Top-N-Tilt -- JD vs. CCM

[HobbleCreek]

As I approach this tractor buying decision (really guys, I am eventually going to do this) the issue of the top-n-tilt needs to be addressed. Deere sells one with a retail list of about $830. It requires the electric diverter kid to provide two rear remotes. That's about a $1200 item, so we're talking a couple thousand dollars.

I'm aware that CCM makes a top-n-tilt. It looks like the top link is $185. I don't see the price of the side link on their website, but I'm assume that the total is a fair bit less than $830. Also, it looks like the CCM device has a cat I/II ball on the implement end (at least for the top link, don't know about the bottom).

My questions:

Anybody have any experience with these two devices and what are your impressions of the two?

Does the CCM device still require the two rear remotes, thus requiring the electric diverter kit? I'm assuming it does.

Do you recommend getting the third remote if you're going to occupy the first two with the top-n-tilt?

Thanks as always for your abundant wisdom.

-- Grant

 

[MadReferee]

Make sure that whatever kit you get that comes with cylinders, that the cylinders have the double pilot operated check valves. Cylinders without the valves will leak down no matter what the dealer may tell you. The double pilot operated check valves WILL prevent leakdown.

I know for a fact the CCM cylinders have the valves. Kubota cylinders do not and I'll wager JD cylinder do not either.

Plenty of posts have been written here about the CCM kit. Not much about the JD kit (this is the first I have heard that they sell a kit with cylinders). Use the search function and you will get plenty of information.

BTW, I have CCM TNT cylinders on my Kubota.

 

[bam747]

Regardless of the brand of the top and tilt cylinders, you will absolutely need two SCVs to run them. How you end up with those two SCVs is up to you. You can get there with Deere's electric diverter option or an after market electric diverter (Fasse is popular brand that comes to mind).

BTW, I think people do themselves a great disservice by NOT getting as many hydraulic SCVs on a tractor as possible. There have been may discussions on this subject on TBN, but the general censuses is "the more the merrier".

Myself, my next tractor WILL have: a three spool mid mount SCV with a proportional thumb operated third function on the loader joystick control for the loader third function (grapple); I will also have two additional SCVs running off the mid mount SCV via electric diverters to run a Top and Tilt; and finally, I will also have 3 additional rear mount SCVs to run rear mounted equipment with hydraulic controls like a heavy rear blade with hydraulic angle, offset, and gauge wheel (rear blades usually have their own tilt adjustments, but I'd use the Tilt part of the Top and Tilt to accomplish most tilt settings).

In case you're counting, that adds up to a total of 8, yes 8(!) SCVs. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[HobbleCreek]

So I guess we're safe in concluding that you don't thing 5 is overkill. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Anybody have experience with the Tesco hyrdaulic diverter. That is one that my dealer recommended when I spoke to him tonight. He said it's around $500 compared with the $1200 Deere product. At that price, I think I'll defintely do it I'll probably do the 2 mids, 1 rear from Deere then add two more from Tesco -- assuming I don't learn that they're a poor product.

 

[jeffinsgf]

I went with the JD third SCV and the CCM toplink only. I might have gone with the Fasse diverter, had I found out about it, but in the end after a couple hundred hours of use, I can't say that I long for the tilt function whatsoever.

 

[HobbleCreek]

Thanks for that info. I'm wondering about the tilt feature. My property has a lot of leveling needs. It seems to me that the tilt feature would be a huge asset in leveling slopes. Is that true?

-- Grant