I have a 27 ton Ariens log splitter that has 6 - 7 cords on it. I was going to go out and split today and notice that on the back side of the beam where the wear feet are supposed to be wearing, the beam is jagged to the touch and has what look to be the beginning of metal chunks being taken out of the beam on both sides. Is this normal? I used the splitter in upright/vertical position, so no dirt is getting inbetween the foot and the beam. Seems like cheap metal to me. Am I missing something? I attached a picture that kind of shows what I'm talking about if I can figure out how.
Log Splitter Beam question
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It's kind of difficult to see, but if you run your fingers up the back side of the beam, you would get metal slivers in your hands. It's jagged metal being scraped off. On the one pic especially you can see it's actually dented and a chunk is beginning to come out of the metal.
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![[Hearth.com] Log Splitter Beam question](/talk/data/attachments/158/158189-8a5cff5626986b24acafe97d118ad32e.jpg?hash=hgTFTqZvyO)
kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
Looks like the metal is galling to me. Doesn't necessarily mean it's cheap...I'd guess the stuff is generic A36 structural steel or equivalent. But the galling will happen anytime you have two similar (or identical) materials in rubbing contact with each other. ie the steel wedge 'sled' sliding on the steel I-beam. If the materials are dissimilar - ie a lead babbitt bearing / steel crankshaft, or a brass bushing/steel rod, then galling is minimized or eliminated.
So what to do??
1) I would check to make sure the splitter was not supposed to have some type of insert (brass, plastic, nylon, etc) to keep the surfaces of metal from rubbing. I don't know these splitters well enough to say one way or the other. But if they did have an insert, obviously you'd want to replace it, or install correctly.
2) If they don't have an insert, the best option would be to file/grind/sand the surfaces back as smooth as possible. You definitely want to remove any burrs, shavings, high spots, etc. Then you want to apply some type of grease to these sliding surfaces. Cheap / generic grease will do - you may want to wipe the slides down periodically and re-grease to help keep dirt/sand at a minimum. If you specifically like throwing money at the problem, you could go with a synthetic grease and/or something which claims to have 'extreme pressure' additives...probably double to triple the cost and may be very slightly better than the regular grease.
So what to do??
1) I would check to make sure the splitter was not supposed to have some type of insert (brass, plastic, nylon, etc) to keep the surfaces of metal from rubbing. I don't know these splitters well enough to say one way or the other. But if they did have an insert, obviously you'd want to replace it, or install correctly.
2) If they don't have an insert, the best option would be to file/grind/sand the surfaces back as smooth as possible. You definitely want to remove any burrs, shavings, high spots, etc. Then you want to apply some type of grease to these sliding surfaces. Cheap / generic grease will do - you may want to wipe the slides down periodically and re-grease to help keep dirt/sand at a minimum. If you specifically like throwing money at the problem, you could go with a synthetic grease and/or something which claims to have 'extreme pressure' additives...probably double to triple the cost and may be very slightly better than the regular grease.
Agreed that you want to get that smoothed out. If you don't the wear will start to accelerate. Take a pic of the shuttle/shoe so that we can see how it is put together. It may be that you have enough wear that it is allowing the shuttle to "tip" and dig in. A nice end pic of the shuttle where it clamps to the beam would be best.
+1 It looks like the wedge is undergoing a "tipping" motion and digging into the bottom side.
Here is one of the front and one of the sides. The other looks identical. I used it a bit more today and it just got worse. More carving out etc. So until I get that smoothed and and figured out. Looks like no more using the splitter. Thanks for the tips. Working with warranty right now too.
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![[Hearth.com] Log Splitter Beam question](/talk/data/attachments/158/158190-4a00fa176f26e5c93ecf876051aee45e.jpg?hash=RTstoJb1lf)
![[Hearth.com] Log Splitter Beam question](/talk/data/attachments/158/158191-af706da8c2ce9d62ee25cb26a2b25cef.jpg?hash=HCi0dn-IEp)
All those leading edges should be chamfered. If this unit is new enough I would sure be looking into a warranty claim. This thing appears to be cutting itself apart.
Sure looks like that after using it again in both the horizontal and vertical position splitting easy and straight stuff. Wondering if other Ariens splitters have had this issue or if this one just made it through production that way.
I have personally never seen this complaint against any other Ariens machine. Not that that is worth much...
From their manuals Maintenance schedule there is no mention of lubing the beam. It covers the wheel bearings, though.
Mine is the same as well but I don't lube it and I don't have any issues like the OP. I would say he has some definite issues and if it's less than a year old hopefully warranty will take care of it...
Montanalocal
Minister of Fire
It looks to me like when the wedge was welded to the plate riding on top of the beam, the plate was upside down. The angled edges should slope up towards the wedge so the round rides up. Instead the angled edge looks to slope downwards, and would tend to pinch the round.
Hopefully the warranty claim will work. That is damage that is time consuming to repair correctly. Yeah - its just steel and I know that it could be filled and ground but for a new machine I would find that unacceptable.
I'll keep you posted. I keep getting the "don't worry, we'll get you taken care of". I think they are trying to figure out why it happened to begin with. Meanwhile, back to hand splitting...
Dieselhead
Minister of Fire
jaoneill
Feeling the Heat
When I bought my splitter back in 1982 I dismantled the head and rounded off all of the leading edges. A squirt of bar & chain oil on the wear surfaces when I fill the gas and it is still like new after 4-5 hundred cord of wood. Cylinder started "bleeding" a bit about a year ago saving me having to oil the beam. Only down a quart of fluid in 10 cord, so I'll hold off with a cylinder rebuild for now.......
Dieselhead
Minister of Fire
Thanks for checking. These edges should all be chamfered to avoid digging into the metal or at least minimizing it a bit more.
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