Hydraulic top link assembly for CK20

[Everhard]

Oh the hydraulic is way way easier to hook up! I hook up the 2 lower arms, then holding the top link I extend or retract the top link till it lines up, pop the pin in and done. Alternatively I've also hooked the toplink up first, then retracting/extending it as needed to help align the lower links up. (Useful with heavier implements) Then of course from the comfort of the seat I can adjust the top link as needed without having to muscle the top link. But hooking up is only the tip of the iceberg for what makes it great. It's what I would recommend as the first thing to get if you're going to be using any 3pth attachments. Almost anything becomes more versatile with it. As an example given winter is just about done using a snowblower is much better with it - start of the season I can tilt the blower so it doesn't dig into the driveway, once the driveway is good and frozen I can bias the angle down a bit so it does a really good job getting every last bit of snow, when I blow a path down to the sugar shack which is a trail with lots of dips and bumps I can change the angle from one moment to the next again without scalping the ground... I could go on... I think on larger tractors it comes stock. (As does the hydraulic side link but I'm getting further and further off topic...)

E.

 

[rjpotts]

Oh the hydraulic is way way easier to hook up! I hook up the 2 lower arms, then holding the top link I extend or retract the top link till it lines up, pop the pin in and done. Alternatively I've also hooked the toplink up first, then retracting/extending it as needed to help align the lower links up. (Useful with heavier implements) Then of course from the comfort of the seat I can adjust the top link as needed without having to muscle the top link. But hooking up is only the tip of the iceberg for what makes it great. It's what I would recommend as the first thing to get if you're going to be using any 3pth attachments. Almost anything becomes more versatile with it. As an example given winter is just about done using a snowblower is much better with it - start of the season I can tilt the blower so it doesn't dig into the driveway, once the driveway is good and frozen I can bias the angle down a bit so it does a really good job getting every last bit of snow, when I blow a path down to the sugar shack which is a trail with lots of dips and bumps I can change the angle from one moment to the next again without scalping the ground... I could go on... I think on larger tractors it comes stock. (As does the hydraulic side link but I'm getting further and further off topic...)

E.

It just seems having the cylinder in one hand and the valve in the other is an accident waiting to happen. Must have something to do with age, I don't like to get on roofs or ride motorcycles anymore either.

 

[Everhard]

I can't say I've even considered it? To begin with when I don't have the top link attached to anything I have it fully retracted as I don't like to leave the shaft exposed if I don't have to - which means when I do touch it\hold it I'm holding the body, not the shaft so in no way can I pinch my hand. Secondly maybe because I've grown up working around hydraulic equipment there's no way I would hold onto any hydraulic shaft given it's a recipe for hurting myself.
Using tractors have all sorts of associated dangers, lots of lovely graphic warning pics splattered all over your typical tractor to hopefully stop you from doing silly things, but that doesn't stop me from using a tractor. It makes doing jobs a lot easier. Same with the hydraulic to link, makes my life easier so I'm going to use it.

E.