Broken top link

[dlabrie]

I was using my landscape rake on my B2910. I had the top link extended just about all the way to lift the tines. The wheels on the rake were all the way down. I was going down hill and stopped inches from a tree. When I tried to back up I raised the rake and backed up. The wheels caught the ground. The screw/eye extending from the top link to the rake bent and ripped out of the threaded portion of the top link. I had to hitch a comealong to the ROPS and rake to lift it so I could back away from the tree and head for the garage.
I went to the dealer. They had a generic top link replacement that was a bit larger than the original. Cost $25 verses $125 for a Kubota replacement and X # of days waiting. The end that attached to the tractor was about 1/16 inch too wide to fit. I ground off a little of each side and it works just fine. It came with a bar that appears to slide through the center of the top link to adjust it. It is burled on each end and doesn't go through . Am I suppose to drive it through with a hammer or is there another way it is to be used?
I'll try to send some pictures later today.
David

[alvanko]

Yes . Just drive it through with a hammer .

[Mrwurm]

I had to buy a new top link when I bent mine. Same situation, had to drive it through with a hammer.

[JohnMiller3]

<font color=blue>...Am I suppose to drive it through with a hammer...?</font color=blue>

Yep...

[dlabrie]

Thanks, I'll take it off and drive it through. Here is a picture of the broken link.

[dlabrie]

And the new top link.

[JohnMiller3]

Hi Dave,

If the body threads are not damaged... you can buy a "replacement end" at any farm supply store for ~ $5-9.

These are fairly inexpensive units... a complete Cat I unit runs about $15.-17... [img]/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[normde2001]

Yep, that's why they call them "links". Links are for pulling, "pitmans" are for pushing.

[Mrwurm]

Your picture of the broken link looks just like mine. All bent up. In my case it was the jam nut that got caught in the frame of the rake. When I lifted the rake the jam-nut wedged into the frame and the force bent the top link. My new link is exactly like yours except I removed the jam-nut to make sure I don't destroy the new one.

[jasonf]

Based on the picture, you should be able to cut off the part of the threaded rod before the bend. That would leave you with a backup toplink that you could use when a shorter toplink is needed. Or you could burn off the old threaded rod and just buy some new threaded rod and have it welded to the old swivel that you just burned off . Waste not, Want not [img]/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif[/img]