Alternate source for hydraulic top links?

[/pine]

@picker...

just curious...do your hoses clear everythng when the lift is all the way up? I had to rotate the cylinder a little to prevent jamming the hoses...?

 

[picker77]

Yes, they clear fine. There is about 1-1/2" clearance between the bend in the 90 deg hose and the SMV sign at full up. However, to get that clearance I did have to remove the original S-shaped top link storage bracket. Even that wouldn't have been necessary if I had used two banjo fittings instead of one banjo and one 90 degree at the DPOCV. But I didn't need the OEM storage bracket anyway anymore, so I just took it off.

The side link will be a bit trickier for clearance in the max up position, but I think I have that figured out. Now I'm just waiting on the new side link cylinder to arrive from Surplus Center.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Yes, they clear fine. There is about 1-1/2" clearance between the bend in the 90 deg hose and the SMV sign at full up. However, to get that clearance I did have to remove the original S-shaped top link storage bracket. Even that wouldn't have been necessary if I had used two banjo fittings instead of one banjo and one 90 degree at the DPOCV. But I didn't need the OEM storage bracket anyway anymore, so I just took it off.

The side link will be a bit trickier for clearance in the max up position, but I think I have that figured out. Now I'm just waiting on the new side link cylinder to arrive from Surplus Center.

Just curious, why do you feel that you no longer need the OEM top link holder? Have you come up with some other type of bracket?

 

[picker77]

Just curious, why do you feel that you no longer need the OEM top link holder? Have you come up with some other type of bracket?

Hi MVR,
I just never used it. I keep my box blade on the tractor 99.9% of the time, even when I'm doing other stuff with the FEL or forks--along with loaded tires, it's part of my basic counterweight setup. Never saw the sense of carrying around a weight box, makes more sense to me to leave something on there I use all the time anyway. If the box blade isn't hanging back there (a very rare occurrence, like when I'm taking the tractor to the dealer for service or something), then I just leave the lower link arms in the full up position and let the top link rest on a heavy rubber tie-down strap I keep hooked between the lower link arms. I'll save the bracket in pristine condition for the next guy. It's only a three minute job to remove or reinstall it, just two 18mm bolts under the flip-up seat.

Speaking of which, this 3032E is the only wheeled vehicle I've ever worked on that used 18mm bolt heads, and there are several on it. I've seen a ton of 17mm and 19mm's on everything from cars to motorcycles over the years, but 18mm was a new one to me. I had to go buy 3/8 and 1/2 drive 18mm sockets just for this tractor. Maybe other brands use 18mm too, but it was just the first time I've run into them, and there were none on my previous tractor, a Kubota. Maybe John Deere got a good deal on a boxcar load of them.

 

[kennyd]

Just curious, why do you feel that you no longer need the OEM top link holder? Have you come up with some other type of bracket?

I took mine off because I have my iMatch QH mounted all the time.

 

[picker77]

I'm guess I'm sort of the opposite extreme from kennyd and his iMatch. He uses his 3ph for a wide variety of things, so he changes rear attachments often, where I almost never do. So quick hitches and top link holders aren't much use to me. Since I got a large ZTR several year ago, maybe twice a year I hang a brush hog or a middle buster on for a day or two, the rest of the time the box blade lives on there. I'm even thinking about converting my 3ph lift boom to fit the JDQA on the FEL one of these days.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Hi MVR,
I just never used it. I keep my box blade on the tractor 99.9% of the time, even when I'm doing other stuff with the FEL or forks--along with loaded tires, it's part of my basic counterweight setup. Never saw the sense of carrying around a weight box, makes more sense to me to leave something on there I use all the time anyway. If the box blade isn't hanging back there (a very rare occurrence, like when I'm taking the tractor to the dealer for service or something), then I just leave the lower link arms in the full up position and let the top link rest on a heavy rubber tie-down strap I keep hooked between the lower link arms. I'll save the bracket in pristine condition for the next guy. It's only a three minute job to remove or reinstall it, just two 18mm bolts under the flip-up seat.

Ok, makes sense, I change the rear implements all the time and would hate having the top link just hang there between changes.

 

[skipmarcy]

A simple piece of lightweight chain with a small hook on one end is all you need. I slip my chain thru the metal hydraulic line on top of my cylinder and it holds it up just dandy. I too keep my boxblade on the hitch when not using another implement - might as well have a tool back there instead of dead weight (weight box). My lower hitch arms each have a tit of metal on top that you stretch a bungee across when no implement is onboard - keeps the arms from swaying into the tire lugs. I still have the bungee that came with my tractor for this. I've been told my hydraulic toplink assembly is pretty ugly - I agree, but it was pretty darn inexpensive compared to what I've seen for sale and has worked fantastic for about 6 years now - it is extremely stout and works great and is exactly the length I needed for my particular tractor - that was the biggest factor in making my own, couldn't find the right length for the ranges I wanted. I bought this cylinder from Surplus Center, cut the clevis ends off and cut the rod to the exact length I wanted and welded the swivel ball ends on. The square unit on the side is a Prince DPOCV - it cost more than the cylinder and ball ends !! I wanted the check valves though, I set it and forget it. Would have been nice to get the small, compact check valves but I couldn't find any at the time so I got what I got.

 

[picker77]

Shoot, Skip, that HTL setup looks fine to me. The important thing is it works. I like the overall compactness and short hoses, makes for a neat install. I wish my rear remote QC location would allow me to use really short hoses like that, I had to use 36" on mine.

 

[picker77]

Top 'n Tilt Finished! Well, almost. I might swap the cylinder end of the two hoses on the toplink cylinder, or maybe change that tall 90 degree to a banjo fitting. It's just tall enough to scrape the middle of the SMV sign at full up and full tilt. I wouldn't have that problem if I didn't have to keep the seat slid back all the way all the time. I could just try to remember never to pull the top link all the way closed, but since I can't remember what I had for breakfast this morning I know how that would work.

Now I have to try it out on my gravel lane and get the left side link adjusted to a happy medium for the way I use it. I tried to make the the overall length of the 6" sidelink cylinder so that I'd have more tilt right than left (welded the clevis at 4" stroke instead of halfway at 3"). I have plenty of tilt, the only question left is will I need to add a DPOCV on the side link too, but I'd rather not.

Both cylinders feather just fine, but require a gentle hand on the controls to keep things slow, especially the smaller sidelink cylinder. A heavy hand will snatch that 400# box blade around like it was made of balsa wood.

After all my previous worrying about welding on the cylinder (I only had to weld on the rod end) that turned out to be a non-event. I extended the rod all the way and wrapped a wet rag around it, and it never even got warm to the touch near the cylinder during the welding process.

One question about banjo fittings... can they be removed and reused (as in swapping the hoses above) without changing to new copper rings, or is that a no-no?