Top link ratchet adjustment

Catman8 · Feb 28, 2017

I cannot afford hydraulic TNT at the moment so I made a lever out of a chain binder to adjust my top link from the operators seat.

I took a 5/16" - 3/8" ratchet binder and used the parts from it to fabricate my top link.

Cut off the plastic grip with a razor knife and you will notice that the holes for the roll pins are only drilled in one side of the cylinder, you will need to drill two more holes on the opposite side so you can drive out the roll pins to be able to unscrew the threads from the cylinder. I did not think about drilling out two holes and I used a chop saw.

I cut a 2" section out of the cylinder that did not have internal threads and machined two snap ring groves and I cut a slot for a woodruff key.

Then I TIG welded the part to the end of the top link and painted the top link.

I then drilled four holes in the sprocket and tapped 1/4-20" threads for Alan screws, and I filed a notch for the woodruff key.

I then assembled the parts.

Sysop · Mar 1, 2017

Absolutely awesome! Very slick idea! :thumbsup:

RNeumann · Mar 1, 2017

Sysop said:
Absolutely awesome! Very slick idea! :thumbsup:

SECOND!!!

Catman8 · Mar 1, 2017

Thanks for the kind comments

gwstang · Mar 1, 2017

Very nice indeed!

check · Mar 1, 2017

And very creative!

kf4uda · Mar 1, 2017

Great job!...nice tractor too.

teg · Mar 1, 2017

You need to start a business selling those!!! Great work...

Catman8 · Mar 1, 2017

The diameter of the top link tube on my John Deere was to big for the diameter of the ratchet handle, that's why I had to weld a piece of the tube from the binder to the end of the top link, if your top link threads diameter are to big to go inside the 2" collar, you can use a TSC top link, the diameter of the tube is almost the same as the ratchet handle and sprocket gear, you could take a catagory 2-3 bushing and machine the inside diameter, slide it over the top link and weld it in place and then machine the outside diameter to fit the ratchet handle, it's not much bigger and you would not lose the 2" of adjustment if thats an issue for you, or you could come up with your own creative way to attach it.