Is there a downside to the valves with the detent float or could you just use those for all the valves?
Not that I can think of, aside from it being a little more expensive, but not much in the grand scheme of things. I figure if you have it you don't HAVE to use it, but if you need it it's there, however, if you don't have it and you want it...well, your out of luck :laughing: Then again though, I don't see any need for all 4 of my spools to have detent, but it wouldn't hurt.
I would prefer a mix, where I have 2 spring return to centers, and 2 with float detent, I wish I put in a 3 position valve so I could hold it open when I use my splitter, right now I have to bunjee the valve open, and I don't like that. I went through all this work to make everything right, and have to use a bungee, it just looks "half assed" when I'm doing it that way. I may change this in the future...if I don't end up buying another tractor in the next year or so anyways
Is the three position valve the same as the spring return valves except it doesn't have the spring return?
I believe it still has the spring return, but I could be very wrong on that, I think it just has the ability to "stay put" in all 3 positions. Someone else will have to comment on that though.
What types of implements would you want the spring return, the float detent or the three position.
Spring return if you don't ever see a need for any of the others, it is the 'base model' of the valves.
Float detent, I use it most for my top N tilt. Lets say for instance your using an implement (ex. landscape rake over uneven/changing terrain that you don't want to tear up, or a rear blade when plowing your driveway of snow) When I do something like this, I put my side link in "FLOAT", this way, when plowing for instance, the blade will always be flat on the pavement, and it won't tend to lift one side. My driveway is slightly down hill when leaving, and it is perpendicular to the street, which is also a hill. SO... when I use the blade to plow my driveway, and I'm getting to the end of my driveway where it meets the street, my tractor will start to follow the natural hill of the road as it enters the road, whereas my blade is still on the driveway, so the blade stays flat, think of it like it's now on a sort of swivel and is allowed to rotate slightly independent of what the tractor is doing.
It's hard for me to describe but that's what comes to mind. ALso, if your raking out hilly terrain and don't want one edge to 'dig in' and one to lift when one side of the rake hits a small hill, then keep it in float, then it will ride over the top with one side of the rake. These are just a couple examples that I can think of.
A nice feature of the float function on the top link, is when I back up to an implement to hook it up, i put my top link in float, then when i'm hooking up my implement, I can push/pull the cylinder by hand to the correct length I need to hook up that top pin, makes quick work out of it.
I'm thinking of adding some valves and want to make sure I buy the correct kind.
I think it would be easier if you described what your needs/wants are and what your initial thoughts are, then we could give you some advice based on that. :thumbsup: