Brave 37-Ton Horizontal / Vertical Log Splitter (VH1737GX)

First off my experience with Woodsplitterdirect was exemplary. They communicated effectively throughout the order fulfillment process and I received my new splitter in excellent condition and in a very realistic amount of time. A+

I was able to assemble the splitter in a few hours (thanks to having a tractor with a loader to lift the beam to the horizontal position). All the parts were well labeled and the instructions were logical and well ordered. Once assembled the Honda engine started on the first pull. The splitter made quick work splitting some gnarly Ash logs, where it could not split a log it literally cut it in half! Wow.

I did notice right away that I would need to make a few modifications to take this splitter from good to excellent.

1. The tongue weight on this beast of a machine is quiet impressive. I have not used a scale to measure it but I would guess it's at least 150lbs. The metal post that is provided as a tongue support makes it hard to lift and move the machine to the hitch on my ATV. I swapped out the post for a wheeled dolly and the issue is resolved.
2. The log cradles provided with the splitter are ineffective and are just too small to support a log. I was able to solve this issue by removing the support on the operator side and with the use of a few pieces of scrape unistrut I bolted the removed support to the opposite side to make an effect log cradle. Issue resolved.
3. The hydraulic valve on the splitter is mounted to the cylinder by a single fitting. Activating the splitter puts stress on this connection and after only a few minutes of use the hydraulic valve rotates and causes the fitting to loosen. You have to retighten the fitting or it will begin to leak. I was able to resolve this issue by using a piece of 1/4" angle iron and a hose clamp to secure the hydraulic value securely in place. Issue resolved.

Even with these few modifications I am extremely satisfied with my purchase and I am looking forward to years of service from this amazing splitter!

I couldn’t be happier with my new Brave 37 ton splitter!!! I put it together by my self in a couple of hours, the directions were great!! I recommend using a chain hoist suspended from a beam, I used two 4x4’s on top of two eight foot ladders. This enabled me to pick up the ram safely by self and get it ready for installation. I also found using a floor jack help in raising the tank and axle section up to the pin hole on the ram assembly.

As for operation I have been splitting oak logs over 36” in diameter with ease!! I love it!! And when I had a question about the operation of the machine I called Brave and got the right answer in five minutes.

When you compare this splitter to the common Chinese imports you’ll be very happy when you buy a made in America Brave splitter!!

Well built splitter. Took about two hours to put together. Did 4+ cords over a week. Split logs that needed a two person lift that were 20” long with no hesitation. Would recommend engine guard.

This is a great splitter, beyond my expectations. I have split 8-10 cords so far and no problems. Simple to assemble and remarkable performance. Would recommend to anyone.

This splitter well exceeds my expectations and the customer service I experienced was top notch.

Excellent Splitter. Very quiet, fast and powerful.

The 37 ton splitter is amazing. It goes through the knottiest wood like butter. I love using it. The assembly instructions were very detailed and useful. I have two complaints. First, I doubt most people will have all the required tools to assemble the splitter. I had to borrow and buy tools to assemble it. Some examples include: 22mm and 32mm crowfoot wrenches, 38mm socket, 18 mm wrench, torque wrench. Second, I followed all the directions and torqued everything to the correct levels and once I filled the reservoir with hydraulic fluid it leaked from one of the joints that was installed by the manufacturer. The elbow joint was not tightened. The only solution is to drain all the fluid (10 gallons) tighten the elbow and then refill the reservoir. A real pain. I'm frustrated it was not done right when it was delivered.

This is a very well-made splitter with quality components and features. The only reason I would give a 4 star instead of a 5 star is that I really like the older splitter designs where the ram is reversed. I'm not a fan of wood falling on the tires/oil tank. The Honda GX engines are extremely nice. After assembly and filling fluids it literally started on first pull and pretty much has ever since.

This was a great purchase. Assembly was easy, but you will need some no so common wrenches and sockets. No big deal, I will always take more tools. Some people say they needed a lift of some sort to mount the hydraulic ram onto its base. While it is heavy, should have been a two man lift, I lifted the top of the ram assembly up and walked it into the vertical position with my little wife in front to make sure I didn’t push it past vertical. I then rolled the frame over and attached the two pieces. The instructions were not the best, but some reading forward and looking at the pictures it will eventually become clear to what you need to do.
Once assembled, you will need a full 9gals of hyd fluid, a quart of oil, and some gas. Make sure you have appropriate funnels for each. It will make you life so much easier.
Splitting wood is a breeze. I split about 1.5 cord of 25” wet oak in about 3 hrs.

Best purchase I ever made! I rely on my wood burning stove as my primary heat in the winter and splitting wood with an axe seemed like a novel idea at first with the benefits of of keeping in shape and not having to go to the gym for work outs. But that got old pretty quick. I started looking for a log splitter several years ago at the big box stores and in for sale postings on various sites. What I found was a lot of the log splitters from the big box stores were for sale on these sites. After reading many reviews I came to the conclusion that those worked well some of the time and then after several years of using a problematic splitter, owners were trying to off load them. I also noticed that none of these used splitters had a Honda engine.. That narrowed my search to finding a splitter with a Honda. I work in emergency services and all our generators and motors for rescue tools are Hondas. They are very reliable and start with one or two pulls. I chose the Brave 37 ton splitter because of the Honda motor and haven’t been disappointed since purchasing. The assemble instructions are clearly written and I had most of the tools required to assemble on hand. The only tools I had to purchase was a narrow 22 mm crest wrench to tighten 2 of the hydraulic fittings. Priming the hydraulic fluid was an easy process. I found the correct hydraulic oil at AutoZone and the tank takes about 8 gallons to fill. The engine started on the first pull and I split a cord of wood (knotted oak) with ease. The motor sips fuel and I only used a quarter tank. The assemble took less than 4 hours to put everything together. I used my Kubota and a strap to position the ram because I didn’t have a helper. Since the first day, I split two more cords of wood and have yet to run into any issues. I would definitely recommend buying this log splitter. Wood Splitters Direct had it delivered to my house in less than a week. I also ordered the oil change kit after reading other reviews of the mess an oil change makes without one. I recommend that as well as the guard for the gas tank because logs will roll off and dent it if you don’t have a one.