Pat's Easy Change Pat's Easy Change System - longer top link?

[bgWI]

Greetings,

Just added Pat' system this week and found the manual top link about 2 1/2 inches short for connecting the 1,500 pound 9inch Vably chipper. I connected by tipping the unit forward, but not a fun way to achieve the hook up. Have not had time to try my other attachments. Will I need to find a longer manual top link? Also I have power top and the cylinder "reach" could be limited. Looking for a short cut to the answer, if you please. Otherwise I like the fit and quality and hook up was easy for a heavy piece of equipment.

Bill

 

[greg_g]

Light duty toplinks of several lengths are readily available and inexpensive. Most farm supply stores have the cheap Cat 1 Indian toplinks in at least 3 different links. So do mail order outfits like AgriSupply. Standard Cat 1 toplinks come as short as 13" (17.75" eye to eye closed) to 20" (33" eye to eye fully extended). Don't think any of them should cost much over $20

But the power link (I assume hydraulic toplink) is a different problem. Most folks I know attack this problem with an extender bracket. You'll likely have to work with your local machinst to have one custome made. They go on the tractor end of the cylinder. One end pins to the cylinder, the other to the tractors toplink bracket. The length is up to your individual needs.

Consider also that any PTO shafts you use are going to extend a bit farther as well. To resolve that issue, you can buy an adapter that makes the PTO stub on your tractor ~4" longer. AgriSupply sells them too.

//greg//

 

[bgWI]

Greg,

Thank you for your input. I was thinking I would have to "engineer" an adapter for the hydraulic cylinder. My thought would be extend the equipment end of the cylinder to minimize what is mounted to the tractor, since an additional link on the tractor, if not fixed, would "flop" around and the cylinder is a heavy piece. Hose lengths would not be a concern then. I'll try my other pieces of equipment and see what is needed all around. I can weld and machine so if anyone has "made" such an adapter a pic to save engineering time would be appreciated! This could be a good idea for Pat to persue....

take care,

Bill

 

[greg_g]

Naw, no flopping around. Others have fabricated the tractor end bracket I've seen, I just can't find a link to the photos now. I'm thinking it might even have been double pinned to the OE bracket.

Alternatively, a floating toplink bracket added to the implement end will also represent about a 4" extension. But they're not always universal. My HTL has plenty of reach to cope with the additional PEC length. But if I had to put on an extension, I'd personally want it on the tractor end.

//greg//

 

[AlanB]

I would call Pat, I seem to recall he did some prototype or something work along that line and it was posted on here some where, just not sure where.

And yes, I run an ORC to compensate on the driveline, and I run a longer (4") toplink to compensate for the additional length the PECS adds.

But as I hook and unhook, I smile each time

 

[3RRL]

If you love Pat's as much as I do, they will never come off the tractor again.
The flip side is to cut your lower drag links and shorten them up. That puts your lift point back as designed and you don't lose any lifting power with the 3pt. Also allows for your stock top link or other stock length stuff to all work like normal. It was super easy to do, and didn't cost a cent to do.
Here's what I did on my wife's 284 Jinma to show an alternate solution...
First pic shows Pat's on the stock length lower links where they stick out pretty far.
Second pic shows the lower links back to stock length.
Third pic shows the piece I sawed out the links re-welded.

 

[bgWI]

Rob,

Thank you for encouragement to "cut-to-fit" the lower arms. I'll have to see what space is available as I have Kubota's "extensions" right at the end, which might make it impossible to remove material. Alternatively, I could shop for some "plain" lower arms which would have space for cutting to fit. I'm also waiting for a response from "Pat" and he is currently out of the office.

take care,

Bill

 

[Copperhead]

Or, if you are really wanting to "up the ante" and solve a number of problems, get CCM's hydraulic top link. After putting on Pat's system, the hydraulic top link from CCM worked great.

 

[greg_g]

Or, if you are really wanting to "up the ante" and solve a number of problems, get CCM's hydraulic top link. After putting on Pat's system, the hydraulic top link from CCM worked great.

I think you missed the part where he said he already had a hydraulic toplink - the problem was it's now too short. Hence the suggestion to add an extender bracket.

//greg//

 

[bgWI]

My humble apology Copperhead, but I do not recognize "CCM." Please provide more information.

thank you,

Bill