Dumb splitter question

I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on a powered splitter. By the book these things weigh 500+lb and can't be towed over 45mph. There's a nice DHT for sale about 30" from my house - when I take the highways.

So how do I get it home? If there's anything I hate, it's having to crawl along behind someone towing an unsafe rig, and so I won't be "that guy".

- Lift it into the bed of the truck
- Bring my car hauler trailer and use that
- Tow it home, snaking my way through the twisty slow back roads

 

Trailer it if you can.

 

If...If, I take mine anywhere, it's on the trailer.
Around here, that splitter would need to be plated if it were being towed. Another one time fee of $75 is silly, so a trailering we go.
Strap it down gooder, so it doesn't bounce. I usually screw down some wheel stops front and back of at least one tire.

 

Trailer...

 

While I Do think it's legal to tow a log splitter, cement mixer, etc without a plate in Michigan, I nearly always put mine in the trailer if it moves. It beats on them bad, and gets them awfully dirty on dirt, or snowy roads.

 

I've seen plenty being drug at highway speeds with no problem.

 

My DHT splitter is shared between myself, my dad, and my BIL. So it gets towed the 10 or so miles between our houses fairly often. As long as you don't drive faster than 60 you'll be fine. I'd say you can stay at 60 on the highway and not tick too many people off.

 

For me is more the crap roads bouncing it all over than the speed. 60 on a smooth road with good bearings/grease shouldn't be a problem.

The bearings are a good thing to check if purchased assembled. The castle nuts in mine needed about three more turns.

 

If it is that close to you it won't take long at all to get home, kind of a non issue (y'all must have a REALLY small property)
But seriously, I'd just trailer it unless you have a good way to get it up into (and out of) a pickup. I'm not a big fan of towing the splitter more than a few miles...but I'm spoiled, lots of wood to cut nearby

 

I put bearing buddies on mine repacked bearings with good grease .70 mph no prob

 

I'd be worried about them lil tiny tires hittin a pothole at that speed. My luck, I'd rip the "axle" clean off the hyd tank...oil leak...sparks from dragging splitter on pavement at 70 MPH...fire...explosion...crash...pileup...ticket/fines...insurance co would tell me to pound salt...loss of firewood production time...ugh, bad day!

 

If they say not to tow over 45, then I'm not towing over 45 or so.
It's not a problem, until it is.
Not a problem for me, like I said. I trailer mine.

Hmmm.....time for some Google-foo.

 

It is in Ohio...

 

Seen plenty towed, Have towed my own. That said if ya got really nice smooth roads well maybe ok but they bounce around alot. Rough roads trailer it. I mostly always trailer my own unit when on any type of city streets - a couple blocks to a friends is one thing , cross town not unless its on the trailer. no springs or such so these things bounce like those super balls, faster ya go worse it gets. sooner or later its going to find that perfect launch ramp in the road.

 

Ive always trailer mind when going 5+ miles or so away from home.

Definitely either trailer it or take the slow back roads.

 

I just dodge the pot holes . Lol

 

You ever been to Northern Ohio?! You can't dodge 'em all, you just hafta pray for some smaller ones to hit!
Last winter on the East side of Cleveland, when the snow finally melted they found a couple small cars that were thought to be stolen...just lost in a pothole

 

Ditto. I won't even tow the splitter from my buddies house to my cutting land, unless it's on the trailer. That's about a mile and a half. However, I don't trust the wobbly bearings on it more than 10 mph.