Looking for info for converting 2 stick to joystick

[eastrdJD]

Looking at getting an older excavator that has 2 stick control up at the front, wondering about converting it to joysticks at the seat. I read in an old post that conversion kits do exist, but i can't find anything online. not something that i am planning to do for sure, but just curious if it was possible. Thanks.

 

[mikester]

You can do anything you want if you have the time and money to do it

You need to do the math to determine if it's worth it

 

[4570Man]

Pilot controls aren’t cheap and aren’t really a drop in conversion either. I’d recommend either buying an excavator with joysticks or just dealing with the old sticks.

 

[ptsg]

You can use a cable operated control valve. You'll need to figure out how many hoses the current valve has (6 or 7), 7 hoses means it you'll need to buy the Power Beyond adapter for the valve you end up getting, then you'll also need to figure how the flow of your hydraulic system so you can buy the valve to match.

A setup like this one on the picture is usually offered around €450 to €550 in Europe. A little bit more will also get you a diverter valve that you could use for a third function.

 

[rScotty]

You can use a cable operated control valve. You'll need to figure out how many hoses the current valve has (6 or 7), 7 hoses means it you'll need to buy the Power Beyond adapter for the valve you end up getting, then you'll also need to figure how the flow of your hydraulic system so you can buy the valve to match.

A setup like this one on the picture is usually offered around €450 to €550 in Europe. A little bit more will also get you a diverter valve that you could use for a third function.

View attachment 810781

That's a very complete explanation.
Never used a kit myself, but am glad someone asked the question.

I do know that control valves/joystick mechanisms are not all the same. Some are much smoother and more responsive to small movements than others. There is also wide range in price and maybe manufacturing costs play a part there.....I've always wondered about that.

We have one tractor with a joystick that causes the bucket to jump an inch or more no matter how careful we are, and another that allows tiny fractions of an inch controlled movement.

I've no idea what makes them different.

rScotty

 

[dfkrug]

Looking at getting an older excavator that has 2 stick control up at the front, wondering about converting it to joysticks at the seat.

There are 4 ways to go if you want joysticks instead of independent sticks for each valve.

First is keeping the controls on the valves, not at the arm rests. That method can be fabricated with just a plate, and 4 tie rods with heim joints. Copying one you can look at is the way to go.

Second is cable remote control in the joystick, as many tractors have. e.g. my Kioti CK30. Harder, but you can buy the joystick and cable setup partially off-the-shelf.

Third is hydraulic servo-control joysticks. In this case, you need a flow-splitter or a second hyd pump, plus actuators at the main valve stack. I just got a chance to see an inexpensive setup on a new Chinese 1-ton excavator.

Finally, there are electric solenoid joysticks, with solenoid servos on the main valve. They would have to be proportional controls. I have no experience with these, tho you may find them on bigger excavators.

 

[4570Man]

That's a very complete explanation.
Never used a kit myself, but am glad someone asked the question.

I do know that control valves/joystick mechanisms are not all the same. Some are much smoother and more responsive to small movements than others. There is also wide range in price and maybe manufacturing costs play a part there.....I've always wondered about that.

We have one tractor with a joystick that causes the bucket to jump an inch or more no matter how careful we are, and another that allows tiny fractions of an inch controlled movement.

I've no idea what makes them different.

rScotty

The M59 along with a lot of other tractors has a cable operated front end loader. I wasn’t ever satisfied with the precision it could be operated. I’ve had jerky machines with a direct contact with the valve body too. All my backhoes have been setup that way. And they all worked smoothly except my Deere 410. It could be ran smooth but you really had to focus on your movements because it was finicky especially the boom down function. Hydraulic pilot controls like the vast majority excavators use is by far the best setup but it’s also the least practical conversion. BTW most newer full size backhoes have abandoned the old fashioned sticks out in front of you setup and went with joysticks. My KX-040 blows away the productivity of the M59 for a lot of reasons but the joysticks being a lot less fatiguing to use is one of them.

 

[dfkrug]

BTW most newer full size backhoes have abandoned the old fashioned sticks out in front of you setup and went with joysticks. My KX-040 blows away the productivity of the M59 for a lot of reasons but the joysticks being a lot less fatiguing to use is one of them.

Do ANY of the current model large industrial TLBs have direct-acting valves for the loader or backhoe anymore?

Note that for CUTs, direct-acting joystick valves for the FEL are still very common on the "budget" machines, but cable-remote joysticks, mounted near the right fender are much better. Reaching out front to use the former, traditional control is definitely less ergonomic. My Kioti cable remote FEL is much smoother to operate than any of the many Kubota or JD CUTs I have owned, all of which had direct-acting joysticks.

On modern brand-name mini-excavators, 2 HST pumps are now common, I assume with hyd servo joysticks. I believe some keep direct-acting valves for some functions on even these newer machines (blade, track adjust, etc.).

 

[WranglerX]

Maybe....

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

My observation is that on a lot of the CUTs and SCUTS, the hydraulics are twitchy, because the valves are 11-gpm, and the pumps are down around 5-gpm max flow. So the ports are just a little too large to open the small amount you need for smooth control of the hydraulics. The solution is to add restrictor valves in the circuits to the cylinders.

You can find some good valve kits for CUTS, and SCUTS, on eBay which are based on Nimco valves, and cable controls. But they are the 11-gpm units. So you might need to add some flow restriction valves to keep things smooth.