I made my last payment on my log splitter just a month ago. I thought now would be a good time to write a little about my experiences with this splitter. In short, it’s regret.
I have had a lot of trouble with my splitter. The engine is great. The bolts that DR used are cheap. I’ve had the bolts used to adjust the motor snap off from normal use (tightening and loosening). They must be grade 3 by the looks of them. They should use Grade 8. The cost isn’t that great that it should even be a factor. I’ve had the bolts all replaced with Grade 8’s at my expense.
The handle mechanism has fallen apart once, needing a re-weld. Then the bushing and the rest of the engaging mechanism wore out from regular use, necessitating an upgrade from DR Power. To their credit, they sent me the upgraded material gratis, but I still had to pay a local guy here some money to do the work. Now, it’s broke down again. The handle won’t disengage if the splitter fails to make it through the wood in one pass. It’s probably the handle mechanism again, which seems to be a really weak point for this splitter.
The belts that DR use on the splitter are inferior. They should be a cogged belt for great grip around the clutch mechanism. I recommend Gates AX71 belts.
In short, this splitter is very fickle. The wood has to be just right. If it isn’t cut just right, or has a knot in a certain spot, it’s either dangerous to you the operator, or very hard on the machine. The handle mechanism just isn’t designed correctly. The Super Split guys never seem to complain about theirs, yet there’s plenty of complaints on the DR machine. I really wanted to see this machine excel over hydraulic units I have used before. While it does do well, when it’s not broken down and on straight grained, perfectly cut wood, for my usage, it’s more of a hindrance than a help. If I had it to do over today, I’d buy a good 34 Ton hydraulic splitter. Sure, it’s slower, but it would be broke down far less, negating any speed advantage the RapidFire has over it.
If you’re looking at the RapidFire and comparing it to a hydraulic, my advice to you is to go with the hydraulic unless you need to split pine, or other easy, straight grained wood. If you will be splitting elm and/or hickory, the hydraulic will be much better.
If you’re comparing it to the Super Split, I cannot help you as I’ve never used one. The Super Split is still out of my budget, and without financing, I’ll never be able to afford one.
So, three years out, I do not recommend the DR Splitter.
