Toplink Box Blade with a hydraulic top link Meow!

[stevenf]

My Kubota M9000 finally arrived and it was delivered with the Auger on, it is a Beltec hydraulic down pressure unit so I took it off after much fumbling around and hooked up the 84" gannon/woods box blade the hydraulics for the auger after a little grinding fit the box blade toplink bracket and although it took 3 hours to get it all setup the first time you can't imagine how nice it is to drive along and be able to adjust the cut depth on the fly. My first attempt looked as good as anything my neighbor has done with his 30 year old setup that he's worked on every day for 30 years. I highly recommend the novices out there considering a boxblade to get the hydraulic toplink to start with as the learning curve can be learned from being in the seat instead of gettting off and adjusting the manual one every time the contour of the road changes. I did have to go look at the blade this morning in the daylight because it got hung on some rocks and roots numerous times but the 90hp tractor just groaned a second and kept going the blade is stout theres not one hicky in it and I never picked it up just kept going forward and where it turned over a rock it did leave some pretty good holes but for the most part the road has never looked better. Thanks again everyone for your input so far other than the fact the the implements all weigh a thousand lbs or so, so theres no horsing it in to position I have no regrets about getting the big machine it is a monster compared to a lot of the ones I looked at.

 

[PineRidge]

pictures PICTURES. we gotta see lots of pictures..... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

We don't visualize here well without them.

 

[Henro]

I hope I have one of them working on MY tractor some day... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif ... since it has not happened yet, due to some unforseen stumbling blocks... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

<font color="blue"> I have no regrets about getting the big machine it is a monster compared to a lot of the ones I looked at. </font>

Another testiment to the "few regret going bigger" rule of thumb! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Like PineRidge said, don't forget to post a picture or two. Preferably with you standing beside the tractor! Big tractors need something to show off their scale... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

If I knew you better I would add: "Even if it is an ugly measuring stick!"

Just joking... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[_RaT_]

Quite frankly, folks who don't have a hydraulic top link are getting a fraction of the useability out of their boxblade. I use mine considerably. As long as I have been on this forum, I cannot stress one single item that is more important to me, not HST, not brand, not even size. I'll take a hydraulic top link right along with the loader, the hydraulic kind.

 

[willywildes]

I agree if i didn't buy my tractor with top and tilt i would be so disappointed with my box blade. i think of all the extra work to do the job. its a must have in my book!

 

[Rory_Rhodes]

Quick question, I have the rear hydraulic remote installed on my 3130 but I do not have the hydraulic top link. Looks fairly easy to install. How much should this option cost you? Cost versus use? Is a branded unit or a generic cylinder better? The implements are stacking up quick, my BH PHD has a hydraulic cylinder built in, but having one for my box blade makes pretty good sense... 6 acres of horse pasture to establish and maintain, stumps, gentle slope, some brush to contend with. 1/4 mile gravel drive to get to the new barn and homesite. Advice?

Kubota 3130 GST w/723 FEL
BH Box Blade, PHD, and SQ Mower
Woods Scraper

 

[stevenf]

Rory after asking the folks at TBN about what they thought about the hyd top link I decided I for sure wanted one but I had already decided I needed the beltec hyd down pressure auger which came with its own hyd top cylinder, it is custom made for their machine but I can pull two pins on the outrigger arms and take off all except the top cylinder. I got the price including hoses for an independent top link cylinder at around $175. including all hoses and fittings and then got the price of the beltec top cylinder at around $250. so I decided I'd only have the one cylinder and if I break it or wear it out I'll have to get the beltec custom one and spend $75. more for it but in the mean time I only have one to worry about. As far as branded or not I'd go to TSC and buy one premade just take your mechanical one with you and get the right length cylinder and shaft with the correct ends on it its no big deal if you get one with the end couplers to big just get the reducer bushings and go. I've gotten some pretty good experience in the last couple of days with the boxblade and the hyd cylinder really makes it nice I will say that if its muddy go back to bed I made a heck of a mess yesterday at the ranch entrance and tried smoothing it back out with my loader bucket it didn't work either, the wifey hasn't left the ranch yet so she hasn't seen my uhoh but you can bet tomorrow when she leaves to go to the shop I'm going to hear about it. She'll probably have to put her truck in 4wd to get out and she'll have me washing the mud off and that index finger will just be pointing at me rapid fire.
Steve

 

[Rory_Rhodes]

Thanks for the quick reply. The closest TSC is 80 miles away, but I have some other things to pick up.. Sounds like a reasonable amount to spend. The Bush Hog 2102 PHD I bought also came with a custom hydraulic "down pressure" cylinder as an $300 option. I didn't see any way adapt this one to work as it is bracketed on the post hole frame. By the way, how's eveything in "berney texas"? Although I reside in North Georgia now, many days were spent in Hondo, Sabinal, and Uvalde hunting when I still lived in Texas... Made many trips through Boerne on the way out to VanHorn. I do know about the Hill Country mud.. Good Luck.

 

[stevenf]

Rory Don't forget your manual top link or you'll be making the trip twice you want to get a hyd cylinder that will retract and extend at least as much as the manual one and also check the pin holes and get the correct size coupler on both ends or the reducer bushings fit a pin into your manual one and try it in the hyd one as the sizes are very close and you aren't going to be happy with any slop or when you engage the hyd cylinder it'll make a heck of a noise and quickly do damage. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gifI figured out that by myself I didn't have to ask anybody when I hooked up the boxblade the first time POW! BANG! AAH! I already hurt my baby! Shooh! no damage gotta go to TSC and get reducer bushing different for me they're only 6 miles away.
Steve

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

<font color="blue"> "I hope I have one of them working on MY tractor some day... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif ... since it has not happened yet, due to some unforeseen stumbling blocks... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif " </font>

Bill,

I'm exactly where you are now. I thought I was all set only to have my tractor manufacturer tell me that I shouldn't hook into my hydraulic system the way the T&T maker told me.

Now I'm faced with either foregoing the T&T or spending an additional $900.00+ in parts alone just to ready my Deere for the proper way to attach this T&T. Now I have to ask myself if I'm willing to spend over $2,100.00 plus labor just to have T&T (and, to be fair, an extra hydraulic outlet) on my machine. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

I know this doesn't help you, but I thought maybe you'd take some consolation in knowing it's not just you. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Good luck with your supplier.