PSA: Log splitter oil change

Champion 34-ton hydraulic splitter.
1.1L of 5W-30 full synthetic oil
Recommended interval - every 50 hours or every season.

I have an hour meter on the splitter that reads 27.9.

As you can see I had the gnarly kind of black birch. Super stringy that was pretty laborious by hand. After 1.5 rounds I caved in and used the hydro. Still had to use the hatchet to cut off the stringy bits.

Now I have no more wood to chop!!!

 

It's good to do it every year if you don't hit the hours. My poor splitter hasn't touched anything in 2 years
I felt guilty so sprayed some seafoam into the plug hole last summer so the upper cylinder can sort of stay oiled up and not rust.
I have a pile that needs done so this summer it should see some love again.

 

No more wood to chop?

 

I dump mine after I'm done splitting every spring. However, I may re-think that after I just dumped mine yesterday and it looked like I could have put it back in the bottle and re-sold it. 23.5 hours on the splitter and yesterday was the 3rd time I dumped the oil (dumped the initial fill at 5 hours). At a little over a quart an oil change, it's cheap insurance to dump it once a year.

 

Kind of my situation as well.
I had a good size pile that I finally got to after it sitting for a year +.
Split it all and the only un-split is what I cut about a month ago.

Changed the oil in it and pulled the battery out since I know I won't be using it until probably fall.
I am very religious about maintenance on all my equipment so now it is ready for next time.

 

convoluted story. but yes I have stuff that needs cut as well.

 

*I* had no more wood to chop!....so I went and got some more black birch. I was blocked on the access road so I just bucked up whatever had been dropped on the side of the road.

Got 34 rounds and I weighed one of the larger ones at 41lbs so probably avg around 35lbs I'm guessing.

 

Phew I was worried for a minute. It happened to me once and I didn’t like it.

 

It's almost like dreaming about being naked and then when you finally wake up all is good....... hahahaha.

 

Thanks for the PSA! I gotta get to that, 55 hours and 3 seasons with no change. I know, I know…It’s on the list!

 

You're welcome! Time to make the donuts.......I have 4 cars........and 3 sets of winter tires to swap out for summers. Looking forward to that.....twice a year.....every year......yay. Seems like the never ending story of re-upping registrations and inspections as well.