I have a log splitter with a gas engine and im thinking of removing the gas engine (engine needs work) and converting to running off the tractor hydraulics. Has anyone done this and is it worth it? Should i just replace the engine?

I've don't have splitter myself but have seen ones people have changed. Made them vertical and hook to the three point. I don't know what that takes on the hydraulic side.
Might make you less mobile as to where you use the splitter??

Mac

Do you want to keep fuel in a smaller 6 hp engine or a larger tractor engine?

Can you elaborate more on this?? Not sure what your getting at?

Rarely is a tractor mounted log splitter a good idea.

https://youtu.be/jObB6caU5J4

I’d work on the engine or just find a used replacement engine. Mine is a consumer Honda GCV 160 engine like comes on a push mower. Not one of the true commercial expensive engines. It’s lasted about 12 years so far…replaced carb once and cleaned it several times. I’d much rather put the wear and tear on a cheap motor than the wear and tear on my tractor hydraulics. Mine is a 27 ton splitter.

Depending on the size of your tractor, you will burn less fuel per cord with the 6 hp engine than running the larger tractor engine. A new engine from Harbor Freight is around $200. I would not want to put the extra hours on my tractor engine.

My dad did that with a home made log splitter. The engine died and he retrofitted it to hook up to the tractor.
HOLY CRAP that thing is a splitting MACHINE now compared to when it had a gas engine. Very rarely will it even balk even with the toughest wood. The down side is if a price of wood gets stuck it’s STUCK

Tractor is a 75ish HP Massey

All you would need to do is take the hoses loose from the valve body and put hydrolic lines on that are compatible with the tractor. If you want the splitter tractor mounted then fab up a frame for the 3pt also.
That said, I had a tractor mounted splitter for years and it worked great when Dad was alive and two of us was cutting wood together as he would bring the tractor and run the lever on the splitter. After Dad got to the point he couldn't help anymore I bought a gas powered splitter and have never used the tractor splitter again. The gas splitter is just handier and the only benefit the 3pt splitter had is we could lower it to the ground and roll on the huge logs. With my gas splitter I can stand it up vertical for the big ones with not much more effort than lowering the tractor mounted splitter. It also uses much less fuel than the tractor running.

Hope this helps on the how to and the decision before hand.

I thought about doing it with mine and my motor is in fine shape probably less than 4 hrs on it. I paid about 800 for it when the old one blew. It's belt drive and mounted on a slotted plate so it has to be pushed over and the blots that hold the motor on tightened. The belt slips when it gets in a thought log.

I thought about changing it to chain drive so it would not slip but worried then things may break. I'm also concerned about the horizontal strain on the motors driving shaft.

If I pull it with the tractor it would be simply putting quick connects on the log splitter and lines long enough to hook in the rear remotes.

BUT.... I use a maul most of the time hence the 4 hrs on the motor in the last 10 years. My old gas tractor is a 1965 and uses more gas and is more expensive to fix than a small motor, and the last time I went to show my boys what that thing in the barn was and did it started right up but the hydrological cylinder leaked horribly. I asked a shop how much to fix and they said 300. It been in the same spot for the last 5 years. I should probably fix it.

As far as tractors go depending on your tractor it can be slow, you need to make sure that you tractor has the right type of hydraulics to run it, some an example would be to have a tractor with closed center and around 40 gpm would be great you just have to make sure they don’t heat up to much which isn’t hard if you should be able to touch the metal fittings if they’re hotter than that you either need to have more flow (work faster) or slow down the flow on the tractor. Instead of chains I’d recommend a love joy system they have more give.

https://www.lovejoy-inc.com/products/jaw-type-couplings/

They make a hydraulic pump that hooks onto your pto shaft So you do not need to power it with your tractors hydraulic system.

Did that with a 1975 JD 2640& a 3pt splitter, was advised to keep RPM's +1500. Did that "always". Worked great until had to do a motor job. Not cheap.............. I would suggest an Independent MOTOR......... JMPO! Been there done that....... Tut

think about it this way 160 dollar Predator motor and you burn around a quart of pump gas an hour about 3 dollars currently or if you run it on your tractor what do the hoses cost you may have them already but if you don't good remote hoses and quick connect could go more than the predator engine, and how much gas or diesel does your tractor burn an hour and then your splitter is bound to the tractor so you can't use it while splitting.

Great video Prn.

Used a tractor for 20 years, a pull behind is handier. Make sure you shut the fuel off before you pull it far. If your tractor has a zero return on the hydraulics it will cycle faster. It is easy to add a zero return port on most tractors.