Three point LOG Splitter to L 3901

Smokeless

Member

Equipment
3901/Loader/Rear Blade/Box Blade/LP Mower/Pallet forks IH M,,Cub & sickle mower
Feb 5, 2018
237
9
18
Southern Illinois
I have a three point hydraulic log splitter we use to run off the rear remotes of a Farmall 300. Have since sold the 300.

Have owned 3901 for a little over 1 year and we would like to understand options to connect it to the the log splitter.


I have yet to study whats involed for rear remotes and someone mentioned i could connect to the loader couplings. Thought i would pulse the forum for options, thanks folks

Smokeless
 

edritchey

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
A bunch of cute little Kubotas
Jul 19, 2014
1,107
806
113
Wellsville, PA
My opinion is add a rear set of remotes with the parts you need from your local dealer.

It's not going to be the cheapest way but it's the correct way and will only increase the overall value of your tractor.

You can save about $200 bucks if you install the parts yourself if you never worked with hydraulics I'd suggest letting the dealer install it for the extra cost.

Good luck with you L3901 and log splitting adventures. :)
 

boz1989

Member

Equipment
B2910 fel 60 mmm, Land Pride rb1572
Jun 10, 2015
269
6
18
54
Portland, MI
If this is the only thing you want a remote for, you could just use a backhoe loop, that would be the cheapest.

Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk
 

Smokeless

Member

Equipment
3901/Loader/Rear Blade/Box Blade/LP Mower/Pallet forks IH M,,Cub & sickle mower
Feb 5, 2018
237
9
18
Southern Illinois
My opinion is add a rear set of remotes with the parts you need from your local dealer.

It's not going to be the cheapest way but it's the correct way and will only increase the overall value of your tractor.

You can save about $200 bucks if you install the parts yourself if you never worked with hydraulics I'd suggest letting the dealer install it for the extra cost.

Good luck with you L3901 and log splitting adventures. :)
I kinda figured that would be the cleanest, will talk to dealer, thanks
 

thedevilyoulove

Member

Equipment
L3901 HST with LA525 FEL, Land Pride RCF2572, pallet forks, 3 pt carry all
Jan 27, 2016
143
7
18
Woodbine, Maryland
Might be cheaper so sell your 3 pt splitter and buy a gas powered splitter that you can take anywhere. Put the wear and tear from splitting operations on a small gas engine and not your $20K tractor.
 

GeoHorn

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
M4700DT, LA1002FEL, Ferguson5-8B Compactor-Roller, 10KDumpTrailer, RTV-X900
May 18, 2018
6,040
3,316
113
Texas
I would sell you my almost-new HF 20-ton splitter for $500 but the freight would probably be the killer. It works great and has better features than much more expensive splitters but I really don't need it (especially according to my wife.) ;)
 

Smokeless

Member

Equipment
3901/Loader/Rear Blade/Box Blade/LP Mower/Pallet forks IH M,,Cub & sickle mower
Feb 5, 2018
237
9
18
Southern Illinois
Clock shows 85 hours in little over one year. Considering these machines should be good fo 4 or 5 thousand hours and i am on the north side three score and 10, pretty sure i will use the tractor. Trying to eliminate maint on additional motors, but thanks for posting
 

dlundblad

Member

Equipment
G5200, L2501, ZD1211
May 16, 2009
503
10
18
IN
I have a three point hydraulic log splitter we use to run off the rear remotes of a Farmall 300. Have since sold the 300.

Have owned 3901 for a little over 1 year and we would like to understand options to connect it to the the log splitter.


I have yet to study whats involed for rear remotes and someone mentioned i could connect to the loader couplings. Thought i would pulse the forum for options, thanks folks

Smokeless
Might be different for you, but it was around $1500 for rear remotes on my L2501.
 

Smokeless

Member

Equipment
3901/Loader/Rear Blade/Box Blade/LP Mower/Pallet forks IH M,,Cub & sickle mower
Feb 5, 2018
237
9
18
Southern Illinois
Might be different for you, but it was around $1500 for rear remotes on my L2501.
Ouch!!!!! Thats a heap money. Was that dealer install?

