Adding a Third Remote to a TN

[Phred]

Well guys I finally got around to putting the third remote kit on my TN. I will bore you with the details...... so feel free to read no further.


It comes as a kit and its about $500. The instuctions are of marginal value. They opted for pictographs rather than italian.
The first big problem was that the parts list does not have part numbers just the description of the part such as "o-ring". Of course there is more than one kind of o-ring so a little detective work is in order. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gifBut they do have the description in four languages! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

My kit turned out to be missing several different small o-rings and required a trip to the dealer to correct. So check the kit carefully.

First step was to remove the rear "passenger side" tire. You could probably do it with the wheel on but it would be a pain. This step requires a jack with greater than 24" max height. Not easy to find. So I found some jack stands that claimed a 24" height and planned to use the tire as a jack. Problem was that they were a little short so a 2x4 was used to make up the difference.

The second stand in the picture is just in case the 2x4 slips out, its not touching the bottom of the axel.

 

[Phred]

Boy am I glad those tires are just full of air. I would recommend you do not lay the tire on its side.

Next step was to remove the yellow return pipe from the top of the valve block.

Note that the top is just a flare fitting. The bottom has an o-ring on either side. The ring is metal with rubber in the middle, all one part. The dealers new parts list shows these as rubber o-rings now but I did not swap the outer one since this setup was working.

 

[Phred]

I went ahead and pulled the top link off.
Not really required but makes it easy to get at the remotes.
Just one pin and it comes off.

 

[Phred]

Also pulled the bracket that supports the top link when not in use. Again not required but its in the way. just two bolts and its off.

 

[Phred]

So now its time to take the studs out. There are three studs, threaded rods, that hold the valves togheter and to the tractor. There is a bolt on the top and a bolt and washer on the bottom. You want to take them out one at a time to make sure that the orings between the valves do not come loose.

You will replace these short studs (~6 1/2" for two remotes) with longer ones from the kit (~8 3/4" for three remotes).

Here is the view with the bolts out of the tops of the studs. I found that I had to take the bottom bolt off pull the whole stud out, only one at a time! I then used a vise and a stud wrench to remove the top bolts which are painted on in my case.
You then put the longer studs in place of the old short studs, again only one out of the stack at a time.

 

[Phred]

Now you pull the top valve block off, which serves as the fluid return to the tank.

Here is the bottom view of this top block.

 

[Phred]

There are four sets of o-rings that go in these recessed cavities between each valve segment.

My tractor was missing a ring /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif, but it did not leak so no harm done.

The top three are larger and have metal rings inside a rubber o-ring. The bottom one does not have the inner metal ring. The middle two, both top and bottom, have a plastic ring on the outside of the rubber o-ring.
My installation was missing one of the metal rings.

Sorry for the sloppy focus.

 

[Phred]

So now you install the new valve from the kit. Here it is with the rings all ready to go.
You must turn it ring side down to install so use a little grease on all the rings to keep them from falling out.

 

[Phred]

Here it is installed.

Ready to put that top return block back on.
Note the longer stud in the picture. The other two are in they have just fallen down so you can not see the top.

 

[Phred]

So here is the top part ready to go back in place.
Again just a dab of grease will hold all the rings in place.