New attachment notice (LONG)

[Inspector507]

OK guys..........it's finally done!! Or will be very soon. For those of you who have been looking for a Top and Tilt KIT, if you will, one will be available very soon. As some of you know, Jim McCuan of Midwest Equipment and I have met several times. I also try to keep abreast of his new developments when I can.
Jim has been working on some special projects for several years. And his new Terrain Contour Control is almost ready for sale. This is a modular design, you don't have to buy the whole kit at once unless you want to. There is a joystick control that can control both the tilt and top cylinders separately. Or you change the handle to a handle with switches running to a modular bank of electric diverters , and now you can control up to a total of 12 cylinders.
The top and tilt cylinders each have a position indicator so you set your blades angle or tilt the same each time you use it. Both have pilot operated check valves.....no more bleeding down or crashing down should a hose have a failure.
All of this can be connected to ONE set of rear remotes...OR connected to the main hydraulic system, open OR closed systems.

Pricing is expected to be about ½ the cost of an OEM system. Cylinders and brackets will be gray and the housing for the valve will be available in most tractor colors.
The website is not complete yet and more things are being added all the time. Take a look HERE . This is a new company set up to design, develop and market his new items, not ground engaging equipment, which is still Midwest. Actually in the near future, all items will be available for purchase with credit card at that site. It may even be on display at the Farm Machinery Show in Louisville in February.
This has been a special project for Jim the last few years. Another one seems to be close as well....his quick hitch that I have seen a prototype of. Very nice.
He is now a premium member of TBN and is listed in the dealer section........ /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[nomad]

Looks like a good toy;-). All I see there is a hydraulic toplink with electronically (or semi-electronic?) controlled check valves. (waiting here the picture of a complete kit which is claimed to cost much lower than other options.)

I immediately see many advantages and some drawbacks of such a system if I am not wrong in its big detailed picture I drew in my mind using those two small pictures given on that site. But, I'll not talk about them for the moment now before we hear more about it from Jim (i maybe wrong in the picture in my mind.)

</font><font color="blue" class="small">(
The top and tilt cylinders each have a position indicator so you set your blades angle or tilt the same each time you use it. )</font>

Wasn't to put these position indicators near the pilot's joystick instead of on the cylinder possible? I think it could be done.

 

[RockyMnt1]

Did Jim happen to mention anything relating to the Midwest quick hitch during your conversation???

 

[Inspector507]

nomad,
I suposse you could put the position indicators up by the operator.........if ya want a couple of moving rods running up between your legs /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[nomad]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( nomad,
I suposse you could put the position indicators up by the operator.........if ya want a couple of moving rods running up between your legs /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )</font>

You funny. But, you don't need to transfer the rods to transfer "readings" which is not in a physical space. I think that company (IntegrationEngineering?) already understood what I said/proposed.

 

[Inspector507]

RockyMtn1,
The quick hitch seems to be close to release as well......according to the website. He hasn't specifically given me a date as yet.

 

[8561]

I am seriously contemplating top n tilt and would be very interested to see what Jim came up with. I have a Midwest boxblade and a Midwest 6 way grader blade and have been very happy with them. A little off topic, but I will be buying a snowblower next year. Has Midwest ever considered manufacturing one?

 

[OkeeDon]

<font color="blue">All of this can be connected to ONE set of rear remotes... </font>

Hallelujah. My TC18 can be set up with only one rear remote with the factory kit. I've tried to do a little exploratory work to see how I could set it up to do what I want to do, but I quickly became confused, because I don't really understand the jargon on the sites for hydraulic equipment (and, I really don't want to have to learn it all).

When I bought my tractor, one of the things the dealer threw in as a sweetener was a 3PH hydraulic bale loader, which can easily be used as a fork lift. The entire contraption can be raised with the 3PH lift, and then the forks can further be raised hydraulically about another 4', giving enough height to handle pallets on semi trailers, which is something I need.

The problem is, because there is an arc to the operation of the 3PH lift, I really need to be able to control the top link (fore and aft tilt), as well, to safely handle pallets. Along with those requirements, I really want to be able to control side tilt for use in my grading projects. That's three different hydraulic motions to control with one rear remote.

If I read your post correctly, I'll be able to do that with the new kit. To be able to do it with less expense than I might have expected is a bonus! I'll be following the progess of this kit with a lot of attention.

 

[Inspector507]

Don,
From what I understand of the whole package, it would work great for you with one set of rear remotes installed.

 

[jmc]

Don,

Don't know if its physical possible on your tractor, or worth the effort, but if the top link, bottom link, and distance between link ends on both the tractor and implement were a parallelogram instead of the usual trapezoid, the implement wouldn't tilt as you raise it.

That's hard to explain but looking at the tractor from the side and ignoring the redundant other bottom link:

The top link and bottom link are the same length.
The attachment points for the top and bottom links on the tractor are the same distance apart as on the implement.

John