Have not talked to my dealer but soon will. Should be just a piping issue i would assume
 
Oct 8, 2014
623
5
16
oregon
If you really want to use your tractor order factory RR's. The instructions for mine were bad but once figured out installation was easy. That said I split about 10 cords last summer (won't do that again). I used a 35 ton tow behind. There is no way I would have tried using a tractor mounted splitter.
 

dirtydeed

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
B2650 BH77, U27-4R2, BX23TLBM, box blade, rear blade, flail mower, Stump Grinder
Dec 8, 2017
3,023
3,681
113
Wind Gap, PA
I had looked into a tractor mounted splitter a while back. From what I saw they were pretty slow to operate so I got a 35 ton huskee. That worked pretty well and I found that the ability to split vertically was a huge plus. I had many very large rounds that there was no way I'd be lifting onto a horizontal splitter. For the really large rounds, it was much easier to split them thru the side of the log by rolling them onto the splitter in vertical mode.

Understood the want to eliminate another machine but something to consider before taking the plunge.
 

Smokeless

Member

Equipment
3901/Loader/Rear Blade/Box Blade/LP Mower/Pallet forks IH M,,Cub & sickle mower
Feb 5, 2018
237
9
18
Southern Illinois
I have a three point splitter snd used it on a Farmall 300 for allot of years. Slow.......yes. Just a matter of equipment on hand. Going today to dealer and discuss RRs, thanks for all the comments, constructive and worthy.
 

Dave_eng

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
M7040, Nuffield 465
Oct 6, 2012
5,235
1,018
113
Williamstown Ontario Canada
I have a three point splitter snd used it on a Farmall 300 for allot of years. Slow.......yes. Just a matter of equipment on hand. Going today to dealer and discuss RRs, thanks for all the comments, constructive and worthy.
In Canada one rear remote is close to $1,000,

Make certain when you order them you fully understand what is involved to make your splitter work.

Rear remotes have their own control system. Some with a detent, some with a float position. You need to research the type available and then choose. I let my dealer choose and now I have one with a float position which drives me crazy.

To supply continuous hydraulic flow to the valve on your splitter find out what you have to do. Tie the remote lever into a position where oil will flow continuously?

The backhoe loop suggestion is one I would be inclined to pursue first.

I understand your logic for wanting to power the splitter from your new tractor. You need to consider the unusual damage running a diesel under low load conditions for long periods of time can cause.

There have been other owners on this forum who posted about their tractor blowing blue smoke. In the end, the consensus was that they had Diesel Slobber. A condition where the piston rings stop seating to the cylinders because the engine has been running lightly loaded.

The fix was to loan the tractor to a real farmer for a day who would spend that time plowing. The engine had to work hard and the rings re seated.

Dave
 

Smokeless

Member

Equipment
3901/Loader/Rear Blade/Box Blade/LP Mower/Pallet forks IH M,,Cub & sickle mower
Feb 5, 2018
237
9
18
Southern Illinois
There have been other owners on this forum who posted about their tractor blowing blue smoke. In the end, the consensus was that they had Diesel Slobber. A condition where the piston rings stop seating to the cylinders because the engine has been running lightly loaded.

Thats a new one on me. Would have never guessed it. Being i have a teir 4, at pto engine speed it is still an issue???? If so, thats not good. Thanks
 

Dave_eng

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
M7040, Nuffield 465
Oct 6, 2012
5,235
1,018
113
Williamstown Ontario Canada
There have been other owners on this forum who posted about their tractor blowing blue smoke. In the end, the consensus was that they had Diesel Slobber. A condition where the piston rings stop seating to the cylinders because the engine has been running lightly loaded.

Thats a new one on me. Would have never guessed it. Being i have a teir 4, at pto engine speed it is still an issue???? If so, thats not good. Thanks
The issue has nothing to do with the presence or absence of emission equipment. It is a more basic property of engines and particularly diesel engines because the operate at higher pressures within their cylinders.

The piston rings are present to create a seal between the piston and the cylinder, while still allowing movement up and down, and further, withstanding the heat of the combustion process.

Under a load, the rings are forced into more intimate contact with the cylinder. The lubricating oil is trying to prevent wear from occurring because there are these moving parts rubbing against each other.

If you run your engine at pto speed but with minimal load, the marriage between the piston rings and the cylinder begins to break down.

With the contact between the rings and the cylinder becoming less effective, combustion pressures within the combustion pressure begin to bypass the rings.

