3rd function / diverter valve location

[MadDogDriver]

There have been many threads about the merits of installing either a 3rd function kit or a diverter valve to enhance your FEL's capability. When we bought our TLB, we decided to power our grapple via a 3rd function kit from our rear remote, since we wanted a rear remote anyways, and control our grapple manually from the rear remote valve lever. Although I have no problems running the grapple and FEL this way, there are many times that I think having control of the grapple from the FEL joy stick would be more convenient.

PineRidge has a great series of photos of how he installed his diverter valve. Adding grapple hydraulics to a TC-40D SS He converted his joy stick handle with an additional button to control diverting the curl/uncurl circuit to also close/open his grapple while retaining his on-the-go hi/lo speed control. Other's have configured their machines in similar fashion, but all the one's I've seen so far have mounted their diverter valves with the tractor rather than on the FEL itself. Likewise, I've only seen electronic 3rd function valves installed on the tractor.

While searching New Holland's parts section of their website, I came across what they call an electronic 3rd function kit. According to all I've learned from many of you and especially MadReferee's posts about hydraulics, I think he would've agreed that this is really a diverter valve kit. What is different about it though, is that they mount the diverter valve right on the FEL crossbar where a set of 3rd function QDs would normally be mounted and is protected with a cover. I really like their design and it looks like it'd work with many different brands of tractors and FELs. They tap into the curl/uncurl lines in this diagram. FEL removal and reinstallation is essentially unaffected (at least for NH tractors) and is modified only by the disconnection/reconnection of the wire connector between the joystick button and the diverter valve solenoid.

Pricing out their part list revealed some potentially significant $$ savings however, if you'd part it out yourself as well as manufacture your own mounting plate and valve cover. I've attached the diagram and parts list, for those interested.
View attachment 7511 Series Electronic 3rd Function Kit.pdf

EDIT: There may a kit price that's cheaper than pricing each part individually, but I wasn't able to find it as a package.

Looks like this is a great project for the shade tree mechanics in our group. Wish I had another tractor to install this on. "Dream on Garth".

 

[kennyd]

I mounted my diverter on the right hand loader upright, you can view the thread HERE.

That is a neat kit from NH, please let us know when you get a price, I know I am curious...

 

[MadDogDriver]

Wow! You do good work Kenny! That was a very nice set up you did. I guess I didn't go back far enough in my search of TBN for an FEL diverter valve mount. (did read all 3400+ threads on the NH op/own though )

Just like the Kubota's, the NH TC's don't have enough clearance to mount the diverter valve like you did. That's why I really like this FEL mount, because there's oodles of room on the FEL cross frame, and with a healthy cover over the valve I think it'd be safe up there.


NH's 3rd function kit for our 16A/17A FELs has two 1/2" x 225" hoses running all the way from the rear remote to the same crossframe mounting to two QDs. I chose to put an extra set of QDs on my right frame to the FEL mount.

Makes it much easier to disconnect the FEL that way than unthreading and rethreading 18.75 ft of hose from under the tractor. I really wish I'd known about the kit above before I set up my grapple connections. This is so much cleaner, especially when unmounting/remounting the FEL.

Checking prices for each part listed individually from NH's part number yielded almost $1900 ($1140 of which was just the diverter valve). WAY out of line, but again that was pricing everything individually. I know I can save over $920 alone on just the diverter valve getting it from Surplus Center. I didn't see anything on the parts list that couldn't be bought generically or home built, saving another bundle as well.

 

[james312]

Wow! You do good work Kenny! That was a very nice set up you did. I guess I didn't go back far enough in my search of TBN for an FEL diverter valve mount. (did read all 3400+ threads on the NH op/own though )

Just like the Kubota's, the NH TC's don't have enough clearance to mount the diverter valve like you did. That's why I really like this FEL mount, because there's oodles of room on the FEL cross frame, and with a healthy cover over the valve I think it'd be safe up there.
View attachment 78041

NH's 3rd function kit for our 16A/17A FELs has two 1/2" x 225" hoses running all the way from the rear remote to the same crossframe mounting to two QDs. I chose to put an extra set of QDs on my right frame to the FEL mount.
View attachment 78040
Makes it much easier to disconnect the FEL that way than unthreading and rethreading 18.75 ft of hose from under the tractor. I really wish I'd known about the kit above before I set up my grapple connections. This is so much cleaner, especially when unmounting/remounting the FEL.

Checking prices for each part listed individually from NH's part number yielded almost $1900 ($1140 of which was just the diverter valve). WAY out of line, but again that was pricing everything individually. I know I can save over $920 alone on just the diverter valve getting it from Surplus Center. I didn't see anything on the parts list that couldn't be bought generically or home built, saving another bundle as well.

Maddog, I have pretty the same tractor as you (a Case DX40). Were you able to find a good way to mount an extra button on the loader joystick to control the 3rd function without interfering with the Hi-Lo shifting buttons on the joystick?

 

[MadDogDriver]

James,
We never installed the electronic 3rd function kit. I just use the normal rear remote lever to open/close the grapple since we already had the rear remote.

I absolutely love having my grapple on the FEL and have had no problems fully operating the FEL and grapple simultaneously, (granted, it sometimes requires using both hands, with the right hand on the rear remote and the left hand on the joy stick). Cheap, but not as convenient as having the electronic option. It's been a long time since I had researched this and the cob webs have sufficiently clouded my memory about how I would've put a push button switch into the joystick. I believe it would work, but don't recall the details without taking my joystick apart and looking at it again. Sorry.