Cocre
Gold Member
Got froggy and installed the hydraulic top link yesterday. The outcome is that is works fantastic, but I must admit that the install did not go well. Had a leak and actually bent the cylinder piston rod the first time I operated it with an implement attached, both problems were my fault (maybe not the leak) and had nothing to do with the products. The moral of the story is to not do things in a cold, damp, dimly lit shelter, especially when you get in a hurry.
I put the Prince SV valve together from parts purchased off of eBay. Both sections have float that I thought I might use, but with the cylinder lock valve that becomes a moot point. All other parts, excluding the valve mount were purchased from The Surplus Center. I built the valve mount myself. I intend to modify the hydraulic return from the Prince valve by changing the open center outlet plug to a power beyond plug and running the 3 pt hitch via the power beyond rather than the valve outlet. I will connect the outlet to the return-to-tank fitting used by the backhoe when attached. I will do that when I install the tilt portion in the spring.
I installed bi-directional flow control valves on each valve section to control the ram speed. This helps to slow things down, but is really not necessary. You can feather the valve operation sufficiently to decrease the speed to a crawl. The flow control valves do make it nice to be able to control the wide open speed though.
I had to flip the lock valve unit including the banjo fittings around, and the lock valve 90 degrees itself, to avoid contact with tractor parts. But when I finished up, nothing touches nothing, except what is supposed to touch something.
I never liked or used the HF quick hitch that I own, but the hydraulic top link changes all that. Man is it slick now. I can tilt the quick hitch forward to where I can actually she the hooks when backing up, then tilt it back level and drive perfectly underneath an implement. Great fun.
I put the Prince SV valve together from parts purchased off of eBay. Both sections have float that I thought I might use, but with the cylinder lock valve that becomes a moot point. All other parts, excluding the valve mount were purchased from The Surplus Center. I built the valve mount myself. I intend to modify the hydraulic return from the Prince valve by changing the open center outlet plug to a power beyond plug and running the 3 pt hitch via the power beyond rather than the valve outlet. I will connect the outlet to the return-to-tank fitting used by the backhoe when attached. I will do that when I install the tilt portion in the spring.
I installed bi-directional flow control valves on each valve section to control the ram speed. This helps to slow things down, but is really not necessary. You can feather the valve operation sufficiently to decrease the speed to a crawl. The flow control valves do make it nice to be able to control the wide open speed though.
I had to flip the lock valve unit including the banjo fittings around, and the lock valve 90 degrees itself, to avoid contact with tractor parts. But when I finished up, nothing touches nothing, except what is supposed to touch something.
I never liked or used the HF quick hitch that I own, but the hydraulic top link changes all that. Man is it slick now. I can tilt the quick hitch forward to where I can actually she the hooks when backing up, then tilt it back level and drive perfectly underneath an implement. Great fun.