You and I are both old enough to recall an old car or truck spewing clouds of blue spoke in their wake. The piston rings had worn out and the rings were not wiping the oil film off the cylinder walls and instead the film remained behind to be burned on each power stroke of the engine.

While running your tractor to power your log splitter can be done, it is not the service the engineers and technicians spent years trying to produce a reliable engine for.

Dave
 

dlundblad

Member

Equipment
G5200, L2501, ZD1211
May 16, 2009
503
10
18
IN
Ouch!!!!! Thats a heap money. Was that dealer install?

Have not talked to my dealer but soon will. Should be just a piping issue i would assume
Yes. It was one of those things my dad always talked about how he wished his tractor had them so I figured it was worth the look. I have zero uses at the moment (but considered a splitter) and when it's all said and done, I can by a pretty nice log towable splitter for the $1500 plus whatever a 3 point log splitter costs. Northern Tool has some pretty nice Honda powered units. Plus, it's easier for me to tow the splitter than the tractor too.

I wouldn't be worried about putting the hours on your tractor. Nothing beats the dependability of a diesel Kubota engine. Not sure on the RPM you'll need to be at, but I am sure the engine would love the easy work and the emissions system would certainly benefit from the extended run time too.
 

Smokeless

Member

Equipment
3901/Loader/Rear Blade/Box Blade/LP Mower/Pallet forks IH M,,Cub & sickle mower
Feb 5, 2018
237
9
18
Southern Illinois
The issue has nothing to do with the presence or absence of emission equipment. It is a more basic property of engines and particularly diesel engines because the operate at higher pressures within their cylinders.

The piston rings are present to create a seal between the piston and the cylinder, while still allowing movement up and down, and further, withstanding the heat of the combustion process.

Under a load, the rings are forced into more intimate contact with the cylinder. The lubricating oil is trying to prevent wear from occurring because there are these moving parts rubbing against each other.

If you run your engine at pto speed but with minimal load, the marriage between the piston rings and the cylinder begins to break down.

With the contact between the rings and the cylinder becoming less effective, combustion pressures within the combustion pressure begin to bypass the rings.

You and I are both old enough to recall an old car or truck spewing clouds of blue spoke in their wake. The piston rings had worn out and the rings were not wiping the oil film off the cylinder walls and instead the film remained behind to be burned on each power stroke of the engine.

While running your tractor to power your log splitter can be done, it is not the service the engineers and technicians spent years trying to produce a reliable engine for.

Dave

What a great write up, thanks. I am an old sbc guy so all noted. Just FYI, i split bout 3 to 5 cords maybe every year or every other.

Understand your cylinder comments, but what do these farmers do running 3 pt generators often for long periods.....premature wear? I surely hope my slight use dont result on Kubota engine wear. Besides, north side 3 score 10 i sure hope it dont wear out. Put 84 hours or so in one year.

Guess i could always hook pto pump to my M, but that is a chore for a few hours use. Too much trouble with tanks etc.

Common sense tells me no big deal, but your post is well noted
 
Last edited:

Dave_eng

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
M7040, Nuffield 465
Oct 6, 2012
5,235
1,018
113
Williamstown Ontario Canada
Smokeless;325909 but what do these farmers do running 3 pt generators often for long periods.....premature wear? . Put 84 hours or so in one year. your post is well noted[/QUOTE said:
Let me try and be clearer: I am not suggesting a tractor driving a wood splitter will experience premature wear.

PTO generator use is a heavy job for tractor engine assuming it has a load matching the size of the generator head and the generator head is sized to fit the tractor.

Blowing snow is a heavy work as well.

Driving around slowly moving a pile of gravel or topsoil with a FEL is light work.

It is not about wearing the engine with light work, rather, just the alarm experienced by some owners when their new(er) tractor starts to smoke.

They are upset and don't know why the machine they have cared for and even babied is acting like an old car or truck blowing blue smoke.

It is a condition, as I have said earlier, that is reversible.

Dave
 

Smokeless

Member

Equipment
3901/Loader/Rear Blade/Box Blade/LP Mower/Pallet forks IH M,,Cub & sickle mower
Feb 5, 2018
237
9
18
Southern Illinois
Let me try and be clearer: I am not suggesting a tractor driving a wood splitter will experience premature wear.

It is a condition, as I have said earlier, that is reversible.

Dave
Noted, well explained. Appreciate you sharing.

Thanks