16 Ton Ram Splitter Horizontal Vertical Electric Log Splitter (HV16-4)

This splitter exceeds my expectations in power. At my house it's a solar splitter as we make all our own electricity. My only complaint is the tongue. It only has one tab, on top, It should have two tabs to hitch to a drawbar. I spoke to the owner about this problem and he said we would work on a solution for me but have yet to hear back. It's also too short. I cant hitch it to my atv without the beem interfering with the taillight. I'm working on my own solution to moving it around.

The splitter arrived in good shape & the assembly was reasonably straightforward. The splitter works as advertised and is adequate for my splitting needs. The shortcomings of the order involves receiving a loose packed 3/4"pivot bolt that was 3.5" long but should have been 4.5" long since, when the 3.5" bolt is installed there are so few threads extending out of the splitter the nut can not be screwed on to a depth where the locking nylon ring ever reaches the bolt threads leaving the nut vulnerable to falling off. Secondly, no manual was included in my shipment. When I pointed out these order deficiencies to Ram Splitter they e-mailed me a PDF version of the manual within a day of my request and promised their manufacturer would ship a paper copy & the longer replacement bolt shortly. That was 3 weeks ago and I have received neither. To get my splitter running I replaced the bolt at my own expense after waiting 2 weeks for the replacement to arrive. The Oregon office seems to be firing on all cylinders but the manufactuer/shipper in Ohio, is a C-level performer,

This appears to be very well made. The assembly was somewaht challenging as most of the pre-drilled alignment holes didn't align with what was mounted to them and needed to be drilled oversized in order to get the unit together and working properly. Once done, the unit works wonderfully and I haven't found anything that it wouldn't split yet! Purchased the 4 way wedge and the log cradles also. I would definitely recommend. Just know that some massaging may be necessary to get it assembled.

I'm writing this review because I want to share my experience about what would make this splitter better. The short answer is: it works.
Here is my perspective.
1) I chose electric for the noise. This is no louder than a drill press.
2) Single person operation- log cradles help catch wood and greatly prevent more bending over than needed. Highly recommend.
3) The operating height is 24". I'm 5'10" and notice the bending over, especially with log cradles meaning you need to stand further away. I know this is tied to the beam height, but if you are taller, you will notice it.
4) This can split a 20" diameter by 18" long piece of straight grain red oak. However, any crotches or burls give this splitter trouble. I have gotten it stuck in pieces of gnarly wood and had to cut it out with a chainsaw. If you are doing big wood, I would recommend higher tonnage.
5) Cycle time is 11 sec. I feel a design upgrade would be to use a higher gpm pump. If you are doing small wood, it feels a bit slow. But safety wise, it's ok to take your time.
6) Missing- log stripper/knock offs to protect cylinder. You need to pay attention to protect the cylinder.
7) Missing- engine guard. The wood can fall back onto the motor. you need to pay attention to protect the motor.
8) Missing- 3rd log holding tooth. There are only 2 on the base. Noticeable when splitting pieces that are not straight.
9) If you put an 80lb+ piece of wood on it horizontal, the machine tips over. I understand using in vertical position is the answer, but the center of gravity could be designed better.
10) Side to Side rocker. The beam with the cylinder is supported by a small piece of metal with a flat top. A bolt goes under to hold it when in horizontal position. This is the poorest aspect of the design, as there is at least 1" of side to side rocker. This causes wear and movement while splitting. Not great. I put in a wood wedge to minimize this rocker, but the design needs to be changed. Or bolt tolerance greatly reduced.
11) Do not expect to tow this on the highway.
12) Ask Wood Splitter Direct for assembly instructions. It doesn't ship with any.

1. The log splitter would not turn on. Had to take apart the electrical switch box to find a loose wire. Apparently the unit was not checked before shipment
2. The stroke of the piston is too short and does not completely split the wood. It should have been about two inches longer.
3. The place on the frame for locking the splitter in the horizontal position is misaligned, and therefore the locking pin cannot be used.
4. The bolt used as a hinge to move from horizontal to vertical operation is too short, needs to be 1/4” longer to properly seat with the nylon locknut.
5. Unit was not shipped with assembly/operating instructions.
6. The metal leg used for stand alone operation needs a second hole to enable the leg to be raised for transport.

We placed the order on August 31st and did not receive the splitter until November 1st. The bolts used on the splitter should be Grade 8 bolts, not cheap bolts. First full day into splitting the bolts on the splitting wedge snapped off. Also the bolt to tighten for making the machine horizontal/vertical not long enough. So we had to replace everything ourselves and waisted a day in labor and time. otherwise its a pretty decent log splitter.