Id rather burn fuel then curse at a fussy machine. Fuel is a consistent fixed cost to be accounted normal in any business.  Not being able operate because it wont start today should not be!

[Upstatewoodchuc]

The specs I provided are straight from their website, the hose is also atleast 3/4", I can check when I get back to the shop. Its not lacking any sort of splitting power, its just lacking build quality. The guts of this thing might help build a decent homemade processor. 

[mike_belben]

yeah i looked at the specs on TSC.com too.  

if the hose is 3/4 and the bungs welded in the cylinder cause a fitting with a .460" hole at a 90 then its a waste.  and i will be stunned if its actually relieved at over 3k psi on 2 wire hoses and chinese valves. not saying it isnt, but thats scary to stand near if it is.

i have yet to see a splitter cylinder with 1" ports in person, but thats what they need.  ive welded in larger ones on stuff i want to move fast, then honed the one i could reach.

[stavebuyer]

Since you already have the 40 ton beast for the ugly stuff; I highly recommend the SuperSplit HD. Running just above a fast idle it won't burn much over a quart a day. The reason you almost never hear about a used one for sale is people won't sell them even if they aren't using them. They are that good.

[Spike60]

I'll try and do some looking on that Kohler. That 429 will seem like a lush compared to the small Honda. Doubt the carb is adjustable. Gotta ask Joel, our 4 stroke wiz. That tank actually 2 gallons?

Everybody has an engine in this class, and we've seen them mostly on snow blowers. Briggs has a 420 and the Ariens AX, (LCT), is 414. Any of them will seem to gulp fuel if someone was coming out of a Troy Bilt with the 170cc MTD motor.

Guess where I'm going with this is any of the engines in this larger class are going to use noticeably more fuel than engines that are 1/2 the displacement and 1/3 the HP. Could partly be a perception thing but your welcome to drag her down if you'd like and we can take a look at it.

[Upstatewoodchuc]

Finally remembered to check the hoses, theyre 3/4" hose and marked as good for 4640psi, so definitely 4 braid. As I said, I have no problems with the hydraulic end of it, I just don't forsee the chassis lasting more than a couple years before it needs some fabrication.